Kāmadā Ekādaśī
Kāmadā Ekādaśī comes in the month of Caitra, (March / April), during the bright fortnight. The glories of this Ekādaśī are not liked by those who are unqualified and materially attached. All Ekādaśīs are special, but Kāmadā Ekādaśī is especially relevant for us.
After Satī incinerated herself in the assembly of Dakṣa, Śiva Ṭhākura retired from all external activity and performed intense bhajana. He wanted to forget all but Bhagavān and to be with Him eternally. In His absence, the cosmic balance and the principles he governed came completely under the sway of tama-guṇa. Darkness and ignorance were uncontrollably advancing in all directions. No one wanted to follow bhakti and people had no respect for anyone or anything. People ceased all sacrifice, charity, and austerity. There was no auspiciousness without Śiva.
The demigods were distressed. They concluded that if Śiva remained in samādhi, aloof from everything, the cosmic creation would fall into ruin. They began to think of ways they could bring him back to external consciousness. After careful consideration, they requested Kāmadeva to break Śiva Ṭhākura’s meditative trance.
Kāmadeva, or lust personified, is the perpetuating force in the universe. Living beings act only due to desire. No living entity would do anything without Kāmadeva. He keeps the jīvas restless, anxious, and unsatisfied. The lust in the heart of a person will never be satiated. Due to the forces of lust, no matter how many objects of enjoyment one collects, satisfaction is never attained.
The demigods told Kāmadeva, “Go and break Śiva’s equilibrium. Shoot your five arrows into his body. We have faith that you can bring him back to his cosmic duties, for you are the reason living beings stir themselves into action.”
Kāmadeva was hesitant, but he relented upon hearing the repeated requests of the demigods. He went to where Śiva was sitting in meditation and deployed his five arrows. Each of Kāmadeva’s arrows corresponds with the five elements of this world. When the arrow in connection with the air element hits someone, lustful thoughts enter that person’s mind. This however, is not so difficult to control. The difficulty progresses with each arrow. The arrow that is in connection with fire causes a lustful burning in the mind. The arrow pertaining to water, or rasa, fuels the anticipation of imagined feelings and experiences. The arrow that is involved with the element of sky causes a person to become lost in dreams of lust’s fulfillment. But the victims of the arrow that is in connection to the earth element are rendered helpless. Ridding oneself of the effects of this arrow—which affects the physical body—is impossible without higher help. Śiva Ṭhākura tolerated the first four arrows, but when this fifth arrow struck him, it was as if an electric current jolted through his body. The effects of this arrow cause the lusty desires of everyone on the planet to become irrepressible.
His trance broken, Śiva became restless. He rebuked Kāmadeva, “Rascal! I am trying to do bhajana and you disturb me like this?” He immediately opened his third eye and burnt Kāmadeva to ashes. Rati, the wife of Kāmadeva, wept in grief for her lost husband. After consoling her, the demigods informed her that only she could bring Kāmadeva back. They urged her, “If you fail to act quickly, he will be gone forever.” After all, what was rati, attachment, without kāma, desire?
Rati came before Śiva Ṭhākura and propitiated him for mercy. In the meantime, a demon named Śambarāsura also felt great unrest in Kāmadeva’s absence. “I have collected so much wealth and have so many varieties of enjoyment ready for me,” he thought, “but for some reason I now do not see any pleasure in all of this.”
Kāmadeva’s business had stopped. There was no longer any lust in the world, therefore Śambarāsura was unable to feel pleasure in all that he had collected. Demonic persons lament when their strength to enjoy diminishes. In old age, they give themselves injections and take medication in order to maintain or increase their level of enjoyment. Presenting himself before Śiva Ṭhākura, he recited the Rudrāṣṭakam in an attempt to please Śiva and prayed, “O Prabhu I am yours! I have money, women, and property, but now I can’t enjoy them. Please help me.”
Śiva heard the prayers of Rati and Śambarāsura. He instructed Rati, “You must live as the maidservant of Śambarāsura.” Rati was shocked. Śiva Ṭhākura continued, “If you do this, Kāmadeva will be reborn. He will kill Śambarāsura and you will be reunited to him.”
Śiva Ṭhākura separately told Śambarāsura, “You want Kāmadeva to return. This desire of yours will be fulfilled in the future when Rukmiṇī’s son is born in Dvārakā. That son of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa will be Kāmadeva himself. He will come to you and kill you.”
Śambarāsura did not like the words he heard from Śiva Ṭhākura. From that time, he waited, and as soon as a son was born to Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī, He went to Dvārakā and kidnapped him. He planned to kill the baby boy, but as he was bringing him a safe distance from Dvārakā, he was met by Nārada Ṛṣi.
“Śambarāsura,” Nārada Ṛṣi asked, “what are you doing?”
“I am going to kill this baby. He is destined to be my end.”
