Today is a very auspicious day—Utpanna Ekadashi tithi. How did Ekadashi Tithi appear? It is mentioned in Ekadashi Mahatamya. According to Indian calendar, this is Agrahanya (also known as Margashirsha) month. This is the first month. It’s called Margshirsha because in this month mustard crop is grown. It’s beautiful and everyone’s heart is filled with happiness.

It is written in Ekadashi Mahatamya, providing evidence from a Purana of a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. Arjuna inquires from Sri Krishna about the significance of this Ekadashi Upavasa and nakta bhojana . Sri Krishna replies, nakta bhojana means eating once in Dasami, not eating on Ekadashi and again eating once in Dwadasi. One gets all auspiciousness by observing Ekdadashi with faith.

How did Ekadashi appear? All the demigods once approached Supreme Lord, “We have been driven out from our heavenly abodes by demons. We are unable to fight with them. Please rescue us by killing them. You are our Protector, Creator and Destroyer. Therefore, we are praying to You.” At this time the Supreme Lord exhibits anger and inquires about the demons. The Demigods informed about one particular demon named Mura. The Supreme Lord said, “You all be ready to fight. I will come with you and kill that demon.”

When they went there the Mura demon started roaring upon seeing them. A fight began and the demigods couldn’t match him and fled. Only the Supreme Lord stood there. Supreme Lord killed all other demons but the fight with Mura demon went on for 10 thousand years. He defeated the demon and then went to Badrinarayana to take rest. The Mura demon then got up again and started searching for Supreme Lord to fight. He eventually found Him resting and he wanted to kill the Lord. At that time a divine woman form appeared from the body of Supreme Lord. She fought with the Mura demon and killed him by breaking his head into two pieces. Is Supreme Lord actually sleeping? This is His pastime. The Supreme Lord opened His eyes and saw the divine woman form present there. He inquired, “Who are you?” She said, “While you were taking rest, a demon came. I appeared from You and fought with him and killed him”. The Supreme Lord was pleased with her. He said, “Today is Ekadashi. Your name will be Ekadashi. By performing Ekadashi-vrata one will be relieved of all kinds of sins.”

In Karma-kanda scriptures it is mentioned that by observing Ekadashi-vrata one gets deliverance from sins and attainment of heavenly planets. But devotees don’t desire heaven because one has to return from there after their piety is exhausted.

Karmis, who think the body to be the self, perform vrata for material gains like getting a son etc. However, in Hari-bhakti-vilasa, a Smriti scripture, it is written,

upāvṛttasya pāpebhyo
yas tu vāso gunaiḥ saha
upavāsaḥ sa vijṣeyaḥ
sarva bhoga vivarjitaḥ
(Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilāsa, 13.14)

“Giving up all sins, and with all good qualities, one who remains near Krishna, totally relinquishing all enjoyments, has actually observed the vow of Ekadashi.”

Upāvṛttasya pāpebhyo—we are to give up all sinful activity. We are to refrain, to desist from committing all sins. We can enjoy only things inferior to us and they are temporary. By having tendency to enjoy we will be entangled in the temporary things of this world. The purpose of Ekadashi-vrata is to develop love for Supreme Lord.

In Chaitanya Charitamrita it is mentioned that observing Ekadashi-vrata is one of the 64 limbs of devotion. The purpose of all kinds of devotion is to remember Supreme Lord as mentioned in Padma Purana.

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur
vismartavyo na jātucit
sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur
etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.22.113)

I am telling in brief regarding 64 limbs of devotion. Observing Ekadashi-vrata is one of these ten. Supreme Lord is pleased when Ekadashi-vrata is observed.

The result of performing bhajan is much more in Ekadashi. When Ekadashi-vrata is observed in a Dham (abode of Supreme Lord) the result is even more. Like Ambarish Maharaja observed Ekadashi in Mathura Dham for one year.

The place where devotees sing glories of Supreme Lord is also a Dham. Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math is a Dham as well. Our Paramgurudev, Nityalila-pravistha Om Vishnupad BhaktiSiddhant Saraswati Prabhupad used to say he did not stay in Kali’s place Kalikata (previous name of Kolkata) even though he was physically residing there. This is because he was residing in the Math.

