pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Pashankusha / Papankusha Ekadashi (Ashwina-Shukla Ekadashi)

Pashankusha / Papankusha Ekadashi

(Ashwina-Shukla Ekadashi)

(The Ekadashi that Occurs During the Waxing

July 2014

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

Search

Sanatana Dharma, Sadhana & Reflections

About Ekadashi Travelogues

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Moon Fortnight in September / October)

Adapted, with additional commentary, from EkadashiMahatmya: The Glories of Ekadashi, translated byBhumipati Dasi, ed., Pundarika Vidyanidhi Dasa (an ISKCONpublication, available for purchase atwww.thekrishnastore.com)

This narration of the glories of Pashankusha Ekadashi isexcerpted from a dialogue between Shri Krishna andMaharaja Yudhishthira, as given in the BrahmavaivartaPurana.

Once, Yudhishthira Maharaj asked Shri Krishna: “OMadhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that comesduring the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina (September– October)? Please be kind and explain this to me.”

Shri Krishna smilingly replied, “O best of kings! The nameof this Ekadashi is Pashankusha Ekadashi, and it is alsoknown as Papankusha Ekadashi since the observance of

Search

CATEGORIES

No categories

ARCHIVES

PAGES

AboutEkadashi

Ekadashi StoriesPashankusha /Papankusha Ekadashi(Ashwina-Shukla Ekadashi)

Travelogues

EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION

Enter your email address tosubscribe to this blog andreceive notifications of newposts by email.

Enter your email address

Sign me up!

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

this Ekadashi removes all sins.

“One should particularly worship Shri Padmanabha (seebelow for a description of Shri Padmanabha) on the day ofthis Ekadashi. This Ekadashi awards a person heavenlypleasures, liberation, and his or her desired results. Just bychanting the holy names of Shri Vishnu (such as the ShriVishnu Sahasranama, and the ashtottara of Shri Rama, ShriKrishna, etc.) one can attain the piety of visiting all the holyplaces of pilgrimage (teerthas) in this world. If a conditionedsoul, in spite of indulging in various sinful activities as aresult of delusion, takes shelter and offers obeisance at thelotus feet of Shri Hari, who is the remover of all sins and thegranter of liberation, then such a person never sees thepunishing abode of Yamaraja, the lord of death.

“Both the Vaishnava (devotee of Shri Vishnu) who criticizesShiva and the Shaivite (devotee of Shiva) who criticizes ShriVishnu will undoubtedly go to Naraka (the realm of hell). (yohariH sa shivaH sAkSAd yaH shivaH sa svayaM hariH / yetayor bhedamAti sthan narakAya bhave naraH (VishnuPurana 5.33.46) (He who is Shri Hari is Himself Shiva / He

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

who manifests as Shiva is Himself Shri Hari / Any humanwho mistakenly thinks that Shiva is different from Shri Hariwill surely go to Naraka.))

“The result one obtains by performing one thousand horsesacrifices or by performing one hundred Rajasuyasacrifices cannot equal one sixteenth of the piety oneobtains by observing this Ekadashi. There is no piety in thisworld equal to the piety earned by observing this Ekadashi. Therefore, no other day is as sanctified as this day ofEkadashi, which is very dear to Shri Padmanabha.

“O King! Until a person observes a fast on the day of ShriPadmanabha named Papankusha Ekadashi, he remainssinful, and the reactions of his past sinful activities neverleave him like a chaste wife never leaves her husband. There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match themerit that one gains by observing a fast on this Ekadashi. This Ekadashi awards those who observe it heavenlypleasures, liberation, freedom from disease, beautifulwomen, wealth, and food grains. None of the Ganga, Gaya,Kashi, Pushkara, or Kurukshetra can bestow as much

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

auspicious merit as this Papankusha Ekadashi. O MaharajYudhishthira, protector of the earth, after observing Ekadashiduring the daytime, the devotee should remain awakethrough the night, absorbed in hearing about Shri Hari,chanting Shri Hari’s name, and serving Shri Hari – for, bydoing so, he easily attains to the abode of Shri Vishnu.”

Shri Krishna continued, “O best of kings! By observing thevow of this Ekadashi one can deliver ten generations fromhis mother’s family, ten generations from his father’s family,and ten generations from his wife’s family. All theseancestors attain their original, four-armed transcendentalVaikuntha forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautifulgarlands, they ride to the spiritual realm on the back ofGaruda, the renowned great enemy of the snakes. This isthe benediction My devotee earns simply by observing onePashankusha Ekadashi properly.

“If a person observes this Ekadashi in his childhood, youth,or old age, he does not suffer the miseries of samsara(material existence). One who strictly observes thisPashankusha Ekadashi is relieved of all sinful reactions and

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

at the end of life returns to Shri Vishnu’s abode.

