Reminder to fast on Putrada Ekadasi 2-Jan-2023 - a great way to start the new year

Some people without kids fasted on Putrada Ekadasi and obtained a kid in due course of time. Even otherwise fasting on Ekadasi is the fastest way to purify our soul. Coupled with worship of Tulasi devi (potted Tulasi plant) will bring forth unlimited auspicious as I personally experienced. There are total?24?Ekadashi observances in a year. Ekadashi falls twice a month during?Shukla Paksha (11th day after full moon)?and Krishna Paksha (11th day after new moon). It's power is more than performing Yagnas and Yagas (fire sacrifices).

Above all there is no expense in performing this - no elaborate rituals, no expensive ghee for sacrifices, etc.

The history of Ekadasi (from Reference 1)

"Arjuna asked, 'O Lord, according to You, a thousand Vedic sacrifices do not equal even one Ekāda?ī fast. How can this be? How has Ekāda?ī become the most meritorious of all days?' "Lord ?rī K???a replied, 'I will tell you why Ekāda?ī is the most purifying of all days. In the Satya-Yuga there once lived an amazingly fearsome demon called Mura. Always very angry, he terrified all the demigods, defeating even Indra, the king of heaven; Vivasvān, the sun-deity; the eight Vasus; Lord Brahmā; Vāyu. the wind-deity; and Agni, the fire-deity. With his terrible power he brought them all under his control. "'Lord Indra then approached Lord ?iva and said, "We have all fallen from our planets and are now wandering helplessly on the earth. O lord, how can we find relief from this affliction? What will be the fate of us demigods?' "'Lord ?iva replied, "O best of the demigods, go to that place where Lord Vi??u, the rider of Garu?a, resides. He is Jagannātha, the master of all the universes and their shelter as well. He is devoted to protecting all souls surrendered to Him.'" "Lord K???a continued, 'O Arjuna, winner of wealth, after Lord Indra heard these words of Lord ?iva's, he proceeded with all the demigods to the place where Lord Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe, the protector of all souls, was resting. Seeing the Lord sleeping upon the water, the demigods joined their palms and, led by Indra, recite the following prayers:"' "O Supreme Personality of God, all obeisances to You. O Lord of lords, O You who are praised by the foremost demigods, O enemy of all demons, O lotus-eyed Lord, O Madhusūdana (killer of the Madhu demon), please protect us. Afraid of the demon Mura, we demigods have come to take shelter of You. O Jagannātha, You are the doer of everything and the creator of everything. You are the mother and the father of all universes. You are the creator, the maintainer, and the destroyer of all. You are the supreme helper of all the demigods, and You alone can bring peace to them. you alone are the earth, the sky, and the universal benefactor. "'"You are ?iva, Brahmā, and also Vi??u, the maintainer of the three worlds. You are the gods of the sun, moon, and fire. You are the clarified butter, the oblation, the sacred fire, the mantras, the rituals, the priests, and the silent chanting of japa. You are the sacrifice itself, its sponsor, and the enjoyer of its results, the Supreme Personality of God. Nothing within these three worlds, whether moveable or immovable, can exist independent of You. O Supreme Lord, Lord of lords, You are the protector of those who take shelter of You. O supreme mystic, O shelter of the fearful, please rescue and protect us. We demigods have been defeated by the demons and have thus fallen from the heavenly realm. Deprived of our positions, O Lord of the universe, we are now wandering about this earthly planet."' "Lord K???a continued, 'Having heard Indra and the other demigods speak these words, ?rī Vi??u, the Supreme Personality of God, replied, "What demon possesses such great powers of delusion that he has been able to defeat all the demigods? What is his name, and where does he live? Where does he get his strength and shelter? Tell Me everything, O Indra, and do not fear." "'Lord Indra replied, "O Supreme God, O Lord of lords, O You who vanquish the fear in Your pure devotees' hearts, O You who are so kind to your faithful servants, there was once a powerful demon of the Brahman dynasty whose name was Nā?īja?gha. he was extraordinarily fearsome and wholly dedicated to destroying the demigods, and he begot an infamous son named Mura. "'"Mura's great capital city is Candrāvati. From that base the terribly evil and powerful Mura demon has conquered the whole world and brought all the demigods under his control, driving them out of their heavenly kingdom. He has assumed the roles of Indra, the king of heaven; Agni, the fire-deity; Yama, the lord of death; Vāyu, the wind-deity; ī?a, or Lord ?iva; Soma, the moon-deity; Nair?ti, the lord of the directions; and Pā?i, or Varu?a, the water-deity. He has also begun emanating light in the role of the sun-deity and has turned himself into the clouds as well. It is impossible for the demigods to defeat him. O Lord Vi??u, please kill tis demon and make the demigods victorious." "'Hearing these words from Indra, Lord Janārdana became very angry and said,"O powerful demigods, all together you may now advance on Mura's capital city of Candrāvati." Encouraged thus, the assembled demigods proceeded to Candrāvati with Lord Hari leading the way. "'When Mura saw the demigods, that foremost of demons started roaring very loudly in the company of countless thousands of other demons, who were all holding brilliantly shining weapons. The mighty-armed demons struck the demigods, who began abandoning the battlefield and fleeing in the ten directions. Seeing the Supreme Lord H??