मोहिनी एकादशी Mohini Ekadasi

वैशाख शुक्ल एकादशी तिथि । इस एकादशी को मोहिनी एकादशी के नाम से जाना जाता है। जिस प्रकार कार्तिक के समान वैशाख मास उत्तम माना गया है उसी प्रकार वैशाख मास की यह एकादशी भी उत्तम कही गयी है। इसका कारण यह है कि संसार में सभी प्रकार के पापों का कारण मोह माना गया है। विधि विधान पूर्वक इस एकादशी का व्रत रखने से मोह का बंधन ढ़ीला होता जाता है और मनुष्य ईश्वर का सानिध्य प्राप्त कर लेता है। इससे मृत्यु के बाद नर्क की कठिन यातनाओं का दर्द नहीं सहना पड़ता है।

मोहिनी एकादशी के विषय में शास्त्र कहता है कि, त्रेता युग में जब भगवान विष्णु रामावतार लेकर पृथ्वी पर आये तब इन्होंने भी गुरू वशिष्ठ मुनि से इस एकादशी के विषय में ज्ञान प्राप्त किया। संसार को इस एकादशी का महत्व समझाने के लिए भगवान राम ने स्वयं भी यह एकादशी व्रत किया। द्वापर युग में भगवान श्री कृष्ण ने पाण्डु पुत्र युधिष्ठिर को इस व्रत को करने की सलाह दी थी।

मोहिनी एकादशी के विषय में मान्यता है कि समुद्र मंथन के बाद जब अमृत प्राप्ति को लेकर देव और दानवों के बीच विवाद छिड़ गया तब भगवान विष्णु अति सुंदर नारी रूप धारण करके देवता और दानवों के बीच पहुंच गये। इनके रूप से मोहित होकर दानवों ने अमृत का कलश इन्हें सौंप दिया। मोहिनी रूप धारण किये हुए भगवान विष्णु ने सारा अमृत देवताओं को पिला दिया। इससे देवता अमर हो गये।

जिस दिन भगवान विष्णु मोहिनी रूप में प्रकट हुए थे उस दिन एकादशी तिथि थी। भगवान विष्णु के इसी मोहिनी रूप की पूजा मोहिनी एकादशी के दिन की जाती है। इस एकादशी को संबंधों में आये दरार को दूर करने वाला भी माना गया है।

मोहिनी एकादशी कथाः
भद्रावती नाम की सुन्दर नगरी थी। वहां के राजा धृतिमान थे। इनके नगर में धनपाल नाम का एक वैश्य रहता था, जो धन-धान्य से परिपूर्ण था। वह सदा पुण्यकर्म में ही लगा रहता था। इसके पाँच पुत्र थे इनमें सबसे छोटा धृष्टबुद्धि था। यह पाप कर्मों में अपने पिता का धन लुटा रहा था। एक दिन वह नगर वधू के गले में बांह डाले चौराहे पर घूमता देखा गया। इससे नाराज होकर पिता ने उसे घर से निकाल दिया तथा बन्धु बान्धवों ने भी उसका परित्याग कर दिया।

अब वह दिन रात दु:ख और शोक डूबकर इधर-उधर भटकने लगा। एक दिन किसी पुण्य के प्रभाव से महर्षि कौण्डिल्य के आश्रम पर जा पहुंचा। वैशाख का महीना था। कौण्डिल्य गंगा में स्नान करके आये थे। धृष्टबुद्धि शोक के भार से पीड़ित हो मुनिवर कौण्डिल्य के पास गया और हाथ जोड़कर बोला: ‘ब्रह्मन्! द्विजश्रेष्ठ ! मुझ पर दया करके कोई ऐसा व्रत बताइये, जिसके पुण्य के प्रभाव से मेरी मुक्ति हो।’

