🛌 Devshayani Ekadashi (Harishayani / Ashadhi Ekadashi) Vrat Katha
The story
A famine of three years struck the kingdom of King Mandhata; sage Angira told him — 'keep the vrat of Ashadha Shukla Padma (Devshayani) Ekadashi, Vishnu will be pleased'; the king and his people kept the vrat, the rains came, the kingdom turned green — the fruit of the vrat is the welfare of the realm, rain, the destruction of sin. (Bhavishyottara Purana — told by Krishna to Yudhishthira.)
The Vamana tale: Vamana asked Bali for three paces of land, covering the three worlds in two; Bali offered his head — Vishnu gave him the netherworld and, as promised, stayed at his gate for four months (from Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi to Kartika Shukla Ekadashi) — this is called 'Vishnu's sleep'; Lakshmi freed Vishnu by tying a rakhi on Bali on Raksha Bandhan (in the rakhi story).
The Shankhasura tale: tired from the battle with Shankhasura, Vishnu slept on the Shesha bed in the ocean of milk on Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi and woke on Kartika Shukla Ekadashi — hence Chaturmas; creation in this period is in the hands of Shiva-Shakti (Sawan-Navratri); on Devuthani Vishnu wakes and performs the Tulsi wedding.
Why this katha — the significance
Padma Purana: on Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi Vishnu went to sleep at Bali's gate (or in the ocean of milk) and woke in Kartika — in the four months between, Shiva runs creation (Sawan belongs to Shiva); in the Bhagavata world 'the gods sleep, auspicious rites pause' — hence weddings, mundan, housewarming etc. after Devuthani; but the fruit of vows, japa, charity, katha and pilgrimage is multiplied many times in these four months.
The Ekadashi fast: from the night of Dashami to the paran on Dwadashi — no rice or grain, fruit/waterless; from Devshayani the Chaturmas rules — giving up one thing (greens in Shravana, curd in Bhadrapada, milk in Ashwin, lentils in Kartika), sleeping on the floor, celibacy, daily katha — for the full four months; concluded on Devuthani.
In Maharashtra Ashadhi Ekadashi = the Wari of Pandharpur — the palanquins from Alandi (Dnyaneshwar) and Dehu (Tukaram) on foot for 21 days, lakhs of Warkaris chanting 'Vitthal-Vitthal' — among India's largest foot pilgrimages; 'Devpodhi Agiyaras' in Gujarat, 'Harishayan' after the Rath Yatra in Odisha, 'Shayan Ekadashi' in Bengal — the sleep of Jagannath.
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Devshayani Ekadashi in {Y} and when is the paran?
This year's Ashadha Shukla Ekadashi date and tithi window (Delhi) are above; paran the next day in Dwadashi after sunrise, avoiding Hari Vasara (the first quarter of Dwadashi) — check the exact paran time on the panchang; if Dwadashi ends before noon, paran early in the morning.
What is not done in Chaturmas?
Weddings, engagements (some), mundan, the sacred thread, housewarming, starting a new business (some) — until Devuthani Ekadashi; but some priests allow naming ceremonies, annaprashan and vehicle purchases; Chaturmas is the most auspicious for vows, japa, charity, pilgrimage, katha and satsang.
Which Chaturmas rule should I take?
Whatever can be kept — giving up leafy greens in Shravana, curd in Bhadrapada, milk in Ashwin, lentils in Kartika (tradition); or giving up onion-garlic, one chapter of the Gita daily, a Tulsi lamp, an hour of silence, some charity daily, sleeping on the floor — complete even one with a true heart; the concluding charity on Devuthani.
Why no rice on Ekadashi?
In the Padma Purana sin resides in grain (especially rice) on Ekadashi; folk belief — a part of sage Medha is in rice (on the day of Ekadashi); Ayurveda — one day of light food in a fortnight rests the digestion; paran with rice on Dwadashi is auspicious.
What is the Wari of Pandharpur?
The Warkaris of Maharashtra carry the palanquins from Alandi (saint Dnyaneshwar) and Dehu (saint Tukaram) on foot for 21 days (250 km) to Pandharpur — the darshan of Vitthal and the Chandrabhaga bath on Ashadhi Ekadashi; lakhs of people, dindis, abhang-kirtan — a 700-year-old tradition; the second Wari on Kartiki Ekadashi.
Should women keep it waterless?
Fruit is enough — in the scriptures Ekadashi is a fruit fast; waterless is special only on the Nirjala Ekadashi of Jyeshtha; the pregnant, unwell and elderly take fruit and milk; the essence of the vrat is giving up rice, remembering Vishnu and restraint — not suffering from hunger.
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