Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Ekadashi included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of 贰办腻诲补艣墨
The eleventh day after a new moon or full moon day. The vrata observed on this day is called the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 vrata. King 础尘产补谤墨峁 observed very strictly and continuously the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 Vrata to obtain the status of Indra. (See under 础尘产补谤墨峁). (Navama Skandha, 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补). This vrata would fetch food for the hungry and salvation for those who are in search of it. (Agni 笔耻谤腻峁嘺). The method of observing this vrata is detailed below:
Those who observe the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 vrata should be on a regulated diet excluding meat and avoid sexual acts on the 顿补艣补尘墨 day, the day preceding 贰办腻诲补艣墨. On both the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 days in a month one should not take any food at all. The period which combines 贰办腻诲补艣墨 with Dv膩da艣墨 (the twelfth day) is called Hariv膩sara because of the presence of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 at that time. That is a good time for doing sacred 测补箩帽补蝉. That day where there is only a small portion of 贰办腻诲补艣墨 and the rest Dv膩das墨 is the best day for 测补箩帽补蝉. 罢谤补测辞诲补艣墨 (the thirteenth day) is good for breaking the fast. The day which merges Dv膩da艣墨 into 罢谤补测辞诲补艣墨 is the best day for breaking the fast. Do not observe the Vrata on a day which combines 顿补艣补尘墨 with 贰办腻诲补艣墨. Hell is the result if one does so.
Completely abstaining from food on the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 day you should take food on the Dv膩da艣墨 day. As you take your food you should pray like this: "Bhu峁卥峁eha峁� 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办腻办峁 艣补谤补峁嘺峁� me bhav膩cyuta". (Oh, 笔耻峁囜笉补谤墨办腻办峁, I am going to break my fast. Oh, Bhagavan, let you be my heaven). If an 贰办腻诲补艣墨 comes on a P奴ya峁冣��笔耻峁补鈥攄ay in the bright half of the month that day should on any account be observed. That day would give the observer unlimited good result and that 贰办腻诲补艣墨 is qualified as P膩pan膩艣in墨 (destroyer of all evils). When 贰办腻诲补艣墨 and Dv膩da艣墨 happen to combine on a Tiruvo峁嘺m (艢谤腻惫补峁嘺) day the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 is qualified as 痴颈箩补测腻. That day gives prosperity to devotees. It is also called 痴颈箩补测腻 if an 贰办腻诲补艣墨 comes in the month of 笔丑腻濒驳耻苍补 (March) on a P奴ya峁� (笔耻峁补) day. The wise extol this day as one promising crores of good effects. On the 贰办腻诲补艣墨 day you should do 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 笔奴箩腻 which is productive of universal happiness. He who does so will acquire children and wealth in this world and attain 痴颈峁ａ箛耻loka on death. (Chapter 178, Agni 笔耻谤腻峁嘺)