Nirjalā Ekādaśī

Article: Nirjalā Ekādaśī

Nirjalā ekādaśī, which occurs during the period of May-June, is described in Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa in a conversation between Vyāsadeva and Bhīmasena.

Once, Bhīmasena, the younger brother of Yudhiṣṭhira, said to the great sage Śrīla Vyāsadeva, “O my learned, worshipable grandfather, please hear my request. My elder brother Yudhiṣṭhira, my mother Kuntīdevī, my brothers Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Draupadī do not eat anything on ekādaśī.

They, especially Yudhiṣṭhira, always tell me to fast on ekādaśī, and I tell them that although I know that fasting on ekādaśī is a scriptural injunction, due to my hunger I am unable to fast. I can give in charity as per my capacity, and I can worship Lord Keśava according to proper rules and regulations, but I cannot fast. So, please tell me how I can obtain the result of ekādaśī without fasting.”

Śrī Vyāsadeva replied, “O Bhīma, if you want to go to the heavenly planets and avoid the hellish planets, you must refrain from eating on both ekādaśīs of each month.”

Bhīma said, “O great sage, it is impossible for me to fast on twenty-four ekādaśīs every year, as instructed by the Lord. What to speak of fasting all day and night, I cannot tolerate my hunger for even a moment. The fire of hunger, vṛka, is always present in my stomach, and it is extinguished only by voracious eating. However, with great endeavor I can fast on one day a year. Therefore, please tell me about a vow by duly following which I can attain auspiciousness both in this life and next.”

Śrī Vyāsadeva said, “O King! You have already heard from me about the Vedic religious principles and the duties of human beings. But in this age of Kali everyone is not capable of following those rules and regulations. Therefore I will tell you a sublime method by which you can achieve great results. This method is the essence of all the Purāṇas. Anyone who observes the ekādaśīs of waning and waxing moons by fasting never goes to hell.”

Hearing Vyāsadeva’s words, the strongest warrior Bhīmasena became frightened and shivered like a leaf on a Banyan tree and said, “O grandfather! Then what should I do? I am totally unable to fast twice a month throughout the year. Therefore, O my Lord! Kindly instruct me about observing one vow which awards the most amount of merit and following which I can achieve all benefits.”

Then Śrī Vyāsadeva replied, the ekādaśī which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of May-June during the sun’s presence in either Taurus or Gemini rāśi is called Nirjalā ekādaśī.

One should observe total fast even from drinking water on this ekādaśī. On this day one should perform ācamana for purification by drinking that amount of water in which a single mustard seed or a drop of gold can be immersed. One should place the said amount of water in his palm which he should form to resemble a cow’s ear. If one drinks more or less water than this, then it will amount to drinking of wine.

One must not eat anything at all on this ekādaśī otherwise his vow will be broken. One should not drink even water from the moment of sunrise on the day of ekādaśī until the sunrise on the day of dvādaśī. In this way, if one strictly observes this ekādaśī without drinking water, then he can attain the results of observing all the ekādaśīs of the year.

In the early morning on the day of dvādaśī, one should take bath and give gold and water in charity to the brāhmaṇas. Thereafter the follower should gladly eat with the brāhmaṇas.

O Bhīmasena! Now please hear about the piety one accumulates by observing this ekādaśī. By following this ekādaśī one can achieve the result of following all the ekādaśīs throughout the year. Once Lord Viṣṇu, who holds a conch, a disc, a plough and a lotus flower in His hand, told me that if a person gives up all varieties of religion and surrenders unto Me and follows this Nirjalā ekādaśī which is very dear to Me, he is certainly relieved from all sinful reactions.

One cannot achieve the supreme destination by giving wealth in charity or attain any benefit by following smārta rules and regulations in the Kali-yuga. In fact, the Vedic religious principles have become extinct in this age of Kali which is polluted with various faults.

O Son of Vāyu! What more can I tell you? Actually, eating is prohibited on all the ekādaśīs and even the drinking of water is prohibited on Nirjalā ekādaśī. By observing this ekādaśī one achieves the piety of visiting all the holy places. At the time of death such a person is not approached by the fierce-looking Yamadūtas; rather, he is approached by the divine-looking Viṣṇudūtas to be transferred to the abode of Viṣṇu. If one gives water and cows in charity after observing this ekādaśī, then he is freed from all his sinful activities.

When the other Pāṇḍavas heard about the glories of this ekādaśī, they resolved to observe it. Since Bhīmasena began observing this Nirjalā ekādaśī, from that day onward this ekādaśī became famous as Pāṇḍava Nirjalā or Bhīmasenī ekādaśī. By following this ekādaśī, sinful activities as huge as Sumeru or Mandara Mountain are at once burnt to ashes. O King! Lord Kṛṣṇa has declared that any pious activities such as taking bath in a holy place, giving in charity, chanting Vedic mantras and performing sacrifices carried out on this Nirjalā ekādaśī day become inexhaustible.

One who reads or hears the glories of this ekādaśī with devotion goes back to the abode of Vaikuṇṭha. The result one attains by observing the vow of Amāvasyā conjoined with Pratipadā and offering oblations to the forefathers during the solar eclipse is attained simply by hearing the glories of this ekādaśī.