Kamada Ekadashi Vrat Katha | Legends of Kamada Ekadashi

Kamada Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Shri Krishna's dear friend Arjun said, "O Kamalnayan! I bow to you a million times. O Jagdishwar! I request you to please narrate the story of Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month. What about this Ekadashi? What is its name? Who observed this fast first and what results are obtained by observing it?"

Shri Krishna said, "O Arjun! Once King Dilip had asked the same question to Guru Vashishtha I will narrate that story to you. King Dilip asked Guru Vashishtha, "O Gurudeva! What is the name of Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month? Which deity is worshiped there and what is its rule? Please tell me that."

Sage Vashishtha said, "O King! The name of Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month is Kamada Ekadashi. It is the destroyer of all sins. Just as fire burns wood and reduces it to ashes, in the same way, due to the virtue of Kamada Ekadashi, All sins are destroyed and a bright son is born. By fasting through this, one becomes free from the lower world and finally he attains heaven. Now I tell you the greatness of this Ekadashi, listen carefully – In ancient times There was a city named Bhagipur It was ruled by a king named Pundarika. King Pundarika was blessed with many opulences. Many Apsaras, Gandharvas, Kinnars etc. lived in his kingdom. In the same city, two Gandharva named Lalit and Lalita used to live in a very magnificent house. Lalit and Lalita were proficient in singing. There was so much love between them that they used to get distressed at the mere thought of separation. Once King Pundarika was sitting in the court along with the Gandharvas. There the Gandharvas Lalit was also singing along with him. At that time his beloved Lalita was not present there. While singing, he suddenly remembered Lalita, due to which he started doing mistakes in singing. Nagraj Karkotaka complained about Lalit to King Pundarika. On this, the king got very angry and in anger he cursed Lalit - "Oh wretch! You are remembering your wife even while singing in front of me, because of this you become a cannibalistic demon and suffer the consequences of your deeds."

At the same time, Lalit Gandharva was transformed into a fierce demon due to the curse of King Pundarika. His face became monstrous. His eyes started glowing like the sun and moon. Fierce flames of fire started coming out of his mouth, his nose became as big as a mountain cave and his neck started appearing like a mountain. His arms became two Yojanas long. In this way his body became eight Yojanas long. After becoming a demon in this way, he started suffering many sorrows. Seeing this condition of her beloved Lalit, Lalita became distressed with immense sorrow. She started thinking about where should I go and what should I do for the salvation of her husband? By what means should I free my husband from this hell-like suffering?

Lalit became a demon and started committing many types of sins while living in the dense forests. His wife Lalita also followed him and started mourning after seeing his condition.

Once she followed her husband and reached Vindhyachal mountain. At that place he saw the Ashram of Shringi Muni. She quickly went to that ashram and after reaching the sage, bowed down and started praying in a humble manner, "O Maharishi! I am Lalita, daughter of a Gandharva named Veerdhanva, my husband has become a terrible demon due to the curse of King Pundarika. I am feeling immense pain. I am very sad because of my husband's suffering. Oh great sage! Please tell him some good solution to get rid of the demon form."

Hearing the entire story, Sage Shringi said, "O daughter! The name of Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month is Kamada Ekadashi. By observing its fast, all the desires of the living being are soon fulfilled.

If you give the virtue of his fast to your husband, he will easily be freed from the demonic form and the king's curse will be calmed."

As per the advice of the sage, Lalita fasted with devotion and on the day of Dwadashi, she gave the result of her fast to her husband in front of the Brahmins and started praying to God, "O Lord! May my husband get the fruits of the fast I have observed, So that they can soon be freed from their demonic form."

As soon as she gave the results of Ekadashi, her husband was freed from the demon form and attained his divine form. He adorned himself with many beautiful clothes and jewellery and started walking with Lalita like before.

Due to the influence of Kamada Ekadashi, he became as beautiful as before and after death, both of them went to Vishnu Loka sitting on Pushpaka Vimana.

Hey Arjun! By observing this fast regularly, all sins are destroyed. By the virtue of this fast, man becomes free from the sins of Brahmahatya etc. and from the worldly life of demons etc. There is no other fast in the world better than this. By listening and reading its story and greatness one gets infinite results.

Synopsis (Katha-Saar)

It is not bad for a living being to think about his happiness, but sometimes such thinking diverts the living being from his responsibilities, due to which he has to suffer terribly. Gandharva Lalit also became a demon and did condemnable deeds and suffered, but there is no end to the mercy of Lord Shri Hari.