īke?a, the master of the senses, present on the battlefield, the furious demons rushed toward Him with various weapons in their hands. As they charged the Lord, who holds a sword, disk, and club, He immediately pierced all their limbs with His sharp, poisonous arrows. Thus many hundred of demons died by the Lord's hand. "'At last the chief demon, Mura, began fighting with the Lord. Mura used his mystic power to render useless whatever weapons the Supreme Lord H??īke?a unleashed. Indeed, to the demon the weapons felt just like flowers striking him. When the Lord could not defeat the demon even with various kinds of weapons - whether those that are thrown or those that are held - He began fighting with His bare hands, which were as strong as iron-studded clubs. The Lord wrestled with Mura for one thousand celestial years and then, apparently fatigued, left for Badarikā?rama. There Lord Yoge?vara, the greatest of all yogis, the Lord of the universe, entered a very beautiful cave named Himāvati to rest. O Dhananjaya, winner of wealth, that cave was ninety-six miles in diameter and had only on entrance. I went there out of fear, and also to sleep. There is no doubt about this, O son of Pandu, for the great fight made me very tired. The demon followed Me into that cave and, seeing Me asleep, started thinking within his heart, "Today I will kill this slayer of all demons, Hari." "'While the wicked-minded Mura was making plans in this way, from My body there manifested a young girl who had a very bright complexion. O son of Pandu, Mura saw that she was equipped with various brilliant weapons and was ready to fight. Challenged by that female to do battle, Mura prepared himself and then fought with her, but he became very astonished when he saw that she fought him without cessation. The king of the demons then said, "Who has created this angry, fearsome girl who is fighting me so powerfully, just like a thunderbolt falling upon me?' After saying this, the demon continued to fight with the girl. "'Suddenly that effulgent goddess shattered all of Mura's weapons and in a moment deprived him of his chariot. He ran toward her to attacker with his bare hands, but when she saw him coming she angrily cut off his head. Thus the demon at once fell to the ground and went to the abode of Yamarāja. the rest of the Lord's enemies, out of fear and helplessness, entered the subterranean Patala region. "'Then the Supreme Lord woke up and saw the dead demo before Him, as well as the maiden bowing down to him with joined palms. his face expressing His astonishment, the Lord of the universe said, "Who has killed this vicious demon? He easily defeated all the demigods, Gandharvas, and even Indra himself, along with Indra's companions, the Maruts, and he also defeated the Nagas (snakes), the rulers of the lower planets. He even defeated Me, making Me hide in this cave out of fear. Who is it that has so mercifully protected Me after I ran from the battlefield and went to sleep in this cave?" "'The maiden said, "It is I who have killed this demon after appearing from You transcendental body. Indeed, O Lord Hari, when he saw You sleeping he wanted to kill You. Understanding the intention of this thorn in the side of the three worlds, I killed the evil rascal and this freed all the demigods from fear. I am Your great maha-sakti, Your internal potency, who strikes fear into the hearts of all Your enemies. I have killed this universally terrifying demon to protect the three worlds. Please tell me why You are surprised to see that this demon has been killed, O Lord." "'The Supreme Personality of God said, "O sinless one, I am very satisfied to see that it is you who have killed this king of the demons. In this way you have made the demigods happy, prosperous, and full of bliss. Because you have given pleasure to all the demigods in the three worlds, I am very pleased with you. Ask any boon you may desire, O auspicious one. I will give it to you without a doubt, though it be very rare among the demigods." ""The maiden said, "O Lord, if You are pleased with me and wish to give me a boon, then give me the power to deliver from the greatest sins that person who fasts of this day. I wish that half the pious credit obtained by one who fasts will accrue to one who eats only in the evening (abstaining from grains and beans), and that half of this pious credit will be earned by one who eats only at midday. Also, may one who strictly observes a complete fast on my appearance day, with controlled senses, go to the abode of Lord Vi??u for one billion kalpas after he has enjoyed all kinds of pleasures in this world. This is the boon I desire to attain by Your mercy, my Lord, O Lord Janārdana, whether a person observes complete fasting, eats only in the evening, or eats only at midday, please grant him a religious attitude, wealth, and at last liberation." "'The Supreme Personality of God said, "O most auspicious lady, what you have requested is granted. All My devotees in this world will surely fast on your day, and thus they will become famous throughout the three worlds and finally come and stay with me in My abode. Because you, My transcendental potency, have appeared on the eleventh day of the waning moon, let your name by Ekāda?ī. If a person fasts on Ekāda?ī, I will burn up all his sins and bestow upon him My transcendental abode. "'"These are the days of the waxing and waning moon that are most dear to Me: T?tīyā (the third day), A??amī (the eighth day), Navamī (the ninth day), Caturda?ī (the fourteenth day), and especially Ekāda?ī (the eleventh day). "'"The merit one attains by fasting on Ekāda?ī is greater than that achieved by observing any other kind of fast or by going to a place of pilgrimage, and even greater than that achieved by giving charity to brāhma?as. I tell you most emphatically that this is true."

