Utpanna Ekadasi 1967

After the bath that closed his fifth horse sacrifice, King Yudhishthira asked Sri Krishna how the holy Ekadashi first came to be, and why it is so dear to the gods. Sri Krishna told him this story.

Long ago, in the Krita age, there lived a fierce demon named Mura. He was the son of the demon Talajangha, born in the family of Brahma, and he lived in the city of Chandravati. Mura conquered Indra and all the gods and drove them out of heaven. In their places he set up another Indra, another Agni and Vayu, a new Sun and Moon, and another Varuna. The gods wandered on the earth among mortals, without any of their old glory.

Indra and the gods went to Lord Shiva and asked what they should do. Shiva told them to go to the eagle bannered Lord, the protector of the world, for He would surely save them. The gods found Lord Vishnu sleeping on the waters. Indra joined his palms, sang His praises and told Him all that Mura had done.

Vishnu grew angry and said, "I shall kill this wicked demon." He went with the gods to Chandravati. With divine arrows and His discus He cut down the demon's army by the hundreds. But Mura alone fought on. He made the gods flee, and he and the Lord fought hand to hand for a thousand years of the gods.

Weary from the long battle, Vishnu went to Badarikashrama. There was a cave there named Simhavati, twelve yojanas long, with only one door. The Lord entered it and lay down to sleep. Mura followed Him, and seeing Him asleep, he rejoiced and thought, "Now I shall surely kill Him."

At that moment a beautiful maiden came forth from the body of Vishnu, born from a portion of His own radiance, bearing divine weapons. Mura saw her and challenged her, and she accepted. With a single sound, "hum", she burnt the great demon to ash.

When Vishnu woke and saw the demon lying dead, He was amazed and asked who had done this. The maiden told Him that she had seen Mura pursuing Him as He slept, and she had killed him by the Lord's own grace. This maiden was Ekadashi.

Pleased, Vishnu offered her any boon, however hard to obtain. She asked Him to repeat His promise three times, and He did. Then she asked to be the chief of all holy places, the remover of all difficulties and the giver of all well being. She asked that whoever keeps her day with devotion to her and to Him should receive wealth, righteousness and liberation. Vishnu granted it all and said that she would kill the enemies of those who honour her and lead them to the highest place.

Sri Krishna said that the merit of this day is a hundred times greater than a horse sacrifice, and that whoever tells its glory gains the merit of a gift of a thousand cows.