So, here comes one more Ekadashi amidst all the celebrations between Ganesh Chaturti and Ganesh Visarjan.
Being in Mumbai at this time, my digestive system is anyways in a state of havok (as it always is when I come and stay here in mumbai, no matter what I eat). The rains and habits of the city dwellers here often cause enough imbalance in the atmosphere but this time around there is also the noise of deafening drumbeats that seem to be the most preferred way of celebrating a God who removes obstacles. He has a complex personified image which is said to symbolize many things discussing all of which is beyond the purpose of this post I feel.
Now talking about Ekadashi here, the reason this Ekadasi is so auspicious is that it celebrates the day when the sleeping Lord Vishnu turns over on His other side; thus it is known as Parivartinii Ekadasi and this concept has its own interesting symbolism. The day after Ekadashi is called Vaman Dwadeshi and is said to be the day of appearance of Vamana Avatar of Lord Vishnu.
There is certainly a difference between observing a fast in different places and different weather conditions, in the company of different people. I decided to start the fast on Dashami itself, because while at my inlaws house, food is not something that is considered a gift. Being around some people can make you feel less hungry because people are busy forming opinions, judging, making judgements about everything that we can sense including food. Religions often try to govern what man should or should not eat and people think they understand religion so they try to dictate what other people should or shouldnot eat. There is no right or wrong here, all foods cooked and served with love are healthy while the best of nutrients can poison the body when eaten in an environment of distrust and negativity. In my mother-in-law's house, negativity and doubt surrounds all mealtimes because the old woman displays fear for all foods I cook or eat, your proud to look skinny father sometimes makes fun of the extra fat that hangs off the body of all happy people. My mother-in-law has high opinions about what they should or should not eat and most of these opinions are clearly a result of lack of knowledge and what appears to be envy or perhaps an auto-defensive inferiority complex. Who knows? Most of the time I can laugh at the world and just care a damn about everything but seriously I am not trying to preach about life in the mode of goodness at all times; that is only for pseudo practioners. Its just that some situations are not worth the mental effort. Being in the mode of goodness is a great way to contain excess energy that otherwise leads to deamonic tendencies.
I am myself only human and can't escape the negativity in the environment easily so I sometimes starve myself while being around my mother-in-law and husband and I indulge in emotional overeating when around my own mom and maternal family. Let me tell you wrong food habits are not unhealthy so long as you can do it without being emotional or greedy. I starve or overeat while holding on to my belief in God and pray for the wisdom to digest everything like the demi-god Ganesha does. I pray to god for helping me maintain my sanity while living around all these people who embrace irreligion and nescience in the name of belief while ignoring the teachings of the Geeta.
And that is also the message I get from the Parivartini Ekadashi Katha. Life is not about competing for power with the Asuras, it is about making good use of what you have for the benefit of mankind.
Here's how the story goes:
Being in Mumbai at this time, my digestive system is anyways in a state of havok (as it always is when I come and stay here in mumbai, no matter what I eat). The rains and habits of the city dwellers here often cause enough imbalance in the atmosphere but this time around there is also the noise of deafening drumbeats that seem to be the most preferred way of celebrating a God who removes obstacles. He has a complex personified image which is said to symbolize many things discussing all of which is beyond the purpose of this post I feel.
Now talking about Ekadashi here, the reason this Ekadasi is so auspicious is that it celebrates the day when the sleeping Lord Vishnu turns over on His other side; thus it is known as Parivartinii Ekadasi and this concept has its own interesting symbolism. The day after Ekadashi is called Vaman Dwadeshi and is said to be the day of appearance of Vamana Avatar of Lord Vishnu.
