05 Ekādaśī

CHAPTER V

The most important tithi in the month of Āṣāḍha is Ekādaśī. A voluminous literature has grown round Ekādaśī in the Purāṇas and medieval digests. There are separate treatises on Ekādaśī written by medieval writers, such as the Ekādaśīviveka of Śūlapāni and the Ekādaśītattva of Raghunandana: Besides, such medieval digests as Kālaviveka (pp. 425-451), Hemādri on Kāla pp. 145–288, Kālanirṇaya of Mādhava (pp. 233–275), Vratarāja pp. 361-475, Kāla-tattvavivecana (pp. 98–172) devote hundreds of pages to discussions on Ekādaśī. Endeavour would be made to write about most of the numerous matters relating to Ekādaśi, but everything would have to be compressed in as small a space as possible.

If one were to examine the numerous passages of the Purāṇas and the like one would notice that some simply prohibit the partaking of food (on Ekādaśī), while others lay down the observance of Ekādaśīvrata. A few specimens of the first kind may be cited. The Nāradiya states ¹ “all sins whatever and sins equal to brāhmana-murder take resort to food on the day of Hari; one who partakes of food on Ekādaśī incurs those sins; the Purāṇas again and again loudly proclaim ‘one should not eat food, one should not eat food, when the day of Hari comes’.” In this case the observance of Ekādaśī consists in simply not eating for the whole day anything that is cooked. Those passages which contain the word vrata are not to be looked upon as merely prohibiting (the eating of food) but are to be construed as prescribing something positive as in the case of Prajāpativrata ‘one should not see the rising sun’, which is interpreted by Jaimini IV. 1. 3.-6 and VI. 2. 20. Vide n. 42 above. For example, it is said by the Matsya and Bhaviṣya ‘When a man fasts on the 11th and partakes of food on the 12th, whether in the bright or dark half, that is a great vrata in honour of Viṣṇu’. Those passages that contain the word ‘upavāsa’ and those that prescribe rewards (of observing ekādaśī) must be construed as laying down the observance of a vrata and not as merely prohibiting anything. Those passages also which condemn eating food on ekādaśī may be construed as merely intended to commend the vrata and not to contain a prohibition, following the Mimāmsā ² maxim “condemnation is not indulged in (merely) for the sake of condemnation of that which is condemned, but for the purpose of commending the performance of the opposite of what is censured’.

The passages that lay down a vrata are again two-fold, viz. those that make the observance of Ekādaśī obligatory (nitya)³ and those that lay down the observance for securing some desired object (kāmya). Nārada lays down an obligatory rule ‘men who are devoted to Viṣṇu and who look upon Viṣṇu as their highest goal should always fast on ekādaśī in each pakṣa (fortnight)’. A passage laying down a kāmya-vidhi about Ekādaśi is contained in ⁴ Kātyāyana ‘a person who looks on Viṣṇu as highest goal and who desires to Cross the ocean of saṁsāra or to secure prosperity, offspring, heaven, mokṣa or whatever else, should not partake of food on ekādaśi in both fortnights.’ The result is that ekādaśī is both nitya and kāmya and the maxim of saṁyoga-pr̥ṭhaktva cited above (p. 86) under Rāmanavami applies.

Adhikāra for Ekādaśīvrata

Ekādaśīvrata on the ekādaśīs of both fortnights is nitya only for persons other than householders; the vrata is obligatory for householders (grhastha) only on the ekādaśī of the bright half, but not on the ekādaśī of the dark half, since Devala says ‘one should not eat (cooked) food on ekādaśī in both pakṣas (fortnights); this is the rule of conduct for forest hermits and ascetics, but a householder should always observe only the Ekādaśī of the bright half’⁵. There are conflicting texts on this subject. The Padma says ⁶ ’ a house holder should observe a fast on only the dark ekādaśīs between Śayanī (Asādha śu. 11) and Bodhinī (Kārtika su. 11) and on no other ekādaśī of the dark half’. There is a precept of Narada ⁷ ‘a householder having a son should not observe a fast on a Saṅkranti day, on the day of ekādaśī in the dark half and on eclipses of the sun and the moon’. The best construction of these passages appears to be that a fast only on the ekādaśi of the bright half is obligatory for a householder, but he may observe (Kāmyavrata) a fast on the ekādaśīs occurring in the dark half between Śayanī and Bodhinī, but if he has a son he should not observe a fast even on those ekādaśis that occur between Śayanī and Bodhinī. A widow ⁸ is to be treated on the same level as a yati and a woman whose husband is living should fast only on the ekādaśī of the bright half. It has to be further noted that these restrictions ⁹ do not apply to professed devotees of Viṣṇu ( technically called Vaiṣṇava). To them the verse quoted in note ³ above applies and they have to observe a fast on all ekādaśīs. Hemādri (on vrata vol. I. p. 999) held the view that all persons have adhikāra for fasting on ekādaśīs in both pakṣas.