Fasting Day?:?Fasting for Putrada Ekadasi (Monday) 2-Jan-2023?

Sunrise?(Sandhya start)?Time on fasting day:?Monday (Jan 2nd) 7:33 AM?

Time to break the fast:?Tuesday 3-Jan-2023 7:57 AM - 8:34 AM??

Wish you a happy?Putrada?Ekadasi! Also celebrated as?Vaikuntha Ekadasi?or?Mukkoti ekadasi?or?Swarga Vathil Ekadashi. Other Calendars or a few other temples in our area might be observing this ekadasi on Sunday the Jan 1st.??

Here is the reason why we observe the fast on Jan 2nd?instead. Ekadasi tithi prevails at sunrise and brahma muhurta time on Sunday the Jan 1st. Dvadasi prevails during sunrise for two consecutive days after that. In addition, is not a Nakshatra Dvadasi (more on that in the future when we come across that scenario).?This is the case of Vyanjuli Mahadvadasi. We observe the fast on the first Dvadasi. Parana time is on the second Dvadasi tithi (from sunrise to end of Dvadasi tithi or 1/3 of daylight hours, whichever is earlier).?

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Prayer for taking ekadasi vow:?

ajnana-timirandhasya vratenanena kesava

prasada sumukho natha jnana-drsti prado bhava?

Oh Kesava, be pleased with this vrata performed by one fallen in the modes of darkness. Oh Lord, bestow your glance of knowledge upon me.?

atha tatra sa?kalpamantra? (Mantra for making a formal vow)

ekāda?yā? nirāhāra??sthitvā’ham apare’hani

bhok?yāmi pu??arīkāk?a ?ara?a? me bhavācyuta?

Translation: O lotus-eyed Lord! O Acyuta! I will observe fasting on?Ekāda?ī?and eat [grains] on?Dvāda?ī. Please be merciful to me so that I may not break my vow.?

