January 1, Saphala Ekadasi (Wish Everyone Happy and Blessed New Year 2019)

A Friendly Reminder:

January 1, Saphala Ekadasi (Wish Everyone Happy and Blessed New Year 2019)

Wednesday Breaking Time, 7:18AM to 10:22AM. (please check your local time)

Wish Everyone Happy and Blessed New Year 2019

Suggestion: If you cannot remain full day fasting, you can take one time lunch Ekadasi prasadam --fruits, vegetables, and milk products -- and in night take one glass of milk only. Please chant 25 rounds of Mahamantra without fail. If you have not started reading Srilla Prabhupada’s transcendental books, start from today at least one page or a paragraph daily to feed your soul.

Mahatmya:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna replied to Yudhisthir Maharaj,
"Once there was a City called Champaavati, which was ruled by the saintly King Mahishmata. He had four sons, the eldest of whom, Lumpaka, always engaged in all manner of very sinful activities - illicit sexual encounters with the wives of others, gambling, and continual association with known prostitutes.

His evil deeds gradually reduced the wealth of his father, King Mahishmata. Lumpaka also became very critical of the numerous devas, the empowered universal attendants of the Lord, as well as toward the brahmins, and every day he would go out of his way to blaspheme the Vaishnavas.

At last King Mahishmata, seeing the unrepentant brazen fallen condition of his son, exiled him to the forest. Out of fear of the king, even compassionate relatives didn't come to Lumpaka's defense, so angry was the king toward his son, and so sinful was this Lumpaka.

"Bewildered in his exile, the fallen and rejected Lumpaka thought to himself, 'My father has sent me away, and even my kinsmen do not raise but a finger in objection. What am I to do now?'

He schemed sinfully and thought, 'I shall sneak back to the city under cover of darkness and plunder its wealth. During the day I shall stay in the forest, and as night returns, so shall I to the city.'

So thinking, the sinful Lumpaka entered the darkness of the forest. He killed many animals by day, and by night he stole all manner of valuable items from the city. The city-dwelling folk apprehended him several times, but out of fear of the king they left him alone.

They thought to themselves that it must have been the accumulated sins of Lumpaka's previous births that had forced him to act in such a way that he lost his royal facilities and became to act so sinfully like a common selfish thief.
"Though a meat-eater, Lumpaka would also eat fruits every day. He resided under an old banyan tree that unknown to him happened to be very dear to Lord Vasudeva.

Indeed, many worshipped as the demi-god (representative departmental head) of all the trees in the forest. In due course of time, while Lumpaka was doing so many sinful and condemnable activities, the Saphalaa Ekadasi arrived.

On the eve of the Ekadasi (Dasami) Lumpaka had to pass the entire night without sleep because of severe cold that he felt due to his scanty bedclothes (bedding). The cold not only robbed him of all peace but almost of his very life.
By the time the sun rose, near dead, his teeth chattering and near comatose.
In fact all that Ekadasi morning, he remained in that stupor and could not awaken out of his near comatose condition.

"When midday of the Saphalaa Ekadasi arrived, the sinful Lumpaka finally came to and managed to rise up from his place under that banyan tree. But with every step he took, he stumbled and fell to the ground. Like a lame man, he walked slowly and hesitantly, suffering greatly from hunger and thirst in the midst of the jungle.

So weak was Lumpaka that he couldn't even concentrate to nor muster strength to go and kill even a single animal that whole day. Instead, he was reduced to collecting whatever fruits had fallen to the ground of their own accord.

By the time he returned to his banyan tree home, the sun had set. Placing the fruits on the ground next to him (at the base of the sacred banyan tree), Lumpaka began to cry out, 'O, woe is me ! What should I do ?

Dear father, what is to become of me? O Sri Hari, please be merciful to me and accept these fruits as an offering !' Again he was forced to lie awake the whole night without sleep, but in the meantime the all merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Madhusudana, had become pleased with Lumpaka's humble offering of forest fruits, and He accepted them. Lumpaka had unwittingly observed a full Ekadasi fast, and by the merit he reaped on that day he regained his kingdom with no further obstacles.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pausha-krishna Ekadasi, or Saphala Ekadasi, from the Bhavishya-uttara Purana.