Utpannā Ekādaśī marks the birthday of Ekādaśī. Still, this is not her only form. She has numerous forms, just like Gaṅgā-devī has three svarūpas. In one form Gaṅgā is the wife of Śāntanu Mahārāja and the mother of Bhīṣma known as Chāyā Gaṅgā. In her second form she is Kṛṣṇa’s caraṇāmṛta flowing throughout the three worlds: on Earth she is Bhāgīrathī; in the upper planetary systems she is Mandākinī; and in the lower planetary systems she is Bhogavatī. In her third, and topmost form, she is Kṛṣṇa-priyā Gaṅgā, the dear sakhī of Kṛṣṇa.
How was Ekādaśī-devī born? It is said that there was a demon named Mura who attacked Śiva. On being attacked, Śiva and the demigods became perturbed and prayed to Viṣṇu for help. Viṣṇu, hearing their plea, arrived, and a ferocious battle ensued between Viṣṇu and the demon. After sometime Viṣṇu stopped fighting to take some rest. Seeing Viṣṇu unarmed and sleeping, the demon ran forward to kill Viṣṇu. Ekādaśī-devī manifested from His eleven senses and she fought and killed this demon Mura. Thereafter, the Lord became renowned as Murāri.
Ekādaśī-devī then said to Viṣṇu, “I would like to help the jīvas. Please give me some such service.”
He replied, “Yes. Help them by destroying their anarthas and purifying their hearts. You should make them free of all misgivings and grant them liberation. By your help they will seek shelter and surrender to Me. After surrendering to Me, their lives will be successful.”
This is one history behind Ekādaśī-devī’s appearance. This is especially meant for ordinary people who are stricken with anarthas, sins, and offenses. Ekādaśī-devī helps these conditioned souls in this manifestation of hers.
In aprakaṭa Vraja-bhūmi, the Vrajavāsīs, headed by Nanda Bābā, also follow Ekādaśī. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śukadeva Gosvāmī extensively glorified Ekādaśī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Without following Ekādaśī, your senses will never be trained in spiritual service. Ekādaśī-devī will train your senses and help you realize what lies in your best interest.
We see in this world that the conditioned souls are neglected and not taken care of. They repeatedly move about in this cycle of birth and death without any knowledge or means of escape. Therefore, if anyone tries to follow Guru, Sādhu, and Śāstra, Ekādaśī-devī will come to their aid and assist them on the path of devotion. She gives them special power and goodness called śuddha-sattva. She inspires the jīvas by saying, “Serve Guru and Vaiṣṇavas. The senses are stronger than the strongest of elephants and horses. If they are not used for bhakti, they will be completely uncontrolled.”
Ekādaśī-devī gives a service mood for Kṛṣṇa and by this the jīvas will attain the transcendental wealth and will not be plagued by anarthas anymore. She gives the senses strength and willpower to engage in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Thus the jīvas will never forget Kṛṣṇa.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we see how Ambarīśa Mahārāja received great strength from Ekādaśī-devī. Durvāsā Ṛṣi tried to harm him by manifesting a fiery demoness, but he could not do anything. Instead, Durvāsā Ṛṣi was defeated, and had to beg forgiveness. Could any demoness or illusory form of māyā have defeated Ambarīśa Mahārāja? No, because his mind was never restless, and he was always fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord. He was never afraid.
sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe 'ṅga-saṅgamam ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite
pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.4.18-20
[King Ambarīśa fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, engaged his words in describing the abode of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the temple of the Lord, his ears in hearing the pastimes of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the form of the Lord, his hands in touching the body of the servants of the Lord, his nostrils in smelling the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, his tongue in tasting the Tulasī leaves offered to the Lord, his legs in traveling to the holy places where His temple is situated, his head in offering obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in fulfilling the desires of the Lord. All these qualifications made him fit to become a pure devotee of the Lord.] Ambarīśa Mahārāja used all of his senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. We should try to understand what is meant by, “Man-manā bhava (Gītā 18.65).” Kṛṣṇa is present in the manasā-mandira, the mind sanctified by devotional service. He does not reside in contaminated minds. Who gives the mood and inspiration to become like this? Can the jīvas attain this mood by the strength of their own austerities? Never! But Ekādaśī-devī can give us this mood. Furthermore, who gives the power to respect Vaiṣnavas? Who gives us the energy to continuously serve Śrī Hari, Guru, and Vaiṣnavas? Hari-kathā and hari-kīrtana may be arranged, but who will inspire us to attend the class and kīrtana? We may go to class and kīrtana for one or two days by our own accord, but the next days we show complete indifference. Who will develop our taste? The conditioned souls are pulled by their senses. They will not allow them to attend hari-kathā and kīrtana. Therefore, those who lack willpower will find themselves failing in trying to perform devotional service. But if anyone openly says this to them, they will say, “Oh, he is insulting me!” and in denial, they distance themselves from the truth. Ekādaśī-devī helps her followers by giving them spiritual strength. The young gopīs followed the vrata for one month, eating very simply. In the early morning, by Vṛndā-devī’s and Yamunā-devī’s inspiration, they would offer worship to the deity of Kātyāyanī-devī they had made from sand. The deity was effulgent but she didn’t give darśana. On Utpannā Ekādaśī after their pūjā, they started to sing and dance. They were infused with strength and happiness, for in their hearts, Ekādaśī-devī had appeared. She had made the young gopīs fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa—they became man-manā-bhāva. Their minds were no longer restless and disturbed. They were thus empowered by the grace of Ekādaśī-devī. When the sun rose, they offered praṇāma and continued performing kīrtana. They didn’t return home directly, but went to a garden and started to remember kṛṣṇa-līlā. They would sit together and weep. Anywhere they saw Kṛṣṇa’s footprints, they offered praṇāma. For the whole day they did not eat, drink, nor sleep, but remained completely immersed in the bliss of kṛṣṇa-līlā and kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. After one month of following Kātyāyanī-vrata, the gopīs completely offered themselves to Kṛṣṇa. As the gopīs came out of the Yamunā, Kṛṣṇa looked at them with His merciful glance and made their bodies effulgent and superior to any precious metal. In the Mahābhārata, when Duryodhana’s mother Gāndhārī wanted to give him a special blessing, she told him to come before her naked. Following her order, he was on his way to her, when Kṛṣṇa met him and laughingly said, “How is it that Duryodhana is walking in public naked?” “I am going to my mother, by her order,” Duryodhana responded. “At least cover your loins before going to your mother. At your age it is not proper to show yourself naked.” Hearing this Duryodhana became shy and approached his mother thus having covered himself. When Gāndhārī removed her blindfold, she made Duryodhana’s body hard like iron by the power of her eyesight. Seeing Duryodhana partially covered, she lamented and said, “I requested you to come naked but you disobeyed my order and therefore your thighs are now vulnerable.” Later by Kṛṣṇa’s indication Bhīma crushed Duryodhana’s thighs and thus killed him. The young gopīs surrendered completely before Kṛṣṇa. Not an inch of cloth covered their bodies. Kṛṣṇa accepted them with His merciful glance, which meant that He protected them all. Now, no one could see or try to enjoy their beauty. If one stares directly at the sun, his eyes can be blinded. If any demon, gāndharvā, yakṣa, or rakṣāsa were to look at the Vraja-devīs in an