कौण्डिल्य बोले: वैशाख मास के शुक्लपक्ष में ‘मोहिनी’ नाम से प्रसिद्ध एकादशी का व्रत करो। इस व्रत के पुण्य से कई जन्मों के पाप भी नष्ट हो जाते हैं। धृष्टबुद्घि ने ऋषि के बताये विधि के अनुसार व्रत किया जिससे वह निष्पाप हो गया और दिव्य देह धारण कर श्रीविष्णुधाम को चला गया।

व्रत विधिः
इस एकादशी का व्रत रखने वाले को अपना मन साफ रखना चाहिए। प्रातः काल सूर्योदय से पूर्व उठकर स्नान करे इसके बाद शुद्घ वस्त्र पहनकर भगवान विष्णु के मूर्ति अथवा तस्वीर के सामने घी का दीपक जलाएं और तुलसी, फल, तिल सहित भगवान की पूजा करें। व्रत रखने वाले को स्वयं तुलसी पत्ता नहीं तोड़ना चाहिए।

किसी के प्रति मन में द्वेष की भावना नहीं लाएं और न किसी की निंदा करें। व्रत रखने वाले को पूरे दिन निराहार रहना चाहिए। शाम में पूजा के बाद चाहें तो फलाहार कर सकते हैं। एकादशी के दिन रात्रि जागरण का बड़ा महत्व है। संभव हो तो रात में जगकर भगवान का भजन कीर्तन करें। अगले दिन यानी द्वादशी तिथि को ब्राह्मण भोजन करवाने के बाद स्वयं भोजन करें।

 

Mohini Ekadasi

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaja said, “Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight (sukla paksha) of the month of Vaisakha (April-May) ?
What is the process for observing it properly?
Kindly narrate all of these details to me.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh blessed son of Dharma, what Vasishtha Muni once told to Lord Ramachandra I shall now describe to you.
Please hear Me attentively.

“Lord Ramachandra asked Vasishtha Muni, ‘Oh great sage, I would like to hear about the best of all fasting days that day which destroys all kinds of sins and sorrows.
I have suffered long enough in separation from My dear Sita, and so I wish to hear from you about how My suffering can be ended.’

“The sage Vasishtha replied, ‘Oh Lord Rama, Oh You whose intelligence is so keen, simply by remembering Your name one can cross the ocean of the material world.
You have questioned me in order to benefit all of humanity and fulfill everyone’s desires.
I shall now describe that day of fasting which purifies the whole world.

‘Oh Rama, that day is known as Vaisakha-sukla Ekadasi, which falls on Dvadasi.
It removes all sins and is famous as Mohini Ekadasi.
Truly, Oh dear Rama, the merit of this Ekadasi frees the fortunate soul who observes it from the network of illusion.
Therefore, if You want to relieve Your suffering(s), observe this auspicious Ekadasi perfectly, for it removes all obstacles from ones path and relieves the greatest miseries.
Kindly listen as I describe its glories, because for one who even just hears about this auspicious Ekadasi, the greatest sins are nullified.

‘On the banks of the Sarasvati River there was once a beautiful city named Bhadravati, which was ruled by King Dyutiman.
Oh Rama, that steadfast, truthful, and highly intelligent king was born in the dynasty of the Moon (Chandra-vamsa).
In his kingdom was a merchant named Dhanapala, who possessed a great deal of wealth of food grains and money.
He was also very pious.
Dhanapala arranged for lakes to be dug, sacrificial arenas to be erected, and beautiful gardens to be cultivated for the benefit of all the citizens of Bhadravati.
He was an excellent devotee of Lord Vishnu and had five sons:
Sumana, Dyutiman, Medhavi, Sukriti, and Dhrishthabuddhi.

‘Unfortunately, his son Dhrishthabuddhi always engaged in greatly sinful activities, such as sleeping with prostitutes and associating with similar degraded persons.
He enjoyed illicit sex, gambling, and many other varieties of acts aimed at gratifying the senses.
He disrespected the demigods (devas), the brahmins, the forefathers and other elders of the community, as well as his family’s guests.
The evil-hearted Dhrishthabuddhi spent up his father’s wealth indiscriminately, always feasting on untouchable foods and drinking alcohol to excess.

