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Apara Ekadashi story
Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha in the Month of Jyeshtha
Once, King Yudhishthira, with great devotion, offered his salutations at the feet of Lord Krishna and humbly prayed—
“O Madhava! I have a deep desire that you kindly enlighten me about the name, significance, observance rules, and spiritual merits of the Ekadashi that falls in the Krishna Paksha of Jyeshtha month.”
Lord Krishna replied—
“O King! This sacred date is known as ‘Apara Ekadashi.’ It is believed to bestow immense merit and wealth. Those who observe this fast with devotion are blessed with fame and honor in this world and are freed from all sins.”
Lord Krishna continued—
“O Yudhishthira! By the influence of this fast, a person is absolved of great sins like Brahma-hatya (killing a Brahmin), birth in ghostly realms, and slandering others.
This vrat (fast) also destroys sins like adultery, giving false testimony, speaking lies, creating or studying fictitious scriptures, pretending to be an astrologer, or falsely accusing someone.
Kshatriyas who flee from the battlefield become eligible for hell, but if they observe the Apara Ekadashi fast with sincerity, they too attain heaven. Disciples who criticize their gurus after receiving knowledge are also bound for hell, yet even they can be freed from such sin by this fast.”
Lord Krishna further said—
“The merit obtained by bathing in the three Pushkar lakes on Kartik Purnima,
by offering pind daan to ancestors on the banks of the Ganga,
by bathing in Prayagraj during Makar Sankranti,
by observing the Shivratri fast,
by bathing in the Gomti River during Jupiter’s transit in Leo,
by visiting Kedarnath or Badrikashram during the Kumbh Mela,
by bathing in Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse,
or by donating gold, elephants, horses, or nine specially selected cows—
the same merit is attained simply by observing the Apara Ekadashi fast with devotion.”
“This fast is like an axe that cuts down the tree of sins,
like fire that burns the fuel of evil,
and like the sun that removes the darkness of sin.”
Hence, O King!
“The person who sincerely observes the Apara Ekadashi fast and worships Lord Vishnu is liberated from all sins and ultimately attains Vaikuntha—the abode of Lord Vishnu.”
it is belived that Merely listening to or reading this sacred story of Apara Ekadashi destroys all sins of a person.