inappropriate way, they would be burnt to ashes. Kṛṣṇa Himself protects the sakhīs. When Duḥśāsana wanted to disrobe Draupadī, she called out to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa appeared and protected her chastity with an endless supply of cloth. During holi-līlā, Śaṅkacūḍa tried to kidnap the gopīs, but Baladeva Prabhu killed him with His bare hands. Anybody who thinks of the gopīs in an inappropriate manner will be destroyed. Kṛṣṇa thus made these gopīs strong and ensured their protection. It is Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement for the Guru-varga to teach sādhakas how to follow the rules and regulations favorable for attaining bhāva-siddhi. What rules do the devotees follow? They listen to hari-kathā and honor mahā-prasādam. Just by being involved in these services, they become strong. They can dance and sing for hours, undefeated by māyā and the senses. They are connected to the powerhouse of divinity and thus being empowered, they engage themselves in continuous kīrtana.śrī hari-vāsare hari-kīrtana-vidhāna nṛtya ārambhilā prabhu jagatera prāṇa
Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura describes, “On Ekādaśī it is enjoined to perform hari-kīrtana, therefore Mahāprabhu, who is the life and soul of the whole world, began to dance in ecstasy.” Mahāprabhu started saṅkīrtana in Śrīvāsa-aṅgana at Māyāpura-dhāma. On the day of Ekādaśī, known as Hari-vāsara, Mahāprabhu would start kīrtana from the early morning and continued until late evening. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura describes how to follow Ekādaśī.śuddha-bhakata-caraṇa-reṇu bhajana-anukūla bhakata-sevā parama-siddhi prema-latikāra mūla
[Those who smear the dust from the lotus feet of pure devotees on their bodies, meaning, who continuously serve the Vaiṣnavas, will be the first ones to be helped by Ekādaśī-devī.] Ekādaśī is bhakti-jananī, the mother of devotion. Mādhava Himself sends Ekādaśī-devī for the faithful to observe. How can bhakti appear in the heart? Ekādaśī-devī appears and helps the jīvas awaken the most elevated mellows of loving devotion in their heart. The perfected Vrajavāsīs can bestow vraja-prema, vraja-rasa, and vraja-vāsa (residence in Vraja). They give us service in Vraja.gaura āmara je-saba sthāne karalo bhramaṇa raṅge se-saba sthāna heribō āmi praṇayi-bhakata-saṅge
[In the association of bhaktas who have heartfelt love for the Lord, I will see all the places where Gaura happily wandered. Ekādaśī-devī will go wherever Caitanya Mahāprabhu is present.][mṛdaṅga-vādya śunite mana avasara sadā jāce gaura-bihito kīrtana śuni’ ānande hṛdaya nāce]
[Ekādaśī-devī will reside at that place, which resounds with the sound of the mṛdaṅga and the singing of saṅkīrtana.]yugala-mūrti dekhiyā mora parama-ānanda haya prasāda-sevā korite haya sakala prapañca-jaya
[Ekādaśī-devī comes to those who serve Ṭhākurajī with love and who honor mahā-prasāda. Those who don’t honor mahā-prasāda will not have Ekādaśī-devī appear among them.]je-dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi gṛhete goloka bhāya caraṇa-sīdhu dekhiyā gaṅgā sukha nā sīmā pāya
[Ekādaśī-devī will descend where bhajana and saṅkīrtana is being performed and transform that place into Goloka Vṛndāvana. She goes to those who respectfully worship Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Godāvarī, and so on. She descends to offer her unconditional help.]tulasī dekhi’ juḍāya prāṇa mādhava-toṣaṇī jāni’ gaura-priya śāka-sevane jīvana sārthaka māni
[Ekādaśī-devī will be there wherever Vṛndā and her manifestation, Tulasī, are present. She is pleased with devotees who eat simply, and who honor the preparations dear to Gaurahari, such as śāk.]bhakativinoda kṛṣṇa-bhajane anukūla pāya jāhā prati-divase parama-sukhe svīkāra karoye tāhā
[In this kīrtana, “śuddha-bhakata-caraṇa-reṇu,” the favorable conditions for proper observance of Ekādaśī are described one after the other.] Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura happily follows these limbs of devotion every day with the greatest happiness. Ekādaśī-devī speaks through this kīrtana. She says, “I will appear where such favorable devotional services are being performed.” Ekādaśī-devī will not go to any place devoid of the proper observance of the limbs of bhakti. We should pray, “Ekādaśī-devī, please enter my heart and help me reform my senses. My senses are very weak and uncontrolled. They aimlessly wander and run to follow the evil mind’s dictates. Please help me engage them in Kṛṣṇa’s service.” The mind will only be controlled when it is engaged in fulfilling God’s purpose. We will control our minds by following Ekādaśī. How will she be pleased? Mahāprabhu has said that on Ekādaśī one must engage in hari-kīrtana. There is no need for us to run here and there absorbed in other