Praise

On pp. 43-45 above the exaggerated importance attached to vratas in general has already been dealt with. Upavāsa as a prāyaścitta (expiation for sins) has been described in vol. IV. pp. 52-54. Extremely exaggerated praise of the efficacy of fasting on Ekādaśī has been indulged in by many Purāṇas and digests. In the Nārada-purāṇa there is a long passage on the greatness (māhātmya) of Ekādaśī (quoted in Hemādri on Kala p. 146 and Kalanirṇaya pp. 273-274). A few of the verses may be cited here; ‘by the fire arising from (the observance of) ekādaśī, fuel in the form of sins committed in hundreds of past lives is reduced to ashes. Thousands of Aśvamedha sacrifices and hundreds of Vājapeya sacrifices do not reach even up to the 16th part (of the merit) of the fast on ekādaśī. This ekādaśī bestows heaven and mokṣa, confers a kingdom and sons (on a man) and a good spouse and the health of the body. The Ganges, Gayā, Kāśi, Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, the Narmada, the Devika, the Yamunā, the Candrabhāgā are none of them equal to the day of Hari’. Similar verses occur in the Padmapurāṇa.¹⁰ The Anuśāsanaparva ¹¹ pronounces on Upavāsa, an exaggerated eulogy. The Padma ¹² declares ‘on hearing the word ekādaśī, the messengers of Yama become afraid; having fasted on ekādaśī which is the best among all vratas, one should keep awake (in the night) for propitiating Viṣṇu and should sumptuously decorate the temple or maṇḍapa of Viṣṇu. The man who worships Hari with basil leaves secures by each single leaf the reward of a crore of sacrifices’¹³. The Varāhapurāṇa (chap. 30) declares that Brahmā gave Ekādaśī to Kubera (the lord of wealth) and that to the person who controls himself, who is pure and eats only what is not cooked by fire, Kubera, being pleased, gives everything. The Padma narrates the story of a woman, who was always quarrelsome and who thought of her lover, was therefore censured by her husband and beaten, and who in anger went without food and died at night and who on account of her fast ¹⁴ (not under taken cheerfully and willingly, but out of anger) became pure. The Garuḍapurāṇa declares ¹⁵ (if one places) on one side (in one pan) the gift of the whole world and on the other side (in another pan) the day of Hari, this ekādaśī is more holy and superior. The ekādaśī in Aṣāḍha śukla is called mahā-ekādaśī and also Śayanī.

Rules for observers of Ekādaśī

General rules about those who have the adhikīra to undertake vratas have already been dealt with above. But some rules meant specially for the observers of ekādaśī will be set out here. Nārada ¹⁶ provides ‘A human being who is more than eight years old and is less than eighty years in age incurs sin if he eats food on ekādaśī through foolishness.’ Kātyāyana has a similar verse. These two establish that every human being of whatever caste or āsrama can observe ekādaśī provided he fulfils the conditions as to age laid down in the verses.

Knowing the weakness of human beings, sages relaxed the rule of an absolute fast on ekādaśī. The Nāradapurāṇa ¹⁷ says ‘roots, fruits, milk and water may be partaken of (on ekādaśī) by great sages, but no sages have said that on ekādaśī cooked food may be taken’. The Vāyupurāṇa ¹⁸ provided ‘partaking of havisya food at night, food other than boiled rice, fruits, sesame, milk, water, ghee, pañca-gavya, air-each succeeding one is here (i.e. in ekādaśī) more commendable (than each preceding one)’.

Baudhāyana ¹⁹ declares that those who are unable to observe a complete fast (on ekādaśī) or who are over 80 years of age should resort to ekabhakta and the other (alternatives). The Matsya provides ²⁰ that those who are unable to fast (on ekādaśi) should prefer to take food by the nakta method and if a person is ill, he should make his son and others to undertake the fast (on his behalf). Who can act as pratinidhis in the case of a vrata has already been described above ( pp. 53-54). It is said by Mārkaṇḍeya ²¹ that one may observe the methods of ekabhakta, nakta, ayācita, complete fast and dāna, but should not deprive oneself of the benefits of the observance of dvādaśī (with ekādaśī). Here certain alternatives are allowed in place of an absolute fast and they have to be explained. But before doing so, attention has to be drawn to the rule propounded by Manu ²² viz. if a person, being master of (i.e. quite able to carry out) the main provisions for a rite, resorts to alternatives provided (by texts) he would not, foolish as he is, secure the otherworldly rewards ( of that rite). Therefore, ekabhakta, nakta and ayācita are to be employed only if one is unable to observe a strict fast.

Ekabhakta

Ekabhakta means eating only once a day after the middle of the day. Madhyāhna means the 3rd part of the day divided into five parts (i.e. from the 13th ghaṭi after sunrise up to the 18th of a day of 30 ghatīs). Hemādri (on kāla p. 109) holds that madhyāhna is the middle part of the day divided into three parts and according to him the proper time for ekabhakta is the time immediately after midday, since the Skanda employs the words ‘after the middle of the day is passed’ (dinārdha-samayestīte),²³ while the gauṇa-kala is up to sunset. Works like the Nirṇayāmṛta, Smr̥tikaustubha (pp. 9-10) approve of the division into five parts, and hold that ekabhakta means taking food at sometime between the 13th and 18th ghaṭi of the day (of 30 ghatīs).²⁴ When ekabhakta is merely an alternative to strict upavāsa on ekādaśī, food must be taken on the tithi on which the fast would have been observed if the performer were able to undergo it. The same ²⁵ rule applies to nakta as a substitute for upavāsa. Ekabhakta is also a vrata independently performed (without reference to ekādaśī). The Anuśāsanaparva (chap. 106 verses 17-30) declares the rewards secured by observing ekabhakta in each month from Mārgaśīrsa to Kārtika and Anuśāsanaparva (chap. 107. 13-126) dilates upon the fruits of observing ekabhakta on each of the thirty days of a month. The Kr̥tyakalpataru on vrata (pp. 457-468) sets out practically the whole of Anuśāsana parva chap. 107 (which the editor appears not to have noticed) and Hemādri on vrata vol. II. pp. 930-931 does the same. The Kr̥tyakalpataru (on vrata pp. 419-421), the Kr̥tyaratnākara (pp. 406-7 and later on) and Hemādri on vrata (vol. II pp. 748–798) quote Anuśāsana 106. 17–30 about ekabhakta in different months at different places.

Nakta

Two verses about nakta occurring in the Linga, Nārada²⁶ and other purāṇas are: alms collected by begging are superior to fasting, food obtained without requesting anyone for it (i.e. ayācita) is superior to alms, nakta is superior to ayācita, therefore one should subsist by nakta method; eating havisya food, bath, truthfulness, small intake of food, offering oblations into fire, and sleeping on the ground, these six should always be observed by one who takes a meal only at nakta. There is divergence of views about the time that should be called nakta. Hemādri ²⁷ (on Kāla pp. 112-115) discusses at length what is naktakāla. The first rule is that in a naktavrata the tithi ( if viddhā) to be accepted is the one that exists at the time of pradoṣa. Pradoṣa is the period of six ghaṭikās after sunset (acc. to Skandapurāṇa), while Viśvādarśa holds that it is a period of three ghaṭikās after sunset. P. C. (p. 46 ) explains the latter quotation as meaning that three ghatīkās after sunset is commended as the most proper time of pradoṣa.