Here is the Ekadasi story from the link in Ref 1:??

"Arjuna asked, 'O Lord, according to You, a thousand Vedic sacrifices do not equal even one Ekāda?ī fast. How can this be? How has Ekāda?ī become the most meritorious of all days?' "Lord ?rī K???a replied, 'I will tell you why Ekāda?ī is the most purifying of all days. In the Satya-Yuga there once lived an amazingly fearsome demon called Mura. Always very angry, he terrified all the demigods, defeating even Indra, the king of heaven; Vivasvān, the sun-deity; the eight Vasus; Lord Brahmā; Vāyu. the wind-deity; and Agni, the fire-deity. With his terrible power he brought them all under his control. "'Lord Indra then approached Lord ?iva and said, "We have all fallen from our planets and are now wandering helplessly on the earth. O lord, how can we find relief from this affliction? What will be the fate of us demigods?' "'Lord ?iva replied, "O best of the demigods, go to that place where Lord Vi??u, the rider of Garu?a, resides. He is Jagannātha, the master of all the universes and their shelter as well. He is devoted to protecting all souls surrendered to Him.'" "Lord K???a continued, 'O Arjuna, winner of wealth, after Lord Indra heard these words of Lord ?iva's, he proceeded with all the demigods to the place where Lord Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe, the protector of all souls, was resting. Seeing the Lord sleeping upon the water, the demigods joined their palms and, led by Indra, recite the following prayers:"' "O Supreme Personality of God, all obeisances to You. O Lord of lords, O You who are praised by the foremost demigods, O enemy of all demons, O lotus-eyed Lord, O Madhusūdana (killer of the Madhu demon), please protect us. Afraid of the demon Mura, we demigods have come to take shelter of You. O Jagannātha, You are the doer of everything and the creator of everything. You are the mother and the father of all universes. You are the creator, the maintainer, and the destroyer of all. You are the supreme helper of all the demigods, and You alone can bring peace to them. you alone are the earth, the sky, and the universal benefactor. "'"You are ?iva, Brahmā, and also Vi??u, the maintainer of the three worlds. You are the gods of the sun, moon, and fire. You are the clarified butter, the oblation, the sacred fire, the mantras, the rituals, the priests, and the silent chanting of japa. You are the sacrifice itself, its sponsor, and the enjoyer of its results, the Supreme Personality of God. Nothing within these three worlds, whether moveable or immovable, can exist independent of You. O Supreme Lord, Lord of lords, You are the protector of those who take shelter of You. O supreme mystic, O shelter of the fearful, please rescue and protect us. We demigods have been defeated by the demons and have thus fallen from the heavenly realm. Deprived of our positions, O Lord of the universe, we are now wandering about this earthly planet."' "Lord K???a continued, 'Having heard Indra and the other demigods speak these words, ?rī Vi??u, the Supreme Personality of God, replied, "What demon possesses such great powers of delusion that he has been able to defeat all the demigods? What is his name, and where does he live? Where does he get his strength and shelter? Tell Me everything, O Indra, and do not fear." "'Lord Indra replied, "O Supreme God, O Lord of lords, O You who vanquish the fear in Your pure devotees' hearts, O You who are so kind to your faithful servants, there was once a powerful demon of the Brahman dynasty whose name was Nā?īja?gha. he was extraordinarily fearsome and wholly dedicated to destroying the demigods, and he begot an infamous son named Mura. "'"Mura's great capital city is Candrāvati. From that base the terribly evil and powerful Mura demon has conquered the whole world and brought all the demigods under his control, driving them out of their heavenly kingdom. He has assumed the roles of Indra, the king of heaven; Agni, the fire-deity; Yama, the lord of death; Vāyu, the wind-deity; ī?a, or Lord ?iva; Soma, the moon-deity; Nair?ti, the lord of the directions; and Pā?i, or Varu?a, the water-deity. He has also begun emanating light in the role of the sun-deity and has turned himself into the clouds as well. It is impossible for the demigods to defeat him. O Lord Vi??u, please kill tis demon and make the demigods victorious." "'Hearing these words from Indra, Lord Janārdana became very angry and said,"O powerful demigods, all together you may now advance on Mura's capital city of Candrāvati." Encouraged thus, the assembled demigods proceeded to Candrāvati with Lord Hari leading the way. "'When Mura saw the demigods, that foremost of demons started roaring very loudly in the company of countless thousands of other demons, who were all holding brilliantly shining weapons. The mighty-armed demons struck the demigods, who began abandoning the battlefield and fleeing in the ten directions. Seeing the Supreme Lord H??īke?a, the master of the senses, present on the battlefield, the furious demons rushed toward Him with various weapons in their hands. As they charged the Lord, who holds a sword, disk, and club, He immediately pierced all their limbs with His sharp, poisonous arrows. Thus many hundred of demons died by the Lord's hand. "'At last the chief demon, Mura, began fighting with the Lord. Mura used his mystic power to render useless whatever weapons the Supreme Lord H??