Yogini Ekadashi Vrat is on 3July 2013 on Yogini Ekadashi.
About Yogini Ekadashi Vrat
Yogini Ekadashi vrat is observed on Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha, Ashada
Masa. In 2013, this Ekadashi will be celebrated on 3rd July. Lord
Vishnu is worshipped on this day with full faith and dedication.
Worshipping the Peepal tree on this day also have its own significance.Yogini Ekadashi fast is observed on Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha, Ashad Masa.
In the year 2012, this Ekadashi will be on 15 June. On this day, idol
of Lord Narayan is given offerings and Abhishek is performed.. After
that, Aarti is performed using flowers, incense sticks and lamps. Giving
donations to poor Brahmans is beneficial, on this day. Additionally,
worshipping the Pipal tree removes the sins of a person’s life. And, the
person observing fast receives heaven after death.
Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha
When servants returned back, they said, “Hey king, he is busy rejoicing with his wife.” Hearing to this, king immediately ordered his servants to call Hema Mali. He cursed the gardener with separation from his wife and will suffer from leprosy in the Mrityu lok. Being cursed by the king he immediately fell on the earth and became a leper. He also faced separation from his wife and suffered from many problems in the Mrityu lok.
Due to the effect of Lord Shiva’s devotion, his mind did not forget the deeds of his last birth and he started moving towards the Himalayas. He visited an ashram on the way and met a saint. Hemamali reached to him and fell in his feet. The saint heard the full story of the gardener and decided to help him to attain salvation.
He advised Hema to observe Yogini Ekadashi fast on Krishna Paksha of Ashada month to get rid of all the sins. Hema started observing the fast with proper rituals and devotion. As a result, he got back to his original form and started living happily with his wife.
Legends narrate the story of a gardener named Hema Mali, a Yaksha and
his extremely beautiful wife, Swarupavati. Hema Mali worked under
Kuvera, King of Alakapuri, who was a pious devotee of Lord Shiva. Hema
Mali’s job was to collect flowers from Manasarovar Lake and provide them
to the king for the daily Shiva puja. Nonetheless, he was highly
attracted towards his wife and hence, one day, he stayed back with wife
neglecting his duties. Thus, he could not deliver flowers for the puja
to the king. The king sent one of his messengers to find out the reason
for Hema Mali’s absence and negligence. The messenger found that Hema
Mali was spending time with his wife instead of fulfilling his duty of
collecting flowers.
He returned back and informed the king that the reason for his
carelessness is his gorgeous wife. Hema Mali was summoned to the court.
Though he begged for forgiveness, the king cursed him with suffering
from white leprosy and be separated from his wife. He was thrown out of
the palace and Hem Mali immediately got afflicted with white leprosy. He
wandered through the forests for years and finally reached the ashram
of Sage Markandeya. The whole tale was retold to the sage. The sage
asked Hema Mali to observe Yogini Ekadashi vrat in order to get
liberated from the dangerous infection and relieved from the curse.
As directed, Hema Mali observed the fast and returned back to his divine
form as a Yaksha. Therefore, he was able to reunite with his wife and
live the rest of his life happily. All devotees observing this fast are
freed from their sins and are provided with great liberation. The
rituals and customs for following Yogini Ekadashi are same as that of
other Ekadashi fasts. The fast begins from sunrise and lasts until the
next day’s sunrise. People observing a partial fast on this day resist
from consuming food made from rice or grains. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu,
devotees are advised to chant and recite Vishnu Stotras during the day
of the fast.
Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Images