A Dham, like Mathura-Vrindavan, is not a part of India or this earth. It’s not made up of earth, fire, water, air, ether like any other place. We will not get entrance in the Dham with our material bodies. In Garga-samhita it is mentioned that the 84 Krosa of Braja-mandal Dham has descended by the desire of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Similarly, Govardhan appeared first as the son of Drona Mountain. Later Pulastya Muni desired to take Him to Kasi but Govardhan wanted to stay in Braja-mandal. For this, Govardhan was cursed by Pulastya Muni to diminish in size every day. Originally, He was with a length of 64 miles, width of 24 miles and height of 16 miles. Now He is even less than 7 miles. After a few thousand years He will disappear. It’s said that while the River Ganges and Govardhan are present there will be still some protection and peace in the world but after their disappearance there will be no one to offer protect.

Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math is not a part of this earth. This is also a Dham. By material body and intelligence and having enjoyment propensity one cannot get actual entrance.

The Supreme Lord says,

mad-bhaktā yatra gāyanti
tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
(Padma Puran)

“O Narada, wherever My devotees sing My glories I stay there.”

If Ekadashi-vrata is observed in such a Dhama where devotees reside, it can’t be said in words how much more benefit is derived.

Upavasa means to stay near Supreme Lord. What should we do to stay near Supreme Lord because He is Nirguna and transcendental? He can be approached with a transcendental body only.

What is the solution?

We find in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita:

dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya
aprākṛta-dehe tāṅra caraṇa bhajaya
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita – 3.4.192-193)

“At the time of taking mantra-dikshā the devotee takes absolute shelter of Gurudev, the Grace incarnate of Supreme Lord, non-different from Supreme Lord. Sri Krishna makes the devotee cid-ānanda-maya via the medium of Gurudev and in that transcendental form, the devotee can worship Sri Krishna.”

But we still consider the body to be the self. Then how can we stay near Supreme Lord? For that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Srivas Angana, the Sankirtan Rasa-Sthali, teaches how we can perform Ekadashi-vrata. (Srivas Pandit is Narada Muni)

śrī hari-vāsare hari-kīrtana-vidhāna
nṛtya ārambhilā prabhu jagatera prāṇa

So, the devotional prescript on the Ekadashi Tithi is to perform Kirtan. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is the combined form of Radha and Krishna, is performing dance in Srivas Angana.

puṇyavant śrīvāsa-ańgane śubhārambha
uṭhila kīrtana-dhvani ‘gopāla’ ‘govinda’
hari o rāma rāma!

In Srimad Bhagavatam it is written:

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.51)

“Although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults of sins and irreligion, there is still one great quality about this age, Krishna-Kirtana, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.”

As mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.17), the last heir of the Pandavas, Pariksit Maharaj, once witnessed in his kingdom that one person dressed as a king is beating a cow and also a bull is standing there having only one leg.

Pariksit Maharaja inquired to him, “Who are you?”

He replied “I am Kali.”

“What is the meaning of Kali?”

“Sin, irreligion and quarrel.”

“You have no place in my kingdom. You leave or else I will kill you.”

Kali then took shelter of Pariksit Maharaj so he couldn’t kill him, but still, he asked Kali to leave his kingdom. Kali said, 'But everywhere it is your kingdom, please give me place to stay.' So, at first he was given four places to stay: dyutam (place of gambling), panam (intoxication), striyam (illicit association with women) and suna (meat eating). Then he requested for one more place. Pariksit Maharaj gave him a place in ‘wealth’. Wealth is Laxmi Devi who serves Lord Narayana. So, if one who doesn’t engage wealth in the service of Lord Narayana but tries to enjoy it then Kali will take his position there.

Those who want welfare should not associate with the above four places. And if a religious person indulges in these sins then he will be harmed even greater, as general people hold religious people for their ideals and try to follow them. If a king indulges in vices then citizens will also follow. This is very bad. So, a religious person or a king should not indulge in such acts.

To be rescued from these places of Kali, one should perform Harinama.

