Why no Grains on Ekadasi?
Hare Krishna.....
Why We Should Never Eat Grains on Ekadashi
Ekadasi Vrata is an Anga of Bhakti
This ekadasi-vrata is one of the angas of sadhana-bhakti, ekadasi-upavasa—fasting on Ekadasi. In Sanatana-siksa, Mahaprabhu is teaching Sanatana Goswami:
vividhanga sadhana-bhaktira bahuta vistara
sanksepe kahiye kichu sadhananga-sara
guru-padasraya, diksa, gurura sevana
sad-dharma-siksa-prccha, sadhu-marganugamana
krsna-pritye bhoga-tyaga, krsna-tirthe vasa
yavan-nirvaha-pratigraha, ekadasy-upavasa
[CC. Madhya 22.114-116]
Mahaprabhu gives instruction to Sanatana Goswami while teaching sadhana-bhakti. He says, precisely I am saying, sadhana-bhakti has manifold angas, sixty-four angas, ekadasi-vrata is one of them.
One Must Fast on Ekadasi
krsna-pritye bhoga-tyaga, krsna-tirthe vasa
yavan-nirvaha-pratigraha, ekadasy-upavasa
[Cc. Madhya 22.116]
“The next steps are as follows: (6) One should be prepared to give up everything for Krsna’s satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Krsna’s satisfaction. (7) One must live in a place where Krsna is present—a city like Vrndavana or Mathura or a Krsna temple. (8) One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. (9) One must fast on the Ekadasi day.
Mahaprabhu has said, give up all your sense enjoyment for the pleasure of Krishna. Every Ekadasi one should fast. There are two Ekadasis in a month. Twenty-four Ekadasis in a year. Fasting, complete fasting, no eating. There are many fasting days: Janmastami day, Rama-navami day, Nityananda Prabhu’s appearance day, Baladeva Prabhu’s appearance day, Varaha-dvadasi, Nrisimha-caturdasi, Gaura Purnima day, so many fasting days are there in thevaisnava calendar. By following these fasting days is considered vrata. krsna-pritye means for the pleasure of Krishna, so this is tapasya.
So many things Mahaprabhu said to Sanatan Goswami while instructing him on the sadhana-bhakti-anga.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Begs Charity from Srimati Sacimata
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sacimata to observe Ekadasi, by fasting. In Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 15th chapter you’ll find:
eka dina matara pade kariya pranama
prabhu kahe,—mata, more deha eka dana
mata bale,—tai diba, ya tumi magibe
prabhu kahe,—ekadasite anna na khaibe
[Cc. Adi 15.8-9]
One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell down at the feet of His mother and requested her to give Him one thing in charity. His mother replied, “My dear son, I will give You whatever You ask.” Then the Lord said, “My dear mother, please do not eat grains on the Ekadasi day.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Begs Charity from Srimati Sacimata
Mahaprabhu asked His mother to fast on Ekadasi day. “My mother please don’t eat grains on Ekadasi day.” And Sacimata accepted and from that day forward, Sacimata started to observe Ekadasi. Prior to this, Sacimata was not fasting. She was taking grains on Ekadasi day because according to the smarta brahmanas, only those who are widows, women, will fast on Ekadasi day. But those who are not widows they won’t observe. That was the prevailing culture at the time. So Sacimata was not observing Ekadasi fasting. But Mahaprabhu requested her to now follow. “Mahaprabhu fell down at the feet of His Mother and requested Her to give one thing in charity. Sacimata said, “my dear Son I will give you whatever you ask.” Then Mahaprabhu said, “My dear Mother please don’t eat grains on Ekadasi day.” From that day, Sacimata observed Ekadasi.
The Sin of Eating Grains
In the Bhakti-sandarbha, Jiva Goswami has written, if someone eats anna, grains on Ekadasi day, what will happen? Jiva Goswami has quoted the Skanda Purana:
matrha pitrha caiva bhratrha guruha tatha
ekadasyam tu yo bhunkte visnu-loka-cyuto bhavet
[Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 199]
If somebody eats anna, grains on Ekadasi day he becomes the killer of his mother, killer of his father, killer of his brother, killer of his guru, guruha. On Ekadasi day all sorts of sinful reactions are there in anna on Ekadasi day, yes. If somebody consciously or unconsciously eats anna, eats grain on Ekadasi, he commits all sinful activities because all sins are there in anna on this day. This is what the Vedic literature says, sastra vakyam. Therefore it is forbidden to eat anna on Ekadasi day. No anna-bhojan. You’ll commit all sorts of sins by eating anna on Ekadasi day. Today, all are committing this transgression.
Who should be observing? It is said, even the boy up to five years may not observe Ekadasi. However by the sixth year he must observe. One can take some fruit and milk. Also old men above eighty years old may not observe, but up to eighty they must observe. It is said, ekadasyam tu yo bhunkte visnu-loka-cyuto bhavet, if somebody eats grains on Ekadasi he’ll fall down from Vaikuntha, yes, he’ll fall down from there.
atra vaisnavanam niraharatvam nama maha-prasadanna-parityaga eva
tesam anya-bhojanasya nityam eva nisiddhatvat
ekadasyam na bhoktavyam tad vratam vaisnavam mahat
tatra tavad asya avaisnave’pi nityatvam
[Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 299-300]
This is a quotation from Bhakti-sandarbha. This means, those who arevaisnavas will fast from grains on Ekadasi day. Every day a vaisnava takesmaha-prasada. The day there is no maha-prasada is maha-prasada tyaga, also known as Ekadasi. No maha-prasada is to be taken on Ekadasi. Maha-prasadawill be kept for the next day, the twelfth day, parana. Vaisnavas observeparana, [exact times within which to break-fast]. If the parana, is not observed then one cannot get the result of this vrata. Therefore parana must be observed on the twelfth day. Maha-prasada is always kept and eaten on the next day [12th day]. This is known as maha-prasada tyaga. One should not take maha-prasada on Ekadasi day, no. This is followed by vaisnavas, and is known as vaisnava-vrata. Tatra tavad asya avaisnave, if one will not follow thisvrata then you are considered avaisnava [non-devotee]. So this is what Mahaprabhu has said. So many things are there.
It is stated in the Padma Purana:
bhuyo-bhuyo drdha vani sryatam syata janah
na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam harer dine
“O human beings, please listen, I tell you repeatedly with steadfast determination, please never eat any grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi day, the Lord’s appearance day like Janmastami day etc.). Please never eat any food grains even by mistake on the Day of Lord Hari. Please do not eat grains on the Day of Lord Hari even if forced or compelled to do so.”
The reason to not eat food grains on Ekadasi is stated in the Vrihan Naradiya Purana thus:
yani kani ca papani brahma hatyadikani ca
annam asritya tiathanti samprapte hari vasare
“Every type of sin in this world, including the grievous sin of killing a Brahmana, reside in food grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi and other fasting days). If grains are eaten on fasting days sins enter the body of that human being.”
The Hari Bhakti Vilasa states:
brahmacari grhastho va vanaprastho ‘thava yatih
ekadasyam hi bhunjano bhukte go-mamsam eva hi
“Whether a person is Brahmachari (unmarried celibate student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprasthi (retired, elderly), Sanyasi (renounced person) or any other social order, if they eat food grains on Ekadasi, they acquire the same sin as that received by eating cow’s meat.”
The Skanda Purana also states:
matr ha pitr has caiva bhratr ha guru has tatha
ekadasyas tu ya bhunkte visnu-lokac cyuto bhavet
“Those who eat grains on Ekadasi and on the Day of Lord Hari (including Janmastami, Gaura Purnima etc.) obtain the sin equal to killing one’s own mother, own father, own brother and own Guru; and they cannot reach the spiritual world, which is why one should never eat grains on fasting days.”
One may think or say that fasting on Ekadasi days and the Lord’s appearance days are meant only for Vaisnava devotees and not for worshippers of Lord Siva or Durga etc. But the Padma Purana informs such people:
na saiva na ca saurohasaun na sakta gana sevakah
yo bhunkte vasare visnor jneyah pasvadiko hi sah
“Whether one is a follower of Lord Siva, the goddess Durga, Kali, Surya (sungod), Ganesa, Bhairava or any other demigod, they should avoid eating grains on the fasting days of Lord Hari (Ekadasis and other fasting days of Lord Hari). If one does not rigidly follow this rule and eats grains on fasting days they are considered worse than an animal.”
The Brihan Naradiya Purana states:
brahma-hatyadi papanam kathancin niskrtir bhavet
ekadasyat tu yo bhunkte niskrtir nasti kutracit
“By rigidly following religious and ritualistic processes one may become free from grievous sin like killing a Brahmana, but it is impossible to eliminate the sins of those who eat grains on Ekadasi days.”
It is written in the Skanda Purana that Lord Yamaraja (superintendent of hell) told his messengers not even to go near the immediate three generations of those who fast on Ekadasi days, even if they are lowborn and full of sin. But even if a pious person is learned in the four Vedas and performs rituals and is pure, but eats grains on Ekadasi days, they must be taken to hell to suffer. (The correct Ekadasi days are calculated each year and printed as a calendar and can be gotten upon request). If grain filled prasadam is given to a person on a fasting day it should be kept for consumption on the next day, but should not be consumed on the fasting day. Only fruits, roots (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, tapioca, sago etc.) water, milk products, nuts, rock salt, Singhara flour, Kutu flower, Sama Rice (found in the Indian grocery stores) and prescribed medicines can be consumed on fasting days. Fasting on Ekadasis began in Satyayuga and everyone followed fasting rules then.
Why We Should Never Eat Grains on Ekadashi
Ekadasi Vrata is an Anga of Bhakti
This ekadasi-vrata is one of the angas of sadhana-bhakti, ekadasi-upavasa—fasting on Ekadasi. In Sanatana-siksa, Mahaprabhu is teaching Sanatana Goswami:
vividhanga sadhana-bhaktira bahuta vistara
sanksepe kahiye kichu sadhananga-sara
guru-padasraya, diksa, gurura sevana
sad-dharma-siksa-prccha, sadhu-marganugamana
krsna-pritye bhoga-tyaga, krsna-tirthe vasa
yavan-nirvaha-pratigraha, ekadasy-upavasa
[CC. Madhya 22.114-116]
Mahaprabhu gives instruction to Sanatana Goswami while teaching sadhana-bhakti. He says, precisely I am saying, sadhana-bhakti has manifold angas, sixty-four angas, ekadasi-vrata is one of them.
One Must Fast on Ekadasi
krsna-pritye bhoga-tyaga, krsna-tirthe vasa
yavan-nirvaha-pratigraha, ekadasy-upavasa
[Cc. Madhya 22.116]
“The next steps are as follows: (6) One should be prepared to give up everything for Krsna’s satisfaction, and one should also accept everything for Krsna’s satisfaction. (7) One must live in a place where Krsna is present—a city like Vrndavana or Mathura or a Krsna temple. (8) One should acquire a livelihood that is just sufficient to keep body and soul together. (9) One must fast on the Ekadasi day.
Mahaprabhu has said, give up all your sense enjoyment for the pleasure of Krishna. Every Ekadasi one should fast. There are two Ekadasis in a month. Twenty-four Ekadasis in a year. Fasting, complete fasting, no eating. There are many fasting days: Janmastami day, Rama-navami day, Nityananda Prabhu’s appearance day, Baladeva Prabhu’s appearance day, Varaha-dvadasi, Nrisimha-caturdasi, Gaura Purnima day, so many fasting days are there in thevaisnava calendar. By following these fasting days is considered vrata. krsna-pritye means for the pleasure of Krishna, so this is tapasya.
So many things Mahaprabhu said to Sanatan Goswami while instructing him on the sadhana-bhakti-anga.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Begs Charity from Srimati Sacimata
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sacimata to observe Ekadasi, by fasting. In Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 15th chapter you’ll find:
eka dina matara pade kariya pranama
prabhu kahe,—mata, more deha eka dana
mata bale,—tai diba, ya tumi magibe
prabhu kahe,—ekadasite anna na khaibe
[Cc. Adi 15.8-9]
One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell down at the feet of His mother and requested her to give Him one thing in charity. His mother replied, “My dear son, I will give You whatever You ask.” Then the Lord said, “My dear mother, please do not eat grains on the Ekadasi day.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Begs Charity from Srimati Sacimata
Mahaprabhu asked His mother to fast on Ekadasi day. “My mother please don’t eat grains on Ekadasi day.” And Sacimata accepted and from that day forward, Sacimata started to observe Ekadasi. Prior to this, Sacimata was not fasting. She was taking grains on Ekadasi day because according to the smarta brahmanas, only those who are widows, women, will fast on Ekadasi day. But those who are not widows they won’t observe. That was the prevailing culture at the time. So Sacimata was not observing Ekadasi fasting. But Mahaprabhu requested her to now follow. “Mahaprabhu fell down at the feet of His Mother and requested Her to give one thing in charity. Sacimata said, “my dear Son I will give you whatever you ask.” Then Mahaprabhu said, “My dear Mother please don’t eat grains on Ekadasi day.” From that day, Sacimata observed Ekadasi.
The Sin of Eating Grains
In the Bhakti-sandarbha, Jiva Goswami has written, if someone eats anna, grains on Ekadasi day, what will happen? Jiva Goswami has quoted the Skanda Purana:
matrha pitrha caiva bhratrha guruha tatha
ekadasyam tu yo bhunkte visnu-loka-cyuto bhavet
[Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 199]
If somebody eats anna, grains on Ekadasi day he becomes the killer of his mother, killer of his father, killer of his brother, killer of his guru, guruha. On Ekadasi day all sorts of sinful reactions are there in anna on Ekadasi day, yes. If somebody consciously or unconsciously eats anna, eats grain on Ekadasi, he commits all sinful activities because all sins are there in anna on this day. This is what the Vedic literature says, sastra vakyam. Therefore it is forbidden to eat anna on Ekadasi day. No anna-bhojan. You’ll commit all sorts of sins by eating anna on Ekadasi day. Today, all are committing this transgression.
