Utpanna Ekadashi

Shri Sutji said, "O Vipron! Lord Shri Krishna had told this Ekadashi Mahatmya to Arjuna along with the method. Only those who have faith in the Lord listen to this fast with love and after enjoying many pleasures in this world, finally attain Vaikuntha."

Once Arjuna asked, "O Janardana! What is the glory of Ekadashi fast? What virtue is gained by observing this fast? What is its method? So please tell me."

Lord Shri Krishna said, "O Arjuna! First of all, one should fast on Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha month of Hemant Ritu." One should do datuna on the evening of Dashami and take no food at night. On Ekadashi one makes the resolve in the morning and acts by the rules, bathing in the afternoon with determination. Before bathing, mud paste is applied to the body; after bathing, sandalwood tilak is applied to the forehead, with this mantra:

अश्वक्रान्ते रथक्रान्ते विष्णुक्रान्ते वसुन्धरे, उद्धृतापि वराहेण कृष्णेन शतबाहुना। मृत्तिके हर मे पापं यन्मया पूर्वक सञ्चितम्, त्वचा हतेन पापेन गच्छामि परमां गतिम्॥

After bathing, God is worshipped with dhupa, dipa and naivedya, and deepdan is performed at night. All these deeds are to be done with devotion. One chants the name of Shri Hari while keeping vigil at night, staying away from pleasures, giving place in the heart only to pure and virtuous thoughts. Donations are given to Brahmins with devotion, and forgiveness sought from them for one's sins. Religious people should hold both the Ekadashis, of Shukla Paksha and of Krishna Paksha, as equal, and make no distinction between them.

The virtue that comes of visiting and taking darshan at Shankhodhara Teertha is not equal even to a sixteenth part of the virtue of the Ekadashi fast. The virtue a person gains by donating during Vyatipata Yoga, at Sankranti, during a solar or lunar eclipse, and by bathing at Kurukshetra, is gained by fasting on Ekadashi. The result of donating a thousand cows to Vedapathi Brahmins is ten times exceeded by fasting on Punya Ekadashi, and the virtue of feeding ten great Brahmins equals one-tenth of the virtue of Ekadashi. The results of the Ekadashi fast are greater than a thousand yajnas.

Then Arjuna said, "O Lord! Why have you described the virtues of this Ekadashi fast as better and more sacred than the virtues of many pilgrimages? Please tell all this in detail."

Shri Krishna said, "O Partha! There was a very dangerous demon in Satyayuga, his name was Mura." That demon defeated Indra and the other gods and drove them from their positions. Indra then prayed to Lord Shankar: "O Bholenath! All of us gods are living our lives in the mortal world, saddened by the atrocities of the demon Mura. We are suffering a lot due to the fear of demons. I myself am very sad and scared, what to talk about other gods, so O Kailashpati! Please tell me the solution to protect myself from the atrocities of the demon Mura."

Shankarji said, "O Devendra! You go to Lord Shri Hari. Lord Vishnu, who killed Madhu-Kaitabha, will definitely free the gods from this fear."

By Mahadev's instruction, Indra and the other gods went to the Ksheer Sagar and prayed to Lord Vishnu, who took up the battle against Mura. The fight lasted a very long age, and at length the Lord withdrew to a cave in Badarikashrama to rest. While he slept, Mura came to strike him — and at that moment a radiant goddess sprang from the body of the Lord and fought the demon and destroyed him.

When the Lord awoke and saw Mura slain, he asked who had killed him, and the goddess said that she had been born of his own body for that purpose. Pleased, the Lord said that because she had arisen — utpanna — on the Ekadashi of the Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha, she would be known by the name Ekadashi, that she would be dearest of all to him, and that whoever fasted on her day would be freed from every sin and would attain his own abode.

This is why the Ekadashi of the Krishna Paksha of Margashirsha is called Utpanna Ekadashi, and it is counted the first of all the Ekadashis of the year.