Skip to main content

Varuthini Ekadashi

“Hiranmayena patrena satya syapi hitam mukham, tattvam pusanna pavrnu satya dharmaya drstaye”
The ultimate truth or knowledge of Brahman is hidden behind your golden disc. With your illuminating grace, may the truthful devotee be able to see what is concealed.
This hymn praises the Sun and is from the Isha Upanishad. Varuthini Ekadashi precedes Mesha Sankranti that takes place on 14th April. It also precedes the Amavasya tithi where Surya and Chandra meet in Ashwini Nakshatra (a nakshatra that falls under the fire sign Mesh Rashi). While the Rashi is ruled by Mars, the Nakshatra is ruled by Ketu and the Sun is said to be exhalted or most powerful when in this nakshatra. 

 So, this Sankranti is about purification and strength. The strength of wisdom and knowledge and religion too. True religion can liberate and purify one but true religion also suffers when in the hands of the weak. So, this time of the year is an opportunity to get wiser and strengthen one's faith in the Supreme.

 As the Bhagwat Geeta says in Chapter 4:
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate |

‘There is nothing so purifying as wisdom in this world’
And as the Kena Upanishad says:
आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यम्
ātmanā vindate vīryam

‘Strength comes from (the knowledge of) the Atman.’
Atman is the Soul and the Sun is Atmakarak. And this Sankranti is the beginning of a new Solar Year or Souramana Ugadi. As it is nearly the end of Spring and almost the beginning of Summer so a day before and after this ekadashi, ingredients like Urad Dal, Masoor Dal, Chickpeas, Spinach and Honey are advised to be avoided.

 An interesting metaphoric line in the Vrat Katha says:

 The merit one achieves by donating a great amount of gold during a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra is gained by one who observes this one EkAdasii with love and devotion, and certainly attains his goals in this life and the next. In short, this EkAdasii is pure and very enlivening and the destroyer of all sins.

 Better than giving horses in charity is giving elephants, and better than giving elephants is giving land. But better still than giving land is the giving of sesame seeds, and better than that is giving of gold. Still better than giving gold is giving food grains - for all the forefathers, demigods (devas), and human beings become satisfied by eating grains. Thus there is no better gift of charity than this in the past, present or future.

 Still better than all these charities is teaching spiritual knowledge to the ignorant. Yet all the merits one can attain by performing all these acts of charity are attained by one who fasts on the VarUthinii EkAdasii.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dwadashi Meal

The breaking of the fast is called paraņa and you will find a lot of different opinions and restrictions with regards to when and how a fast should be broken, at which phase of the sun and moon and with which foods in particular.  When I am fasting, I try not to focus on rules and restrictions because the idea of fasting is to free the mind, not bind it further in rituals. And when you impose strict fixed schedules and too many rules with regards to eating on the mind, it is bound to focus on food. Like it is said in the Geeta: yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaḿ manaḥ Meaning: The senses are so strong and impetuous, son of Kunti,  that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them. I enjoy fasting because it helps me focus on reading the Bhagwat Geeta. But when my Karma calls me, it becomes difficult to focus on reading and understanding. I need this body to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dondakaya Pachadi or Tindi Chutney

Ivygourd (Tindi) is a wonderful vegetable that has its own unique taste that comes alive when cooked with minimum flavor enhancing spices. And the best preparations are made from the unripe pods (the ones not red from the inside). And for those times when the pods ripen before you've had a chance to cook with them there are interesting recipes like the Dondakaya Chutney or Pachhadi. There are many ways in which it is made heres how I made it to go with dosas. Heres what you need: 1 Cup Ivy gourd (Tindi), chopped into thin slices 3/4 Cup Tomatoes chopped  1 tsp tamrind juice 3 Tbsp Coconut Powder  1 tsp grated ginger garlic 1 + 1 tsp oil  1/2 tsp Ama Spice Mix  and Sendha Namak Mustard Urad Dal Jeera Asefotida  Curry leaves for the tempering Heres what you do: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add ginger garlic and Ama Spice Mix. Stir to coat oil and to it add the gourd and tomatoes and sendha namak togea...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kamika Ekadashi

I decided to observe the Kamika Ekadashi fast today, so I am going to start this post with a story about the significance of the day of Kamika Ekadashi. This is the story as told by Krishna to Yudhistir about the significance of fasting on the day of Kamika Ekadashi as mentioned in the Brahma Vaitra Purana: In ancient times, there lived a cranky Thakur and a Brahmin. Both had a fight and the Thakur in a state of anger killed the Brahmin. Due to this, the Brahmins refused to have food. So, on feeling guilty and realizing his mistake, the Thakur asked a Muni the way to nullify his sins. On this, the Muni told him to observe the Kamika Ekadashi fast. Thakur observed the fast. Then a miracle happened when Thakur saw a dream while he was sleeping near the idol of god, god told him, "Thakur, all sins are removed and now you are free from the sin of Brahman Hatya". Therefore, this Ekadashi is considered very important for spiritual seekers, as it destroys all the negativity fro...
Post a Comment
Read more