Parama Ekadasi

The glories of Parama Ekadashi which occures during the wanning moon on an extra leap year month is described by Lord Krishna to Maharaj Yudhisthira.

Maharaj Yudhisthira said , O my Lord! What is the name of the Ekadashi which occures during the wanning moon on an extra leap year month and what is the procedure of observing this Ekadashi.

Lord Krishna replied, O King! The name of this Ekadashi is Parama Ekadashi. This Auspicious Ekadashi destroyes all ones sinfulreactions and awards one material enjoyment and liberation. The procedure for observing this Ekadashi is same as I have already discribed to you. One should worship the supreme lord who is the master of all beings on this Ekadashi. Now please hear an enchanting story which I had heard from the sages in the city of Kampilya.

There was a pious brahmin named Sumedha lived in the city of Kampilya. He had a chast wife named Pavitra. But due to some sinful activities this brahmin became poor. He could not earn his livelihood even by begging. He had no food to eat no cloth to wear and no place to sleep. Nevertheless his young beautiful wife faithfully served him. Often she had to remain hungry for the sake of serving a guest. Inspite of often remaining hungy her face did not become pale. She never told her husband about this.

Upon seeing that his wife was becoming weak day by day the brahmin condemned himself and said to his sweet speaking wife O dear one! Although I have tried to beg from the most influential people yet I did not get anything now tell me what should I do? Should I go to a foreign country to earn wealth. I may get some thing there if I am fortunate. Without enthusiasam no work is successful that is why inteligent persons always praise the enthusiasam of the people.

After hearing these words of her husband Sumedha the beautiful eyed Pavitra said to her husband with folded hands and tears in her eyes. There is none else more inteligent than you. What ever we do and what ever we achieve in this world are due to our previous deeds. If one has no piety accumulated from his previous life he cannot attain any thing however he may try. If a person distributes knowledge or wealth in his previous life attain similar things in this life. O best of the brahmin! It seems that neither you or me gave any charity the suitable candidate in our previous life. That is why both of ous will have to stay here together. O Lord! I can not remain without you even for a movement. Morever if you go then people will call me an unfortunate and condemn me. Therefore please be happy with whatever wealth you can collect here. You will certainly achieve happiness in this country only.

Upon hearing these words of his wife the brahmin droped his plan to go to a foreign country. One day by providence the great sage Kaundinya Muni came there. As soon as Sumedha saw him , he and his wife became joyful and offered their obeisances to the sage. He offered an Asana to the sage and worshiped him properly. He said O great sage! Today our lifes have become successful for we have received your darshan. Thereafter the couple fed the sage according to their ability. Then the wife of the brahmin asked O learned sage! What is the means of distroying poverty?Without giving any charity how can one get wealth education and so on? My husband wanted to go to a foreign country in order to earn wealth but I have stoped him from this act, It is indeed our good fortune that you have come here. By your mercy our poverty will certainly be distroyed. Now please instruct us in such a way so that our poverty is distroyed.

After hearing these words Pavitra the great sage Kaundinya said, There is an auspicious Ekadashi which occures during the wanning moon on the extra leap year month. This Ekadashi is very dear to the lord and it is known as Parama Ekadashi. This Ekadashi vanquishes ones sinful reactions, material meseries and poverty. By observing this Ekadashi a person certainly become prosperous. This sacred Ekadashi was first observed by Kubera. As a result of this Lord Shiva became pleased and awarded him the benedcation to become very rich. By observing this Ekadashi King Harishchandra regained his kingdom and wife whom he once sold out. O beautiful eyed! You should also observe this Ekadashi. Lord Krishna continued, O Pandava! After happily and effectionately discribing the topics of Parama Ekadashi Kaundinya Muni discribed the auspicious vow known as Pancharatrika. By observing Pancharatrika vow one attains liberation. One should begin to observe Pancharatriaka vow from the day of Parama Ekadashi with proper rules and regulations. Any one who according to his ability fasts for five days begining from Parama Ekadashi he goes back to the abode of Lord Vishnu along with his father, mother and wife. One who only eat ones a day during this five days becomes freed from all sinful reactions and goes to the spiritual world.

Accoring to the instructions of Kaundinya Muni both the husband and wife duely observed this Parama Ekadashi. When the vows of Ekadashi and Panchratrika were completed a prince from the royal palace came there being inspired from Lord Brahma the prince offered then a new house decorated with beautiful royal furniture. He also gave a cow to the brahmin for their livelihood and after praising the brahmin couple the price left. As a result of this this price returned to the abode of Vishnu at the end of his life.

As the brahmins are best among the human beings as the cows are best among the four legged animals, as Indra is the best among the demigods similarly the leap year month is the best among all the months. Within this month the two Ekadashis namely Padmini and Parama are most dear to Lord Hari. Having received the human form of life if a person doesnot observe Ekadashi then he never attains any happiness throught his eight million four hundren thousand spices of life. Rather he suffers unlimited meseries. By virtue of great piety one obtains a human birth that is why one should certainly observe the vow of Ekadashi.

After hearing the glories of this Ekadashi Maharaj Yudhisthira along with his wife and brothers observed this sacred Ekadashi.