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Mokshada Ekadashi is the most special Ekadashi, which falls on the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Margashirsh month.
Mokshada Ekadashi Also Referred As ‘Gita Jayanti’
Lord Krishna preached Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War. Hence Mokshada Ekadashi is also referred to as Gita Jayanti.
Mokshada Ekadasi’s Significance
In ‘Brahmanda Purana’, Shri Krishna described Mokshada Ekadasi’s significance to Yudhishtira.
Yudhisthira asked, “O Krishna!! please tell me for the benefit of all living entities, what is the name of the Ekadashi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha and removes all sins? How does one observe it?”
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To which Bhagwaan Krishna replied, “Dear Yudhishthira, I shall tell you about this Ekadashi that is famous as Mokshada as it purifies the faithful devotee of all sinful reactions and bestows liberation. The worshipable Deity of this day is Lord Damodara. One should worship Him with incense, a ghee lamp, fragrant flowers and Tulasi buds."
Krishna further added, "O Yudhishthira, whosoever strictly observes the sacred Mokshada Ekadashi, achieves full and perfect liberation after death. There is no better fasting day than this Ekadashi of the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha. Whoever faithfully observes this fast, obtains special merit that can elevate one from hellish life to the heavenly planets, and for one who observes Ekadashi for his own spiritual benefit, this elevates one to go back to Godhead, never to return to this material world.”
It is believed that observing this Ekadasi fast helps in granting heaven for the souls of dead ancestors which helps in prosperity for the living ones.
According to The Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikuntha Ekadashi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadashis of the (Hindu) year.
On this day Lord Vishnu opened Vaikunta dwar for two demons in spite of them being against the Lord. They also asked for the boon that those listen to their story and see the Vaikunth Dwar will reach Vaikunth as well!
Mokshada Ekadashi Katha
Once there was a beautiful city called Champakanagar, inhabited by devoted Vaishnavas. Maharaj Vaikhanasa, ruled over his subjects as if they were his own children. The brahmins were all expert in Vedic knowledge.
King Vaikanasa had a dream one night in which his father was suffering in hell, which is ruled over by Yamaraj. The next morning, Maharaj Vaikhanasa described what he had seen in his dream to his council of ministers.
He told them his father was crying out to him to deliver him from that hellish condition. He said that even his own wife and sons, have become a source of unhappiness since he saw his father suffering the tortures. He asked them to tell him what kind of charity, what mode of fasting, what austerity, or what else he may have to perform to deliver his father from that agony.
The ministers replied, “In the nearby mountainous forest is the ashram of Parvata Muni. He is trikala jnani (Parvata Muni has the ability to visualize past, present and futur) and can help you.”
On getting this advice, the suffering King Vaikanasa immediately went to the ashram of Parvata Muni. The king saw Parvata Muni seated among the assembly of sages adorned with hundreds of tilaks like another Brahma or Vyasa.
Maharaj Vaikhanasa offered his modest obeisance’s to the sage. After the king was seated, the Parvata Muni asked him about the welfare of his kingdom.
The king replied,”hey Muni Shree!!..by your mercy my kingdom is doing very well. But there is a problem that has arisen, and to solve it I have come to you, for help.”
Parvata Muni, then closed his eyes and meditated on the king’s past, present and future. After a few moments he said, “Your father is suffering the results of committing a great sin. In his previous life he quarrelled with his wife and forcibly enjoyed her sexually during her menstrual period. It is on account of this sin that your father is now suffering.”
King Vaikhanasa then asked, “How may I liberate my father from such a condition?’ Parvata Muni replied, ‘During the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha there occurs an Ekadashi called Mokshada. If you observe it with a full fast, and give directly to your suffering father the merit you will thus obtain, he will be freed of his torment.”
After thanking Parvata Muni, Maharaj Vaikhanasa returned to his palace. When the light part of the month of Margashirsha arrived, Maharaj Vaikhanasa waited for the Ekadashi tithi to arrive. With full faith he observed the Ekadashi fast with his wife, children, and other relatives. He gave the merit from this fast to his father. The king’s father was then praised by the messengers of the devas and escorted to the celestial region.
Finally, the king’s father reached the heavenly realm from where he could again with his newly acquired merit perform devotional service to Krishna and in due course return back home, back to Godhead.
Mokshada Ekadashi Dates
- 2021: 14 December (Tuesday)
- 2015: 21 December(Monday)
- 2014: 02 December(Tuesday)
- 2013: 13 December(Friday)
-K Himaanshu Shuklaa...
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thank u for sharing this info
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