īke?a unleashed. Indeed, to the demon the weapons felt just like flowers striking him. When the Lord could not defeat the demon even with various kinds of weapons - whether those that are thrown or those that are held - He began fighting with His bare hands, which were as strong as iron-studded clubs. The Lord wrestled with Mura for one thousand celestial years and then, apparently fatigued, left for Badarikā?rama. There Lord Yoge?vara, the greatest of all yogis, the Lord of the universe, entered a very beautiful cave named Himāvati to rest. O Dhananjaya, winner of wealth, that cave was ninety-six miles in diameter and had only on entrance. I went there out of fear, and also to sleep. There is no doubt about this, O son of Pandu, for the great fight made me very tired. The demon followed Me into that cave and, seeing Me asleep, started thinking within his heart, "Today I will kill this slayer of all demons, Hari." "'While the wicked-minded Mura was making plans in this way, from My body there manifested a young girl who had a very bright complexion. O son of Pandu, Mura saw that she was equipped with various brilliant weapons and was ready to fight. Challenged by that female to do battle, Mura prepared himself and then fought with her, but he became very astonished when he saw that she fought him without cessation. The king of the demons then said, "Who has created this angry, fearsome girl who is fighting me so powerfully, just like a thunderbolt falling upon me?' After saying this, the demon continued to fight with the girl. "'Suddenly that effulgent goddess shattered all of Mura's weapons and in a moment deprived him of his chariot. He ran toward her to attacker with his bare hands, but when she saw him coming she angrily cut off his head. Thus the demon at once fell to the ground and went to the abode of Yamarāja. the rest of the Lord's enemies, out of fear and helplessness, entered the subterranean Patala region. "'Then the Supreme Lord woke up and saw the dead demo before Him, as well as the maiden bowing down to him with joined palms. his face expressing His astonishment, the Lord of the universe said, "Who has killed this vicious demon? He easily defeated all the demigods, Gandharvas, and even Indra himself, along with Indra's companions, the Maruts, and he also defeated the Nagas (snakes), the rulers of the lower planets. He even defeated Me, making Me hide in this cave out of fear. Who is it that has so mercifully protected Me after I ran from the battlefield and went to sleep in this cave?" "'The maiden said, "It is I who have killed this demon after appearing from You transcendental body. Indeed, O Lord Hari, when he saw You sleeping he wanted to kill You. Understanding the intention of this thorn in the side of the three worlds, I killed the evil rascal and this freed all the demigods from fear. I am Your great maha-sakti, Your internal potency, who strikes fear into the hearts of all Your enemies. I have killed this universally terrifying demon to protect the three worlds. Please tell me why You are surprised to see that this demon has been killed, O Lord." "'The Supreme Personality of God said, "O sinless one, I am very satisfied to see that it is you who have killed this king of the demons. In this way you have made the demigods happy, prosperous, and full of bliss. Because you have given pleasure to all the demigods in the three worlds, I am very pleased with you. Ask any boon you may desire, O auspicious one. I will give it to you without a doubt, though it be very rare among the demigods." ""The maiden said, "O Lord, if You are pleased with me and wish to give me a boon, then give me the power to deliver from the greatest sins that person who fasts of this day. I wish that half the pious credit obtained by one who fasts will accrue to one who eats only in the evening (abstaining from grains and beans), and that half of this pious credit will be earned by one who eats only at midday. Also, may one who strictly observes a complete fast on my appearance day, with controlled senses, go to the abode of Lord Vi??u for one billion kalpas after he has enjoyed all kinds of pleasures in this world. This is the boon I desire to attain by Your mercy, my Lord, O Lord Janārdana, whether a person observes complete fasting, eats only in the evening, or eats only at midday, please grant him a religious attitude, wealth, and at last liberation." "'The Supreme Personality of God said, "O most auspicious lady, what you have requested is granted. All My devotees in this world will surely fast on your day, and thus they will become famous throughout the three worlds and finally come and stay with me in My abode. Because you, My transcendental potency, have appeared on the eleventh day of the waning moon, let your name by Ekāda?ī. If a person fasts on Ekāda?ī, I will burn up all his sins and bestow upon him My transcendental abode. "'"These are the days of the waxing and waning moon that are most dear to Me: T?tīyā (the third day), A??amī (the eighth day), Navamī (the ninth day), Caturda?ī (the fourteenth day), and especially Ekāda?ī (the eleventh day). "'"The merit one attains by fasting on Ekāda?ī is greater than that achieved by observing any other kind of fast or by going to a place of pilgrimage, and even greater than that achieved by giving charity to brāhma?as. I tell you most emphatically that this is true."

. O Arjuna, if a person strictly observes Ekāda?ī, I kill all his enemies and grant him the highest destination. Indeed, if a person observes this great Ekāda?ī fast in any of the prescribed way, I remove all obstacles to his spiritual progress and grant him the perfection of life. "'Thus, O son of P?thā, I have described to you the origin of Ekāda?ī. This one day removes all sins eternally. Indeed, it is the most meritorious day for destroying all kinds of sins, and it has appeared in order to benefit everyone in the universe by bestowing all varieties of perfection. "'One should not discriminate between the Ekāda?īs of the waxing and waning moons; both must be observed, O Pārtha, and they should not be differentiated from Mahā-Dvāda?ī. Everyone who fasts of Ekāda?ī should recognise that there is no difference between these two Ekāda?īs, for they comprise the same tithi. "'Whoever completely fasts on Ekāda?ī, following the rules and regulations, will achieve the supreme abode of Lord Vi??u, who rides upon Garu?a. They are glorious who devote themselves to Lord Vi??u and spend all their rime studying the glories of Ekāda?ī. One who vows not to eat anything on Ekāda?ī but to eat only on the next day achieves the same merit as one who executes a horse sacrifice. Of this there is no doubt. "'On Dvāda?ī, the day after Ekāda?ī, one should pray, "O Pu??arīkāk?a, O lotus-eyed Lord, now I will eat. Please shelter me." After saying this, the wise devotee should offer some flowers and water at the Lord's lotus feet and invite the Lord to eat by chanting the eight-syllable mantra thrice. If the devotee wants to gain the fruit of his fast, he should then drink water taken form the sanctified vessel in which he offered water at the Lord's lotus feet.

Putrada Ekadasi from the Bhavishya-uttara PurANa.?

The pious and saintly Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Lord, You have so nicely explained to us the wonderful glories of the Saphalaa Ekaadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Pausha (December – January). Now please be merciful to me and explain to me the details of the Ekaadasi that occurs in the light fortnight (Shukla or Gaura paksha) of this month. What is its name, and what Deity is to be worshipped on that sacred day? Oh Purushottama, Oh Hrishikesha, please also tell me how You can be pleased on this day??

Lord Sri Krishna then replied, “Oh saintly king, for the benefit of all humanity I shall now tell you how to observe fasting on the Pausha-shukla Ekaadasi.

