Kāmikā Ekādaśī

Kāmikā Ekādaśī

This special Ekādaśī emphasizes the importance of tulasī in worshiping Śrī Hari.

On this day, arcana is done to Śrī Hari using tulasī leaves. One tulasī leaf is equivalent to eight tolā golden flowers and thirty-two tolā silver flowers. Worship with tulasī leaves is very dear to Śrī Hari; it is dearer to Him than worship with pearls, rubies, topaz, diamonds, or other precious stones. Worshiping Śrī Keśava with tender tulasī leaves, or bunches of tulasī leaves, wipes out all of the sins one has committed since birth.

A mountain of sins is destroyed just by looking at a tulasī plant. If one touches a tulasī plant or leaf, one’s body becomes clean. If one bows down to a tulasī plant, one will be healthy. If one waters a tulasī plant, even Lord Yama is afraid to go near him. We make a connection with Kṛṣṇa when we grow a tulasī plant. If one places tulasī leaves at the feet of the Deity of Śrī Hari, one attains mokṣa. Thus, we should bow our heads to the pious tulasī plant.

People who light a ghee lamp or oil lamp in front of the Deity of Śrī Hari will in turn be worshiped with many (koṭi) lamps and taken to Sūrya-loka. For those who light lamps before the Deity of Śrī Hari in their house on Ekādaśī, their forefathers will get amṛta in Svargaloka.

Kāmikā Ekādaśī is described in Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa in a conversation between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said, “O Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, I have heard from You about the glories of Deva-śayanī Ekādaśī. Now, I would like to hear about the Ekādaśī that occurs during the waning moon in the period of July-August. O Lord, please be kind and explain its glories to me.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “O king, please hear attentively as I describe this sacred vow, which removes all sins. In ancient times, Nārada Muni once asked Lord Brahmā about the same topic. He also inquired about the Deity that is to be worshiped on that day, and the process one must follow to observe this Ekādaśī.

“Lord Brahmā, the spiritual master of the universe, said, ‘The Ekādaśī which occurs during the waning moon in the period of July-August is called Kāmikā Ekādaśī. By hearing the glories of this Ekādaśī, one attains the result of performing a Vājapeya sacrifice. On this auspicious day, one should worship Lord Viṣṇu, who holds a conch, disc, club, and lotus.

The results one obtains by residing and bathing in holy places like the Ganges, Kāśī, Naimiṣāraṇya, and Puṣkara are obtained simply by worshiping Lord Viṣṇu on this day. The result that cannot be obtained even by taking bath in Kedāranātha, Kurukṣetra, or during a solar eclipse is easily obtained by worshiping Lord Kṛṣṇa on this day. Therefore, it is everyone’s duty to strictly observe Kāmikā Ekādaśī by worshiping Lord Viṣṇu.

“Just as water cannot remain on a lotus leaf, reactions of sins cannot remain with a person by the influence of Kāmikā Ekādaśī. Anyone who worships Lord Hari with tulasī leaves is freed from all sins. Simply by seeing tulasī, one’s sinful reactions are destroyed. By touching tulasī one’s body is purified; by offering prayers to tulasī one’s diseases are cured; by bathing tulasī one does not have to fear Yamarāja, the lord of death; by planting tulasī one becomes fortunate enough to reside with Lord Kṛṣṇa; and by offering tulasī leaves at the feet of the Deity of the Supreme Lord one attains pure devotional service.

Even Citragupta is unable to estimate the piety of one who offers obeisances and ghee lamps to tulasī on Ekādaśī. The sin of killing a brāhmaṇa or an embryo is nullified as a secondary effect of observing Kāmikā Ekādaśī. One who hears or reads about the glories of this Ekādaśī with faith certainly attains the abode of Viṣṇu.”