NITAAI-Veda.nyf > Holy Days of the Year > Ekadashi > Pandava Bhima Nirjala Ekadashi May-Jun |
Title: Pandava Bhima Nirjala
Ekadashi May-Jun
User: Damodara Svarupa dasa Date: 2005-02-18 16:08:54
Pandava Nirjala Bhima
Ekadashi
From Brahma-Vaivarta
Purana
During the hottest season (northern
hemisphere), if one can perform
upavasa without water one
is performing a great feat. One may take only
charanamrita and achman
water. Bhima requested one vrata day by which he
could obtain the fruits
of all the other days of vrata that he was incapable
of observing.
Vyasadeva advised him to
follow this difficult vrata.
One should worship the Lord in the evening by
bathing him in milk. On the
dvadasi one should give
full pots of water to Brahmanas and feed them before
breaking one's fast.
SAMVATSARASYA YA MADHYE
EKADASYO BHAVANTI HI TASAM PHALAM AVAPNOTI PUTRA ME
NA ATRA SAMSAYAH ITI MAM
KESAVAH PRAHA SANKHA CAKRA GADADHARAH
(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/25 from PADMA Purana
Vyasadeva speaks to Bhimasena)
Oh son, Lord Keshava, Who holds the club,
disk, conch and lotus flower in
His hand, personally told
me that all of the merit achieved by fasting on
whatever Ekadashis fall
in one year can be attained by fasting on this one
Ekadashi (nirjala
Ekadashi). Of this, there is no doubt.
The Story of Pandava nirjala Ekadashi:
Pandava nirjala Ekadashi -
Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi - from
Brahma-Vaivarta Purana.
Once Bhimasena, the younger brother of
Maharaja Yudhisthira, asked the
great sage Shrila
Vyasadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas, if it is
possible to return to the
spiritual world without having observed all the
rules and regulations of
the Ekadashi fasts.
Bhimasena then spoke as follows, "Oh
greatly intelligent and learned
grandfather, my brother
Yudhisthira, my dear mother Kunti, and my beloved
wife Draupadi, as well as
Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, fast completely on
each Ekadashi and
strictly follow all the rules, guidelines and regulative
injunctions of that sacred day. Being very
religious, they always tell me
that I should also fast
on that day too. But, Oh learned grandfather, I tell
them that I cannot live
without eating, because as the son of Vayudeva -
Samanaprana, (the
digestive air) hunger is unbearable to me. I can give
widely in charity and
worship Lord Keshava properly with all manner of
wonderful upacharas
(items), but I cannot be asked to fast on Ekadashi.
Please tell me how I can
obtain the same merits result without fasting."
Hearing these words, the grandsire of Bhima,
Shrila Vyasadeva said, "If you
want to go to the
heavenly planets and avoid the hellish planets, you should
indeed observe a fast on
both the light and dark Ekadashis."
Bhima replied, "Oh great saintly
intelligent grandfather, please listen to
my plea. Oh greatest of
munis, since I cannot live if I eat only once in a
day, how can I possibly
live if I fast completely? Within my stomach burns a
special fire named Vrika,
the fire of digestion. Agni the fire-god, descends
from Lord Vishnu through
Brahma, from Brahma to Angirasa, from Angirasa to
Brihaspathi, and from
Brihaspathi to Samyu, who was Agni'' father. He is the
gatekeeper in charge of
Nairritti, the south-eastern direction. He is one of
the eight material
elements, and Parikshit Maharaja, he is very expert at
examining things. He
examined Maharaja Shibi once by turning into a dove
(for further information
on this incident see Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada's Shrimad
Bhagavatam commentary to 1:12:20. Purport.)
Agni is divided into three categories;
Davagni, the fire in wood,
Jatharagni, the fire in
the digestion in the stomach, and Vadavagni, the
fire that creates fog
when hot and cold streams mix in for example the
ocean. Another name for
the fire of digestion is Vrika. It is this powerful
fire that resided in
Bhima's stomach.
Only when I eat to my full satisfaction does
the fire in my stomach become
satisfied. Oh great sage,
I might possibly be able to fast only once, so I
beg that you tell me of
an Ekadashi that is worthy of my fasting and that
includes all other
Ekadashis. I shall faithfully observe that fast and
hopefully still become eligible for liberation's
release."
Shrila Vyasadeva replied, Oh king, you have
heard from me about the various
kinds of occupational
duties, such as elaborate Vedic ceremonies and pujas.
