Ashadi…Shayani Ekadashi…
Wednesday, July 9th, 2014
This day is no ordinary day…it has a special spiritual charisma that could take one a long way…even to absolve one off all his sins to grant him the final goal of liberation…Ashadi Ekadashi, the eleventh day ‘auspicious’ in the month of Ashad has its luminous side, the legend says. And how does one approach this festivity from Sathya Sai’s point of view… even as the symbolic Dindi procession enters into the Sanctum Sanctorum of Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam, let’s introspect and join Sri Jullie Chaudhuri learning more about the interesting legend of Ashadi Ekadashi.
Come dear ones…
Let us hear a wondrous tale,
Related to the glory of Ashadi Ekadashi,
Centred around King Mandhata…
…and Angira Rishi…
As related by Brahmadev to Naradi Muni…
So too…
This tale…has the honour of being narrated by Lord Krishna…
…as a suitable response to Yudhishthir’s query -
‘Oh! Keshava, what is the name of that Ekadashi…
…that occurs during the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadh?
What does set it singularly apart…?
Oh! Mukunda, kindly do enlighten me…’
The gist of it all is thus, my dear ones -
This day of Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi is also celebrated as…
Padma Ekadashi…or Dev Shayani Ekadashi…
Simply to please the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha -
Ultimate Master of the Senses…
Countless devotees fast on this day…
…replete with earnest piety…
…going on to enumerate…
…oaths and promises…
…pledges and vows…
…for the forthcoming ‘Chaturmas’…
…the four months that embrace the rainy season so joyfully…
Popular belief entails that…
…on this,
…the eleventh day of the waxing moon -
That Source of Pure Consciousness…
…That Substance of Absolute Awareness -
Sat-Chit-Ananda…
…Lord Vishnu…
…appears to ‘fall asleep’…
…actually entering ‘Yoga Nidra’…
…on the Ocean of Milk…
…even as He reclines upon the regal thousand headed Shesha…
…only to ‘awaken’ four months later…
…in the bright or ‘shukla’ fortnight of ‘Kartik’ during October-November…
…on Prabhodini Ekadashi…
And this is not all, my dears…
Merely listening to the following saga…
…the ancient ones say…
…destroys many a sin and removes every imperfection…
…along the spiritual way…
Legend has it that -
Once upon a beautiful time…
There was a magnificently virtuous King…
… belonging to the Surya Dynasty…
…who adhered to Truth and Righteousness so completely…
…hence earning fame far and wide as Emperor Mandhata…
Brilliant was his sovereignty…
It so transpired in his hitherto peaceful reign…
…his Kingdom faced a prolonged three year drought…
Struck by famine his subjects approached the King in an assembly…
…seeking a solution…
…asking for reprieve woefully…
After deep introspection about himself,
His thoughts, words, actions…
…and the righteousness of his reign…
…as well as the adherence to Vedic injunctions…
…he came across no trespasses committed by him…
Thus, being absolved of any ‘self blame’…
Emperor Mandhata entered the forests…
…to consult with and imbibe the wisdom of the sages…
…while absorbing their enlightened instructions…
In the course of his meanderings finally…
…he came across Sage Angiras…
…whose effulgence matched the radiance…
…of the sun…
Clasping the feet of the holy One,
The King surrendered his dilemma…
…seeking a spiritual solution to the acute predicament…
…that beset his kingdom and his subjects…
Sage Angiras…
…to whom everything was as clear as crystal…
…asked the King to observe a fast on the Ekadashi of Ashadh…
…along with his family and his people…
…for this Ekadashi bestows perfection and boons plentiful…
…on all those who faithfully respect this day…
…ensuring the grace of peace and abundance…
…from the futile to all that is fertile…
…and along with promising monsoon showers…benedictions ample…
Oh! There is so much to say about this day…
…even as the pilgrims march along their way…
…the warkaris sing and dance…
…as the ‘dindis’ do joyfully advance…
…echoing chants that enhance a divine romance…
…for the Lord’s sake the pilgrims forsake…
…the Lord too does await…waiting to partake…
…each adoring and adorable little flake…
Come…let us not evade this chance,
Come…let us take a cue and renew our vows too,
Let affirmations and assertions ring out true,
Let us understand and embrace the Beloved One’s compassion,
Emulate Mother Sai’s selfless love for all beings creation through…
…waves and waves of magnificent hues…
…a kindred awakening that summons the Lord into our view…
Let us live to please Beloved Bhagawan…
…let us prove this to be true in all that we think, say or do…
On this sacrosanct occasion of Ashadi Ekadashi…
Wherever we may be…whatever the venue…
…let us exude…
…the Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema…
And the Ahimsa of Sai -
…a unique ‘Prashanti’ Avenue…
The inner journey as we do relentlessly pursue…
…pilgrims we are and forever will be…
…till the individual soul…merges in that Supreme Symphony…
…till each wave knows itself to be the Ultimate Reality…
Until then,
Let every heartbeat resound through…
…a melody true…
…the devout warkaris worship and hail -
Krishna…Narayana…Rakhumai Vithala…
…sounding the conch, ringing the cymbals…
…and beating the drums too…
So too,
Let the environment reverberate with -
Samastha Lokaah Sukhino Bhavantu…
Samastha Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu…
Samastha Anu Sukhino Bhavantu…
Samastha Brahmand Sukhino Bhavantu…
Peace…Peace…Peace…for all beings in all the worlds…
…for every atom in creation too…
…Peace for the Cosmos…
Only then do we add value…
…as well as bequeath upon this Ekadashi…
…in the auspicious month of the Ashadh…
…its distinct and exclusive due…
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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