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Jyeshtha-Krishna Ekadasi, or AparaEkadasi 09-07-2018.
Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, Oh Janardana, what is the name ofthe Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) ofthe month of Jyeshtha (May-June)? I wish to hear from You the gloriesof this sacred day of Hari. Please narrate everything to me
Oh, the name of this unlimitedly meritorious Ekadasi is AparaEkadasi. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over theuniverse.
Even such sins as killing a Brahman, a cow, or an embryo;blasphemy; or having sex with another man’s wife are completelyeradicated by observing Apara Ekadasi.
Oh king people who bear false witness are most sinful. A personwho falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while
weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the dutiesof his varna or Ashrama (an unqualified man’s posing as a Brahmin,for example, or a person’s reciting the Vedas wrongly); one whoinvents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is acharlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedicdoctor. All these are surely as bad as persons who bears falsewitness, and they are all destined for hellish punishments. Butsimply by observing Apara Ekadasi, all such sinners become completelyfree of their sinful reactions.
Warriors who fall from their kshatriya-dharma and flee thebattlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, even such a fallenKshatriya, if he observes fasting on the Apara Ekadasi, is freed ofthat great sinful reaction and goes to heaven.
That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a properspiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around andblasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. Buteven he, rascal though he be, if he simply observes Apara Ekadasi,can attain to the spiritual world. Listen, Oh king, as I describe toyou further glories of this amazing Ekadasi. The merit attained byone who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to themerit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekadasi:
bathing three timesdaily in Pushkara-kshetra during Kartika (October-November); bathingat Ganga and offering oblations to one’s forefather at Prayag inthe month of Magh (January-February) when the sun is in the zodiac ofCapricorn; rendering service to Lord Shiva at Varanasi (Benares)during Shiva-ratri; offering oblations to one’s forefathers atGaya; bathing in the sacred Gautami River when Jupiter transits Leo(Simha); having darshan of Lord Shiva at Kedarnatha; seeing LordBadrinath when the Sun transits the sign of Aquarius (Kumbha);
andbathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra and givingcows, elephants, and gold there in charity. All the merit one getsfrom performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observesthe Apara Ekadasi fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates apregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by onewho fasts on this day.
In other words, Apara Ekadasi is the sun blazing before one’sdark misdeeds, and it is a lion stalking the meek deer of impiety.
Therefore, whoever truly fears his past and present sins mustobserve Apara Ekadasi very strictly.
Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadasi andworship the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. One who does so is freed of allhis sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu. Oh King, for thebenefit of all humanity I have thus described to you this theimportance of the holy Apara Ekadasi. Anyone who hears or reads thisdescription is certainly freed from all kinds of sins.
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-krishnaEkadasi, or Apara Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.
Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, Oh Janardana, what is the name ofthe Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) ofthe month of Jyeshtha (May-June)? I wish to hear from You the gloriesof this sacred day of Hari. Please narrate everything to me
Oh, the name of this unlimitedly meritorious Ekadasi is AparaEkadasi. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over theuniverse.
Even such sins as killing a Brahman, a cow, or an embryo;blasphemy; or having sex with another man’s wife are completelyeradicated by observing Apara Ekadasi.
Oh king people who bear false witness are most sinful. A personwho falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while
weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the dutiesof his varna or Ashrama (an unqualified man’s posing as a Brahmin,for example, or a person’s reciting the Vedas wrongly); one whoinvents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is acharlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedicdoctor. All these are surely as bad as persons who bears falsewitness, and they are all destined for hellish punishments. Butsimply by observing Apara Ekadasi, all such sinners become completelyfree of their sinful reactions.
Warriors who fall from their kshatriya-dharma and flee thebattlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, even such a fallenKshatriya, if he observes fasting on the Apara Ekadasi, is freed ofthat great sinful reaction and goes to heaven.
That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a properspiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around andblasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. Buteven he, rascal though he be, if he simply observes Apara Ekadasi,can attain to the spiritual world. Listen, Oh king, as I describe toyou further glories of this amazing Ekadasi. The merit attained byone who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to themerit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekadasi:
bathing three timesdaily in Pushkara-kshetra during Kartika (October-November); bathingat Ganga and offering oblations to one’s forefather at Prayag inthe month of Magh (January-February) when the sun is in the zodiac ofCapricorn; rendering service to Lord Shiva at Varanasi (Benares)during Shiva-ratri; offering oblations to one’s forefathers atGaya; bathing in the sacred Gautami River when Jupiter transits Leo(Simha); having darshan of Lord Shiva at Kedarnatha; seeing LordBadrinath when the Sun transits the sign of Aquarius (Kumbha);
andbathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra and givingcows, elephants, and gold there in charity. All the merit one getsfrom performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observesthe Apara Ekadasi fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates apregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by onewho fasts on this day.
In other words, Apara Ekadasi is the sun blazing before one’sdark misdeeds, and it is a lion stalking the meek deer of impiety.
Therefore, whoever truly fears his past and present sins mustobserve Apara Ekadasi very strictly.
Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadasi andworship the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. One who does so is freed of allhis sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu. Oh King, for thebenefit of all humanity I have thus described to you this theimportance of the holy Apara Ekadasi. Anyone who hears or reads thisdescription is certainly freed from all kinds of sins.
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-krishnaEkadasi, or Apara Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.