‘One day Dhanapala kicked Dhrishthabuddhi out of the house after he saw him walking along the road arm-in-arm with a known prostitute.
From then on all Dhrishthabuddhi’s relatives were highly critical of him and distanced themselves from him also.
After he had sold all of his inherited ornaments and become destitute, the prostitute also abandoned him and insulted him because of his poverty.

‘Dhrishthabuddhi was now full of anxiety, and also hungry.
He thought, “What should I do ? Where should I go ? How can I maintain myself ?
He then began to steal.
The king’s constables arrested him, but when they learned who it was, and that his father was the famous Dhanapala, they released him.
He was caught and released in this way many times.
But at last, sick of his arrogance and total disrespect for others, and their property, the ill-mannered Dhrishthabuddhi was apprehended, handcuffed, and then beaten.
After whipping him, the king’s marshals warned him, “Oh evil minded one, there is no place for you in this kingdom.

‘However, Dhrishthabuddhi was freed from his tribulation by his father and immediately thereafter entered the dense forest.
He wandered here and there, hungry and thirsty and suffering greatly.
Eventually he began killing the jungle animals, the lions, deer, boars, and even wolves for food.
Always ready in his hand was his bow, always on his shoulder was his quiver full of arrows.
He also killed many birds, such as chakoras, peacocks, kankas, doves and pigeons.
He unhesitatingly slaughtered many species of birds and animals to maintain his sinful way of life, the sinful results accumulating more and more each day.
On account of his previous sins, he was now immersed in an ocean of great sin that was so relentless that it appeared that he could not get out.

‘Dhrishthabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, during the month of Vaisakha, by the force of some of his past merit he chanced upon the sacred Ashrama of Kaundinya Muni.
The great sage had just finished bathing in the Ganges River, and water was dripping from him still.
Dhrishthabuddhi had the great good fortune to touch some of those droplets of water that were falling from the great sage’s wet clothing.
Instantly Dhrishthabuddhi was freed of his ignorance, and his sinful reactions were reduced.
Offering his humble obeisances to Kaundinya Muni, Dhrishthabuddhi prayed to him with joined palms:
“Oh great brahmana, please describe to me some of the atonement I may perform without too much endeavour.
I have committed so many sins in my life, and these have now made me very poor.

‘The great rishi replied, “Oh son, listen with great attention, for by hearing me your life will change, and you will become free of all your remaining sins.
In the light fortnight of this very month, Vaisakha (April-May) there occurs the sacred Mohinii Ekadasi, which has the power to nullify sins as vast and weighty as Mount Sumeru.
If you follow my advice and faithfully observe a fast on this Ekadasi, which is so dear to Lord Hari, you will be freed from all the sinful reactions of many, many births.

‘Hearing these words with great joy, Dhrishthabuddhi promised to observe a fast on Mohini Ekadasi according to the sage’s instructions and direction.
Oh best of kings, Oh Ramachandra Bhagavan, by fasting completely on Mohini Ekadasi, the once sinful Dhrishthabuddhi, the prodigal son of the merchant Dhanapala, became sinless.
Afterwards he achieved a beautiful transcendental form and, free at last of all obstacles, rode upon the carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garuda, to the Supreme abode of the Lord.

‘Oh Ramachandra, the fast day of Mohini Ekadasi removes the darkest illusory attachments to material existence.
There is thus no better fast day in all the three worlds than this.’

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “and so, Oh Yudhishthira, there is no place of pilgrimage, no sacrifice, and no charity that can bestow merit equal to even one sixteenth of the merit a faithful devotee of Mine obtains by observing the Mohini Ekadasi.
And He who hears and studies the glories of Mohini Ekadasi achieves the merit of giving away one thousand cows in charity.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Vaisakha-sukla Ekadasi, or Mohini Ekadasi, from the Kurma Purana.