Kāmikā Ekādaśī

Please check the date and time for Ekādaśī in your area using below sites.

https://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/

https://vaishnavacalendar.org/

https://www.drikpanchang.com/iskcon/iskcon-ekadashi-list.html

How to perform Ekādaśī

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 12

Observe fasting on Ekādaśī day (this occurs on the eleventh day after the full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon). On such days no grains, cereals or beans are eaten; simply vegetables and milk are moderately taken, and the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and reading of scriptures are increased.

Meditations on this auspicious day

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.27 purport

There are three classes of transcendentalists, namely, (1) the dhīra, or the one who is not disturbed by being away from family association, (2) one in the renounced order of life, a sannyāsī by frustrated sentiment, and (3) a sincere devotee of the Lord, who awakens God consciousness by hearing and chanting and leaves home depending completely on the Personality of Godhead, who resides in his heart. The idea is that the renounced order of life, after a frustrated life of sentiment in the material world, may be the stepping stone on the path of self-realization, but real perfection of the path of liberation is attained when one is practiced to depend fully on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who lives in everyone's heart as Paramātmā. One may live in the darkest jungle alone out of home, but a steadfast devotee knows very well that he is not alone. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is with him, and He can protect His sincere devotee in any awkward circumstance. One should therefore practice devotional service at home, hearing and chanting the holy name, quality, form, pastimes, entourage, etc., in association with pure devotees, and this practice will help one awaken God consciousness in proportion to one's sincerity of purpose.

Excerpt from a lecture by Guru Maharaj; Sincerity and Integrity | SB 6.12.13 | HG Vaisesika Dasa | NY | 9 Jun 2018

Krishna is all-powerful and is also all-merciful. And He knows what's going on. He knows how to manage things. So don't get too involved in it [this world]. Do your part, do your duty, the best that I can do with what I have now.

Can you do any more than that anyway? No. Don't you feel better now? Yeah. You can't do more than that. All you can do is to have integrity—spiritual integrity—and sincerity and do the best you can with what you have now, and depend on Krishna for the rest. Because you can't—you can't induce material nature to cough up, you know, what you want. You cannot get out a crowbar and let's yank it out.

Devotees don't do that. Krishna is in control, and I can't do anything anyway. I can only wait for His mercy to descend. If you're sincere, you have integrity, the time will come—everything will come. The fruit of your chanting will come.

If you're preaching Krishna consciousness, then understand there'll be obstacles. And there will be difficult times, some good times. But in all of those circumstances, one should consider one thing. I do my part, and Lord Chaitanya will do His. He's given an order to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world.

So then one has a choice. What is the choice? You take it or don't take it. So if you take it, then you can say, "Okay, I have an order, I'm following it, and I'm going to go spread Krishna consciousness."

Now, what if obstacles come? We don't mind. Of course, you know, you may lose a little sleep. But then you'll right yourself because you'll remember that when the time is right, everything will come.

Have integrity. Have sincerity. Go on with your duty to the best of your ability according to what you can understand through your God-given intelligence to do the right thing. And you go on with that, because Lord Chaitanya said, "Go forth, spread Krishna consciousness," and He's your backer. He's going to back you on this.

He's—as Kavirāja Gosvāmī says—He's the greatest capitalist, and He's got a lot. He's got all the investment capital you need. You just have to do your part, and then the infusions of spiritual energy and other arrangements that need to take place in this world will come by His mercy.

The Glorious Story of Kāmikā Ekādaśī

Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-Khaṇḍa, Chapter 54

Once, the righteous King Yudhiṣṭhira, ever eager to follow dharma, approached Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa with folded hands and deep reverence. Bowing down to Him, Yudhiṣṭhira inquired:“O Govinda! Please tell me the name of the Ekādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight of the month of Śrāvaṇa. Kindly describe its glories and how it should be observed. I offer my obeisances unto You.”