The Bhaviṣyapurāṇa states:²⁸ some men desire that nakta should be the time when the stars begin to appear, some wise men say that nakta is the time when only one muhūrta (two ghaṭikās) of the day remains, while I hold that nakta is the time when the stars begin to appear. From this it appears ²⁹ that the proper time (mukhyakāla) for nakta is after the stars are seen, other times being gauṇa. Nakta has two meanings, one primary viz. period of time and the other figurative or secondary viz. taking food at nakta time.

There is a special naktavrata apart from upavāsa. Vide list for a brief description.

Ayācita

Ayācita means ‘subsisting on food not obtained by begging or requesting any one’. The saṅkalpa in this case ³⁰ is: ‘during this day and night I shall not eat food obtained by begging or requesting any one’. No particular time can be specified about ayācitavrata, since food may be brought by some one at any time. But when such food is brought he has to partake of it only once. In the word ‘ayācita’ not only ³¹ is there a prohibition against begging for food belonging to another, but one is prohibited from requesting his wife or servant to serve food belonging to himself. Therefore, if a man’s wife or servant without being directed by him bring cooked food to him he may partake of it, but not otherwise.

These terms ekabhakta, nakta, ayācita were used in ancient times in connection with prāyaścittas like Kr̥cchra and were taken over into the lore of fasts when the latter became common in the times of the Purāṇas. Vide Ap. Dh. S. I. 9. 27.7, Gaut. 26. 1-5, Yāj. III. 318 and H. of Dh. vol. IV. p. 132 under Kr̥cchra.

Conception of ekādaśī

Padma (Uttarakhaṇḍa, chap. 36) gives a fanciful story of the birth of ekādaśī.

Leaving aside the exaggerations and bizzare statements of some of the Purāṇas the underlying conception of a fast on ekādaśī is spiritual; it is a discipline of the mind, the idea being that fasting undertaken cheerfully purges man’s spirit of the lower animal passions and brings him to a mental level at which he becomes fit to receive God’s grace. The Bhagavadgitā ³² emphasizes that in the case of a man who takes no food the objects of sense may leave him for the time being but that the relish for those still remains and vanishes only when he has a vision of the Highest. The Br. Up. states³³ that ‘brāhmaṇas desire to know that Great Soul by the study of the Veda, by sacrifices, by gifts and by austerities consisting of abstention from food’. This idea of the efficacy of fasting undertaken cheerfully is common to several religions. For example, Matthew VI. 16-18 says ‘Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance……but thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly’.

Types of observance

The fast on ekādaśī is of two kinds; one ³⁴ consists in carrying out (or adhering to) the prohibition of eating cooked food; the other is of the nature of a vrata. As regards the first all persons including householders having a son have adhikāra to observe it even in the dark half; but as regards the second (upavāsa of the nature of vrata) householders that have progeny should not observe it on the ekādaśīs of the dark half; they should not make a saṅkalpa, they should simply give up cooked food but should observe the niyamas of celibacy and the like. As to ekādaśīs of the dark half between the Śayanī and Bodhinī, even householders with sons have the right to perform the vrata. Similarly, those who desire to secure absorption into Viṣṇu, long life and sons may perform a kāmyavrata on ekādaśīs of both pakṣas. Vaiṣṇava householders should always fast even on ekādaśīs of the dark half. The ekādaśivrata is obligatory on all including devotees of Śiva, Viṣṇu and the Sun. Upavāsa in the nature of vrata is again of two kinds, nitya and kāmya. These are briefly the rules laid down in the Nirṇayasindhu and Dharmasindhu (p.16). The main difference between mere upavāsa and upavāsavrata is that in the former there is no saṅkalpa that the person is undertaking an upavāsavrata and he simply abstains from taking food because the śāstra says that on ekādaśī one should not eat cooked food, while in the latter there is saṅkalpa and there are also several other matters to be observed.

Ekādaśīvrata

It would now be proper to give a comparatively early but brief description of ekādaśivrata. The Nāradapurāṇa (Purvārdha chap. 23 verses 12 ff.) describes the procedure as follows:-

• on the 10th tithi the man who has to observe the vrata should after getting up brush his teeth, take a bath, bathe a Viṣṇu image in pancāmr̥ta and offer worship (of several upacāras) to it.
• On the 11th, after bathing, he should bathe the image with pañcāmṛta and worship Viṣṇu with sandalwood paste, flowers and the like and repeat the mantra ³⁵ ‘after remaining without food on the ekādaśī I shall, O lotus-eyed one, on the next day partake of cooked food; be you, O Acyuta, my refuge’.
  • He should take no food, should curb his senses, should lie down in front of the Viṣṇu image, keep awake engaged in songs, music and dances relating to Viṣṇu and listen to stories about Viṣṇu contained in the Purāṇas.
• On the 12th tithi, he should after a bath for himself, bathe the image with milk and then address the following prayer ³⁶ ‘O Keśava! May you by reason of this vrata favour (me) who am blinded by the darkness of ignorance, may you turn your benignant face (towards me) and bestow on me the sight of knowledge’.
  • Then he should feed brāhmaṇas and give them daksiṇā (gifts or fees) according to his ability.
  • After that he should perform his daily five sacrifices (brahmayajña, pir̥tarpaṇa, vaiśvadeva, bali and atithi-pūjana) and should himself take his meal along with his relatives and should observe restraint of speech when eating.
  • While engaged in the upavāsa vrata, a person should never look at cāṇḍālas, persons guilty of grave sins, atheists, those that have violated the rules of proper conduct, those who engage in vituperations or back-biting; he should not speak with the husband of a vr̥ṣalī, with one who acts as a priest for those who are unfit for performing sacrifices, with one who worships images in temples for money, with one who subsists by practising the profession of singing or medicine (for money ), with one who is a bard or one who is opposed to gods and brāhmaṇas or those who are fond of eating at others’ houses and adulterers.
  • One who is engaged in upavāsa vrata should be pure (in body and mind), should control himself and should be intent on doing good to all.

