This Ekadashi is also called Amalkai ekadashi celebrating the "Nallikai" tree. On Amalakai ekadashi day jagarane is done under the nallikai tree. The significance was told to king mAMDhAta by sageVashishta.
Why Nallikai or Amalkai tree is considered so pavitra?, Sage Vashishta says after Pralaya when everything was destroyed in the universe..Sri Hari woke up from his yoga nidra, a drop fell from his brahmi face. From that drop Nallikai tree was born. It grew really fast and started to droop full of fruits. Of all the trees in the Universe Nallikai tree is the first. Later as per Sri Hari's wish other things were created by Sri Brahma Devaru.. Thus Nallikai tree is created by Sri Hari himself. Amalkai nagoo HeySha pravarO vaishnavaO math: asya saMsmarNAdEva laBEdgOdAnajaM PalaM || sparSnA dviguNaM puNyaM triguNM BkSHNAd taTA | tasmAt sarva prayatnEna sEvyA AmalakI sdA || Of all the trees this tree is the best. The name is amalkai. This is very dear to Sri Vishnu. Just by thinking about this its equal to gOdAna ( giving away a cow ) If you touch it twice the benefits, thrice if you eat it. So we have to try to as much seva for this tree. okay here is more info on why Nallikai tree is so special.. 1. Sri Hari resides at the root of this tree. 2. Brahma Devaru at the top of the tree. 3. Rudra Devaru in the middle of the tree. 4. Sages live on the branches. 5. Devathas reside on the twigs, leaves. 6. Prajapathi in the fruits. Overall this tree is the sannidhana for all devathas. All HariBhaktas should worship this tree. recent studies have shown that amalaki is a great antioxidant and rejuvenates the body. Improve digestion. Amalaki is one of the main ingredient of any Ayurvedic medicine. Leaves and bark of the tree are used in number of modern day medicines for various diseases including cancer. Worship Shri padma-Govinda roopi narayaNa during this ekadashi. From the purana story it is very clear that all varnas should perform Ekadashi vrat. In ancient days kings ensured ekadashi is performed throughout the kingdom for the good of everyone in the kingdom. Redemption is also the theme from Story from purana, indicating hope for every and any one with faith in Sri Hari. Dwadashi significance: If there is pushya star on dwadashi day its called Amalaki dwadashi. Worship Nalli plant/tree on this dwadashi day. Ekadashi Sankalp Mantra ekadasyaM nirAhAra sthithvA chaiva parEhani| BHOkshEhaM pundarIkAksha sharanaM mE bHavAchyuta || On the day of ekadashi I will fast and on the day day of dwadashi I will do parane in the morning. Achuta please rescue me. Benefits: Doing this special ekadashi during Phalguna Shukla brings benefits of all tritha Yatre..and various types of dhaan( charity). Story from Puran King MAndhAtA once said to Vasishtha Muni, "O great sage, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally." Vasishtha Muni replied. "O king, kindly listen as I describe the best of all fast days, Amalaki EkAdashi. He who faithfully observes a fast on this EkAdashi obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this EkAdashi is more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brAhmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his living, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalaki EkAdashi and following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship. "There was once a kingdom named VaidishA, where all the brAhmanas,kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge, great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King PAshabinduka, a member of the dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known as Chitraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that King Chitraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly. "During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in his kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty) so perfectly engaged in their own dharmas were all the brAhmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, not was there every drought or flood. Indeed,the kingdom was free of disease, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional service to Sri Hari, as did the king, who also rendered specialservice to Lord Shiva. Moreover, twice a month everyone fasted on EkAdasii. "In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of VaidishA lived many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving service of the Sri Hari. "Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of Amalakii EkAdasii arrived, conjoined with DvAdasi. King Chitraratha realised that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he and all the citizens of VaidishA observed this sacred EkAdasii very strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations. "After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalakii tree grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord ParashurAma with these prayers: 'Oh Lord ParashurAma, Oh son of RenukA, Oh all-pleasing one,Oh liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalakii tree and accept our humble obeisances.' Then they prayed to the Amalakii tree: 'Oh Amalakii,you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisances and these bumble gifts. O Amalakii,you are actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord RAmachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately freed of all his sins.' "After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his subjects remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping according to the regulations governing a sacred EkAdashi fast. It was during this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the king and the citizens of VaidishA observing Amalakii EkAdashi by performing jagran (an all-night vigil), fasting, and worshiping Sri Hari in the beautiful forest setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was.'What is going on here?' he thought. What he saw in that lovely forest beneath the holy Amalakii tree was the Deity of Lord DAmodara being worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot, and what he heard were devotees singing sacred songs describing shri Krishna's leelas.Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched the EkAdasii celebration and listened to the glories of Sri Hari. "Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the court sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of EkAdasii and returned to the city of VaidishA. The hunter then returned to his hut and happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had gained by fasting on Amalakii Ekadashi and hearing the kirtanes of Sri hari, as well as by being forced to stay awake all night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may chariots, elephants,horses,and soldiers. His name was VasUratha, the son of King VidUratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti. "King VasUratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun, and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Shri Vishnu, and in forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and ever truthful, King VasUratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Sri Hari. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his subjects, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices, and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough charity. "One day, while hunting in the jungle, King VasUratha strayed from the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow, fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and, remembering their longstanding enmity toward the king, began discussing among themselves various ways to kill him. 'It is because he killed our fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest.' So saying, they prepared to kill King VasUratha with various weapons, including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes. "But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king, and soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened.Their fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body, startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments,emitting a wonderful fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she looked like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly killed all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king. "Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around him, he was astonished. He wondered, 'These are all great enemies of mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?' "At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: 'You ask who helped you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress? He is none other than Sri Keshava,He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.' "Upon hearing these words, King VasUratha became over-whelmed with love for Shri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all. "Therefore, Oh King Mandhata," the venerable Vasishtha Muni concluded, "...anyone who observes this holy Amalakii EkAdasii will undoubtedly attain the abode of Sri Hari, so great is the religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day." MadhveshArpaNamastu
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AuthorKrishna Mutt Kondapur Blog is an attempt to update the mutt bandhus with Madhva events ,programs in Hyderabad Archives
March 2016
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