Bhishma said-
One who lives in earth and performs good deeds gets rewarded in this life.
One who fasts on the eight day of the lunar cycle and prays to Shiva and Durga is greatly rewarded.
One who takes the name of Narayana and performs his worship is freed from all fears.
The eleventh day's fasting (Ekadashi) has great significance and I will tell you about that.
There was a sage called Galav whose son was named Bhadrasheel. He was a great devotee of Vishnu and fasted on the eleventh of Ekadashi, twice in a month.
His father wanted to know the greatness of doing this fasting.
Bhadrasheel said -
I was a king in Soma dynasty. I had received knowledge from Dharmakeerti and Dattatreya. I ruled continuously for thousand years. During this period, I committed various religious as well as irreligious tasks. In the company of impostors, I too became an impostor. Working diplomatically, I destroyed sacrifices. My subjects also followed me and began to behave in a foul manner. I received sixth part of their evil deeds. One day, I went to the forest, hunting. There, I killed many animals.
After a while, perplexed by thirst and hunger, I reached the bank of Narmada. I had strayed into deeper forests all alone. The intense sun was scorching my body. I was about to drop down because of hunger when I saw that people on the bank of Narmada were observing Ekadashi fasting. I joined them and stayed awake all along the night without taking any food. But I could not bear the starvation and exertion and died as a result. Fierce looking servants of Yama took me to him. Yamar asked Chitragupta to open the account of my life. Chitragupta thought for a moment and said: "Its true O Yama that this person is a sinner. But now he is free from his sins due to observing fast on Ekadashi and passing his night in the company of pious devotees." Hearing these words, Yama greeted me and worshiped me with devotion. Then, he called his servers."
Yama said - "Listen to me, O agents! I am narrating something to your interest. Never bring to me in future anybody who is engaged in religious task. Stay away from those who always recite the name of Hari. Greet them from a distance. This is my order as well as teaching to all of you. Spare all those who serve their teachers, love their religion, are helpless, serve the pious one and are truly deserving. Bring all such people who abuse their mother, hate the world, steal the wealth of temples and Brahmins, who are killers, who do not observe fast on Ekadashi, who are short tempered, criticize me and nurture hostility with others."
Hearing such words from Yama, fire of penance began to burn within me. More intense this fire grew, more of my sins were destroyed. I even got a vision of Hari. Even, Yama greeted me with respect. His action even surprised this servants. Worshiping me, Yama sent me on a divine chariot to the abode of Vishnu.
O father! I was passing my time happily. I did not know how and when many years passed. Then I arrived in the land of Indra. There I stayed with the gods for many years. It was after such a great experience that I have arrived on the earth. Having the knowledge of my previous birth, I always engaged in the worship of Hari and inspire others to follow suit. Earlier, I didn't know the virtues of Ekadashi . But now, because of the knowledge of my previous births, I have come to know about it. I observed it without any desire and without knowing that I was actually observing a fast and received so much in return. Hence, I cannot tell how much will one receive if he observes Ekadashi with some desire. Those who devotedly worship Hari and observe Ekadashi attain even the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu."
The words of his son gladdened sage Galav. He says- "My birth has been successful because I got such a devotee son like you who told me the complete method of worshipping Lord Vishnu."
One who lives in earth and performs good deeds gets rewarded in this life.
One who fasts on the eight day of the lunar cycle and prays to Shiva and Durga is greatly rewarded.
One who takes the name of Narayana and performs his worship is freed from all fears.
The eleventh day's fasting (Ekadashi) has great significance and I will tell you about that.
There was a sage called Galav whose son was named Bhadrasheel. He was a great devotee of Vishnu and fasted on the eleventh of Ekadashi, twice in a month.
His father wanted to know the greatness of doing this fasting.
Bhadrasheel said -
I was a king in Soma dynasty. I had received knowledge from Dharmakeerti and Dattatreya. I ruled continuously for thousand years. During this period, I committed various religious as well as irreligious tasks. In the company of impostors, I too became an impostor. Working diplomatically, I destroyed sacrifices. My subjects also followed me and began to behave in a foul manner. I received sixth part of their evil deeds. One day, I went to the forest, hunting. There, I killed many animals.
After a while, perplexed by thirst and hunger, I reached the bank of Narmada. I had strayed into deeper forests all alone. The intense sun was scorching my body. I was about to drop down because of hunger when I saw that people on the bank of Narmada were observing Ekadashi fasting. I joined them and stayed awake all along the night without taking any food. But I could not bear the starvation and exertion and died as a result. Fierce looking servants of Yama took me to him. Yamar asked Chitragupta to open the account of my life. Chitragupta thought for a moment and said: "Its true O Yama that this person is a sinner. But now he is free from his sins due to observing fast on Ekadashi and passing his night in the company of pious devotees." Hearing these words, Yama greeted me and worshiped me with devotion. Then, he called his servers."
Yama said - "Listen to me, O agents! I am narrating something to your interest. Never bring to me in future anybody who is engaged in religious task. Stay away from those who always recite the name of Hari. Greet them from a distance. This is my order as well as teaching to all of you. Spare all those who serve their teachers, love their religion, are helpless, serve the pious one and are truly deserving. Bring all such people who abuse their mother, hate the world, steal the wealth of temples and Brahmins, who are killers, who do not observe fast on Ekadashi, who are short tempered, criticize me and nurture hostility with others."
Hearing such words from Yama, fire of penance began to burn within me. More intense this fire grew, more of my sins were destroyed. I even got a vision of Hari. Even, Yama greeted me with respect. His action even surprised this servants. Worshiping me, Yama sent me on a divine chariot to the abode of Vishnu.
O father! I was passing my time happily. I did not know how and when many years passed. Then I arrived in the land of Indra. There I stayed with the gods for many years. It was after such a great experience that I have arrived on the earth. Having the knowledge of my previous birth, I always engaged in the worship of Hari and inspire others to follow suit. Earlier, I didn't know the virtues of Ekadashi . But now, because of the knowledge of my previous births, I have come to know about it. I observed it without any desire and without knowing that I was actually observing a fast and received so much in return. Hence, I cannot tell how much will one receive if he observes Ekadashi with some desire. Those who devotedly worship Hari and observe Ekadashi attain even the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu."
The words of his son gladdened sage Galav. He says- "My birth has been successful because I got such a devotee son like you who told me the complete method of worshipping Lord Vishnu."
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