“Now, hear me out respected sir, you know as well as I that it is wrong and most inauspicious to kill a baby. If you must, just throw him in the ocean. Don’t kill him directly.”
“Good idea,” Śambarāsura said, and cast the boy into the ocean. But Kāmadeva is not so easy to defeat. A large, hungry fish swallowed the baby. “Vah!” thought the fish. “Such a big meal for me today.” But the fish soon regretted swallowing the baby. Who can tolerate Kāmadeva’s presence in their body?
The fish became thoroughly agitated. He swam from side to side and up and down without control and went completely mad. A fisherman caught what he noticed to be a particularly restless fish. Such is the influence of Kāmadeva. The sons of Kuvera also experienced this. Intoxicated by lust they lost all sense. The prey of kāma cannot rest or find peace anywhere.
The fisherman presented the fish to Śambarāsura. The demon was delighted to see such a fat and colorful fish, and he licked his lips in anticipation of its taste. The fish not only looked delicious, but to his amazement, he felt the presence of kāma once more when he touched it. He had longed for this energy to return to him. People are happy when they can gratify their lust. They become proud of their ability to enjoy.
“Rati,” Śambarāsura said, “take this fish and cook it. I am very happy today. Today I will have a feast.”
Rati did as she was told. She brought the fish to the demon’s kitchen, but to her surprise, when she cut it open, she found a baby inside. As she picked up the child, Śiva Ṭhākura sent her the inspiration, “This is your husband. Take care of him in secret until he is matured.”
Rati cared for the boy and fed him milk and honey, unbeknownst to anyone. Meanwhile, Śambarāsura was elated. Kāmadeva had returned and he again had the strength to enjoy what he had collected with great endeavor.
This is a long story. In short, Kāmadeva grew into a young man, at which time Rati informed him that he was her husband.
“What?” Kāmadeva said. “But you are like my mother! You have cared for me as if I was your son.”
Rati told him the whole story and how he now had to kill Śambarāsura. There was a fight between Sambarāsura and Kāmadeva, but it is well known that Kāmadeva is not easy to defeat. This is the business of the god of lusty desires. He comes to a person, destroys him, and then leaves. Any man overcome by kāma and unrestrained will enjoy by any means until he withers and becomes like a dry straw. This has been the case of numerous kings, including Śāntanu.
As mentioned before, Śiva Ṭhākura wanted to forget everything. He wanted to fix his mind exclusively on Bhagavān; Kāmadeva, however, hampered his attempt.
Quite some time later, Śiva Ṭhākura was thwarted by lust once more. Desiring to see the form in which the Supreme Lord tricked the demons and gave the nectar called soma to the demigods, Śiva Ṭhākura went to meet with Lord Hari. At the request of Śiva Ṭhākura, Bhagavān showed him His enticing Mohinī svarūpa. Śiva Ṭhākura could not maintain his composure at the sight of the irresistible woman. He lustfully ran after Mohinī to embrace her but she kept one step ahead of him as he chased her throughout the universe. Showing a lesson for all of the dangers of unfettered lust, Śiva Ṭhākura ejaculated in abundance as he pursued Mohinī. Attenuated, Śiva Ṭhākura then prayed to the Lord for relief from the sway of His personified illusory energy.
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, madhya-līlā 22.16, we find the prayer:
kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durṇideśās
teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṇā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ
utsṛjyaitān atha yadu-pate sāmprataṁ labdha-buddhis
tvām āyātaḥ śaraṇam abhayaṁ māṁ niyuṅkṣvātma-dāsye
[O Lord of the Yadus! There is no limit to the unwanted dictates of my lusty mind. Although I have served the desires of my mind, they have not shown any mercy to me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have they brought me fulfillment. O my Lord, now, however, my spiritual intelligence has been awakened and I have come to you for shelter. I fall at Your lotus feet, which bestow fearlessness. Kindly utilize me in Your personal service.]
Śiva Ṭhākura said, “O Lord, now I understand that kāma renders all beings mad. Day and night men and beasts follow the dictates of lust, yet they are never satisfied. The inhabitants of this world move about for no other reason than to realize their lusty desires. Even when exhausted by such endeavors, they still cannot control their lust. To gratify their desires, people are always ready to destroy not only themselves, but whoever they contact. Kāma is the reason behind a man’s cruelty. Kāma resides in the peoples’ sight, hearing, thinking, and entire body. Kāma allows no peace in a person’s life. I have surrendered unto You, dear Lord. Please save me from kāma!”
The compassionate Lord replied, “If you want to be freed from lust, then seek the help of Kāmadā Ekādaśī. Observe Ekādaśī-vrata on the eleventh rise of the waxing moon in the month known as Caitra. Kāmadā Ekādaśī-devī will help you.”