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.3.52)

In Satya-yuga the process was meditation. All four legs of Dharma, which are tapa (austerity), saucham (cleanliness), daya (mercy) and satyam (truthfulness), were present. Therefore, meditation was possible. Mind was not restless at that time. In Treta-yuga only three legs of Dharma remained and attachment to material things began. In Treta-yuga itself meditation was not possible. So, sages of that time prescribed to offer the object of material attachment to Supreme Lord. The logic is that whatever object one is attached to, one’s mind will follow it, e.g. if that material object is taken away by a thief then one will run behind the thief, wherever he runs, whatever be the place. Similarly the mind runs behind the object of attachment. Therefore, to be able concentrate on the Supreme Lord one should offer the object of attachment in the service of Supreme Lord. The process in Treta-yuga was Yagna—to sacrifice the object of attachment to Vishnu through Yagna (fire-sacrifice).

In Dwapara-yuga, the second leg of Dharma, saucham, is also gone. People developed desire for enjoyment. Yagna was not possible also because Mantra should be recited accurately otherwise an opposite result can happen as in the Vrittasura incident. Therefore, in Dwapara-yuga deity worship was the process. To put all the senses and sense-objects in the deity service so that mind gets attached to the deity.

In Kali-yuga, mind and senses are restless. Object for worship are also not pure like Ghee etc. People are diseased, therefore ineligible for deity worship. Therefore, Hari-Kirtan is the process in Kali-yuga. The same object will be achieved in Kali-yuga by Hari-Kirtan as by the respective processes of other Yugas.

Every Yuga has it’s Mahamantra and people have to perform it for achieving perfection.

In the Satya-yuga the tāraka-brahma-nāma is:

narayana para veda narayana paraksara
narayana para muktir narayana-para gatih

In the Treta-yuga the tāraka-brahma-nāma is:

rama narayanananta mukunda madhusudana
krsna kesava kamsare hare vaikuntha vamana

In the Dwapara-yuga the tāraka-brahma-nāma is:

hare murare madhu-kaitabhare gopala govinda mukunda saure
yajnesa narayana krsna visnos nirasrayam mam jagadisa raksa

In the Kali-yuga the tāraka-brahma-nāma is:

hare kṛṣṇa, hare kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa, hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

“kaliyug kewal naam adhara, simar-simar nar utarahin para.”

“harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā”

Only Hari-nama with full determination. Definitely no other way. Definitely no other way.

Definitely no other way. Even when a demigod worshipper dies, they chant the names of Rama and Hari and not any demigod. “rama nama satya hai…” “Haribol! Haribol!”

The names have to be taken in the association of Sadhus, who call out Supreme Lord for His satisfaction alone.

Therefore, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.20.12)

Perform Sri Krishna Sankirtanam, Hare Krishna Mahamantra, RadhaKrishna Kirtan by which, the heart will be cleansed of material desires, which are the cause of sufferings. No other process is required except Holy Names. If heart is cleansed then this worldly forest fire of sufferings would be extinguished. Material desires, compared to fire, are the cause of sufferings. If no such desire then no suffering will remain. If there is suffering then it means desires are present. If one is performing Sankirtana then sufferings can’t remain. Threefold afflictions, birth, death etc will all go away. Auspiciousness will descend. One will get knowledge that he is servant of Supreme Lord. All the quarrels are due to misconception of self. Everything is by, for and of the Supreme Lord. It doesn’t belong to any nation for which they quarrel. If I love someone then I can’t hurt persons related to him. So, if one actually loves the Supreme Lord then he can’t harm even an ant.”

Therefore, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, 'I haven’t appeared just for India but for whole world. Let the whole world know that there is no way except Harinam. Call out for the Supreme Lord in association of bona-fide Sadhus. Then you will get love for Supreme Lord and love for all. Let the whole world know.'

Srila Puri Maharaja told me to go to foreign countries. I said my spiritual life may get spoiled by going there. He said, 'No, you should go.' I asked him, 'Will you take my responsibility?'

Srila Puri Maharaja said that "your Gurudev will take your responsibility". Wherever I went I was surrounded by devotees so I had no fear.

Gaur Premanande!!