For the meaning of vr̥ṣalī, vide H. of Dh. vol. IV. p. 104 note 236 and p. 394 note 881. Manu III. 152 provides that physicians and priests doing worship in temples for money are unfit to be invited at śrāddha.

It will be noticed that the main matters in the vrata are upavāsa, worship of Viṣṇu image, jāgara ³⁷ at night with songs and music, pāraṇā on 12th and certain restrictions about looking at some persons or speaking to them and restraint of the senses. The Brahma-vaivarta (IV. 26.1-93) also contains the procedure of ekādaśivrata. It will be noticed ³⁸ that in the procedure of ekādaśī there is no homa, though in some other vratas there is a homa.

Accretions gathered round this simple procedure. It was laid down early enough that one engaged in upayāsavrata should miss four meals in three days, i.e. he should eat only once on the 10th in the noon, fast ³⁹ both times on 11th and on the 12th he should miss one meal.

Time for saṅkalpa

The general rule is that the saṅkalpa for vratas is to be made in the morning, but as regards ekādaśīvrata exceptions have been made in the digests. For example, it is said that the saṅkalpa ⁴⁰ about niyamas is to be made on the night of the 10th tithi. If ekādaśī is mixed up with 10th, then saṅkalpa about fast is to be made at night;⁴¹ if daśamī extends beyond midnight and the ekādaśī becomes mixed with it, saṅkalpa is to be made the next day after noon.

Hemādri (on vrata vol. I. p. 1006) and Kālanirṇaya (p. 268) provide that the image of Viṣṇu should be worshipped in a maṇḍapa decorated charmingly with flowers of various kinds. It is provided in the Skanda ⁴² that when a person breaks his fast on the 12th he should partake of the naivedya mixed with Tulasi (basil) leaves, since that destroys ( the sins of) crores of murders.

Dharmasindhu procedure

Numerous medieval digests set out the procedure of ekādaśivrata. It is impossible for reasons of space to refer to them. For the sake of comparison with the Naradapurāṇa procedure, I shall set out the procedure of Ekādaśīvrata from the Dharmasindhu (p. 19), almost the latest authoritative work on Dharmaśāstra.

Now (is set out) the procedure ,of (ekādaśī) vrata. On the day previous to the fast, the person, after performing all his daily duties in the morning, should make a saṅkalpa in the form ‘beginning from the 10th tithi, O god Keśava, lord of gods, I shall perform for three days your vrata; make it free from obstacles’. Then at midday (of 10th) he should eat by the ekabhakta method. The restrictions to be observed about ekabhakta are: he should avoid taking food in a vessel of bell metal, avoid flesh, masūra pulse, sleeping by day, over-eating, drinking too much water, eating food again (after the midday meal), sexual intercourse, telling falsehood, honey, gram, kodrava, vegetables, the food belonging to others, gambling, oil, sesame cakes, tāmbula (betel leaves and nut &c.); if he has to cleanse his teeth after ekabhakta he should do so with twigs. At night he should sleep on a bed spread on the ground.

In the morning of ekādaśī he should cleanse his teeth with the leaves of a tree and not with twigs. After performing bath and other daily duties, he should put on his finger a pavitra (loop) made of darbha grass, turn his face to the north, take a copper vessel full of water and make a saṅkalpa as follows: ‘after remaining without food on the ekādaśī I shall, O lotus-eyed one, on the next day partake of cooked food; O Acyuta, be you my refuge’. Or he may offer a handful of flowers to Hari with this mantra. In the case of him who is unable to observe a total fast, necessary changes may be made in the sentence of saṅkalpa according to his ability viz. ‘on ekādaśi I shall subsist on water or milk or on fruits or I shall take food at the time of nakta’.

Śaivas should make the saṅkalpa with Rudra Gāyatri ;⁴³ Sun-worshippers should make the saṅkalpa with the usual Gāyatri (Ṛg. III. 62. 10 ’tatsavitur’ &c.) or by taking the name of the Sun. This saṅkalpa should be made by smārtas on the night of the ekādaśī tithi, if there is 10th tithi after sunrise (mixed up with ekādaśī); if 10th tithi exists beyond midnight on daśamī day all (whether smārtas or vaiṣṇavas) should make the saṅkalpa after midday. He should drink the water used for saṅkalpa. On making the saṅkalpa he should pronounce over it thrice the mantra of eight syllables (such as ‘om namo Nārāyaṇāya’). Then after erecting a maṇḍapa decorated with flowers (garlands &c.) he should offer worship to Hari (image) according to prescribed rules in that maṇḍapa with flowers, fragrant substances, incense, best naivedya, with various divine hymns of praise, charming songs and music, with straight prostrations on the ground like a staff, with best announcements with the word ‘jaya’ and at night he should keep awake.

Names of Ekādaśīs

The cult of ekādaśī went on growing apace, so much so that for the 24 ekādaśīs of the twelve months of the lunar year and for the two ekādaśīs of the intercalary month separate names were invented. It is not possible to say with certainty when these names were given, but some of them must be about two thousand years old.

The twenty-four names beginning with caitra śukla ekādaśī and ending with phālguna dark half ekādaśī are given in the note below.⁴⁴.There is some divergence about the names, but for want of space no notice is taken of it here. One cause of divergence appears to be that in some Purāṇas the month is pūrnimānta, while in others the month is amānta and what is Bhadrakrsṇa in Pūrṇimānta reckoning is Śrāvana-krṣṇa in Amānta reckoning.

