Apara Ekadashi

Once, Maharaja Yudhishthira asked Lord Krishna to explain the significance of the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight of Jyeshtha.

In response, Lord Krishna described the extraordinary glories of Apara Ekadashi and narrated a powerful story demonstrating its transformative power. Long ago, there lived a righteous king named Mahadhvaja. He was noble, virtuous, charitable, and greatly loved by his subjects. However, his younger brother was consumed by envy and hatred toward him.

Unable to tolerate the king’s popularity and success, the jealous brother secretly murdered King Mahadhvaja. Because his death was sudden, violent, and unjust, the king could not attain peace after leaving his body. Instead, he became trapped in a ghostly existence and was forced to dwell in a large banyan tree, suffering greatly. Unable to free himself from this miserable condition, he wandered helplessly for a long time.

One day, the compassionate sage Dhaumya Rishi passed near the banyan tree. Through his divine vision, the sage immediately understood the identity of the suffering spirit and the cause of his condition. Filled with mercy, Dhaumya Rishi decided to help the unfortunate king. He instructed the spirit about the greatness of Apara Ekadashi and personally observed the sacred fast with devotion, worshipping Lord Vishnu and engaging in spiritual practices.

After completing the vrata, Dhaumya Rishi dedicated all the spiritual merit gained from observing Apara Ekadashi to the suffering king. The result was immediate and extraordinary. By the immense power of Apara Ekadashi, all the reactions that bound King Mahadhvaja to his ghostly existence were destroyed. His spirit was instantly liberated from suffering, and a celestial airplane descended from the higher realms.

Freed from his ghostly condition, the king attained a beautiful divine form and ascended to the spiritual destination prepared for him by the mercy of Lord Hari. Through this pastime, the scriptures demonstrate that the power of Apara Ekadashi is so great that it can liberate even those trapped in the most difficult circumstances.