engagements. We should engage in nāma-saṅkīrtana, and then she will be pleased. The paraphernalia by which she is worshiped is nāma-saṅkīrtana. We will then always remember Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu has described the beauty and importance of saṅkīrtana in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. One time, when Kṛṣṇa played His flute, all the Vraja-devīs started performing saṅkīrtana in a kuñja. Vṛndā-devī called Kṛṣṇa and said, “The sound emanating from Your flute carries great poison! Drinking this poison, Śrīmatī Rādhārānī has become senseless. She remains unconscious. She is definitely not in this world. Now only by Your touch will Her life be restored.” Kṛṣṇa replied, “I will not touch any ladies! I don’t even look at them, what to speak of touching them. This is not possible. I am a brahmacārī. The śāstras forbid looking at and touching women. This is not proper.” In the nikuñja-kuṭīra, the sakhīs covered Śrīmatī Rādhārānī with lotus petals. They fanned Her, while anxiously waiting for Her to regain consciousness. Vṛndā-devī, Paurṇamāsī, and Nāndī-mukhī requested Kṛṣṇa to see Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. But He said, “No. This is not possible.” What did they do then? They placed a mirror in front of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and another mirror outside the kuñja next to Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārānī’s figure reflected on the mirror outside and caught Kṛṣṇa’s attention. Kṛṣṇa thought, “Who is this Devī?” Constantly thinking about Her, Kṛṣṇa couldn’t control Himself nor maintain His composure any longer. Catching on to Madhumaṅgala’s shoulders, He could barely stand still. Sitting down, He prayed to Her:makheśvari! kriyeśvari svadheśvari sureśvari triveda-bhāratīśvari pramāṇa-śāsaneśvari rameśvari! kṣameśvari pramoda-kānaneśvari vrajeśvari vrajādhipe śrī rādhike namo ’stu te
[“O empress of Vraja, O Śrīmatī Rādhikā, I offer My praṇāma unto You.”] Becoming anxious, Kṛṣṇa said, “I yearn to have Her darśana; I must go immediately to see Her!” Vṛndā-devī said, “Yes. I will arrange everything.” Vṛndā-devī brought Kṛṣṇa to where Śrīmatī Rādhārānī was lying unconscious. Except for Her face and feet, lotus petals covered Her entire body. Seeing Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, Kṛṣṇa lost all His strength. He tried to speak, but it was impossible. He had no strength to do anything. He became hopeless. He thought, “Without Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, I have no life. By looking and touching Her lotus feet, My life will be successful.” Kṛṣṇa looked at His beloved in wonder. Nectar emanated from Rādhārānī’s effulgent figure; this nectar defeated Kṛṣṇa. He repeatedly offered prayers unto the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. He prayed, “O Gāndharvike! Please accept Me! I am Yours! Please accept Me!” Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prayed in this mood:hā devī! kāku-bhara-gadgadayādya vācā yāce nipatya bhuvi daṇḍavad-udbhaṭārtiḥ asya prasādam abudhasya janasya kṛtvā gāndharvike! nija-gaṇe gaṇanām vidhehi
Stava-mālā, Śrī Gāndharvā-samprārthanāṣṭakam 2
[O Devī Gāndharvikā! I am suffering immensely, and therefore I fall onto the ground like a stick, imploring You with a choked voice to be merciful to this foolish person and count me as one of Your own.] Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī prayed:tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi na jīvamī tvayā vinā iti vijñāya devī tvaṁ naya māṁ caraṇāntikam
Vilāpa-kusumāñjali 96
[I am Yours! I am Yours! Without You I cannot sustain my life. O Devī, knowing this, please bring me to Your lotus feet.] Kṛṣṇa prayed in this way, “O Rādhe! I am Yours! I am Yours! Except for Your lotus feet, I know of no other wealth.” Kṛṣṇa intently desired for Śrīmatī Rādhārānī to regain Her consciousness. Kṛṣṇa became lost in His thoughts. Observing this, to alleviate the separation of the Divine Couple, the sakhīs and mañjarīs started kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa said, “I want to touch Śrīmatī’s lotus feet once. I will take Her blessings and.” As soon as He touched Śrīmatī Rādhārānī’s feet, She regained Her consciousness. By Kṛṣṇa’s touch combined with the sakhīs’ kīrtana, Rādhārānī became conscious again. Vṛndā-devī said, “O Kṛṣṇa! The queen of Vraja has awoken. You should now soothe the pain of Her heart. You should speak to Her and accept Her.” Kṛṣṇa told His beloved, “O Rādhe! Please place Your lotus feet on My chest! My life will be successful and I will be pleased.” Vraja-rāja Kṛṣṇa’s heart was inundated with prema. His heart was no longer hard and dry. He was now soft and sweet. These are some of the glories of Ekādaśī. 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.