We call the Ekadashi that falls on the Shukla Paksha of Ashadh as Dev Shayani Ekadashi. From this day on, lord Vishnu sleeps on the Kshirasagar for four months. We wake Him up on Prabodhini Ekadashi. And call the period between these two Ekadashis as Chaturmaas.
Since lord Vishnu sleeps on the Kshirasagar, we consider all water bodies to be sacred. So, we take dips in places of pilgrimage with the hope that lord Vishnu will absolve us of our sins. And since lord Vishnu sleeps during the Chaturmaas we do not perform any auspicious activities like weddings etc.
Dev Shayani Ekadashi and Vaman Avatar
In His Vaman avatar, after lord Vishnu places His foot on Bali’s head, Bali immediately seeks lord Vishnu’s forgiveness. Lord Vishnu asks Bali to rule over Patala forever and grants him a boon. Bali says, “O lord, please reside with me in Patala.”
When lord Vishnu agrees to do so, Lakshmi and the other devas are shocked. The plight of the cosmos was at stake. So, Lakshmi disguises herself as a poor woman, goes to Patala and asks Bali to give her whatever She asks for. Bali agrees to do so. Lakshmi ties a Rakhi on Bali’s wrist and makes Him her brother. She assumes Her real form and asks Bali to send her husband back to Vaikuntha. Lord Vishnu pacifies both of them. He assures Bali that He will dwell in His Yoga Nidra posture in Patala for four months every year.
That is why lord Vishnu sleeps during the Chaturmaas. Let’s now read the…
Dev Shayani Ekadashi Vrat Katha
One day when Yudhishtra and Krishna are together, Yudhishtra says, “O Keshava, why is the Dev Shayani Ekadashi so auspicious? Which deity do we worship on this day?”
Krishna says, “O Yudhishtra, listen to the Dev Shayani Vrat Katha that Brahma narrated to Narada, aeons ago.”
Brahma says, “In Satyuga, Maandhata, a wise king rules his kingdom well. His people live peacefully. And all was well for several years. But who can predict the future? One year, drought plagues Maandhata’s kingdom.
When it does not rain for three consecutive years, Maandhata performs several yagnas, havans, does Pind Daan, organizes Katha Varta sessions et al. The people of Maandhata’s kingdom experience dire situations. So, they lose interest in Dharmic activities.
Maandhata wonders if he was bearing the fruit of his bad karma. And decides to find a solution to his problem. He goes to the jungle. After riding for a long time deep into the forest, he arrives at rishi Angira’s ashram.
He seeks rishi Angira’s blessings, shares his plight with him and says, “O revered muni, today, I wish to know why I am facing this predicament. I must have committed some mistake somewhere. Please help us overcome our situation.”
Rishi Angira reflects on Maandhata’s words for a long while and says, “O Maandhata, we are living in the Satyuga. And in Satyuga, only Brahmins are allowed to perform a tapasya. But in your kingdom, a Shudra is performing a tapasya. You can overcome your current predicament only by killing the Shudra.
Maandhata feels shocked when he hears rishi Angira’s words. He knows he will never be able to kill an innocent Shudra. So, he says, “O Devrishi, I cannot incur the sin of killing an innocent man to overcome my current predicament. Please give me another solution to solve my predicament.”
Maharishi Angira says, “O king, then you have only one other solution for your problem. Install a deity of lord Vishnu reclining on the Kshirasagar with Lakshmi Devi at His feet. Worship lord Vishnu with utmost faith. And observe a fast on the Dev Shayani Ekadashi that falls in the Shukla Paksha of Ashadh. It will definitely start raining in your kingdom.”
Mandhata returns to his kingdom. And asks all his people to worship this aspect of lord Vishnu every day and observe a fast on Dev Shayani Ekadashi. And within a few days, it starts raining heavily. Maandhata regains his prosperity. And rules his kingdom wisely following all Dharmic practices correctly like earlier.” Yudhishtra seeks Krishna’s blessings after understanding the importance of Dev Shayani Ekadashi and observes a fast on this auspicious day every year.
We consider the Dev Shayani Ekadashi as auspicious for various other reasons too…
Pandharpur Waari Yatra
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The Pandharpur Waari Yatra begins 21 days before Dev Shayani Ekadashi. Devotees of Vithoba and Rukmini carry the padukas of saints Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram from Alandi and Dehu (towns located in Pune district) in Palkhis.
Thousands of pilgrims join the Waari Yatra on foot along the way. The pilgrims are divided into groups called Dindis based on the village or caste they belong to. They sing Abhangs (songs composed by saints Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar) while playing tiny cymbals in unison. Women carry Tulsi plants on their heads and dance to the tunes of these Abhangs. The fervour, staunch faith and utmost devotion is evident on the faces of all Warkaris when they participate in the Pandharpur Palkhi Yatra.
After 21 days they complete their yatra on Dev Shayani Ekadashi when they reach the banks of the Chandrabhaga River in Pandharpur. They take a dip in the Chandrabhaga, and complete their pilgrimage by walking to Pandharpur and doing the darshan of lord Vithoba and Rukmini Mata.
Dev Shayani Ekadashi in Pushti Marg
Aeons ago, the children of the gopas adorn Krishna with lovely Tulsi and other floral malas during the last few days of Ashadh. On Dev Shayani Ekadashi they select the most fragrant floral buds (kalis) that bloom in the thickets of Vraj and adorn Krishna entirely with it.
Krishna feels extremely pleased with His floral Shringaar. He wears it for the whole day and returns to Nandalaya with it. For He loves these gwal balaks the most.
That is why we recreate the bhaav of these gwal balaks and offer Tulsi malas for our Nidhi swaroops from the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashadh itself. And use the last of the seasonal mogra buds to create floral Shringar, Topis and Kundans for our Nidhi swaroops specifically on Dev Shayani Ekadashi. From the next day onwards, we offer an Angeethi to our Nidhi swaroops and adorn them with warm winter clothes.
Lord Vipin Hari and Goverdhan Mala
Other Vrajwasis worship an aspect of Krishna, called Vipin Hari, the lord who dwells in the thickets. These Vrajwasis believe that out of the 132 forests, groves and thickets around Goverdhan Parvat, fragrant flowers grow only in 86 forests.
And on the fourteenth day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashadh, they make a Vana Mala called as Goverdhan Mala out of the freshly bloomed leaves and flowers that grow in these thickets. And offer it to lord Vipin Hari. That is why we offer the Goverdhan Mala to our Nidhi swaroops on this auspicious day.
Baigan Dashmi and Chaturmaas
In Pushti Marg, we call the day before Dev Shayani Ekadashi as Baigan Dashmi. We eat brinjals only till Baigan Dashmi. During the Chatur Maas, we do not eat brinjals because the chances of brinjals being infested with worms are very high during this season. We start eating brinjals again on Dev Prabhodhini Ekadashi.
All rituals, fasts and Vrat Kathas connect us to a specific aspect of God on a specific day. Yes, we can most definitely choose a path which is most comfortable for us to connect to God. But from now on let us do whatever we do for God with awareness …
Photos given by Supraja and Giridhari.
Please click here to read about other Indian rituals.