Padmini Ekadasi will Coming on 27 August 2012. In year 2012 Padmini Ekadashi falls during leaped Bhadrapada month. Leaped month is also known as Adhika Masa and Ekadashi which falls during Shukla Paksha of Adhika Masam is known as Padmini Ekadashi. Hence no Lunar month is fixed to observer Padmini Ekadashi fasting and it is decided based on leaped month.
Padmini Ekadasi StoryPadmini Ekadashi is the Ekadashi that falls in the Sukla Paksha or the waxing phase of the moon in the Adhika Masa or Month.
The below story would explain the significance of the Padmini Ekadashi Vrat.
Once there lived a great king by the Kartaveerya. He was pious, god fearing. He was the ruler of earth and had many wives. Even though he followed all the Dharmas, he looked after the people under him as his own sons, he had no children. None of his wives could give him a child.
Kartaveerya was very unhappy, as he had no children. He consulted every sage, did every kind of donation, performed different types of Yagnas, yagas but in vain. Nothing could help him have a child. Finally Kartaveerya decides to do penance and heads for the forest. He bestows the reins of his kingdom to his ministers and prepares to leave for forest.
Only one of his wife named Padmini, wishes to follow Kartaveerya to the forest. Finally they reach a forest and Kartaveerya starts the penance or tapasya. This goes on for ten thousand years. Even after ten thousand years, they are not granted with a child. Kartaveerya becomes thin and pale. Padmini worries looking at her husband.
Padmini approaches Anasuya and prays to her to show them a way. Padmini explains Anasuya, that they wish to have children and her husband is in penance for the past ten thousand years. Nothing has helped them to have a child. Anasuya explains Padmini that, it is becasue of their sins in the previous birth that they are not able to have children.
Anasuya advises Padmini to perform the Ekadashi Vrat in an Adhika Masam, and explains the significance of the Ekadashi Vrat during Adhika Masam. By observing Ekadashi Vrat in Adhika Masam, all the sins that were committed knowingly or unknowingly would be cleaned and would fetch immense Punya. Anasuya explains the process of observing the Ekadashi Vrat as follows
The Ekadashi vrat starts from a day before that is on Dasami or Dashami.
Eat only once in the morning of Dasami
Observe fast the remaining day of Dasami and whole day and night ofEkadashi.
So there would be complete fast on Ekadashi
Devotee observing the Ekadashi Vrat should do Jagaran or should be awake the whole night of Ekadashi.
Devotee should spend the night of Ekadashi praying Lord Vishnu.
On the Dwadashi day, devotee should break the fast before the Dwadashi Timing goes away. It is advised to eat in the first quarter of the Dwadashi day.
Devotee should if possible feed a Brahmin before he eat on the Dwadashi day.
Padmini thanks Anasuya and performs the Ekadashi Vrat in the Adhika Masa. Lord Vishnu pleased with her, appears before her and gives a boon to her. She asks Lord Vishnu to appear before her husband fulfill her husband Kartaveeryas wish. Lord Vishnu appears before Kaartaveerya and asks him to wish for anything he longs for. Kaartaveerya wishes for a son who can get killed only in the hands of Lord Vishnu himself and none other. He also wishes that his son should be pious and god fearing.
Lord Vishnu grants him the wish. Kartaveerya and Padmini are blessed with a son who is well known as Kaartaveeryarjuna. He once defeats Ravana bare handedly and puts him in jail. Pulsatya Bhrama goes to Kaartaveeryarjuna pacifies him and get Ravana his grandson released.
It is the power of the Ekadashi Vrat that was performed by Padmini on an Adhika Masam that brought immense power to Kaartaveeryarjuna.
Fast is started on Dashmi. Person needs to mentally prepares himself for the fast, on the night of Dashmi Tithi only. After having night meal on Dashmi, nothing else should be eaten. A person should have only Satvik (food with no garlic and onion) meal on this night. Person should not eat food in utensils of bronze, he should not eat meat, masoor, gram, honey, leafy vegetables, and borrowed food, on the Dashmi. On this day, pure and Satvik meal should be eaten and use of salt should be avoided. Person observing fast should sleep on earth on the day of Dashmi and should follow Brahmacharya.
He should wake up early in the morning, on the day of Ekadashi. And, after completing the routine works, he should do the Datun and rinse his mouth 12 times. Mud, Til, Kush and Amla should be used for bathing. While bathing, first of all , mud is applied and a prayer is performed- “O! mud, make me pure like yourself, by which a shall become capable to worship God.“ Bath can be taken at home, if not possible to go to a spiritual place.
Then a person should wear clean and good clothes. In the evening, Tarpan should be done and Puja should be performed by going to temple. Idol of Parvati- Shiva and Radha- Krishna is prepared and worshiped. An urn made of mud or copper is placed on the cereals. The urn is decorated with a cloth and on its mouth a dish of copper, silver or gold is placed.
On this utensil, idol of God is placed and worshipped with incense stick, lamp, navedy, saffron etc. After that, Bhajans are performed. Avoid speaking lie and saying bad about master should be avoided.On the day of fast, the story of fast should be read or heard. Jagran should be performed at night and Lord Shiva should be worshipped.
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