The ekādaśī on Jyeṣṭha bright half is called nirjalā because the vrata consists in not using or drinking water except at the time of bathing or at ācamana. It is described by Hemādri (on vrata vol. I. pp. 1089-1091) who quotes the Mahābhārata for it and by N. S. pp. 99-100. In the summer month of Jyeṣṭha it must have been a great trial to go without water for a day and therefore it was specially commended. Viṣṇu was supposed to sleep for four months from Āṣāḍha bright ekādaśī at night and to rise from his sleep on Kārtika bright ekādaśī by day and hence these two ekādaśīs are respectively called Śayanī (connected with the śayana i.e. sleeping of Viṣṇu) and Prabhodhinī ⁴⁵ or Prabodhanī (connected with the prabodha i.e. awakening of Viṣṇu). What the legend of Viṣṇu’s sleeping from Āṣāḍha śukla eleven for four months was really meant to illustrate or symbolize it is difficult to say. As these four months were the months of the rainy season in many parts of India all movements from one place to another distant place came almost to a stand-still in ancient times; so probably mythology became busy and suggested that Viṣṇu himself gave up all activity. It is possible that this legend of four months’ sleep may have some connection with the state of things when the ancestors of the Vedic Aryans lived in northern latitudes, when for four months the sun was either not seen or emitted only faint light. This legend from whatever cause it may have arisen is worked up in various ways. It was said that Viṣṇu not only slept on his snake couch but he also turned in his sleep from one side to the other (as human beings do) on Bhādrapada śukla eleven. And therefore that ekādaśī in Bhadrapada was called Parivartinī. This matter was still further elaborated and it was asserted that all the great gods and goddesses went to sleep like Viṣṇu on different dates, as stated in the Rājamārtaṇḍa quoted below. ⁴⁶ Then, further differences arose, some works saying Viṣṇu went to sleep on the 11th, some that Viṣṇu slept on 13th, while a third set said that Viṣṇu slept on the 15th of Āṣāḍha bright half. The Vanaparva (203. 12) declares that Viṣṇu sleeps on the hoods of Śesa. Kālidāsa in the Meghadūta refers to both the sleeping of Viṣṇu on his snake couch and his rising from it (śāpānto me bhujagaśayanād utthite śārṅgapānau). Most scholars hold that Kālidāsa flourished between 350-450 A. D. In the Gangadhar Stone Inscription of Viśvavarman in the Kr̥ta year 480 there is a clear reference to the rising from sleep of Viṣṇu in Kārtika (vide Gupta Inscriptions ed. by Fleet No. 17 at pp. 72,75,79). Kr̥ta is held to be the same as Vikrama year by most scholars. So the legend about Viṣṇu’s śayana on a snake bed and getting up from it may be about 2000 years old, if not more.

Śayana-tithis of gods

The question as to the tithi on which the gods ( and particularly Viṣṇu) went to sleep very much exercised the minds of the authors of Purāṇas and of the digests. For example, the Vamanapurāṇa (16. 6-16) contains verses ⁴⁷ some of which may be summarised here; ‘a person should arrange a couch in the form of the hoods of the snake Śesa for the lord of the world (Viṣṇu) on the 11th tithi of Āṣāḍha and offer worship; he should, being himself pure, seek on the 12th permission from brāhmanas invited, and should bring to sleep the Lord that wears yellow clothes’. Then the purāṇa proceeds to narrate how Kāma (God of Love) sleeps on 13th of Āṣāḍha on a bed of kadamba flowers, the Yakṣas on 14th, Śiva on the 15th (i.e. Pūrnimā) on a bed of tiger-skin, then Brahmā, Viśvakarmā, Pārvatī, Gaṇeśa, Yama, Skanda, the Sun, Kātyāyani, Laksmi, Lord of snakes, Sādhyas respectively go to sleep on the tithis of the dark half from 1st to 11th. The K. V. (p. 225) and Hemādri (on Kāla pp. 888-889) quote certain verses according to which Kubera, Lakṣmi, Bhavānī, Gaṇeśa, Soma, Guha, Bhāskara, Durgā, the Mātrs, Vāsuki, sages, Viṣṇu, Kāma, Śiva are the lords of tithis from 1st to 14th for pavitrāropaṇa (i.e. giving the sacred upavita to the gods) and for śayana.

One important rule has to be remembered, ⁴⁸ viz. whatever nakṣatra or whatever tithi has a certain deity as its lord, the sleeping, turning from one side to another and the rest (i.e. getting up &c.) take place on that tithi or nakṣatra. Some celebrate the śayana of a god relying on the tithi, others rely on the nakṣatra. But the trouble is that one tithi has several lords, according to various authorities. For example, pratipad has three lords, Agni, Brahmā and Kubera (Garuḍa I. 116. 3–8). For reasons of space it is not possible to refer to the texts on which different tithis are assigned for the śayana of Viṣṇu. The Samayamayūkha (p. 79), K.T. V.p. 172 and Vrataprakāśa⁴⁹ (part of Viramitrodaya) espouse the view of Āṣāḍha eleventh (of bright half) relying on the Brahmapurāṇa. Many digests favour the 12th as the tithi of śayana and prabodha of Viṣṇu relying on the several verses in the Varāha, Viṣṇu-dharmottara and other Purāṇas. Vide Kālaviveka p. 175 (ff), V. K. K. 286,288, Kr̥tyatattva p. 436, K. R. p. 209. In an inscription referred to in I. A. vol. 25 p. 290 we have the words ‘puṇya utthānadvādaśī’ (the holy 12th tithi on which Viṣṇu gets up from his couch), the inscription being dated in śake 1462 (1540 A. D.). In some works Aṣāḍha Full moon is advocated for the śayana of Viṣṇu. ⁵⁰ Vide K. R. p. 208, K. V. p. 188, Kr̥tyatattva p. 436. These works provide how śayana and prabodha are to be celebrated. On the śayani day, the devotee prepares a couch in the evening with a piece of cloth or with flowers, worships Viṣṇu (image) at night, repeats the mantra ‘om namo Nārāyaṇāya’ and then puts Viṣṇu to sleep and repeats two verses, one of which is quoted below. ⁵¹ On the day of prabodha the image of Viṣṇu is given an elaborate bath and a full worship is done and several mantras from Varāha-purāṇa are recited and a Vedic verse (idam viṣṇur, Rg. I. 22. 17) also is recited.