In the Kali-yuga, however, no one will be
able to observe all these
occupational &
functional duties properly. I shall therefore tell you how,
at practically no
expense, one can endure some small austerity and achieve
the greatest benefit and
resultant happiness. The essence of what is written
in the Vedic literatures
known as the Puranas is that one should not eat on
either the dark or light
fortnight Ekadashis." As stated in Shrimad
Bhagavatam (Mahabhagavat
Puranam) 12:13:12 and 15.) the Bhagavat Puranam is
itself the essence or
cream of all Vedanta philosophy (sara-vedanta-saram),
and the Shrimad
Bhagavatam's unequivocal message is that of full surrender to
Lord Shri Krishna and the
rendering of loving devotional service to Him.
Observing Ekadashi
strictly is a great aid in that process, and here Shrila
Vyasadeva is simply
stressing to Bhima the importance of the Ekadashi
vratam. "One who
fasts on Ekadashis saved from going to the hellish
planets."
Hearing Shrila Vyasadeva's words, the son of
Vayu, Bhimasena, the strongest
of all warriors, became
frightened and began to shake like a leaf on a
banyan tree in a strong
wind. The frightened Bhimasena then said, "Oh
grandfather, what should
I do? I am completely unable and ill equipped to
fast twice in a month
throughout the year! Please tell me of the one fasting
day that will bestow the
greatest benefit upon me!"
Vyasadeva replied, "Without drinking
even water, you should fast on the
Ekadashi that occurs
during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha
(May-June) when the sun
travels in the sign of Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini
(Mithun), According to
learned personalities, on this day one may bathe and
perform Achamana for pratiprokshana
purification. But while performing
Achamana one may drink
only that amount of water equal to a drop of gold, or
that amount it takes to
immerse a single mustard seed. Only this amount of
water should be placed in
the right palm for sipping, which one should form
to resemble a cow's ear.
If one drinks more water than this, he might as
well have drunk wine -
despite the soaring heat of summer (in the
northern hemisphere and cold in
the southern hemisphere).
"One must certainly not eat anything,
for if he does so he breaks his
fast.
This rigid fast is in
effect from sunrise on the Ekadashi day to sunrise on
the dwadashi day. If a
person endeavours to observe this great fast very
strictly, he easily
achieves the result of observing all twenty-four other
Ekadashi fasts throughout
the entire year.
"On dwadashi the devotee should bathe
early in the morning. Then,
according to the
prescribed rules, guidelines and regulative injunctions,
and of course depending
on his ability, he should give some gold and water
to worthy Brahmanas.
Finally, he should cheerfully honour prasadam with a
Brahmana.
"Oh Bhimasena, one who can fast on this
special Ekadashi in this manner
reaps the benefit of
having fasted on every Ekadashi during the year. There
is no doubt of this, nor
should there be. Oh Bhima, now hear the specific
merit one gets by fasting
on this Ekadashi. The Supreme Lord Keshava, who
holds a conch, discus,
club and lotus, personally told me, `Everyone should
take shelter of Me and
follow My instructions.' Then He told me that one who
fasts on this Ekadashi,
without taking even drinking water or eating,
becomes free of all
sinful reactions, and that one who observes the
difficult nirjala fast on
Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi truly reaps the benefit
of all other Ekadashi
fasts.
"Oh Bhimasena, in the Kali-yuga, the age
of quarrel and hypocrisy, when
all the principles of the
Vedas will have been destroyed or greatly
minimised, and when there
will be no proper charity or observance of the
ancient Vedic principles
and ceremonies, how will there be any means of
purifying the self? But
there is the opportunity to fast on Ekadashi and
become free of all one's
past sins.
"Oh son of Vayu, what more can I say to
you? You should not eat during the
Ekadashis that occur
during the dark and light fortnights, and you should
even give up drinking
water (nir = no jala= water) on the particularly
auspicious Ekadashi day
of Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi. Oh Vrikodara (veracious
eater),whoever fasts on
this Ekadashi receives the merits of bathing in all
the places of pilgrimage,
giving all kinds of charities to worthy persons,
and fasting on all the
dark and light Ekadashis throughout the year, in one
go. Of this there is no
doubt.
Oh tiger among men, whoever fasts on this
Ekadashi truly becomes a great
person and achieves all
manner of opulence and wealth, grains, strength, and
health.
And at the fearful moment of death, the
terrible Yamadutas, whose
complexions are yellow
and black and who brandish huge maces and twirl
mystic pasha ropes in the
air for binding their victims, will refuse to
approach him. Rather,
such a faithful soul will at once be taken to the
supreme abode of Lord
Vishnu by the Vishnu-dutas, whose transcendentally
beautiful forms are
clothed in gorgeous yellowish garments and who each hold
a disk, club, conch and
lotus in their four hands, resembling Lord Vishnu.
It is to gain all these
benefits that one should certainly fast on this very
auspicious and important
Ekadashi, even from water."
When the other Pandavas heard about the
benefits to be gained by following
Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi,
they resolved to observe it exactly as their
grandfather Shrila
Vyasadeva had explained it to their brother, Bhimasena.
