Vaikuntha Ekadasi - வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி
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In the month of Margazhi, a twenty-day festival beginning with the bright fortnight takes place at Srirangam, the temple for the Tamil Vaishnavites. Thousands of people attend the Mohini Avatara festival or Nachiarkolam (10th day) and Ekadasi festival (11th day). Songs of the Alwars are recited in this festival. On the 18th day, the encounter of the Lord with Thirumangai Alwar takes place and Thiruvaimozhi festival, which the Alwar inaugurated is concluded on the 20th day. On the 11th day and every day, thereafter lord Ranganatha comes through the Paramapatha vasal or the Gate of heaven to receive offerings of several edibles and bless the saints, and returns to the sanctum sanatorium is a ceremonial procession .
The famous Vaikuntha Ekadasi day of the Hindus is said to be the eleventh day of the bright in the month of Margasira or Margali, corresponding to the English months of December- January. The occasion also goes by the names, Mokshada Ekadasi, or Ekadasi that could secure for the observer of the Vrata, freedom from birth and death and liberation from bondage and Mukkodi Ekadasi, or Ekadasi equal in potency to innumerable ordinary Ekadasi occasions put together.
The observance of the Vrata consists in rigid fasting followed by the worship of Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity representing the preservative aspect in the universe. It is believed to have the effect of conferring on the observer long life, happiness and physical strength.
The origin of the names Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Mukkodi Ekadasi and the importance attached to the occasion are attributed to the incidents recorded in the following tradition:
In the bygone Krita age, called the golden age, there existed an ausra named Muran in the city of Chandravati, who was harassing the devas and giving them a good deal of trouble. To get rid of him, and his troubles, the devas approached Vishnu reposing on the back of a hydra in the ocean of milk, and made representations. Vishnu thereupon is said to have condescended to descend on this mortal earth as an avatara or incarnation and destroy the asura. As his incarnation and the destruction of the asura are said to have taken place on an Ekadasi day, and as he had descended from his abode in Vaikuntha, a region of bliss in the universe, the day came to be known as Vaikuntha Ekadasi day.
The derivation of the name Ekadasi is allegorical and interesting. Vishnu is said to have fallen into a swoon while about to fight with the asuras, and a damsel of exquisite beauty is said to have arisen out of his body and destroyed the asuras for him. This damsel was subsequently named 'Ekadasi' and the observers of the Ekadasi Vrata are said to be blessed by this divine- born damsel.
The expression 'Mukkodi' is said to have originated from the fact that three cross of devas came into this mortal world with Vishnu when he took incarnation to destroy the asuras.
There is an interesting allegorical myth of deep significance, emphasising the importance of the observance of Ekadasi Vrata in general, and Vaikuntha Ekadasi in particular. It is, in brief, as follows:
Once upon a time, there ruled over this earth a king named Rukmangadha. He had a fine Nanda Vana or flower garden where bloomed all sorts of fine, beautiful and rare flowers. Indra, the god of the celestials, was worshipping the Almighty deity and was in sore need for flowers for doing it properly. He came to know of Rukmangadha's garden. The deputed some of his devas to procure enough flowers for him from there, and they were duly executing his orders for a long time. King Rukmangadha, though he missed the flowers from his garden every day, could not find out the thieves who stole them, since devas were invisible to mortals, and the flowers, as we now, were being taken dauly by the devas.
The king's gardeners, zealous in the discharge of their duty, were carefully watching for any intruder on whom the charge of theft of the garden flowers might be laid.
One day, a sage named Jabali of great yogic power and merit, having selected a portion of Rukmangadha's flower garden, was meditating upon the supreme intelligence pervading the universe, completely oblivious to al external world. The gardeners took him for a thief, disturbed him in his meditations and brought him before the king, after having accused him of theft of the flowers from the royal garden.
The king coming to know of Jabli's greatness and the folly of his menials in having given offence to the mighty sage, approached him with great reverence, and begged to be forgiven for the wrongs inflicted on the holy personage. The sage, an embodiment of patience, mercy and forgiveness, not only pardoned the king, but also gave hom certain herbs, which when burnt in the royal flower garden, would reveal to him the mystery of the theft of flowers.
The deva minions of Indra, when they came to the royal gardens to gather flowers for their master's worship as usual, were materialized by the virtue of the plant burnt there by the orders of the king and became visible to ordinary mortals. They disclosed to the king their mission which resulted in the daily disappearance of flowers form his garden and as they were unable to ascend to their abode, the heavens, on account of the gross material particles clinging to their ethereal body of light and making it heavy, had to utilize the merit a washer woman had obtainer by the observance of this Ekadasi Vrata.
The story is of course allegorical and is meant to show that the clogging sensation of material existence, due to gross particles gathering around the jives, or egos, may be made to disappear by the observance of the Vrata, which could shake off the grosser particles by the intensity of the vibrations, resulting in quietude, physical, emotional and mental. Though all temples dedicated to Vishnu are important for the observance of this Vrata, yet the Ranganatha temple at Srirangam in Trichinopoly district is considered specially important.
