Saphala Ekadashi fasting story

Saphala Ekadashi fasting story

Maharaj Yudhishthira asked :-O Janardan! What is the name of Paush Krishna Ekadashi? Which deity is worshiped on that day and what is its method? please tell me

Lord Krishna started saying that Dharmaraja, because of your affection, I tell you that apart from fasting on Ekadashi, I am not happy even with the sacrifice of getting maximum Dakshina. Therefore, do it with utmost devotion and reverence. Hey Rajan! Listen to the greatness of Paush Krishna Ekadashi on Dwadashi with concentration.

The name of this Ekadashi is Saphala Ekadashi. The deity of this Ekadashi is Shri Narayan. This fast should be done lawfully. Just as Sheshnag among the serpents, Garuda among the birds, Moon among all the planets, Ashwamedha in the sacrifices and Lord Vishnu among the gods, in the same way Ekadashi fasting is the best among all the fasts. Those who always observe fast on Ekadashi, they are very dear to me. Now I will tell the method of this fast.

For my worship, collect sixteen items like fruits, coconut, lemon, naivedya etc. After worshiping me with this material, do night awakening. There is no Yagya, pilgrimage, charity, penance and no other fast like the fast of this Ekadashi. The fruit obtained by doing penance for five thousand years is more than that obtained by fasting on Ekadashi. Hey Rajan! Now listen to the story of this Ekadashi.

A king named Mahishman used to reign in the city of Champavati. He had four sons. Among all of them there was a great prince named Lumpak. That sinner always used to destroy his father's wealth in adultery and prostitution and other bad deeds. Always used to condemn the deities, Brahmins, Vaishnavas. When the king came to know about such misdeeds of his eldest son, he expelled him from his kingdom. Then he started thinking where should I go? What to do?

In the end he decided to steal. During the day he lived in the forest and by night he would steal in his father's city and do the evil of harassing and killing the people. After some time the whole city became frightened. Staying in the forest, he started eating after killing animals etc. Citizens and state servants would capture him but let him go out of fear of the king.

There was a very ancient huge peepal tree in the forest. People worshiped him like a god. The great sinner Lumpak used to live under the same tree. People considered this forest as the playground of the gods. After some time, on the tenth day of Paush Krishna Paksha, he could not sleep the whole night due to cold being clothed. His hands and feet got stiff.

By sunrise, he fainted. On the second day on Ekadashi, he fainted after getting the heat of the sun at midday. While falling, he went out in search of food. He was not able to kill the animals, so after picking up the fruits that had fallen under the trees, he came back under the same Peepal tree. By that time Lord Sun had set. Putting the fruit under the tree, he started saying - O Lord! Now this fruit is your offering. You yourself be satisfied. Due to sorrow that night, he could not sleep even at night.

With this fasting and awakening, the Lord was very pleased and all his sins were destroyed. The next morning, a very beautiful horse, decorated with many beautiful things, came and stood in front of him.

At the same time there was a voice from Akash that O king! By the grace of Shri Narayan, your sins were destroyed. Now go to your father and get the kingdom. Hearing such a voice, he was very pleased and wearing divine clothes went to his father saying 'Lord aapki jai ho'. His father was pleased and handed over the entire kingdom to him and took the forest route.

Now Lumpak started ruling according to the scriptures. His wife, son etc. The whole family became the ultimate devotee of Lord Narayana. When he got old, he too went to the forest to do penance after handing over the kingdom to his son, and in the end, Vaikuntha was found.

Therefore, the person who observes this most holy Saphala Ekadashi fast gets salvation in the end. Those who do not are like animals without tail and horns. By reading or listening to the greatness of this Saphala Ekadashi, one gets the fruit of the Ashwamedha Yagya.