Hearing this sincere inquiry, Śrī Kṛṣṇa smiled and replied:“O King, listen attentively as I narrate the account that purifies all sins. This very story was once spoken by Brahmā to the great sage Nārada.”

Long ago, in a serene moment on the banks of the celestial Gaṅgā, Nārada Muni, the sage who constantly travels between worlds for the welfare of all, asked Lord Brahmā:

“O lotus-seated Father, I desire to hear about the Ekādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa. What is its name? Who is the presiding deity? How should it be observed, and what are its spiritual benefits? Kindly illuminate me.”

Pleased by Nārada’s inquiry, Brahmā replied: “O Nārada, for the upliftment of all beings, I shall tell you of the Ekādaśī known as Kāmikā, which falls in the Kṛṣṇa pakṣa (dark half) of Śrāvaṇa. Merely by hearing its glories, one attains the merit of performing a Vājapeya sacrifice. Now hear about the immense fruits one gains by worshipping Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord who wields the conch, disc, and mace.”

Brahmā continued: “One who worships or even meditates upon Hari—Viṣṇu, Madhusūdana, Śrī Hari—on this auspicious day, attains benefits greater than those gained by bathing in holy rivers like Gaṅgā, at sacred places like Kāśī, Naimiṣāraṇya, or Puṣkara.

Even the fruits of bathing during solar or lunar eclipses, or when Jupiter enters Leo, at Godāvarī or Daṇḍakāraṇya, are eclipsed by worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa on Kāmikā Ekādaśī.

One who donates the entire Earth surrounded by oceans, and one who observes the Kāmikā-vrata—they both receive the same reward. Donating a milch cow with all accessories is equal to observing this vrata.

Indeed, the fortunate soul who worships Lord Viṣṇu in Śrāvaṇa with devotion has already worshipped all demigods, Gandharvas, Nāgas, and celestial beings.

Therefore, O Nārada, those who fear sin and desire liberation must strive to worship Lord Viṣṇu sincerely on this day. This Kāmikā Ekādaśī is especially potent for delivering those drowning in the ocean of worldly existence, muddy with sin. No other vrata is as pure or powerful. Even Lord Viṣṇu Himself has praised it.

In fact, the merit of observing this Ekādaśī exceeds even that of jñānīs devoted to spiritual knowledge. One who stays awake through the night and observes the Kāmikā-vrata will never encounter terrifying Yama or face calamities. He will never take birth in degraded families. Great yogīs have attained liberation through this very vrata.”

With increasing enthusiasm, Brahmā added: “Those who worship Viṣṇu with Tulasī leaves are untouched by sin, just like a lotus leaf untouched by water. Offering even a single Tulasī leaf to Viṣṇu yields merit equal to donating a bhāra (a great weight) of gold or four times that in silver.

No offerings—gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, or coral—can equal the Lord’s satisfaction from Tulasī leaves. From the moment of birth, all sins of one who offers Tulasī sprouts are destroyed.

Glory to Tulasī! Simply seeing her destroys heaps of sins. Touching her purifies the body. Saluting her cures diseases. Sprinkling her over oneself drives away Yama. Planting her brings one close to Kṛṣṇa. Placing her at the Lord’s lotus feet grants instant liberation.

Even Citragupta cannot calculate the merit of one who lights a lamp for Viṣṇu on this sacred day. The ancestors of such a person dwell joyfully in heaven, nourished by nectar.

If one lights a lamp made of ghee or sesame oil before Viṣṇu, he earns the merit of lighting hundreds of millions of lamps and reaches the sun’s abode.

Thus, O Nārada, I have described the sacred greatness of Kāmikā Ekādaśī. This vow destroys sins—even the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa or of causing abortion. It leads one to the abode of Viṣṇu and bestows immense spiritual wealth.

Even a person who merely hears the glories of Kāmikā Ekādaśī with faith is cleansed of all sins and attains the world of Lord Viṣṇu.”