Nirjala Ekadashi Mahatmya
Yudhishthir said: Janardan! Please describe the Ekadashi that falls in the Shukla Paksha of Jyeshtha month.
Lord Shri Krishna said: King! This will be described by the supremely virtuous Satyavatinandan Vyasji, because he is a philosopher of all the scriptures and an expert scholar of the Vedas and Vedas.
Then Ved Vyasji started saying: Do not eat food on the Ekadashi days of both the fortnights. On the day of Dwadashi, become pure by taking bath etc. and worship Lord Keshav with flowers. Then, after completing the daily rituals, first give food to the Brahmins and finally eat the food yourself. Rajan! One should not eat food on Ekadashi even during Jananasaucha and Maranasaucha.
Hearing this, Bhimsen said: Most intelligent grandfather! Listen to my best words. King Yudhishthir, Mother Kunti, Draupadi, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev never eat food on Ekadashi and they also always say to me: ‘Bhimsen! You too should not eat on Ekadashi…’ But I tell them that I will not be able to satisfy my hunger.
After listening to Bhimsen, Vyasji said: If you wish to attain heaven and consider hell as impure, then do not eat food on the Ekadashi days of both the pakshas.
Bhimsen said: Very wise grandfather! I tell you the truth. I cannot fast even after eating once, then how can I continue fasting? The fire called Vrik is always burning in my stomach, hence it subsides only when I eat a lot. That’s why Mahamune! I can fast only once in a year. Please decide on one such fast which will make attaining heaven easier and by observing which I can be a partaker of welfare. I will follow it properly.
Vyasji said: Bhima! In the month of Jyeshtha, whether the Sun is in Taurus or Gemini, on the Ekadashi in Shuklapaksha, observe a fast without water. You can put water in the mouth only for gargling or washing your face, except that a learned man should not put any kind of water in the mouth, otherwise the fast gets broken. If a person abstains from water from sunrise on Ekadashi till sunrise on the next day, then this fast is complete.Thereafter, after taking bath in the morning on Dwadashi, donate water and gold to the Brahmins in a ritual manner. In this way, after completing all the work, the Jitendriya man should eat with the Brahmins. There is no doubt in this that a person gets the results of all the Ekadashis that happen throughout the year by consuming Nirjala Ekadashi. Lord Keshav, who holds the conch, disc and mace, had told me that: ‘If a human being leaves everyone and comes to Me alone and remains fasting on Ekadashi, then he is freed from all sins.’
A man observing Ekadashi fast is not visited by the fierce Yamdoots, who are huge, monstrous in shape and have black complexion and carry a stick. At the end, Vishnu’s messenger, clad in yellow, having gentle nature, holding Sudarshan in his hand and having the same quick mind, finally takes this Vaishnav man to the abode of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, do your best to fast on Nirjala Ekadashi and worship Shri Hari. Be it a man or a woman, if she has committed a sin as big as Mount Meru, then all of it gets burnt to ashes due to the effect of this Ekadashi fast.The person who follows the rules of water on that day is a partaker of virtue. It has been heard that he gets the results of donating millions of gold coins in every phase. Whatever a person does like bathing, charity, chanting, home etc. on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi, everything is inexhaustible, this is the statement of Lord Shri Krishna. By fasting on Nirjala Ekadashi in a proper manner, a person attains Vaishnavpada.
The person who eats food on the day of Ekadashi, eats the food of sin. In this world he is like a Chandaal and upon death he faces misery.
Those who fast and donate on Ekadashi in the Shukla Paksha of Jyeshtha will attain the supreme position. Those who fast on Ekadashi become free from all the sins even if they are murderers, drunkards, thieves and traitors.
Kuntinandan! Listen to the special donations and duties prescribed for devout men and women on the day of ‘Nirjala Ekadashi’: On that day, Lord Vishnu, who sleeps in water, should be worshiped and Jalmayi Dhenu should be donated or donation of pure Dhenu or Ghritmayi Dhenu is appropriate. One should try hard to satisfy the brahmins with adequate dakshina and various sweets. By doing this the Brahmins are definitely satisfied and when they are satisfied, Shri Hari grants salvation.Those who have observed the fast of this ‘Nirjala Ekadashi’ while being engaged in Sham, Dam and Daan, worshiping Shri Hari and staying awake at night, along with themselves, the hundred generations past and the future generations have reached the supreme abode of Lord Vasudev. Have given . On the day of Nirjala Ekadashi, food, clothes, cow, water, bed, beautiful seat, kamandalu and umbrella should be donated.One who donates shoes to a noble and worthy Brahmin, gets established in heaven by sitting on a golden plane. One who listens or narrates the glory of this Ekadashi with devotion, goes to heaven. The same result that a person gets by performing Shraddha on Chaturdashi Yukt Amavasya at the time of solar eclipse, the same result is also obtained by listening to it.First of all, after brushing your teeth, you should take this rule: ‘For the pleasure of Lord Keshav, I will remain fasting on Ekadashi and will give up water other than Aachman.’ On Dwadashi, God should be worshiped Lord Vishnu. After worshiping with scent, incense, flowers and beautiful clothes, resolve to donate a pitcher of water and chant the following mantra: