Saphala Ekadasi || 9 JAN 2021 || Mangala Arti || Shree Mayapur Dham
Channel: Jai Nandkishore 
Date: 01/02/2021

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "O my Dear Lord Sri Krishna, what is the name of that Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Pausha (December-January)?
How is it observed, and which Deity is to be worshipped on that sacred day?
Please narrate these details to me fully, so that I may understand Oh Janardana."

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna then replied, "O best of kings, because you desire to hear, I shall fully describe to you the glories of the Pausha-Krishna Ekadasi.
"I do not become as pleased by sacrifice or charity as I do by My devotee's observance of a full fast on Ekadasi.
To the best of one's ability, therefore, one should fast on Ekadasi, the day of Lord Hari.
"O Yudhisthira, I urge you to hear with undivided intelligence the glories of Pausha-Krishna Ekadasi, which falls on a Dwadasi.
As I explained previously, one should not differentiate among the many Ekadasis.
O king, to benefit humanity at large I shall now describe to you the process of observing Pausha-Krishna Ekadasi.

"Pausha-krishna Ekadasi is also known as Saphalaa Ekadasi.
On this sacred day, one should worship Lord Narayana, for He is its ruling Deity.
One should do so by following the previously described method of fasting.
Just as among snakes Shesha-naga is the best, and among birds Garuda is the best, among sacrifices the Ashvamedha-yajna is the best, among rivers Mother Ganges is the best, among gods Lord Vishnu is best, and among two-legged beings, the brahmins are the best, so among all fasting days Ekadasi is by far the best.
O foremost of kings who took your birth in the Bharata dynasty, whoever strictly observes Ekadasi becomes very dear to Me and indeed worshipable by Me in every way.
Now please listen as I describe the process for observing Saphalaa Ekadasi.
On Saphalaa Ekadasi My devotee should worship Me by offering Me fresh fruits according to time, place, and circumstance, and by meditating on Me as the all-auspicious Supreme Personality of Godhead.
He should offer Me jaambira fruit, pomegranate, betal nuts and leaves, coconut, guava, varieties of nuts, cloves, mangoes, and different kinds of aromatic spices.
He should also offer Me incense and bright ghee lamps, for such an offering of lamps on Saphalaa Ekadasi is especially glorious.
The devotee should try to stay awake the Ekadasi night.

Now please hear with undivided attention as I tell you how much merit one gets if he fasts and remains awake throughout the entire night singing and chanting the glories of Narayana.
O best of kings, there is no sacrifice or pilgrimage that yields merit that is equal to or better than the merit one gains by fasting on this Saphala Ekadasi.
Such fasting - particularly if one can remain awake and alert the entire night long - bestows the same merit upon the faithful devotee as the performance of austerity for five thousand earthly years.
O lion among kings, please hear from Me the glorious history that made this Divine Ekadasi famous.

Once there was a City called Champaavati, which was ruled by the saintly King Mahishmata.
He had four sons, the eldest of whom, Lumpaka, always engaged in all manner of very sinful activities - illicit sexual encounters with the wives of others, gambling, and continual association with known prostitutes.
His evil deeds gradually reduced the wealth of his father, King Mahishmata.

Lumpaka also became very critical of the numerous devas, the empowered universal attendants of the Lord, as well as toward the brahmins, and every day he would go out of his way to blaspheme the Vaishnavas.
At last King Maahishmata, seeing the unrepentant brazen fallen condition of his son, exiled him to the forest.
Out of fear of the king, even compassionate relatives didn't come to Lumpaka's defense, so angry was the king toward his son, and so sinful was this Lumpaka.

"Bewildered in his exile, the fallen and rejected Lumpaka thought to himself, 'My father has sent me away, and even my kinsmen do not raise but a finger in objection. What am I to do now?'
He schemed sinfully and thought, 'I shall sneak back to the city under cover of darkness and plunder its wealth.
During the day I shall stay in the forest, and as night returns, so shall I to the city.'
Full story on the link given below
https://iskcondesiretree.com/page/saphala-ekadasi

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