Amalaki Ekadashi

Date 20.03.24, Wednesday is accordingly the eleventh date of Shukla Paksha of Phalgun month of Samvat 2080:-

Amalaki i.e. Amla has got the best place in the scriptures in the same way as Ganga has got the same status among rivers and Lord Vishnu has got the same status among gods. When Lord Vishnu gave birth to Brahma to create the universe, at the same time he gave birth to the Amla tree. Amla has been revered by Lord Vishnu as the original tree. God’s place is considered to be in every part of it.Lord Vishnu has said that for those beings who wish to attain heaven and salvation, the fast of Ekadashi which falls in Pushya Nakshatra in Phalgun Shukla Paksha is extremely best. This Ekadashi is known as Amalaki Ekadashi.

Method

After taking bath in front of the idol of Lord Vishnu, take sesame, kush, mudra and water in hand and take a pledge that I will keep the fast of Amalaki Ekadashi with the wish of Lord Vishnu’s happiness and salvation. May Shri Hari keep me under your protection so that my fast is completed successfully. After resolution, worship God along with Shodshopachara.
After worshiping God, take the worship material and worship the Amla tree. First of all, clean the land around the tree and purify it with cow dung. Make an altar at the root of the tree and install the Kalash on it. Invite the Gods, pilgrimage places and the ocean in this Kalash. Keep fragrance and Panch Ratna in the Kalash. Place Panch Pallava on it and then light the lamp.Apply Shrikhand sandalwood paste on the neck of the Kalash and wear clothes. Finally, install the golden idol of Parashuram, the sixth incarnation of Shri Vishnu, on the Kalash and worship Parashuram ji duly. Remember the Lord by reciting Bhagwat Katha and Bhajan Kirtan at night.
On the day of Dwadashi, in the morning, feed food to the Brahmin and give him Dakshina and also present the Kalash along with the idol of Parashuram to the Brahmin. After these activities, do Parayan and consume food and water.

Story
In the Brahmanda Purana, in the dialogue between Mandhata and Vashishtha, the importance of ‘Amalaki Ekadashi’ of Shukla Paksha of Phalgun month has been described in this way. Once Mandhata ji prayed to Vashishtha ji – ‘O Rishivar! If you are happy with me, if you have blessed me, then please tell me such a fast, by following which I can attain real welfare.’
In response to this, Vashishtha ji said happily – ‘O King! Let me tell you the story of a secret, mysterious and very beneficial fast from the scriptures, which is going to give all kinds of blessings.

O king! The name of this fast is Amalaki Ekadashi fast. This fast destroys the biggest sins, gives the reward of the virtue of donating one thousand cows and is the provider of salvation.
In ancient times, people of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra castes lived very happily in a city named Vaidish. The people there were naturally healthy and strong.

O king! There was no human being, sinner or atheist in that city. Vedic rituals used to take place everywhere in this city. This city kept echoing with the sound of Vedas. Chandravanshi kings ruled that city. In this Chandravanshi dynasty, a virtuous and virtuous king named Chaitrarath was born. This king was very mighty, brave, rich, fortunate and also a scientist. The people were very happy in the kingdom of this king. The whole environment was favourable. All the people here were devoted to Vishnu.Everyone used to fast on Ekadashi. No poor or miser was seen in this state. In this way the king along with his people continued to rule happily for many years.

Once Phalgun Shuklapakshi Dwadashi Samyukta Amalaki Ekadashi arrived. Knowing that this Ekadashi is going to give great results, the children, old people, youth, men and women of the city and the king himself along with his family observed this Ekadashi fast with full rules. On the day of Ekadashi, after taking bath in the river in the morning, the king along with all the people reached the temple of Lord Shri Vishnu built on the banks of the same river.He established the Lord there by furnishing a pot full of fragrant water with divine smell, umbrella, clothes, paduka etc. After this, after lighting the incense-lamp, worshiped Lord Shri Parshuram with Amalaki i.e. Indian gooseberry and at the end prayed – ‘O Parashuram! O giver of happiness to Renuka! O provider of salvation! Greetings to you. Hey Amalaki! Hey Brahmaputri! O midwife! O sign of sin! Hello to you. Please accept my worship.
In this way, the king, along with his subjects, kept vigil at night by listening, kirtan and remembering the sacred stories of Lord Shri Vishnu and Lord Shri Parshuram and listening to the glory of Ekadashi.
That evening a hunter arrived there while hunting. He used to spend his days killing living beings. Seeing the night vigil decorated with lamps and many people gathered together singing Hari Kirtan, the hunter started wondering what is all this happening?
It was only when the virtue of the hunter’s previous birth was restored that he saw the devotees observing Ekadashi fast there. He had darshan of Lord Shri Damodar ji seated on the Kalash and sitting there started listening to the story of the character of Lord Shri Hari. Despite being hungry and thirsty, he also stayed awake at night listening to the story of the greatness of Ekadashi fast and the glory of Lord Shri Hari with a concentrated mind. In the morning the king went to his city along with his subjects and the hunter also returned to his home and had his meal on time.
After some time, when that hunter died, due to the effect of spontaneously observing Ekadashi fast and keeping vigil at night on Ekadashi date, that hunter in his next birth celebrated a birth anniversary full of huge wealth, army, feudal lords, elephants, horses, chariots. Born as a son of a king named Viduratha of Nagari.He was as mighty as the Sun, as forgiving as the earth, pious, truthful and full of many virtues and started living his life worshiping Lord Vishnu and ruling over one lakh villages. He was also a great donor. His name in this birth was Vasuratha.
Once he went to the forest to hunt and lost his way. Tired of wandering in the forest, exhausted with thirst, he made a pillow with his arms and slept in the forest. At the same time, the Maleccha Yavanas who lived in the mountains came to the sleeping king and tried to kill him. They considered the king an enemy and were bent on killing him.They had some misconception that this is the same person who had killed our parents, sons and grandsons etc. and because of this we are languishing in the forest. But surprisingly, the weapons thrown by those people did not hit the king and kept falling around him. The king did not even get a scratch. When their weapons ran out, they all became frightened and could not move forward even a single step.Then everyone saw that at the same time a very beautiful goddess adorned with many ornaments appeared from the king’s body, having divine fragrance. That fierce brow furrowed, angry eyed goddess was turning red and yellow with anger. Seeing this form of that goddess, all the Yavanas started running here and there, but that goddess killed all the Malechchas in a moment with the Chakra in her hand.
When the king woke up and saw this terrible massacre, he was surprised. Also became scared. Seeing those men of terrible size dead, the king started thinking with astonishment – ​​’Who protected me by killing these enemies of mine? Who is my friendly friend here? Whatever be the case, I thank him very much for his great work.
At the same time a voice came from the sky – ‘Apart from Lord Keshav, who else can protect the surrendered person? Therefore, the surrendered protector, the surrendered protector Shri Hari has protected you.’ The king was not only happy to hear that voice from the sky, but also being very grateful at the feet of Lord Shri Hari, he returned to his kingdom and worshiped the Lord and the kingdom remained free from fear. Started doing.
Vashishtha ji says – ‘O king! Those who observe this Amalaki Ekadashi fast definitely attain Vishnuloka.