According to the Hindu calendar 12 months in a year and in which two 2 Ekadashi fall in a month. The first Ekadashi falls on Krishna Paksha and the second Ekadashi falls on Shukla Paksha.
Importance of Ekadashi Vrat
- First of all, I will tell you what is the meaning of Ekadashi and make it clear to you that Ekadashi is considered one of the most important rituals of the Hindu calendar.
- According to the importance of the Ekadashi Vrat, what is the most important zodiac sign in Hinduism.
- It is important because the Ekadashi date is very dear to Lord Vishnu.
- It is believed that the glory of this fast was told to Yudhishthir by Lord Krishna.
- With the effect of this fast a person get salvation, accomplishment of work, poverty, untimely death, destruction of enemies, attainment of wealth, prosperity and fame, and blessings of ancestors.
Rama Ekadashi : Date and Timing
Rama Ekadashi comes after Papankusha Ekadashi and is followed by Prabodhani Ekadashi. Rama Ekadashi falls four days before the celebration of the Diwali festival of light. This Ekadashi is also referred as ‘Rambha Ekadashi’ or Kartik Krishna Ekadashi. It is the popular conviction that Hindu devotees can wash away their sins by keeping a sacred fast on this day.
Rituals of Rama Ekadashi
On this day fasting is the important ritual on the day of Rama Ekadashi. This rituals started from Dashami a day before the actual Ekadashi. On this day too devotees refrain from certain foods and consume only saatvik meals once before sunset. On Ekadashi, they do not eat at all. The end of the fasting rituals called as Parana occurs on the Dwadashi tithi. Even for those not fasting consuming rice and grains on any ekadashi is strictly prohibited.
On the day of Rama Ekadashi devotees get up early and take a holy bath in any water bodies. Lord Vishnu is worshiped with devotion on this day. Fruits, flowers, incense sticks, and dhoop to Lord Vishnu. Devotees prepared a special bhog on this day and offered it to Lord Vishnu. After that did aarti and then distributed prasad among family members.
Rama means Goddess Lakshmi, therefore on this auspicious day, devotees also offered the prayer to Devi Lakshmi along with Lord Vishnu to seek the blessings of prosperity, health, and happiness.
The observer of the Rama Ekadashi fast maintains vigil all through the night. They contribute to the bhajan or kirtan which is organized on this day. Reading the Bhagavad Gita on this day is believed to be auspicious.
Significance of Rama Ekadashi
According to the Hindu religious scriptures like ‘Brahma Vaivarata Purana’ which is believed that one who observed the sacred Rama Ekadashi fast will be freed from all his/her sons, even those that are the same to killing a Brahmin. A person who hears the glories of the Rama Ekadashi will attain salvation and reach the supreme abode of Shri Hari Vishnu. It is also believed that the merits of observing Rama Ekadashi are more than performing 100 Rajasuya Yagyas or 1000 Ashvamedha Yagyas. While worshipping Lord Vishnu with devotion on the day of Rama Ekadashi, the person will be able to overcome all the obstacles in his/her life and achieve immense success.
Important of Rama Ekadashi
Of all 24 Ekadashi, Rama Ekadashi is the most important and significant.
- According to the Hindu believe the detail mentioned in scriptures like Brahma Vaivarata Purana, those who observe fast on the occasion of Rama Ekadashi get free from their sins of present and past life.
- Those devotees who listen to the glories of Lord Vishnu on Kartik Ekadashi attain salvation.
- It is believed that the benefits of observing Rama Ekadashi vrat are much more than performing several Ashwamedha Yagnas and Rajasuya Yagna.
- Devotees who observed this fast with full of dedication achieve enormous success in their personal and professional life.
Rama Ekadashi Vrat Katha
On this day listen Vrat Katha will have benefits for devotees. Onces there was a king named ‘Muchukunda’. He has a daughter named Chandrabhaga. She was married to Prince Shobana who was the son of King Chandrasen.
King Muchukunda was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and used to observed fast on Rama Ekadashi. Apart from this, he was a very kind ruler. Just like his father Chandrabhaga was also a devotee of Lord Vishnu and used to observe fast on Rama Ekadashi since her childhood.
Once the husband of Chandrabhaga was come to visit the kingdom of Muchukunda, it was the time of Krishan Paksha in the Kartik month. Just like everyone Shobana was also asked to observe the fast for a day. However, due to his poor health conditions, Sobhana was not able to keep the fast.
Chandrabhaga asked her husband to go somewhere else because he must observe the fast if he stays in the kingdom of his father. But Sobana dennied going elsewhere and decided to observed fast not thinking about consequence. However Shobana was very weak, he died at midnight due to hunger and thirst.
After his death Prince Shobana enters the celestial and get unique and great kingdom because he was keeping the Vrat forcefully the kingdom become invisible. Once a day Brahmin from the kingdom of Muchukunda went out and he saw Shobana with his invisible kingdom.
Shobana told all problems to Brahmin and request him to tell every thing to his wife. Brahmin returned and told Princess Chandrabhaga about all the problems he was facing. Because Chandrabhaga was a true devotee of Lord Vishnu, he convert the kingdom into reality with her divine blessings. Finally, they both retained the kingdom forever and started living a divine and blissful life.
Conclusion
On this day devotees worshipped lord Vishnu and take a fast to bring prosperity, health, and happiness to there life and families. With the blessings of Lord Vishnu remove all the obstacles and become a success in life.
