Devshayani Ekadashi

Yudhishthira asked Sri Krishna, ‘’O Lord! Kindly tell me the name and observance procedure of the Ekadashi falling in the bright fortnight of month of Ashadha.’’

Lord Krishna said, ‘’O king! The name of the Ekadashi falling in the bright fortnight of Ashadha is ‘Devshayani’. I will presently expound upon it. It is extremely virtuous. The observance of this vrata yields supreme virtues, endows one with the gifts of heaven, salvation and absolution from all sins. Ob servance of fast and worshipping of the lotus-eyed Lord Vishnu with lotus flowers on the day of Devshayani in the bright half of Ashadha is equivalent to worshipping all the three worlds along with the Trinity of Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

On the day of ‘Harishayani Ekadashi’ one of my forms resides at king Bali’s palace and the other one lies asleep with Sheshanaga as the bed in the ocean of milk till the bright fortnight Ekadashi of the forthcoming month of kartika. Therefore, from the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha to the Ekadashi of bright fortnight of the month of kartika, one should meticulously practice Dharma. One, who observes the vrata of this Ekadashi attains an exalted abode after death. Therefore, one should effortfully ob serve a fast on this Ekadashi. One should remain awake throughout the night of Ekadashi and, with a heart full of devotion, worship Lord Vishnu, the bearer of the conch, discus and club. Even the four headed Lord Brahma is unable to calculate the virtues earned through this practice. O king! This Ekadashi bestows all worldly pleasures well as salvation and destroys all sins. One, who observes the excellent vrta of this Ekadashi, remains ever engaged in endeavors that are dear tome, even though he might be a chandal by caste. Those who donate lamps, eat food on palasha leaves and observe the vratas during the four months between the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha to the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of the month of kartika, are very dear to me. In the course of these four months, Lord Vishnu remains asleep in Samadhi. Therefore, one should also sleep on the ground. One should not eat green leafy vegetables the month of Shravana, curds in Bhadrapada, milk in Ashwina and pulses in kartika. Observance of Brahmacharya during these four months leads one to supreme state. O king! By observing the vrata of Ekadashi itself one is delivered from all sins. Therefore, one should always observe the vrata of this Ekadashi without fail Of the Ekadashi of the dark fortnights, only those falling between the ‘Devshayani’ and ‘Bodhini’ Ekadashis and not the others should be observed by householders. However they should observe all the Ekadashis occurring during the bright fortnights throughout the year.

Fasts, Holy Days and Festivals

22 june: Eight lunar day falling on Wednesday considered to be auspicious (up to 28.10 hrs.)

27june: Yogini Ekadashi

28 june: and 12 july: Baumpradosha vrata(for becoming released from debt; see Lok kalian Setu, issue 148, pg.4)

3.july: Ravipushyamrit yoga (upto21.45)

11july: Devshyani Ekadashi, Beginning of Chaturmas

15 july: Guru purnima