As previously explained, everyone should observe the rules and regulations of the Ekaadasi vrata, to the very best of their ability. This injunction also applies to the Ekaadasi named Putradaa, which destroys all sins and elevates one to the spiritual abode. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Narayana, the original personality, is the worshippable Deity of the Ekaadasi, and for His faithful devotees He happily fulfills all desires and awards full perfection. Thus among all the animate and inanimate beings in the three worlds (lower, middle and higher planetary systems), there is no better personality than Lord Narayana.

“Oh King, now I shall narrate to you the history of Putradaa Ekaadasi, which removes all kinds of sins and makes one famous and learned.?

“There was once a kingdom named Bhadraavati, which was ruled by King Suketumaan. His queen was the famous Shaibyaa. Because he had no son, he spent a long time in anxiety, thinking, ‘If I have no son, who will carry on my dynasty?’ In this way the king meditated in a religious attitude for a very long time, thinking, ‘Where should I go? What should I do? How can I get a pious son (putra)? In this way King Suketumaan could find no happiness anywhere in his kingdom, even in his own palace, and soon he was spending more and more time inside his wife’s palace, gloomily thinking only of how he could get a son.?

“Thus both King Suketumaan and Queen Shaibyaa were in great distress. Even when they offered tarpana (oblations of water to their forefathers), their mutual misery made them think that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They thus thought that they would have no descendants to offer tarpana to them when they died and thus become lost souls (ghosts). The king and queen were especially upset to learn that their forefathers were worried that soon there would be no one to offer them tarpana also.?

“After learning of their forefathers unhappiness, the king and queen became more and more miserable, and neither ministers, nor friends, nor even loved ones could cheer them up. To the king, his elephants and horses and infantry were no solace, and at last he became practically inert and helpless.?

“The king thought to himself, ‘It is said that without a son, marriage is wasted. Indeed, for a family man with no son, both his heart and his splendid house remain vacant and miserable. Bereft of a son, a man cannot liquidate the debts that he owes his forefathers, the demigods (devas) and to other human beings. Therefore every married man should endeavour to beget a son; thus he will become famous within this world and at last attain the auspicious celestial realms. A son is proof of the pious activities a man performed in his past one hundred lifetimes, and such a person achieve a long duration of life in this world, along with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and grandsons in this lifetime proves that one has worshipped Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the past. The great blessing of sons, wealth, and sharp intelligence can be achieved only by worshipping the Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna. That is my opinion.’?

“Thinking thus, the king had no peace. He remained in anxiety day and night, from morning to evening, and from the time he lay down to sleep at night until the sun rose in the morning, his dreams were equally full of great anxiety. Suffering such constant anxiety and apprehension, King Suketumaan decided to end his misery by committing suicide. But he realized that suicide throws a person into hellish conditions of rebirth, and so he abandoned that idea. Seeing that he was gradually destroying himself by his all consuming anxiety over the lack of a son, the king at last mounted his horse and left for the dense forest alone. No one, not even the priests and brahmins of the palace, knew where he had gone.?

“In that forest, which was filled with deer and birds and other animals, King Suketumaan wandered aimlessly, noting all the different kinds of trees and shrubs, such as the fig, bel fruit, date palm, jackfruit, bakula, saptaparnaa, tinduka, and tilaka, as well as the shala, taala, tamaala, saralaa, hingotaa, arjuna, labheraa, bahedaa, sallaki, karondaa, patala, khaira, shaka, and palaasha trees. All were beautifully decorated with fruits and flowers. He saw deer, tigers, wild boar, lions, monkeys, snakes, huge bull elephants in a rut, cow elephants with their calves, and four tusked elephants with their mates close by. There were cows, jackals, rabbits, leopards, and hippopotamuses. Beholding all these animals accompanied by their mates and offspring, the king remembered his own menagerie, especially his palace elephants, and became so sad that he absentmindedly wandered into their very midst.?

