Kamada Ekadasi, a religious occasion of Hindu dharma, falls on the 11th day of the Shukla paksha in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March–April). It is the first Ekadashi of the Hindu calendar.
Kamada Ekadasi, a religious occasion of Hindu dharma, falls on the 11th day of the Shukla paksha in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March–April). It is the first Ekadashi of the Hindu calendar, and as per its name, it grants all desires of devotees after following scripture-suggested rituals and instructions.
This Ekadashi is also known as Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi in some parts of India, and it is a dedicated day for lord Krishna. Arriving right after Chaitra Navratri and Rama Navami, Kamada Ekadashi Vrat believes that devotees who observe fast on this day will get forgiveness and salvation from all of their sins, including killing a brahmin, which is considered the most heinous crime in Hindu scriptures.
Significance Of Kamada Ekadashi:
Kamada Ekadashi is the very first Ekadashi of the Hindu new year; that’s why it is believed to be the most auspicious Ekadashi of the year. The significance of this Ekadashi lies in its divine power of protecting devotees from all types of curses. Various Vedas, Puranas, and Hindu scriptures have described the significance of this Ekadashi by mentioning the gains of observing a fast on this holy day. Fasting on this day aids devotees in getting rid of their sins and leads them towards liberation by freeing them of the cycle of death and rebirth. Moreover, it is believed that if a couple holding a desire for a child observes this fast, they will be blessed with a male child.
Rituals And Celebration:
The rituals of this auspicious Ekadashi are very simple and manageable. The Kamada Ekadashi fast begins a day before the Ekadashi, on Dashami. Devotees are supposed to take only a single meal before sunset on the Chaitra Shukla Dashami day. Beginning from the sunrise of Ekadashi and ending after sunrise of Dwadashi, this Vrat lasts for a period of 24 hours.
On Kamada Ekadashi’s day, devotees wake up early before sunrise and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna after taking a holy bath and practicing meditation. Then they visit temples and apply sandalwood paste, fruits, flowers, Prashad, and burn incense sticks and dhoop as well in front of the idol of the deity.
Devotees are not allowed to consume meals on Ekadashi. But in today’s time, people observe this fast by consuming only Satvik food, including milk-based products, fruits, dry fruits, etc.
People also hold various charity events on this day by donating food, clothes, and other essentials to a Brahmin and all the needy people of society. Moreover, people gather around and read Kamada Ekadashi Vrat’s story along with chanting sacred mantras and spiritual songs in honor of the deity.
The Vrat Story Of Kamada Ekadashi:
Lord Krishna narrates the story of Kamada Ekadashi to the Pandava King Yudhishthira as the sage Vasishtha told it to King Dilip in the Varaha Purana.
A long time backs, a young Gandharva couple named Lalit and Lalitha are the main protagonist of this story. Lalit was a Gandharva and trained singer, and his wife Lalitha was an apsara and trained dancer. And they used to perform in the court of King Pundarika in Ratnapura.
One day Lalit was delivering a solo performance in the court, but his mind could not focus like usual days because of his beloved wife’s absence in the palace. His half-focused mind affected his performance, and Lalit made numerous mistakes in his performance. This incident made the king furious, and to punish him for his behavior, he cursed Lalit and turned him into a hideous demon.
Lalitha got devastated, and to answer back the king, she went to the court and broke the king’s misconception about her abandoning her husband, Lalit, due to his demon form. So the couple wandered apprehensively into the forests to find a solution to their misery.
After few days, they arrived at an ashram of Sage Shringi in the Vindhyachal mountain. Lalitha explained their dilemma and asked for an effective panacea. In response, sage Shringi suggested the couple a fast on Kamada Ekadashi Vrat of Chaitra month. So as per the sage’s advice, the couple observed the fast meticulously, and as a result, Lalit was relieved from the curse and gained his normal appearance.
So since then, the Kamada Ekadashi Vrat holds immense importance in the Hindu calendar as a dedicated religious day to offer prayers and devotion to Lord Krushna to seek blessings and fulfillment of desires.