On the rock to the west of the boulder known as Nagargundu, west of the steps leading to the Ardranarisvara temple on the hill at Tiruchchengodu, Salem district, there is a record referring on the Chola king Rajakesarivarman making gifts of gold for feeding 20 Brahmins on the Ekadasi day in the 13th year of his reign.
The famous Vaikuntha Ekadasi day of the Hindus is said to be the eleventh day of the bright in the month of Margasira or Margali, corresponding to the English months of December- January. The occasion also goes by the names, Mokshada Ekadasi, or Ekadasi that could secure for the observer of the Vrata, freedom from birth and death and liberation from bondage and Mukkodi Ekadasi, or Ekadasi equal in potency to innumerable ordinary Ekadasi occasions put together.
The observance of the Vrata consists in rigid fasting followed by the worship of Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity representing the preservative aspect in the universe. It is believed to have the effect of conferring on the observer long life, happiness and physical strength.
The origin of the names Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Mukkodi Ekadasi and the importance attached to the occasion are attributed to the incidents recorded in the following tradition:
In the bygone Krita age, called the golden age, there existed an ausra named Muran in the city of Chandravati, who was harassing the devas and giving them a good deal of trouble. To get rid of him, and his troubles, the devas approached Vishnu reposing on the back of a hydra in the ocean of milk, and made representations. Vishnu thereupon is said to have condescended to descend on this mortal earth as an avatara or incarnation and destroy the asura. As his incarnation and the destruction of the asura are said to have taken place on an Ekadasi day, and as he had descended from his abode in Vaikuntha, a region of bliss in the universe, the day came to be known as Vaikuntha Ekadasi day.
The derivation of the name Ekadasi is allegorical and interesting. Vishnu is said to have fallen into a swoon while about to fight with the asuras, and a damsel of exquisite beauty is said to have arisen out of his body and destroyed the asuras for him. This damsel was subsequently named 'Ekadasi' and the observers of the Ekadasi Vrata are said to be blessed by this divine- born damsel.
The expression 'Mukkodi' is said to have originated from the fact that three cross of devas came into this mortal world with Vishnu when he took incarnation to destroy the asuras.
There is an interesting allegorical myth of deep significance, emphasising the importance of the observance of Ekadasi Vrata in general, and Vaikuntha Ekadasi in particular. It is, in brief, as follows:
Once upon a time, there ruled over this earth a king named Rukmangadha. He had a fine Nanda Vana or flower garden where bloomed all sorts of fine, beautiful and rare flowers. Indra, the god of the celestials, was worshipping the Almighty deity and was in sore need for flowers for doing it properly. He came to know of Rukmangadha's garden. The deputed some of his devas to procure enough flowers for him from there, and they were duly executing his orders for a long time. King Rukmangadha, though he missed the flowers from his garden every day, could not find out the thieves who stole them, since devas were invisible to mortals, and the flowers, as we now, were being taken dauly by the devas.
The king's gardeners, zealous in the discharge of their duty, were carefully watching for any intruder on whom the charge of theft of the garden flowers might be laid.
One day, a sage named Jabali of great yogic power and merit, having selected a portion of Rukmangadha's flower garden, was meditating upon the supreme intelligence pervading the universe, completely oblivious to al external world. The gardeners took him for a thief, disturbed him in his meditations and brought him before the king, after having accused him of theft of the flowers from the royal garden.
The king coming to know of Jabli's greatness and the folly of his menials in having given offence to the mighty sage, approached him with great reverence, and begged to be forgiven for the wrongs inflicted on the holy personage. The sage, an embodiment of patience, mercy and forgiveness, not only pardoned the king, but also gave hom certain herbs, which when burnt in the royal flower garden, would reveal to him the mystery of the theft of flowers.
The deva minions of Indra, when they came to the royal gardens to gather flowers for their master's worship as usual, were materialized by the virtue of the plant burnt there by the orders of the king and became visible to ordinary mortals. They disclosed to the king their mission which resulted in the daily disappearance of flowers form his garden and as they were unable to ascend to their abode, the heavens, on account of the gross material particles clinging to their ethereal body of light and making it heavy, had to utilize the merit a washer woman had obtainer by the observance of this Ekadasi Vrata.
The story is of course allegorical and is meant to show that the clogging sensation of material existence, due to gross particles gathering around the jives, or egos, may be made to disappear by the observance of the Vrata, which could shake off the grosser particles by the intensity of the vibrations, resulting in quietude, physical, emotional and mental. Though all temples dedicated to Vishnu are important for the observance of this Vrata, yet the Ranganatha temple at Srirangam in Trichinopoly district is considered specially important.
On the rock to the west of the boulder known as Nagargundu, west of the steps leading to the Ardranarisvara temple on the hill at Tiruchchengodu, Salem district, there is a record referring on the Chola king Rajakesarivarman making gifts of gold for feeding 20 Brahmins on the Ekadasi day in the 13th year of his reign.