“Suddenly the king heard a jackal howl in the distance. Startled, he began wandering about, looking around in all directions. Soon it was midday, and the king started to tire. He was tormented by hunger and thirst also. He thought, ‘What sinful deed could possibly have done so that I am now forced to suffer like this, with my throat parched and burning, and my stomach empty and rumbling? I have pleased the devas (demigods) with numerous fire sacrifices and abundant devotional worship. I have given many gifts and delicious sweets in charity to all the worthy brahmins too. And I have taken care of my subjects as though they were my very own children. Why then am I suffering so? What unknown sins have come to bear fruit and torment me in this dreadful way?’?

“Absorbed in these thoughts, King Suketumaan struggled forward, and eventually, due to his pious credits, he came upon a beautiful lotus bearing pond that resembled the famous Lake Maanasarova. It was filled with aquatics, including crocodiles and many varieties of fish, and graced with varieties of lilies and lotuses. The beautiful lotuses had opened to the Sun, and swans, cranes and ducks swam happily in its waters. Nearby were many attractive ashramas, where there resided many saints and sages who could fulfill the desires of anyone. Indeed, they wished everyone well. When the king saw all this, his right arm and right eye began to quiver, a sakuna sign (for a male) that something auspicious was about to happen.?

“As the king dismounted his horse and stood before the sages, who sat on the shore of the pond, he saw that they were chanting the holy names of God on japa beads. The king paid his obeisances and, joining his palms, addressed them with glorified praises. Observing the respect the king offered them, the sages said, ‘We are very pleased with you, Oh king. Kindly tell us why you have come here. What is on your mind? Please inform us what is your heart’s desire.’?

“The king replied, ‘Oh great sages, who are you? What are your names, surely your presence reveals that you are auspicious saints? Why have you come to this beautiful place? Please tell me everything.’

“The sages replied, ‘Oh king, we are known as the ten Vishvadevas (the sons of Vishva; Vasu, Satya, Kratu, Daksha, Kaala, Kaama, Dhriti, Pururavaa, Maadrava, and Kuru). We have come here to this very lovely pond to bathe. The month of Magha (Madhava mase) will soon be here in five days (from the Magh nakshatra), and today is the famous Putradaa Ekaadasii. One who desires a son should strictly observe this particular Ekaadasii.’?

“The king said, ‘I have tried so hard to have a son. If you great sages are pleased with me, kindly grant the boon of having a good son (putra).’

“ ‘The very meaning of Putradaa,’ the sages replied, ‘…is “giver of a putra, pious son.” So please observe a complete fast on this Ekaadasii day. If you do so, then by our blessing – and by the mercy of Lord Sri Keshava invested in us – surely you will obtain a son.’

“On the advice of the Vishvadevas, the king observed the auspicious fast day of Putradaa Ekaadasii according to the established rules and regulations, and on the Dvaadasii, after breaking his fast, he paid obeisances again and again to all of them.?

“Soon after Suketumaan returned to his palace and united with his queen. Queen Shaibya immediately became pregnant, and exactly as the Vishvadevas had predicted, a bright faced, beautiful son was born to them. In due course of time he became famous as an heroic prince, and the king gladly pleased his noble son by making him his successor. The son of Suketumaan took care of his subjects very conscientiously, just as if they were his own children.?

“In conclusion, Oh Yudhisthira, one who wises to fulfill his desires should strictly observe Putradaa Ekaadasii. While on this planet, one who strictly observes this Ekaadasii will surely obtain a son, and after death he will achieve liberation. Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of Putradaa Ekaadasii obtains the merit earned by performing an horse sacrifice. It is to benefit all humanity that I have explained all this to you.”?

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii, or Putradaa Ekaadasii, from the Bhavishya Purana of Veda Vyaasadeva.?

These stories have been summarized and slightly changed, abbreviated or added to from how they are found in the celebrated book, “Ekadasi: The Day of Lord Hari” 1986. HH Krishna Balaram Swami. Bhaktivedanta Institute Press.?

Reference:

1. https://www.vegetus.net/Ekadasi_Inglese/Ekadashi-The_Day_of_Lord_Hari-By_Krsna_Balaram_Swami.pdf
2. https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/calendar-events/ekadasi-dwadasi-caturmasya/fasting-for-putrada-ekadasi??