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All You Need To Know About Annada Ekadashi

Importance of Annada Ekadashi

Fasting on Ekadashi is very fruitful. We are not only freed from our unknown sins, but we also attain the fruits of all the other donations such as gold donation, land donation, food donation, cow donation, kanyadaan, penance, visiting holy places and ashvegh, are given to us at once by fasting on Ekadashi. Fasting on Ekadashi makes Lord Krishna even happier. On September 11, 2023, Ekadashi will be observed, and the following day’s parana time will be from 6:04 am to 10:13 am.

History Behind Annada Ekadashi

Once Sri Yudhisthira Maharaja asked Sri Krishna that- Oh! JanArdana, protector of all the living, please tell the name of the Ekadashi that comes in the month of Bhadrapada during the dark fortnight( August- September)

The story of this Ekadashi is about a famous king named Harishchandra, a person of the great truth, the emperor of the world and honor. Chandramati was his wife’s name, and he had a son named Lohit Ashva. However, by the force of destiny, Harishchandra lost his great empire and sold off his wife and son. The devoted king himself became a lowly servant of a dog-eater, who made him guard a crematorium. Yet even while doing such lowly service, he did not give up on his truthfulness and good character, just as somarasa, even when mixed with some other liquid, does not lose its ability to provide immortality. The king lived for many years in this condition. Then one day, he thought, ‘What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I end this suffering?’ He became more and more anxious and sad.

One day he saw a sage passing by and thought that Lord Brahma had created Brahmins to help others. Harishchandra paid his respects to the sage, Gautama Muni, and with folded hands, the king stood before him and described his story. Gautama Muni was stunned to hear the king’s tale of sorrow. He was thinking, ‘How has this mighty king been reduced to collecting clothes from the dead?’ Gautama Muni became very much sympathetic towards Harishchandra. Gautam Muni instructed Harishchandra on the process of fasting for purification.

Gautama Muni said, ‘Oh king, in the month of Bhadrapada during the dark fortnight, an incredibly admirable Ekadashi named Aja( Annada) occurs, which removes all the sins. Indeed, this Ekadashi is so promising that if you fast on that day and perform no other restraints, all your sins nullify. It will be coming in only seven days by your good fortune. So I urge you to fast on this day and remain awake throughout the night. All the outcomes of your sins you made in the past will end on doing this fast with all the rituals. Oh, Harishchandra, I have appeared here because of your past religious deeds. 

Gautama Muni’s instructions were followed by King Harishchandra concerning fasting on the sacred day of Aja Ekadashi. The reactions to his previous sins were destroyed at once because the king fasted on that day. Thus, all of his miseries were relieved. He could once again meet his wife and son, who had died just by the power of this beautiful Ekadashibut now came back to life. The devas (demigods) were beating on their celestial kettle drums in the heavenly regions and showering down flowers upon Harishchandra, Harishchandra’s queen, and Harishchandra’s son. He regained his kingdom without difficulty by the blessings of the Ekadashi fast. Moreover, when King Harishchandra left earth, his relatives and subjects went with him to the spiritual world.

Benefits Attain On This Ekadashi

Lord Sri Krishna told Yudhishthira Maharaja that this Annada Ekadashi is sin- removing, this is extremely important Ekadashi is Aja. Anyone who fasts completely on this day and worships Hrishikesha (the master of the senses) becomes free from all the reactions to one’s sins. Even one who hears about this Ekadashi is freed from their past sins. He highlighted that this goes without saying that there are no better days than this in all the earthly and heavenly worlds. This is true without a doubt. Whoever fasts on Aja Ekadasi is indeed freed from all their sins and enters the spiritual world of God. And whosoever studies the glories and studies of this Ekadasi achieves the merit gained by performing a horse sacrifice. It immediately frees a person from whatever miseries one may suffer due to past karmik sinful activities.

Conclusion

On seeing our devotion or the fasting on Ekadashi, Lord Krishna might get happy and relieve us from all of our bad fortunes. If the Lord can make Vibhishan the king of a golden palace without even him asking for it, then he might give us a place at his feet. So if that Lord is listening to us or praying to that Lord, what should we ask him for? We should ask him for his unfathomable devotion by which we, along with our whole family, will have his blessings for sure. So let us fast together this Ekadashi- chant Lord’s name as much as we can, remember the Lord, and try to make him happy.

Annada Ekadashi ki Jai

Sri Sri Rukmani Dwarkadhish ki Jai

Shobha Radhika Devi Dasi

(ISKCON-Dwarka New Delhi)

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