Yogini Ekadasi
Mahãraja Yudhistira dijo, “Oh Señor Supremo, he oído las glorias de NirjalãEkadasi, que ocurren durante la quincena clara del mes de Jyestha. Ahora deseooír sobre el Ekadasi que ocurre durante la parte oscura del mes de Asãdha (Junio-Julio). Ten la amabilidad de describírmelo en detalle, oh matador del demonioMadhu. El Señor Supremo Sri Krsna, replicó, “Oh rey, te referiré lo mejor de todoslos días de ayuno, el Ekãdasi que viene durante la parte oscura del mes de Asãdha.Famoso como Yogini Ekãdasi, remueve toda clase de reacciones pecaminosas yconcede la liberación suprema. Oh el mejor de los reyes, este Ekadasi libera a las personas que estánahogándose en el océano de la existencia material y las transporta a la orilla delmundo espiritual. En todos estos tres mundos, es el principal de los días sagradosde ayuno. Te revelaré esta verdad narrándote una historia relatada en los Puranas. El rey de Alakãpuri -Kuvera, el tesorero de los semidioses- era un devotoresuelto del Señor Siva. El empleó a un sirviente de nombre Hemamãli como sujardinero personal. Hemamãli, un Yaksa, estaba muy atraído lujuriosamente porsu vistosa esposa, Svarupa-vati, quien tenía grandes ojos encantadores. El deber diario de Hemamãli era ir diariamente a visitar el LagoMãnasarovara y traer flores para su amo Kuvera, las que luego eran utilizadas enla adoración del Señor Siva. Un día, tras recoger las flores, Hemamãli regresó consu esposa en lugar de ir directamente a su amo y cumplir con su deber. Absorto enasuntos amorosos con su esposa, se olvidó de volver a la morada de Kuvera. Oh rey, mientras Hemamãli estaba disfrutando con su esposa, Kuveracomenzó a adorar al Señor Siva en su palacio y pronto descubrió que allí no habíaflores listas para la puja del mediodía. La falta de un artículo tan importante enojóal gran semidiós, quien preguntó a un mensajero Yaksa, “Porqué el sucio decorazón Hemamãli no ha venido con la ofrenda diaria de flores? Ve y averigua elmotivo exacto y vuelve personalmente a informarme”. El Yaksa regresó y le dijo aKuvera, “Oh querido señor, Hemamãli está disfrutando libremente del sexo con suesposa”. Kuvera se enojó muchísimo al enterarse y de inmediato mandó llamar albajo Hemamãli. Sabiendo que había sido indolente en el cumplimiento de sudeber, Hemamãli se acercó a su amo con gran temor. El jardinero primero ofreciósus reverencias y luego permaneció de pie delante de su señor, cuyos ojos sehabían puestos rojos de ira y cuyos labios temblaban. Airado, Kuvera gritó, “Ohbribón pecaminoso! ¡Oh destructor de los principios religiosos! ¡Tú eres unaofensa para los semidioses! ¡Por lo tanto te maldigo a que padezcas la lepra blancay a que seas separado de tu amada esposa! ¡Solo te mereces un inmensosufrimiento! ¡Oh necio mal nacido, abandona este sitio de inmediato y encamínatea los planetas inferiores!”. Y así Hemamãli cayó de inmediato de Alakãpuri y se enfermó con laterrible aflicción de la lepra blanca. Se despertó en una selva espesa y temible,donde no había nada para comer o beber. Así pues, pasaba sus díasmiserablemente, incapaz de dormir por la noche debido al dolor. Sufría tanto enInvierno como en Verano, pero dado que continuaba adorando al Señor Sivafielmente, su conciencia se mantuvo pura y estable. Aunque implicado por un granpecado y sus reacciones concomitantes, recordó su vida pasada en mérito a supiedad. Tras vagar por algún tiempo aquí y allá, sobre las montañas y a través delos llanos, Hemamãli eventualmente llegó hasta la amplia cadena de losHimalayas. Allí tuvo la buena fortuna de encontrar al gran santo Mãrkandeya Rsi,el mejor de los ascetas, cuya duración de vida, se refiere, se extiende a siete díasde Brahma. (1). Mãrkandeya estaba sentado pacíficamente en su asrama, tanrefulgente como un segundo Brahmã. Hemamãli, sintiéndose muy pecaminoso,permaneció parado lejos del sabio magnificente y ofreció sus humildes reverenciasy plegarias. Siempre interesado en el bienestar de los demás, Mãrkandeva vio alleproso y lo llamó, “Oh tú, ¿qué clase de acciones pecaminosas has hecho paraganar esta aflicción temible?”