Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Vrat Katha | Legends of Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Enjoying the glory of the Ekadashis, the Dhanurdhara Arjuna said - "O Lord! Listening these beneficial and meritorious stories, my joy knows no bounds and my curiosity is growing. O Kamalanayana! Please tell me the story of the Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha of Shravana month. What is the name of this Ekadashi and what is the method of observing its fast? Which deity is worshipped during this Ekadashi and what is the result of observing this fast?"

Lord Shri Krishna said - "O Dhanurdhara! By merely hearing the story of the Ekadashi during the Shukla Paksha of Shravana month, one can attain the rewards equivalent to countless sacrifices. O Partha! At the beginning of the Dvapara Yuga, there was a city called Mahishmati, where a king named Mahajita reigned. He was childless and, as a result, was always unhappy. Despite all the comforts and grandeur of his kingdom, he found life extremely painful because, without a son, a person cannot find true happiness in this world or the afterlife.

The king made numerous attempts to have a son, but each of his efforts failed. As King Mahajita grew older, his worries also increased.

One day, the king addressed his assembly and said - "I have not committed any sins in my life, nor have I unjustly collected wealth from my subjects, nor have I ever caused them pain. I have also never disrespected the God and the Brahmins.

I have always cared for my subjects as if they were my own children. I have never harbored jealousy towards anyone and have treated everyone equally. The laws in my kingdom are not meant to instill unnecessary fear among the people. Despite ruling righteously, I am currently suffering greatly, and I do not understand why. Please consider this and help me discover the cause of my suffering. Will I ever be freed from this pain in this lifetime?"

To alleviate the king's suffering, the ministers went to the forest to seek the guidance of a sage. In the forest, they had the privilege of meeting esteemed sages.

Among them was the venerable and pious sage, Maharishi Lomasha. They all approached him, respectfully greeting him before taking their seats. The sight of the sage filled them with great joy and they expressed their gratitude by saying - "O revered one! We are incredibly fortunate to have the honor of your presence."

Upon hearing the minister's words, Sage Lomasha said - "O honourable minister! I am very pleased by your humility and good conduct. Please tell me the purpose of your visit. I will certainly do my best to assist you, for our bodies are meant to perform good deeds."

Hearing such soft words of Lomasha Rishi, the minister said - "O Rishivara! You are more capable than Brahma himself in discerning our troubles. Kindly resolve our doubts. The great king Mahajita of the city of Mahishmati is highly virtuous and beloved by his subjects. Although he cares for his subjects as his own children, he remains childless. O great sage! This causes him immense grief. We, his subjects, also share his pain, for it is the duty of the people to share in their king's joys and sorrows. We have yet to discover the reason for his childlessness, so we have come to you. Now that we have met you, we firmly believe that our suffering will be relieved, for the mere sight of great men brings success in all endeavours. Please kindly tell us by what method our king can have a son. O sage! This would be a great favour upon us and the subjects of our kingdom."

Upon hearing such a heartfelt plea, sage Lomasha closed his eyes and contemplated the king's past lives. After a few moments of deep thought, he said - "O good people! This king was extremely arrogant and committed sinful deeds in his past life. In that life, he used to wander from one village to another.

Once, during the Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Jyeshtha, the king had been hungry for two days. At noon, he went to a reservoir to drink water. There, he found a cow that had just given birth, also drinking water. The king drove the thirsty cow away and began to drink the water himself.

O noble ones! This is why the king is suffering.

The results of fasting on Ekadashi in his previous life granted him the position of a king in this life. However, by driving away the thirsty cow from the reservoir, he caused himself to be childless."

On listening to this, all the courtiers pleaded - "O revered sage! The scriptures state that good deeds can eradicate sins. Therefore, please suggest a way by which our king's past sins can be absolved and he is blessed with a son."

Listening to the courtiers' plea, sage Lomasha said, "O noble men! If all of you observe the fast of Putrada Ekadashi during the Shukla Paksha of Shravana month and stay awake throughout the night and dedicate the merit of the fast to the king, then your king will be blessed with a son. As a result of the fast, all the king's sufferings will be eradicated."

On learning of this solution, the minister and everyone else expressed their heartfelt thanks to Maharishi Lomasha and received his blessings before returning to their kingdom. Following his guidance, they observed the Putrada Ekadashi fast and dedicated the merit of their fast to the king on the Dwadashi day.

As a result of this virtuous act, the queen conceived and, after nine months, gave birth to a brilliant son.

O son of Pandu! This is why this Ekadashi is called Putrada, which means giver of sons. Anyone wishing for a son should observe the Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Shravana with the proper rituals. Observing this fast brings happiness in this world and rewards in the afterlife."

Synopsis (Katha-Saar)

When individuals engage in sinful acts, they often fail to recognise the consequences of their actions. Scriptures teach us that even the smallest sin can lead to immense suffering. Therefore, one should always be cautious about committing sins, as the weight of sin can burden them across lifetimes. It is essential for all living beings to follow the path of truth, maintain complete faith and devotion toward God and always remember that there is no greater sin in the world than hurting someone's feelings.