“If a person gives away gold, sesame seeds, land, cows,food grains, water, umbrellas, or shoes in charity, then sucha person does not have to go to the abode of Yamaraja. Onthe other hand, anyone who does not engage in piousactivities on this day is like a dead man although he isbreathing. His breathing is like the bellows of the blacksmith.

“O best of kings, especially on this Papankusha Ekadashi,even the poor should first bathe and then give some charityaccording to their means, and perform other auspiciousactivities in accordance with their ability. Whosoeverperforms sacrifices for the public benefit, or builds publicponds, resting places, gardens, or houses is not subjectedto the punishment of Yamaraja. It is a result of piety only thatpeople live long lives, become rich, take birth in high-classfamilies, and become free from disease. The purport is thatthe direct result of observing Ekadashi is to attain devotionalservice to Me, and the indirect result is to attain temporarymaterial benefits.”

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

Shri Krishna then concluded, “Thus, O saintly Yudhishthira, Ihave narrated to you the glories of the auspiciousPashankusha Ekadashi.”

Shri Padmanabha

Padmanabha is another name of Vishnu and appears as the

48th, 196th, and 346th names in the Shri VishnuSahasranama. According to Shri Adi Shankara’scommentary (bhashya) on the Shri Vishnu Sahasranama,“Padmanabha” means He in whose navel, the lotus (padma),the source of the universe resides; or One whose navel isbeautifully shaped like the lotus; or One who shines in themiddle or the heart-lotus (the Anahata chakra) of all; or Onewho resides in the central part of the heart-lotus (the Anahatachakra).

Shri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Shri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple is a famoustemple of Shri Vishnu, located inside in Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala, India. This is one of the 108 divya desams (the 108holy teerthas where Shri Vishnu self-manifested). Shri

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

holy teerthas where Shri Vishnu self-manifested). ShriAnantha Padmanabhaswamy is a form of Vishnu inAnananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yoganidra).

Appearance of Shri Padmanabhaswamy

Once, Sage Divakara prayed to Shri Krishna for hisdarshana. Shri Krishna came in disguise as a small,mischievous boy and, one day, swallowed the Shalagramamused for puja (worship). Enraged, Sage Divakara chasedthe boy, and baby Krishna finally hid behind a tree. Suddenly, the tree broke down and refashioned itself into aform of Shri Vishnu in Sayana Kolam (lying posture) forkilometers on end. The sage then prayed to Shri Vishnu tobecome smaller as he could not properly worship him insuch a large form. Immediately, Shri Vishnu shrunk himselfand told the sage that He would henceforth be worshippedthrough three doors: the first one where Shri Vishnu offersworship to Shiva, the second entrance where Brahma offersworship to Shri Vishnu from his lotus navel, and the third onethat displays the holy feet of Shri Vishnu, the darshana ofwhich leads to salvation.

The glories of Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple have been

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

extolled in several ancient texts including the SkandaPurana and Padma Purana.

The Temple

The vigraha of the reclining Shri Padmanabhaswamyconsists of 10,008 Shalagramams that were brought fromthe banks of the Gandhaki River in Nepal.

In the sanctum sanctorum, Shri Vishnu is in a recliningposition over Anantha or Adi Sesha, the serpent with hisface pointed upwards, enjoying the fragrance emanatingfrom the lotus held in his left hand. Shri Vishnu’s right handhovers over Shiva. Shridevi and Bhudevi, Shri Vishnu’s twoconsorts, stand by his side, and Brahma rests on a lotus,which emanates from the navel of Shri Vishnu.

For darshan and puja, one has to climb on a stone slab toworship the different parts of the vigraha, namely, the face,the navel and the feet, which are visible from three differentdoor-like openings. There are other important shrines insidethe temple for Shri Narasimha, Shri Krishna, Shri Ayyappa,Shri Ganesha and Shri Hanuman as well as many other small

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

shrines for deities like Kshetrapalan (who guards thetemple), Vishwaksena and Garuda.

History

King Marthanda Varma, Maharaja of the erstwhile princelystate of Travancore, dedicated his kingdom to ShriPadmanabhaswamy, and pledged that he and hisdescendants would serve the kingdom as PadmanabhaDasa, meaning “servants of the Lord Padmanabha”. Thus,Shri Padmanabhaswamy became the nominal head of thestate of Travancore, assuming the title, Perumal (theEmperor). The British Government used to salute ShriPadmanabhaswamy with a 21-gun salute, a military traditionof colonial days. The royal insignia of ShriPadmanabhaswamy, the Valampuri Shankha (a rare andhighly auspicious form of the conch-shell), served as thestate emblem of Travancore. Shri Padmanabhaswamy isstill revered as the regional deity of Travancore.

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API

LEAVE A REPLY

Blog at WordPress.com. | The Ocean Mist Theme.

Loading...LikeBe the first to like this.

Enter your comment here...

Follow

Follow “SanatanaDharma, Sadhana &Reflections”Get every new post delivered

to your Inbox.