Characteristics of a Vaiṣṇava

Persons having adhikāra for ekādaśī-vrata may be divided into two classes, viz. Vaiṣṇavas and Smārtas. The word vaiṣṇava is defined in some of the Purāṇas⁵² such as the Padma III. 1.21-32, IV. 10.65-66, VI. 252.74, VI. 69, Viṣṇu III.7.20-33, III. 8.9-19, the Bhagavata and in some of the digests. A Vaiṣṇava is really one who has received dīkṣā (initiation) according to the Vaiṣṇava āgamas of the Vaikhānasa, Pañcarātra and other schools. The Skanda defines a Vaiṣṇava: that man is a Vaiṣṇava who does not forsake (fast on) ekādaśī, whether he be reduced to the direct misery or whether great bliss might have come to him, who has been given the dīkṣā of a Vaiṣṇava, who behaves equally towards all living beings, who does not swerve from the duties of his class (varṇa), who is equal to his own friends of his class (varṇa), who is equal to his own friends or his enemies, who, being high (in principles), does not deprive anyone (of his possessions) or does not injure anyone, and whose mind is pure.

Vide Prof. S. K. De’s ‘Vaiṣṇava faith and movement’ pp. 364-366 and p. 413 where the author gives an analysis of the characteristics of the Vaiṣṇava devotee drawn from the Haribhaktivilāsa of Gopālabhatta (for followers of Caitanya).

Though the Purāṇas give these definitions, some of which are very general and may apply even to persons not popularly called Vaiṣṇavas, still in all parts of India and by all śiṣṭas it is admitted that those are Vaiṣṇavas who are traditionally ⁵³ known by that appellation. The question on what tithi upavasa should be practised when ekādaśī is mixed up with the tenth tithi and twelfth has to be often answered in different ways according as the person who is to observe the fast is a Vaiṣṇava or a Smārta. The answer depends on the rules about vedha which are rather complicated. It is not possible within the space at my disposal to go into details. Those who want to make a deep study of this matter may consult Hemādri on Kāla pp. 206-288, Kālanirṇaya pp. 233—256, Tithitattva pp. 104-108, Samayaprakāśa pp. 66–74, Nirṇayasindhu pp. 37–44, Smr̥timuktāphala (on Kāla) pp. 839-844), Dharmasindhu (pp. 16–19).

Viddhā

Ekādaśī, like all other tithis, is of two kinds, viz. sampūrṇā and viddhā or khaṇḍā. The general definition ⁵⁴ of the sampūrṇā tithi is that when a tithi has the extent of 60 ghaṭikās commencing from the time of sunrise it is called sampūrṇā. To this ekādaśī was stated by the Skandapurāṇa ⁵⁵ to be an exception. In the case of Ekādaśī the Garuḍapurāṇa ⁵⁶ and Bhaviṣya lay down that ekādaśī is sampūrṇā only when it exists also two muhūrtas (i.e, 4 ghaṭikās) before sunrise of the day on which it exists for the whole civil day.

The Nārada and other purāṇas condemn fast on ekādaśī mixed with daśamī. Nāradapurāṇa (pūrvārdha, chap. 29. 39-40) says the ‘sixth tithi mixed with the 5th, the seventh mixed with the 9th and ekādaśī mixed with daśamī-a fast should never be observed on these; all should accept (for fast) ekādaśī free from daśamī; daśamī joined to ekādaśī destroys spiritual merit acquired in three past lives’. This aversion to daśamī was probably due to the fact that daśamī finds no place in the famous yugmavākya and the pair that is commended is that of ekādaśī and dvādaśī (and not of ekādaśī and daśamī). One well-known verse is: Gāndhāri observed a fast on ekādaśī mixed with daśamī; her one hundred sons (the Kauravas) perished (in the Bhārata war); therefore one should give up that kind of ekādaśī for a fast⁵⁷. The Nāradapurāṇa (pūrvārdha, chap. 29) devotes 15 verses to the discussion of Ekādaśī and Dvādaśi.

In the Brahmavaivarta-purāṇa quoted at great length by Hemādri on Kāla (pp. 255-259) four kinds of vedhas of ekādaśī by daśamī (viz. arunodaya-vedha, ativedha, mahāvedha and Yoga) are mentioned, but they are passed over here. In the case of Vaiṣṇavas, if daśamī extends on a civil day beyond 56 ghaṭikās from sunrise, then ekādaśī follows and continues for the whole of the next civil day, there is then what is called Aruṇodayavedha and Vaiṣṇavas cannot observe a fast on such an ekādaśī which is preceded by Aruṇodayavedha. The same result follows if daśamī extends up to 3, 2 or one ghaṭikā before sunrise or daśamī persists till the exact time when the sun rises and then ekādaśī starts (when there is what is called sūryodaya vedha). A Vaiṣṇava in deciding on what tithi to fast is affected by both arunodayavedha and sūryodayavedha i. e. even if ekādaśī exists for full 60 ghaṭis after sunrise on a civil day when daśamī precedes it by four ghaṭis, or by three, two or one ghaṭi or when daśamī exists for one moment at sunrise and then ekādaśī follows at once, still the Vaiṣṇava cannot observe a fast on the ekādaśī of 60 ghaṭis but only on the next i.e. the 12th.

