Vaikunta/Moksada Ekaadashi

Hare Krsna!!!

Dear Parents,
   Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and much needed break from the regular routine. Due to school winter break, we couldn't update the blog early.

Prayers & Bhajan: We offered our prayers to Lord Krsna and respects to all the Vaisnavas.
vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca
kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo
vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.
Audio Link: Vaishnava_Pranam

Sloka: We revised Damodarastakam and Bhagavad-Gita sloka (9.14)
[Note: Please refer to the older posts for Damodarastakam and the Bhagavad-Gita sloka audio links]

Story of Ekaadashi:
Another name of Ekaadashi is Hari-vaasara because the main purpose of observing Ekadashi is to please Lord Hari with all of our senses.
Once there was a demon named Mura harassed the demigods in the heavenly planets. Indra and all the demigods were driven away from their heavenly kingdom. So, the demigods requested Lord Hari to help them. Lord Hari hearing their prayers personally went to kill this demon.
 He engaged in war with the demon for ten thousand years. Finally the Lord defeated the demon and left for Badrikaasrama and entered a beautiful cave named Hemavati and took rest. But the demon chased the Lord and entered the cave and tried to kill Him when the Lord was resting. At that time a radiant daughter appeared from His body and killed the demon.
When the Lord got up from His rest, He saw the dead demon and the shining goddess standing before Him with folded hands. The Lord was pleased with Goddess and said that she can ask for any benediction she wants. Since she is His spiritual energy and appeared on the day of Ekaadashi, the Lord named her as Ekaadashi.
He gave the benediction that anyone who follows the vow of Ekaadashi will be relieved from all sinful reactions and attain heavenly happiness.

Significance of Vaikunta/Moksada Ekaadashi:
There was a king named Vaikaanasa who ruled the city of Campaka  with affection for his citizens.  One day, the King had a dream that his father was suffering in the hell. On seeing this, the King couldn't sleep, eat and had no interest in ruling the kingdonm.
 He appealed to the learned brahmanas about how to help his father from hell. The brahmanas directed the king towards the asram of Parvata Muni, who is the knower of past, present and future.
After hearing their suggestion, the King along with the brahmanas and his citizens went to see Parvata Muni. After paying his restpects to the sage, the King asked Parvata Muni about how to help his father from hell. When Parvata Muni heard this, he sat down in deep meditation. After a while, he got up from his meditation and said His father did bad things in his previous life and that is why he is suffering now. So, to help him, the king had to observe this Moksada Ekaadashi and donate the credits/piety  to his father.
The King along with his wife, children and servants observed Moksada Ekaadashi and donated all its piety to his suffering father. By the influence of this piety the father attained the heavenly planet and blessed his son very much.
By following this Ekaadashi, one is relieved from all sinful reactions.

We concluded the class with an activity about what foods are appropriate on Ekadashi.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the next class.

Haribol!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Radhika Mataji
Amutha