Aja / Annada Ekadashi Vrat Story:

 Significance of Aja/Annada Ekadashi:-

Arjuna said: O Pundarikaksha! I heard the detailed description of Shravan Shukla Ekadashi i.e. Putrada Ekadashi. Now please tell me also about the Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month. What is the name of this Ekadashi and what is the law for its fast? What is the result of observing this fast?

Shri Krishna said: O son of Kunti! Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month is called Aja Ekadashi. By observing this fast all sins are destroyed. There is no other fast in the world like this Ekadashi fast that helps in this world and the hereafter.

Aja / Annada Ekadashi Vrat Story: -

Now listen carefully to the greatness of this Ekadashi: In the mythological period, there was a king named Harishchandra, a Chakravarti king in the city of Ayodhya in the lineage of Lord Shri Ram. The king was known for his integrity and honesty.

Once the gods planned to test them. The king saw in a dream that he had donated his palace to the sage Vishwavamitra. In the morning Vishwamitra actually came to his door and started saying that you donated your kingdom to me in a dream.

The king, following a strict vow, handed over the entire kingdom to Vishwamitra. In order to pay Dakshina for charity, King Harishchandra had to sell his wife, son and himself due to the fruits of his previous birth. Harishchandra was bought by a dome who used to get people cremated in the cremation ground.

He himself became the slave of a Chandala. He did the work of taking a shroud at that Chandal's place, but he did not leave the side of truth even in the task of this objection.

When many years passed like this, he felt very sad over this lowly deed of his and he started looking for a way to get rid of it. He was always worried that what should I do? How can I get rid of this vile karma? Once upon a time, he was sitting in worry that sage Gautama would reach him. Harishchandra bowed to him and started narrating his sad story.

Hearing the sad story of King Harishchandra, Maharishi Gautam was also very sad and said to the king: O king! The name of Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadon month is Aja. You fast on that Ekadashi as per law and do Jagran in the night. By this all your sins will be destroyed.

Maharishi Gautam became aloof after saying this. On the arrival of Ekadashi named Aja, King Harishchandra did fasting and night awakening according to the instructions of Maharishi. With the effect of this fast, all the sins of the king were destroyed. At that time drums started ringing in heaven and flowers started raining. He found gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and Devendra standing in front of him. He saw his dead son alive and his wife full of royal clothes and ornaments.

Due to the effect of the fast, the king again got his kingdom. In fact, a sage had done all this to test the king, but due to the effect of fasting on Aja Ekadashi, all the illusion created by the sage ended and in the end Harishchandra went to heaven with his family.

Hey Rajan! All this was the effect of fasting on Aja Ekadashi.

Those who observe this fasting lawfully and keep awake at night, all their sins are destroyed and in the end they attain heaven. The result of Ashwamedha Yagya can be attained only by listening to the story of this Ekadashi fast.