If dvādaśī touches three civil days, then the fast for Vaiṣṇavas is on the day which is wholly covered by dvādaśī and the pāraṇā is on the next day when dvādaśī ends. In any cases other than those specified above ekādaśī is the fast day and dvādaśī is the pāraṇā day. Nāradapurāṇa (pārvārdha, chap. 29 verse 45) pre scribes that if there are two ekādaśīs, whether in the bright half or dark half, a householder should fast on the earlier of the two and ascetics (yatis) on the later. Sannyāsins and widows are governed by the rules for Vaiṣṇavas.

Smārtas (all those who are not Vaiṣṇavas) are not affected by the doctrine of aruṇodayavedha but only by sūryodayavedha i.e. if there is daśamī before sunrise and an ekādaśī follows from sunrise, smārtas have to observe a fast on the ekādaśī. There are many texts that are apparently in conflict, but the Kālanirṇaya (pp. 251-256) and Nirṇayasindhu (pp. 37-44) introduce order by showing that some texts refer to Vaiṣṇavas alone, some to Smārtas alone and some to both. The Ekādaśītattva (p. 55) brings together many of the conclusions about the fast tithi and the pāraṇātithi.

There are cases where the texts sometimes allow fast on ekādaśī even though mixed with daśamī. This occurs when dvādaśī does not exist even for a short time on the 13th tithi. But this is allowable only to Smārtas and not to Vaiṣṇavas.

Certain restrictions as to food and physical and mental activities had to be observed from the time saṅkalpa was made to the final ceremonies (pāraṇā) in ekādaśivrata.⁵⁸ It may be noted that even when a person is in mourning he has to observe ekādaśī vrata.⁵⁹ Certain observances were laid down as common to all vratas (including ekādaśī) viz. forbearance, truthfulness, compassion, charity, purity, restraint of senses, worship of god, homa, contentment and not misappropriating another’s wealth⁶⁰.

Restrictions for ekādaśī and dvādaśī

There were separate rules to be observed on daśamī, ekādaśī and dvādaśī (10th tithi to 12th). They are somewhat overlapping. The observances prescribed for daśamī are: vegetables, flesh; masūra pulse, eating again (after ekabhakta), sexual intercourse, dice-play, drinking much water-a devotee of Viṣṇu should avoid these⁶¹.

The Matsyapurāṇa provides ⁶² : (vessels of) bell-metal, flesh, wine, honey, oil, telling an untruth, physical exercise, journey, sleeping by day, earning (wealth), oil-cakes, masūra pulse-one should omit these twelve (on daśami).

The restrictions on the day of fast are many, but a few are stated here: Hārīta lays⁶³ down: one should on a day of fasting avoid speaking with persons guilty of grave sins, heretical persons, atheists and the like and also falsehood, gambling and the like. The Kūrmapurāṇa provides: on the day of vrata one should not touch nor speak nor look at persons that are antyajas (untouchables) and have to live outside the village, a woman recently delivered, one guilty of grave sins and a woman in her monthly illness. Devala provides :⁶⁴ A fast perishes (i. e. all rewards of observing it are lost) by sleep in the day, by play with dice and by sexual intercourse; but in case of great pain (or danger) a fast is not affected by drinking water (frequently). The Rājamārtaṇḍa lays down: a man fasting on an Ekādaśī should not be guilty of telling a lie, gambling, sleeping by day and sexual intercourse. Hemādri (on vrata vol. I. p. 331) quoting Matsya forbids a bath with oil on ekādasī. A fast is vitiated by drinking water often, by eating tāmbūla, by sleep in day time and by sexual intercourse.

When Vyāsa⁶⁵ says that flowers, ornaments, (rich) clothes, fragrant substances, incense, sandalwood paste, brushing the teeth and collyrium (in the eyes) would not vitiate a fast, he is referring to the fast observed by women whose husbands are alive.

On the 12th the person has to offer worship to Viṣṇu and has to avoid sleeping by day, the food belonging to another person, eating again after the midday meal (on 12th), sexual intercourse, honey, bell-metal vessel, meat, oil. ⁶⁶ The passage in the note below is practically the same as the one cited from Brahmāndapurāṇa by Hemādri (on Kāla p. 203) as containing the restrictions about dvādaśī.

The result of the insistence by Vaiṣṇavas on observing a fast on ekādaśī mixed with dvādaśi was often this that in order to be able to observe pāraṇā on dvādaśī before it ended, they had to get up very early before dawn, take their bath and compress all their morning and midday duties into a short period before sunrise. In modern times many orthodox Vaiṣṇavas do this and rely on the authority of the Nārada ⁶⁷ and Skanda purāṇas quoted below. A smṛti ⁶⁸ text goes so far as to prescribe ‘on seeing that dvādaśī exists only for half a kalā after niśitha, a (Vaiṣṇava) person should perform all acts proper to be performed up till midday following, because Śhaṅkara has so ordered’. Kalā as a measure of time has been variously defined. Matsya (142.4) and Vāyu (100.217-218) say that 30 kalās are equal to a muhūrta (i.e. two ghaṭikās); on the other hand, the Amarakośa holds that 360 kalās constitute a muhūrta and the Kālanirṇaya accepts this last. As the astronomers themselves were at variance as to the length of a tithi in question, a plain straightforward rule was proposed that the fast in case of doubt should be observed on dvādaśī and the pāraṇā should be observed on the 13th.⁶⁹

