Yoginī Ekādaśī

Article: Yoginī Ekādaśī

The special Ekādaśī known as Yoginī Ekādaśī can cure severe diseases. Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, a great devotee of Lord Śiva, recommended following this Ekādaśī to another devotee of Śiva. Thus, observing this vrata is for everyone, including devotees of Lord Śiva.

The glories of Yoginī Ekādaśī, which occurs during the waning moon in the period of June–July, are described in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa in a conversation between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.

Once, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said, “O Supreme Lord, O Madhusūdana, I have heard the glories of Nirjalā Ekādaśī. Now, I wish to hear about the Ekādaśī that occurs during the waning moon in the period of June–July.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “O king, the name of that Ekādaśī is Yoginī. It destroys all of one’s sinful reactions and delivers one from the ocean of material existence.

“O best of kings, now I will narrate a story from the Purāṇas which demonstrates this. Kubera, the king of Alakā-purī, regularly worshiped Lord Śiva. He had a Yakṣa gardener named Hema, and Hema’s wife was Viśālakṣī. Viśālakṣī was very beautiful, and Hema was very attached to her. Hema often collected flowers from Mānasa-sarovara Lake and gave them to King Kubera for his worship of Lord Śiva. One day, after collecting flowers as usual, instead of bringing them to Kubera, Hema went home to be with his wife.

“O king, thus Kubera did not receive any flowers that day. He waited six hours for Hema, and without the flowers he was unable to complete his worship of Lord Śiva. The king became extremely angry and sent a messenger to find out the cause of his gardener’s failure to perform his duty.

“After some time, the Yakṣa messenger returned and said to the king, ‘O master, Hema is at home with his wife.’ Kubera became very angry and immediately ordered his servants to bring Hema before him. Realizing that he had made a terrible mistake, Hemamālī was ashamed. He fearfully went before Kubera and offered his respectful obeisances.

Kubera, whose entire body trembled and whose eyes were red with anger, said, ‘O sinful one, O destroyer of religious principles, you have disregarded my most worshipable Lord Śrī Śaṅkara and engaged in sense gratification. Hence, I curse you to be afflicted with white leprosy, and you will remain separated from your dear wife forever. O low-class fool, you must immediately leave this place.’

Cursed by Kubera, Hemamālī immediately fell from Alakā-purī and took birth in this world. He was afflicted with white leprosy and suffered in extreme misery. In intense mental agony and without any food or water, he went to a dense forest. There, he suffered day and night from extreme hunger and thirst. He could not find any relief during the day, and he could not sleep at night.

He was miserable in both the winter and summer. However, his memory remained intact because in the past he had faithfully helped worship Lord Śiva. Although he was now engaged in various sinful activities, he was able to remember his previous pious activities, and thus his consciousness did not degrade and he remained alert.

“After wandering throughout the forest in this way, by good fortune he arrived at the Himalayan Mountains. By Providence, he met with the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya, the best of ascetics, whose life lasts for seven kalpas. Feeling very sinful, Hemamālī remained at a distance from the sage and repeatedly offered him his humble obeisances from afar.

The kind-hearted sage Mārkaṇḍeya called the leprosy-ridden man before him and asked, ‘How have you come to suffer from this dreadful affliction? What sinful, condemned activities have you performed such that you have to suffer in such a miserable condition?’

“Hemamālī replied, ‘O great sage, I am the gardener of Kubera, the king of the Yakṣas. My name is Hemamālī. I used to collect flowers regularly from Mānasa-sarovara Lake and give them to my master Kubera. Kubera used the flowers in his worship of Lord Śiva. One day I neglected to give flowers to my master due to fulfilling my lusty desires with my wife. That is why Kubera, the king of the Yakṣas, became angry and cursed me. As a result, I am suffering terribly from white leprosy and I am separated from my wife.

I do not know how such a wretched soul like me has had the good fortune of meeting a great personality like you. I have heard that saintly persons always feel compassion when they see the distress of others, and they always endeavor for the welfare of others. O great sage, this fallen soul surrenders to you and hopes to obtain auspiciousness. Please be kind and deliver me.’

“With compassion, the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya replied, ‘O gardener, I will instruct you about a very auspicious, beneficial vow. You should observe the Ekādaśī known as Yoginī that occurs during the waning moon in the period of June–July, and by the piety you achieve you will certainly be liberated from the curse of leprosy.’ Hemamālī became joyful, and with gratitude he offered his humble obeisances to Mārkaṇḍeya. In time, he duly observed that Ekādaśī, as instructed by the sage. Consequently, he regained his heavenly form and returned home to reunite with his wife.

“The result one attains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brāhmaṇas is attained by observing Yoginī Ekādaśī. This Ekādaśī destroys all of one’s sinful reactions and awards one great piety.”