4 Things Must Do On Mokshada Ekadashi 2023

Glories of Ekadashi have been described in different Veda’s and Puranas. Ekadashi is also known as the mother of devotion as those who follow Ekadashi get pure devotion. 

On the day of Ekadashi, whatever we perform to please Krishna gets magnified many times. The result of chanting, charity, and austerity gets multiplied many times on Ekadashi.

In Garga Samhita verse 4.8.50, it is written: As Lord Sesa is the best of serpents, as Garuda is the best of birds, as Lord Visnu is the best of Deities, as the brāhmaṇas are the best of castes, as the banyan is the best of trees, and as a Tulasi leaf is the best of leaves, so fasting on Ekadashi day is the best of sacred vows.

Just by keeping fast on all Ekadashi’s one can attain pure love of devotion.

Mokshada Ekadashi Vrat Katha-

Once Yudhishthira Maharaja asked lord Krishna to tell him the name of Ekadashi which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (November-December) and removes all sins. And they were asked how to observe it and which deity to worship on this auspicious Ekadashi.

To this lord, Shri Krishna replied to Yudhishthira that his enquiry was very auspicious. Ekadashi occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (November-December) and removes all sins. It is known as “Mokshada Ekadashi”.

This Ekadashi is known as Mokshada Ekadashi as it washes away all the sins and provides liberation to those who observe Mokshada Ekadashi.

Lord Damodar’s deities should be worshipped on this Ekadashi by offering ghee lamps, flowers, and Tulasi Manjari’s (buds).

Furthermore, lord Sri Krishna narrated the whole katha of Mokshada Ekadashi to Yudhishthira. He told him how just by carefully hearing Mokshada Ekadashi Vrat Katha one gets the benefit of performing “Ashvamedha yagya” and with the merit of which one’s forefather, ancestors who are suffering in hell gets promoted to heavenly planets. So, Krishna advised Yudhishthira to listen to the whole narration carefully.

Once there was a beautiful city named Champaka Nagar. It has so many greatly devoted Vaishnavas who are living in this Nagar. It has a saintly king named Vaikhaanasa who ruled over Champaka Nagar. 

He considered all his Nagar residents his own sons and daughters. All Brahmins in Champaka Nagar were experts in Vedic knowledge.

Once King Vaikhaanasa had a bad dream where he saw his father suffering pangs of hellish torture on a hellish planet ruled by Yamaraj. King felt so much pain after seeing his father’s condition. 

Next day morning, king narrated his dream to twice-born learned Brahmins and king said – 

“O Brahmanas,’” the king addressed Brahmins and told them he saw his father in hell suffering with pain and calling him out and saying “o son, please save me”. He further explained that he saw his father begging him and crying in pain and saying “Son please save me from the torture of this hell”.

King described he was in unbearable pain after seeing his father’s condition in his dream. He is just feeling pangs of pain after seeing his father’s condition in his dreams.

He asked brahmins what kind of charity, what mode of fasting, what austerity, or what deep meditation, and in service upon which Deity he may have to perform to deliver his father from that agony and bestow upon him liberation upon his forefathers?

Twice-born Brahmins advised the king to visit the mountainous forest to the ashram where a great saint Parvata Muni resided.

They asked him to go to him, he was tri-kala-jnani (he knows the past, the present, and the future of everything) and can surely help him gain relief from his miseries.

After hearing this, King immediately embarked on a journey to Parvata Muni Ashram.

After reaching Parvata Muni ashram, king paid him obeisance and then Parvata Muni asked king about his kingdom to which king replied “With your mercy, everything is going well and told Parvata Muni that there was another problem and to solve that problem I have come to your ashram.

After hearing this, Parvata Muni closed his eyes and meditated on the king’s past, present, and future. After some time, he opened his eyes and told the king that his father was suffering from committing a great sin, and he had discovered what it was.

In his previous life king’s father quarrelled with his wife and forcibly enjoyed her sexually during her menstrual period.  She cried and kept begging King’s father to stop and she even yelled loudly and asked King’s father not to interrupt her monthly menstrual cycle this way but King’s father did not stop. 

It was on account of this grievous sin, king’s father fell into such a hellish condition of suffering.

King asked Parvata Muni, what charity, austerity or fasting would help his father eliminate this sin.

Parvata Muni asked king to perform fasting on the Ekadashi which comes in month of Margashirsha “Mokshada Ekadashi”.

If he will observe that sacred Ekadashi strictly, with a full fast, and give the merits of his father. His father will become free from his pain and instantly get liberation.

King Vaikhaanasa thanked the great sage Parvata Muni and then returned to his palace to observe Mokshada Ekadashi Vrat. When the light part of the month of Margashirsha arrived, Maharaj Vaikhaanasa faithfully waited for the Ekadashi tithi.

He observed the Ekadashi fast with his wife, children, and other relatives with his firm faith. He dutifully gave the merit that he gained from his fast to his father, and as he made the offering, beautiful flower petals showered down from the devas who peered out from behind the clouds in the sky.
Due to the merits, kings father transferred the lower to the middle to higher planets.

At last King’s Father reached the heavenly realm from where he can again with his newly acquired merit perform devotional service to Krishna or Vishnu and in due course return to Godhead.

Lord Sri Krishna added those who strictly observe the sacred Mokshada Ekadashi, following the established rules and regulations, achieve full and perfect liberation after death.

Furthermore, he added whoever observes Mokshada Ekadashi fast faithfully, which is like Chinta-mani (a gem that yields all desires), obtains special merit that is very hard to calculate, for this day one can elevate one from hellish planets to the heavenly planets. 

For one who observes Mokshada Ekadashi for his own spiritual benefit, that person elevates and after death, he goes back to Godhead and never to return to this material world.”

Thus, here ends the narration glories of Mokshada Ekadashi from Brahmanda Purana.

4 Things We Must Do Please Lord Krishna on Mokshada Ekadashi-

:-Visit the nearest lord Vishnu temple or Iskcon Temple where you can attend special Ekadashi lectures and Ekadashi program.

:- Chant more and more rounds of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra than usual rounds of chanting. Chanting the names of lord Krishna on Ekadashi gives more benefit.

:-Read Bhagavad Gita – Mokshada Ekadashi is a day when 5,000 years back Krishna spoke Bhagavad Gita on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Therefore this day is celebrated as Gita Jayanti. So one should read the Bhagavad Gita and one should donate Bhagavad Gita on Mokshada Ekadashi.

:-Offer seva and Do Charity on Ekadashi as charity performed on Ekadashi gives several times more benefits.

Kindly participate in Gita Daan to spread Bhagavad Gita knowledge among people for the pleasure of Shri Shri Radha Madan Mohan. Iskcon Ghaziabad will distribute the Bhagavad Gita on your behalf.

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