Ekadashi

Ekadashi

"eleven"

Ekadashi is the eleventh day (tithi) of each half of the lunar month, the day of fasting and intense practice. In India, it is believed that this day brings liberation from sin, purification on the physical, mental and spiritual planes.

Ekadashi has become especially important among Vaishnavas.

In India, all the ten days before the day of Ekadashi, a limited amount of food is taken, and on the day of Ekadashi either a full fast or a fast without leguminous plants is observed. It is also a day of spiritual practice, veneration of Vishnu and the goddess Ekadashi. Sometimes Ekadashi falls for two days in a row, then on the first day Shiva is worshiped, and in the second day – Vishnu.

According to "Padma Purana", to help people get rid of their sins, Vishnu manifested from the transcendental body the goddess of the lunar day of Ekadashi. Thanks to the veneration of this goddess, living beings were given the opportunity to achieve spirituality. But Papa-purusha (sin) had nowhere to live and he turned to Vishnu for help. To save him, Vishnu gave him the opportunity to hide from the effects of Ekadashi in cereals and legumes. Therefore, it is believed that by taking them on food that day, a person takes sin into himself.

According to another legend, in Satya-yuga the giant-rakshas Mrudumanya performed severe austerities. Shiva was pleased with him and asked what he wanted. Mrudumanya asked for immortality. Shiva fulfilled the request, but with one condition, only a person not born by a woman can kill him. Since it seemed impossible, the giant remained content and immortal. Being not indifferent to power and possessing great power, he conquered paradise. And Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – the gods of the three worlds wandered from place to place with their wives – Savitri, Lakshmi and Parvati. Once they all hid from the rakshasa in the hollow of the Amalaki tree, and since they were all together in a very narrow space, their breathing became confused and gave birth to a girl!

She was the one, born without the participation of a woman, who later killed a powerful rakshasa. She was called Ekadashi.