There is certainly a difference between observing a fast in different places and different weather conditions, in the company of different people. I decided to start the fast on Dashami itself, because while at my inlaws house, food is not something that is considered a gift. Being around some people can make you feel less hungry because people are busy forming opinions, judging, making judgements about everything that we can sense including food. Religions often try to govern what man should or should not eat and people think they understand religion so they try to dictate what other people should or shouldnot eat. There is no right or wrong here, all foods cooked and served with love are healthy while the best of nutrients can poison the body when eaten in an environment of distrust and negativity. In my mother-in-law's house, negativity and doubt surrounds all mealtimes because the old woman displays fear for all foods I cook or eat, your proud to look skinny father sometimes makes fun of the extra fat that hangs off the body of all happy people. My mother-in-law has high opinions about what they should or should not eat and most of these opinions are clearly a result of lack of knowledge and what appears to be envy or perhaps an auto-defensive inferiority complex. Who knows? Most of the time I can laugh at the world and just care a damn about everything but seriously I am not trying to preach about life in the mode of goodness at all times; that is only for pseudo practioners. Its just that some situations are not worth the mental effort. Being in the mode of goodness is a great way to contain excess energy that otherwise leads to deamonic tendencies.
I am myself only human and can't escape the negativity in the environment easily so I sometimes starve myself while being around my mother-in-law and husband and I indulge in emotional overeating when around my own mom and maternal family. Let me tell you wrong food habits are not unhealthy so long as you can do it without being emotional or greedy. I starve or overeat while holding on to my belief in God and pray for the wisdom to digest everything like the demi-god Ganesha does. I pray to god for helping me maintain my sanity while living around all these people who embrace irreligion and nescience in the name of belief while ignoring the teachings of the Geeta.
And that is also the message I get from the Parivartini Ekadashi Katha. Life is not about competing for power with the Asuras, it is about making good use of what you have for the benefit of mankind.
Here's how the story goes:
King Bali was popular on earth for his honesty, compassion, justice and there was all-round prosperity in his kingdom. He made the utopia a reality. Although born into a family of Demons, King Bali was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu.
His glory and power made Indra (the lord of Demi Gods) weak. Soon King Bali overthrew Indra and took over the heavenly kingdom. The noble demon king after his exploits and conquest of the universe sponsors a sacrifice and gift giving ceremony to consolidate his power.
Indra took refuge at the feet of Lord Vishnu who took the form of Vamana – a dwarf Brahmin and went to the palace of King Bali
King Bali thought that three steps of land was too little and asked the young Brahman to ask for something more. But Vamana was adamant and he wanted only three steps of land. King Bali agreed and asked him to take three steps of land wherever he wanted.
Suddenly, Lord Vamana grew in gigantic proportions and those stood there could no longer see the face of Vamana Deva. In one step, Lord Vamana measured the heaven and in another step earth and there was no place to keep the third step. King Bali readily bowed his head and asked Lord Vamana to place the third step on this head. King Bali was thus pushed to the netherworld.
Satisfied with King Bali’s devotion, Lord Vishnu blessed him that he will live constantly with King Bali. The popular belief is that Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana lives in the abode of King Bali.
Now according to Mythology, Deamons or Asuras are beings who are always competing for power with the Suras or Devas. King Bali also known as Mahabali, an Asura symbolizes Samridhi (prosperity), the three feet symbolizes the three states of existence (Jagrat (awake), Swapna (dream sleep) and Sushupti (deep sleep). Final step is on his head so it elevates from these three states, unto Moksha (spiritual liberation, release from rebirths).
Now dependent on how you read this story, you can become a believer of rubbish or accept the supremacy of nature. If you looking for a moral in this story, I'd say it is 'With great power comes great responsibility'.
In one version of the Vamana legend, when Mahabali offered himself for Vishnu's third step, it was an act of Mahabali's devotion. Vishnu granted him a boon and Mahabali chose to revisit earth, once every year, to the lands and people he previously ruled. This revisit marks the festival of Onam, as reminder of the virtuous rule and his humility in keeping his promise before Vishnu. The story thus is significant not because Mahabali's rule ended, but because it emphasizes the Hindu belief in cyclical nature of events, that no individual, no ruler and nothing lasts forever, except the virtues and self understanding that overcomes all sorrow. And that is what Ekadashi fasting is about. Knowledge. If you ask me now if there is a God, I will tell you yes for disbelief in God is as good as disbelief in the laws of Nature. In all these stories we read God is nothing but a personification of the laws of nature. And it is perhaps no coincidence that I should wake up early today to complete this post just before the Parana time of the Ekadashi Tithi.
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