Mohinī Ekādasī March 1 2023

Mohinī Ekādaśī - www.ekadasi.nl
Mohinī Ekādaśī
The glories of Mohinī ekādaśī which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of April-May is described in Sūrya Purāṇa.

Once Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said to Lord Kṛṣṇa, O Janārdana! What is the name of the ekādaśī that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of April/May and what is the process for observing this ekādaśī. Also what is the merit one obtains by following this ekādaśī please explain all these to me in details.

Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “O son of dharma! Please hear me attentively as I describe to you the story that sage Vasiṣṭha once told Lord Rāmacandra.

Long ago once Lord Rāmacandra asked the great sage Vasiṣṭha, ‘O respected sage! I am feeling great distress due to separation from Sītā the daughter of king Janaka. Kindly explain to me about the great vow by following of which all once sinful reactions and distresses are mitigated.

The great sage Vasiṣṭha the spiritual master of Rāmacandra said, ‘My dear Rāma your intelligence is sharp and mixed with faith. Your question is beneficial for the entire humanity. Just by chanting and remembering your all auspicious holy names all living entities can become purified and become eligible to achieve all auspiciousness. Still for the benefit of the ordinary people I will describe to you about a great vow.

O Lord Rāma! The ekādaśī that occurs during the waxing moon in the month of April/May is famous as Mohinī ekādaśī. This ekādaśī is very auspicious. By following this ekādaśī all ones sinful reactions, material miseries and network of illusion are destroyed. Now please hear attentively as I narrate the most pious topics of this ekādaśī.

There was a beautiful city named Bhadrāvatī situated on the bank of sacred river Sarasvatī. A king named Dyutimān ruled this city. O Lord Rāma! This king was born in the dynasty of moon. He was tolerant and truthful. A pious and prosperous devotee of Lord Viṣṇu lived in that city. His name was Dhanapāla. He was a vaiśya21 by profession. For the benefit of the ordinary people this devotee Dhanapāla built many Dharma-śālās or Guest houses schools temples of Lord Viṣṇu, charitable hospitals, wide roads and market places.

He also made arrangements for distributing water and food stuff, dug wells for cool drinking water and ponds for clear water,
built gardens for flowers and fruits. In this way he properly utilized his wealth for the benefit of all and thus successfully demonstrated the true meaning of his name. This pious devotee of Lord Viṣṇu who was always peaceful, a benefactor of others and engaged in devotional service to Viṣṇu had five sons namely Samāna, Dyutimāna, Medhāvī, Sukṛti and Dhṛṣṭabuddhi. Among his five sons Dhṛṣṭabuddhi was most sinful. He was extremely wicked, ill-natured, always engaged in bad association, having illicit connection with unchaste women. He was found of gambling and drinking wine. He took pleasure in killing and torturing other living entities. In
this way he engaged in all kinds of sinful activities and soon turned into an abominable son of the most pious father and a disgrace to the family. He never showed respect to the demigods, guests, old forefathers and brāhmaṇas. He was constantly engaged in thinking of committing sinful activities and thus lived a contemptible life.

The sinful wretched Drṣṭhabuddhī misused all his fathers wealth in many useless activities. He always ate abominable food stuff and remained always absorbed in drinking wine. One day on seeing his shameless son walking in the public place while placing hishand on the shoulder of a prostitute father Dhanapāla became extremely hurt. On that very day he threw out his spoiled son from the house. Drṣṭhabuddhī became bereft of every ones affection including his father mother brothers, relatives and friends. Soon he degraded from his position of caste society and pious community and became an object of hatred for everyone.

After being drawn out from his fathers house Drṣṭhabuddhī continued to fulfill his sinful propensities with the money he received by selling his personal clothes and ornaments. Soon that also came to an end. Gradually due to lack of sufficient food his body became weak and skinny. On realizing that he has become poor and his so called deceitful boys and girls friends left him while condemning him on various pretext.

Drṣṭhabuddhī was now full of anxiety. He had no foods or clothes hence he was extremely afflicted with hunger. So he began to contemplate. "What should I do now? Where should I go? By which means will I survive.’ After contemplating in this way he decided that there is no other alternative than to start stealing for his survival. Si with a desire to steal he began to wonder throughout the city. Some times the kings guard would arrested him and after considering his fathers greatness he would release him. After being caught and released in this way for a few times once he was formally arrested due to committing a special kind of theft. He was taken to the king who awarded him severe punishment.

The King said, O sinful foolish creature you cannot stay within this kingdom any more. For you are the greatest sinner. I am realizing you now but leave this kingdom immediately and go where ever you wish.

Thereafter Drṣṭhabuddhī became afraid of being punished again and left the kingdom. He went far away and entered into a dense forest. Within the forest he became so much afflicted with hunger and thirst that he began to kill beasts and birds indiscriminately and ate their raw flesh for their survival. He wondered within the forest like a hunter, holding a bow and arrows in his hands and continued to kill innocent animals.

In this way Drṣṭhabuddhī lived in that dense forest for some years while engaging in sinful activities.Drṣṭhabuddhī was always miserable and anxious, but one day due to some fast pious deeds he arrived at the sacred āśrama of the great sage and ascetic Kauṇḍiṇya while wondering about within the forest. It was the month of Vaiśākha (April -May) and the great sage Kauṇḍiṇya was just returning home after taking bath in the Ganges.

At that time by providence Drṣṭhabuddhī who was very much agreed with distress and lamentation happened to touch a drop of water falling from the sages cloth. Drṣṭhabuddhī was immediately relieved- from his sinful reactions. With folded hand and greathumility he said to sage Kauṇḍiṇya, ‘ O great brāhmaṇa I am the most sinful person. There is no such sin that I have not committed.

Now please instruct me about a highest type of atonement which a most wretched person like me can easily perform. As a result of committing unlimited sinful activities till now I have been bereft of my house, wealth, relatives and friends. I am spending my time with great deal of mental agony.

After hearing these statements of Drṣṭhabuddhī the great sage Kauṇḍiṇya who feels distress by seeing others distress said, ‘ I am telling you a sublime method by which all your sinful reaction can easily be nullified in a very short time, please hear me attentively.

Mohinī ekādaśī which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of April/May totally destroys a persons sinful reactions as big as Sumeru mountain accumulated from many life time. Therefore you should faithfully observe this ekādaśī.

Hearing these words from the great sage Drṣṭhabuddhī became joyful and properly observe that ekādaśī according to the rules and regulations instructed by the sage. O best of the Kings! By observing this Mohinī ekādaśī the most sinful Drṣṭhabuddhī soon became devoid of all sinful reactions and after assuming a divine body he returned to the all auspicious abode of Lord Viṣṇu by riding on the back of Garuḍa.

O Rāmacandra! This vow certainly removes all kinds of illusion and darkness of ignorant. Any piety accumulated by taking bath in the holy waters, giving in charity and performance of sacrifice can not be compared with the piety one attains by observing this Mohinī ekādaśī.