. Al oírlo, Hemamãti replicó, “Querido señor, yo soy un sirviente Yaksa delSeñor Kuvera y mi nombre es Hemamãli. Mi servicio diario era recoger flores delLago Mãnasarovara para la adoración del Señor Siva por parte de mi amo, pero undía me retrasé en regresar con la ofrenda porque me abrumé de pasión por mihermosa esposa. Cuando mi amo descubrió el motivo de mi tardanza, me maldijocon gran ira. Así pues, ahora estoy desprovisto de mi hogar, esposa y servicio. Porfortuna, he llegado hasta tí y ahora tengo la esperanza de recibir de tí unaauspiciosa bendición, pues se que los devotos del Señor Supremo se interesan en elcorazón por el bienestar de los demás. Esa es su gran naturaleza. ¡Oh el mejor delos sabios, por favor ayúdame! (2) Mãrkendeya Rsi replicó, “Dado que me has dicho la verdad, te hablarésobre un día de ayuno que te beneficiará grandemente. Si tu ayunas en el Ekãdasique aparece durante la quincena oscura del mes de Asádha, seguramente seráslibrado de esta terrible maldición”. Al oír estas benditas palabras del renombradosabio, Hemamãli cayó al suelo completamente agradecido y le ofreció sushumildes reverencias. Pero Mãrkendeya se puso de pie e hizo levantar aHemamãli, colmándolo de una indescriptible felicidad. Así pues, como el sabio le había instruído, Hemamãli observó debidamenteel ayuno Ekãdasi y por su influencia se convirtió nuevamente en un apuestoYaksa. Luego regresó a su hogar, donde vivió muy felizmente con su esposa”. El Señor Krsna concluyó, “Luego puedes apreciar prestamente, ohYudhisthira, que ayunar en el Yogini Ekãdasi es muy poderoso y auspicioso .Cualesquiera mérito se obtenga por alimentar a ochenta y ocho mil brãhmanaspiadosos, se obtiene simplemente por observar un ayuno estricto en YoginiEkãdasi. Aquel que ayune en este Ekãdasi sagrado destruye cúmulos de reaccionespecaminosas pasadas y se vuelve muy piadoso. Oh, rey, así pues te he explicado lapureza del Yogini Ekãdasi”. Así termina la narración de las glorias del Asadha-krsna Ekãdasi o YoginiEkãdasi, del Brahma-vaivarta Purãna. Notas 1. Un día de Brahmã (doce horas) se refiere tiene una duración de mil ciclosde las cuatro yugas: Satya, Tretã, Dvãpara y Kali. Dado que estas cuatro eras duran4.320.000 años, un día completo de veinticuatro horas de Brahmã, son8.640.000.000 años, y siete de esos días son 60.480.000.000 años. Este es elasombroso período de vida de Mãrkandeya Rsi, el más prolongado de la tierra. 2. La literatura Védica declara. pibanti nadyã svayam eva nã jalam svayam na khãdanti phãlañi vrksã nãdanti sasyam khalu pãrivãhã paropakãrãya satãm vibhutayah “Tal como los ríos no beben su propia agua, sino que fluyen para beneficiode los otros, tal como los árboles cargados de frutos no comen de su propio frutosino que los sustentan para los demás, tal como las nubes no beben su propialluvia sino que la derraman para los demás, así los santos viven simplemente paralos demás”. Cãnakya Pandita dice, sãdhunãm darsanam punyam tirtha-bhutãr hi sãdhavah kãlena phalate tirtha sadyah sãdhu-samãgamah “Meramente ver a un devoto puro de Krsna es más purificante que visitarun sitio sagrado de peregrinaje, pues mientras un sitio sagrado purifica solodespués de largo tiempo, la visión de un devoto puro purifica de inmediato”. 3. Puesto que Hemamãli deseaba regresar al plano celestial y con su esposa,su observancia de Ekãdasi resultó en su obtención de este objetivo material. Peroun devoto de Krsna observa Ekãdasi solo con el deseo de incrementar su devociónpor el Señor, y en tal sentido, obtiene un resultado espiritual. ------------------------------------------------ Yogini Ekadasi Yogini Ekadasi Yogini Ekadasi: from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana. Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard the glories of the Nirjala Ekadasi, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June). Now I wish to hear from You about the suddha Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of AshADha (June – July). Kindly describe to me all bout it in detail, Oh killer of the Madhu demon (Madhusudana).” The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, then replied, “Oh king, I shall indeed tell you about the best of all fasting days, the Ekadasi that comes during the dark part of the month of AshADha. Famous as Yogini Ekadasi, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation. “Oh best of kings, this Ekadasi delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world. In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days. I shall now reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the Puranas. “The king of AlakApuri – Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas (demigods) – was a steadfast devotee of lord Shiva. He employed a servant named HemamAli as his personal gardener. HemamAli, a Yaksha like Kuvera, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, SwarUpavatii, who had large, enchanting eyes. “HemamAli’s daily duty was to visit MAnasarovara Lake and bring back flowers for his master, Kuvera, with which he would use them in the puja offerings to lord Shiva. One day, after picking the flowers, HemamAli went to his wife instead of returning directly to his master and fulfilling his duty by bringing the flowers for the puja. Absorbed in loving affairs of a bodily nature with his wife, he forgot to return to the abode of Kuvera. “Oh king, while HemamAli was enjoying with his wife, Kuvera had begun the worship of lord Shiva as normal in his palace and soon discovered that there were no flowers ready to be offered in the midday pUjA. The lack of such an important item (upachara) angered the great Koshad-yaksha (treasurer of the devas) even more, and he asked a Yaksha messenger, ‘Why has dirty-hearted HemamAli not come with the daily offering of flowers? Go find out the exact reason and report back to me in person with your findings.’ The Yaksha returned and told Kuvera, ‘Oh dear lord, HemamAli has become lost in freely enjoying coitus with his wife.’ “Kuvera became extremely angry when he heard this and at once summoned lowly HemamAli before him. Knowing that he had been remiss and dawdling in his duty and exposed as meditating on his wife’s body, HemamAli approached his master in great fear. The gardener first paid his obeisances and then stood before his lord, whose eyes had become red with anger and whose lips trembled in rage. So enraged, Kuvera cried out to HemamAli, ‘Oh you sinful rascal! Oh destroyer of religious principles! You are a walking offense to the devas! I therefore curse you to suffer from white leprosy and to become separated from your beloved wife! Only great suffering is deservedly yours! Oh lowborn fool, leave this place immediately and betake yourself to the lower planets to suffer!’ “And so HemamAli fell at once from grace in AlakApuri and became ill with the terrible affliction of white leprosy. He awoke in a dense and fearful forest, where there was nothing to eat or drink. Thus he passed his days in misery, unable to sleep at night due to pain. He suffered in both winter and summer season, but because he continued to worship lord Shiva himself with faith, his consciousness remained purely fixed and steady. Although implicated by great sin and its attendant reactions, he remembered his past life because of his piety. “After wandering for some time here and there, over mountains and across plains, HemamAli eventually came upon the vast expanse of the Himalayan mountain ranges. There he had the wonderful good fortune to come in contact with the great saintly soul MarkanNDeya Rishi, the best of ascetics, whose duration of life it is said, extends to seven of the days of BrahmA. “MarkaNDeya Rishi was seated peacefully at his Ashrama, looking as effulgent as a second BrahmA. HemamAli, feeling very sinful, stood at a distance from the magnificent sage and offered his humble obeisances and choice prayers. Always interested in the welfare of others, MarkaNDeya Rishi saw the leper and called him near, “Oh you, what sort of sinful deeds have you done to earn this dreadful affliction?’ “Hearing this, HemamAli painfully and ashamed replied, ‘Dear sir, I am a Yaksha servant of lord Kuvera, and my name is HemamAli. It was my daily service to pick the flowers from the MAnasarovara lake for my master’s worship of lord Shiva, but one day I was negligent and was late in returning with the offering because I had become overwhelmed with lusty passion for enjoying bodily pleasures with my wife. When my master discovered why I was last, he cursed me in great anger to be as I am before you. Thus I am now bereft of my home, my wife, and my service. But fortunately I have come upon you, and now I hope to receive from you an auspicious benediction, for I know that devotees such as you are as merciful as the Supreme Lord (Bhakta Vatsala) and always carry the interest of others uppermost in their hearts. That is their – your nature. Oh best of sages, please help me!’ “Softhearted MarkaNDeya Rishi replied, ‘Because you have told me the truth, I shall tell you about a fast day that will benefit you greatly. If you fast on the Ekadasi that comes during the dark fortnight of the month of AshADha, you will surely be freed of this terrible curse.’ HemamAli fell to the ground in complete gratitude and offered him his humble obeisances again and again. But MarkaNDeya Rishi stood there and lifted poor HemamAli u to his feet, filling him with inexpressible happiness. “Thus, as the sage had instructed him, HemamAli dutifully observed the Ekadasi fast, and by its influence he again became a handsome Yaksha. Then he returned home, where he lived very happily with his wife.” Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “So, you can readily see, Oh Yudhishthira that fasting on Yogini Ekadasi is very powerful and auspicious. Whatever merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins is also obtained simply by observing a strict fast on Yogini Ekadasi. For one who fasts on this sacred Ekadasi, she (Ekadasi Devi), destroys heaps of past sinful reactions and makes him most pious. Oh King, thus I have explained to you the purity of Yogini Ekadasi.” Thus ends the narration of the glories of AshADha-krishna Ekadasi, or Yogini Ekadasi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana. These stories have been summarised and slightly changed or abbreviated from how they are found in the celebrated book, "Ekadasi: The Day of Lord Hari" 1986. HH Krishna Balaram Swami. Bhaktivedanta Institute Press. Pages 93-97. 1/. One daytime of BrahmA (twelve hours) is said to last for one thousand cycles of the four yugas – Satya, TretA, DvArpara, and Kali. Since these four ages last 4,320,000 years, a full twenty-four hour day of BrahmA is 8,340,000,000 of our solar years, and seven of these days is 60,480,000,000 such of our years. This is MarkaNDeya Rishi’s astounding life span, the longest on this earth. 2/. The Vedik literature state: pibanti nadyA swayam eva nA jalagM swayagM na khAdanti phalAni vrikshA nAdanti sashyagM khalu pArivAhA paropakArAya satAgM vibhUtayaH “Just as the rivers do not drink their own water but flow for other’s benefit, just as fruit-bearing trees do not eat their own fruit but bear it for others, and just as clouds do not drink their own rain but shower it down for others, so saintly devotees live simply for others.” ChANakya PaNDita says: SAdhUnAgM darshangM puNyagm Tiirtha-bhutAr hi sAdhavaH KAlena phalate tiirtha SadyaH sAdhu-samAgamaH “Merely seeing a pure devotee of Lord Sri Krishna is more purifying than visiting a sacred place of pilgrimage, for while a sacred place can purify after a long time, the sight of a pure devotee purifies at once.” 3/. Because HemamAli desired to return to the heavenly planets and his wife, his observance of Ekadasi resulted in his attaining this material goal. But a devotee of Lord Krishna observes Ekadasi only with the desire to increase his devotion for the Lord, and thus he attains a spiritual result.
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