Vaiṣṇavas vs Śaivas

The rank and file of Vaiṣṇavas are very exclusive and bigoted and treat with some contempt everything connected with Śiva and some of them eat sumptuous food on Śivarātri, instead of observing a fast. Many of the smārtas generally observe a fast both on the Ekādaśī and the Śivarātri (particularly the Mahaśivaratri i.e. on Māgha dark 14th). There have been great wrangles and hatreds among Vaiṣṇavas and Śaivas. The Brahmapurāṇa expressly ⁷⁰ states that in the holy Puruṣottamaksetra a temple of Śiva was erected in order to put a stop to the wranglings between Śaivas and Bhāgavatas (devotees of Viṣṇu). The higher Hindu thought including even the Purāṇa excursions in philosophy always held that there⁷¹ is only one God, that the one Brahma that is all Intelligence, that is incapable of being thoroughly comprehended, that is without parts and without body, is imagined to have different visible forms for securing the purposes of devotees and that deities deemed to have visible forms are imagined as male or female or as portions (of the one brahma). The Mahābhārata and some of the Purāṇas emphasize that God is one and that there is no difference between Śiva and Viṣṇu. ⁷² Vide Vanaparva 39. 76-77, Brahmapurāṇa 130. 10-11, 192. 51-53, Vāmana 67. 27-28, Varāha 70, 27, Viṣṇupurāṇa V. 18, 50, Brahmānḍa III, 43. 47-51, Nāradiya I. 2. 32. Some purāṇas⁷³ put forward the notion that health is secured from the worship of God as) the Sun, wealth from Agni, (true) knowledge from Śhaṅkara, and mokṣa from Viṣṇu.

Eight kinds of Dvādaśis

Some of the purāṇas (such as Brahmavaivarta) specially mention eight kinds of dvādaśīs viz. Unmilani, Vañjulī, Trispṛśā, Pakṣavardhini, Jayā, Vijayā, Jayanti and Pāpanāśini. Vide Hemādri on Kāla pp. 260-263, H. (on vrata) vol. I. p. 1214, N. S. 43, Sm. K 250–254. Detailed descriptions of these are passed over here. Jaya⁷⁴, Vijayā, Jayanti and Pāpanāśini are dvādaśīs respectively having Punarvasu, Śravaṇa, Rohiṇī, Puṣya nakṣatras. Trispṛśā is⁷⁵ dvādaśī which spreads over three days i.e. it exists before sunrise on a certain day, then on the whole of the next day from sunrise and for some time (however short) after the latter, On these fast should be observed by those desirous of destruction of sins and attainment of mokṣa.

Summary

It would not be out of place to bring together in one place the different items that constitute Ekādaśīvrata.

On the 10th the performer has a meal at midday (ekabhakta), then he cleans his teeth (not with a twig) but with leaves or by rinsing the mouth twelve times with water. Then on the night of 10th he gives up his evening meal and begins to observe the restrictions indicated above (pp. 115-116). Then on the 11th after getting up he cleanses the body as well as the mind and makes a saṅkalpa in the morning as described above (pp. 105-106). The saṅkalpa has to be made at night or in the noon if ekādaśī is viddhā. Then he recites thrice the mantra of eight syllables (om namo Nārāyaṇāya) on the water in the copper vessel in his hands and drinks water therefrom. On the 11th he prepares a maṇḍapa of flowers, worships the Viṣṇu image therein and offers the several upacāras. He fasts that day. He recites hymns of praise to Viṣṇu and falls prostrate on the ground in salutation. He then keeps awake at night. On the 12th he takes a bath in the morning, offers worship to Hari and dedicates his fast to the God, recites the mantra (Ajñānatimirāndhasya’ &c. cited above p. 105) and performs the pāraṇa. This is the general outline of kāmya ekādaśīvrata. In the case of the obligatory fast, the performer should abstain from food the whole day and also keep the several restrictions to be observed on ekādaśī (as described above such as not drinking water more than once, not sleeping by day &c). The rules for the followers of Caitanya about ekādaśī as summarised from the Haribhaktivilāsa by Prof. S. K. De in ‘Vaiṣṇava faith and Movement’ on pp. 371-375 do not differ much from those stated above.

Pāraṇa

A vrata comes to an end by a rite called udyāpana (carrying out) or pāraṇa or pāraṇā. The word pārana or pāraṇā is derived by some from the root ‘pāra’ meaning ⁷⁶ ’to finish an action or rite’. The word occurs in the drama Śakuntala referred to above on p. 46 and in Raghuvamśa II. 70 ‘prātar-yathoktavrata-pāraṇānte”. Vide for pāranā also Raghuvamśa II. 39 and 55. According to the Kūrma-purāṇa, one should fast on the ekādaśī and pāraṇā is to be on the 12th but pāraṇā should not be done on 13th tithi, since that would destroy (the merit) of twelve dvādasis. ⁷⁷ In spite of this, pāraṇā on the 13th ⁷⁸ tithi had to be allowed under certain circumstances e.g. if ekādaśī is mixed with daśamī on a prior day and with dvādaśī on the next day, then the fast is to be on dvādaśī but if no dvādaśi at all exists on the day after fast, then pāraṇā may be on the 13th tithi.

The Viṣṇudharmottara ⁷⁹ prescribes ‘a vrata ends with pāraṇā and at the end of a vrata, brāhmaṇās are to be fed; before one vrata is finished one should not commence another’. The general rule is that in all vratas⁸⁰ the pāraṇā is in the morning. One should perform the udyāpana as laid down in the texts providing for the vrata concerned; a vrata becomes fruitless if the udyāpana be not performed.

If no form of udyāpana is prescribed by the texts, the performer should perform a rite in consonance with the ⁸¹ vrata. He should make gifts in proportion to his wealth when no form of udyāpana is mentioned in the texts on a vrata. For making the vrata complete he should donate cows and gold. If none of these can be given and nothing can be done as laid down in the texts, the words of a brāhmaṇa alone are sufficient to complete a vrata; but if a man receives the blessed words of brāhmaṇas without giving a dakṣiṇā (though able), he goes to hell!

A difficulty may arise owing to the rules that no fresh vrata is to be undertaken till one (prior) vrata is finished and that vrata includes its pāraṇā. Suppose, a man has undertaken years ago to observe two vratas, then he may have to observe a fast on ekādaśī and also on dvādaśī owing to another vrata already undertaken. Pāranā involves bhojana (taking food). But this is impossible if one has to undergo two fasts successively. The remedy is that at the end of the first vrata the performer (who has to undergo two fasts) should sip water. The Veda says that when a man partakes of water it is neither eating nor non-eating⁸².