Śiva Ṭhākura faithfully did as advised. After strictly following this vrata, he received darśana of Ekādaśī-devī. Understanding the heart of Śiva Ṭhākura, Ekādaśī-devī instructed him, “Go to Vraja-maṇḍala and bathe in the pond known as Bimalā-kuṇḍa in Kāmyavana. Pray for the mercy of Vṛndā-devī—the presiding deity of that holy place—and become a follower of the Vraja-devīs. When you are in such shelter, Kāmadeva will never even look at you, what to speak of touching you.”
At the time of rāsa-līlā, Kāmadeva tried to bewilder Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. He was, however, powerless at the hands of Madana-mohan (Kṛṣṇa, the attractor of cupid) and the Vraja-devīs. His intention was conquest yet he was conquered himself.
Śiva Ṭhākura went to Vraja-maṇḍala and fervently prayed to Vṛndā-devī and the gopīs. There, in the forest of Kāmyavana, Devādi-deva Śiva Ṭhākura attained the goal of his austerity and received the kāma-gāyatrī-mantra.
The Guru-varga has said many times that one must seriously do puraścaraṇa of this kāma-gāyatrī-mantra. Our past ācāryas have done puraścaraṇa in their lives, revealing its power and importance. Śiva Ṭhākura did puraścaraṇa and received the mercy of the Vraja-devīs. Puraścaraṇa is a vow pertaining to a fixed time period in which to chant the mantra a predetermined number of times while strictly observing penance.
Śiva Ṭhākura now forgot about chanting the names of Viṣṇu and instead chanted the kāma-gāyatrī day and night. He said, “Now I know the real Kāmadeva—kāmadevāya vidmahe. I have also realized who His flowers are. Puṣpa-bānāya dhīmahi—they are the Vraja-devīs, the mañjarīs.”
If you are in the shelter of the Vraja-devīs then there is no need to fear Kāmadeva. When you are part of that family, there is no one that can harm you.
Few understand the full glory of this Kāmadā Ekādaśī. We must be serious in our practice of bhajana. We have passed countless lives absorbed in bhojan (eating) and raman (recreation). How can we put an end to this miserable existence?
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura exemplifies how we must pray:
gopīnātha, mama nivedana śuno, viṣayī durjana,
kāma-rata, kichu nāhi mora guṇa
[Gopīnātha, please listen to my submission. I am a wretched materialist, always prone to worldly enjoyment. I have no good qualities.]
Ekādaśī-devī says, “I will save those who follow me and offer them to the true Kāmadeva—Gopinātha.”
We should all pray to Ekādaśī-devī. She is the mother of bhakti. She comes twice a month to help us. On this day, if we earnestly pray for her mercy, she will help us develop spiritual energy and taste, which eradicates mundane lust—the root cause of our suffering.
The mahā–bhāgavata devotees can save us from kāma. But how often do we remember them and pray to them? How often do we go to them in our meditation? We cannot remember Gurudeva when our consciousness is contaminated by lust. Therefore, be serious in your sādhana and in following the instructions of guru.
Do not be complacent and think that you can defeat Kāmadeva by your own strength. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī condemns such a disposition:
are cetaḥ prodyat-kapaṭa-kuṭināṭī-bhara-khara
kṣaran-mūtre snātvā dahasi katham ātmānam api mām
sadā tvaṁ gāndharvā-giridhara-pada-prema-vilasat
sudhāmbhodhau snātvā svam api nitarāṁ māṁ ca sukhaya
Śrī Manaḥ-śikṣa, 6
[O evil mind, although you take to the path of sādhana, you imagine yourself cleansed by bathing in the hot urine of the great donkey of full-scale deceit and hypocrisy. By doing so, you are simultaneously scorching yourself and burning me, an insignificant jīva. Stop! Make yourself and me happy by eternally bathing in the nectarine ocean of pure love for the lotus feet of the Divine Couple Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.]
Don’t be careless. Don’t bathe in donkey urine! If you are not serious, then lust will claim you and your nature will degenerate to the level of animals. Carefully consider this.
Śiva received the name Kāmeśvara. When Śrīla Gurudeva and Vaiṣṇavas would bring the devotees to Kāmyavana, he would have them offer praṇāma to Kāmeśvara Mahādeva and pray to him for the removal of their anarthas. Kāmeśvara Mahādeva can save us from becoming beasts in our next life.
People that do not know the meaning or strength of the kāma-gāyatrī-mantra complain that, even though they have been practicing for so long, they are still bothered by lusty desires. Some say, “This must mean my guru is not bona fide.” If you are not serious this person will be you. This state of mind comes to a person who does not serve sincerely and who does not pray day and night. Such people do not seriously chant the mantra given by Guru and Vaiṣṇavas, and they do not beg for Ekādaśī-devī’s mercy. If you are serious, and you have the mercy of Ekādaśī-devī, you will meet no problems in your life.
Hari-katha spoken by Sripada Premananda Prabhu; rendition by Rasik Mohan Das
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