All the Pandavas observed it by refraining
from eating or drinking
anything, and thus this
day is also known as Pandava nirjala Dwadashi
(technically it is a
Maha-Dwadashi).
Shrila Vyasadeva continued, Oh Bhimasen,
therefore you should observe this
important fast to remove
all your past sinful reactions. You should pray to
the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Lord Shri Krishna in this way making your
sankalpa declaration, `Oh
Lord of all the devas (demigods), Oh Supreme
Personality of Godhead,
today I shall observe Ekadashi without taking any
water. Oh unlimited
Anantadev, I shall break fast on the next day,
dwadashi.'
Thereafter, to remove all his sins, the
devotee should honour this
Ekadashi fast with full
faith in the Lord and with full control over his
senses.
Whether his sins are equal in volume to Mount
Sumeru or to Mandarachala
Hill, if he or she
observes this Ekadashi, the sins that have been
accumulated all become
nullified and are burned to ashes. Such is the great
power of this Ekadashi.
"Oh best of human beings, although a
person should also give water and
cows in charity during
this Ekadashi, if for some reason or other he cannot,
then he should give a
qualified Brahmana some cloth or a pot filled with
water.
Indeed, the merit achieved by giving water
alone equals that gained by
giving gold ten million
times a day.
"Oh Bhima, Lord Shri Krishna has said
that whoever observes this Ekadashi
should take a Holy bath,
give charity to a worthy person, chant the Lord's
Holy names on a
japa-mala, and perform some kind of recommended sacrifice,
for by doing these things
on this day one receives imperishable benefits.
There is no need to
perform any other kind of religious duty. Observance of
this Ekadashi fast alone promotes
one to the supreme abode of Shri Vishnu. Oh
best of the Kurus, if one
donates gold, cloth, or anything else on this day,
the merit one obtains is
imperishable.
"Remember, whosoever eats any grains on
Ekadashi becomes contaminated by
sin and verily eats only
sin. In effect, he has already become a dog-eater,
and after death he
suffers a hellish existence. But he who observes this
sacred Jyeshtha-shukla
Ekadashi and gives something in charity certainly
achieves liberation from
the cycle of repeated birth and death and attains
to the supreme abode.
Observing this Ekadashi, which is merged with
dwadashi, frees one from
the horrible sin of killing a Brahmana, drinking
liquor and wine, becoming
envious of one's spiritual master and ignoring his
instructions, and
continually telling lies.
"Furthermore, Oh best of beings
(Jivottama), any man or woman who observes
this fast properly and
worships the Supreme Lord Jalashayi (He who sleeps on
the water), and who on
the next day satisfies a qualified Brahmana with nice
sweets and a donation of
cows and money - such a person certainly pleases
the Supreme Lord
Vasudeva, so much so that one hundred previous generations
in his family undoubtedly
go to the Supreme Lord's abode, even though they
may have been very
sinful, of bad character, and guilty of suicide, etc.
Indeed, one who observes
this amazing Ekadashi rides on a glorious celestial
airplane (vimana) to the
Lord's abode.
"One who on this day gives a Brahmana a
waterpot, an umbrella, or shoes
surely goes to the
heavenly planets. Indeed, he who simply hears these
glories also attains to
the transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord, Shri
Vishnu. Whoever performs
the Shraddha ceremony to the forefathers on the
dark-moon day called
amavasya, particularly if it occurs at the time of a
solar eclipse undoubtedly
achieves great merit. But this same merit is
achieved by him who
simply hears this sacred narration - so powerful and so
dear to the Lord is this
Ekadashi.
"One should clean his teeth properly
and, without eating or drinking,
observe this Ekadashi to
please the Supreme Lord, Keshava. On the day after
Ekadashi one should
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form
as Trivikrama by offering
Him water, flowers, incense, and a brightly
burning lamp. Then the
devotee should pray from the heart, `Oh God of gods,
Oh deliverer of
everyone, Oh Hrishikesha, master of the
senses, kindly
bestow upon me the gift
of liberation, though I can offer you nothing
greater than this humble
pot filled with water.' Then the devotee should
donate the waterpot to a
Brahmana.
"Oh Bhimasena, after this Ekadashi fast
and donating the recommended items
according to his ability,
the devotee should feed Brahmanas and thereafter
honour prasadam silently."
Shrila Vyasadeva concluded, "I strongly
urge you to fast on this
auspicious, purifying,
sin-devouring dwadashi in just the way I have
outlined. Thus you will
be completely freed of all sins and reach the
supreme abode."
Thus ends the narration of the glories of
Jyeshtha-shukla Ekadashi, or
Bhimaseni-nirjala
Ekadashi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana
Hare Krishna