Who should be observing? It is said, even the boy up to five years may not observe Ekadasi. However by the sixth year he must observe. One can take some fruit and milk. Also old men above eighty years old may not observe, but up to eighty they must observe. It is said, ekadasyam tu yo bhunkte visnu-loka-cyuto bhavet, if somebody eats grains on Ekadasi he’ll fall down from Vaikuntha, yes, he’ll fall down from there.
atra vaisnavanam niraharatvam nama maha-prasadanna-parityaga eva
tesam anya-bhojanasya nityam eva nisiddhatvat
ekadasyam na bhoktavyam tad vratam vaisnavam mahat
tatra tavad asya avaisnave’pi nityatvam
[Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 299-300]
This is a quotation from Bhakti-sandarbha. This means, those who arevaisnavas will fast from grains on Ekadasi day. Every day a vaisnava takesmaha-prasada. The day there is no maha-prasada is maha-prasada tyaga, also known as Ekadasi. No maha-prasada is to be taken on Ekadasi. Maha-prasadawill be kept for the next day, the twelfth day, parana. Vaisnavas observeparana, [exact times within which to break-fast]. If the parana, is not observed then one cannot get the result of this vrata. Therefore parana must be observed on the twelfth day. Maha-prasada is always kept and eaten on the next day [12th day]. This is known as maha-prasada tyaga. One should not take maha-prasada on Ekadasi day, no. This is followed by vaisnavas, and is known as vaisnava-vrata. Tatra tavad asya avaisnave, if one will not follow thisvrata then you are considered avaisnava [non-devotee]. So this is what Mahaprabhu has said. So many things are there.
It is stated in the Padma Purana:
bhuyo-bhuyo drdha vani sryatam syata janah
na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam harer dine
“O human beings, please listen, I tell you repeatedly with steadfast determination, please never eat any grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi day, the Lord’s appearance day like Janmastami day etc.). Please never eat any food grains even by mistake on the Day of Lord Hari. Please do not eat grains on the Day of Lord Hari even if forced or compelled to do so.”
The reason to not eat food grains on Ekadasi is stated in the Vrihan Naradiya Purana thus:
yani kani ca papani brahma hatyadikani ca
annam asritya tiathanti samprapte hari vasare
“Every type of sin in this world, including the grievous sin of killing a Brahmana, reside in food grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi and other fasting days). If grains are eaten on fasting days sins enter the body of that human being.”
The Hari Bhakti Vilasa states:
brahmacari grhastho va vanaprastho ‘thava yatih
ekadasyam hi bhunjano bhukte go-mamsam eva hi
“Whether a person is Brahmachari (unmarried celibate student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprasthi (retired, elderly), Sanyasi (renounced person) or any other social order, if they eat food grains on Ekadasi, they acquire the same sin as that received by eating cow’s meat.”
The Skanda Purana also states:
matr ha pitr has caiva bhratr ha guru has tatha
ekadasyas tu ya bhunkte visnu-lokac cyuto bhavet
“Those who eat grains on Ekadasi and on the Day of Lord Hari (including Janmastami, Gaura Purnima etc.) obtain the sin equal to killing one’s own mother, own father, own brother and own Guru; and they cannot reach the spiritual world, which is why one should never eat grains on fasting days.”
One may think or say that fasting on Ekadasi days and the Lord’s appearance days are meant only for Vaisnava devotees and not for worshippers of Lord Siva or Durga etc. But the Padma Purana informs such people:
na saiva na ca saurohasaun na sakta gana sevakah
yo bhunkte vasare visnor jneyah pasvadiko hi sah
“Whether one is a follower of Lord Siva, the goddess Durga, Kali, Surya (sungod), Ganesa, Bhairava or any other demigod, they should avoid eating grains on the fasting days of Lord Hari (Ekadasis and other fasting days of Lord Hari). If one does not rigidly follow this rule and eats grains on fasting days they are considered worse than an animal.”
The Brihan Naradiya Purana states:
brahma-hatyadi papanam kathancin niskrtir bhavet
ekadasyat tu yo bhunkte niskrtir nasti kutracit
“By rigidly following religious and ritualistic processes one may become free from grievous sin like killing a Brahmana, but it is impossible to eliminate the sins of those who eat grains on Ekadasi days.”
It is written in the Skanda Purana that Lord Yamaraja (superintendent of hell) told his messengers not even to go near the immediate three generations of those who fast on Ekadasi days, even if they are lowborn and full of sin. But even if a pious person is learned in the four Vedas and performs rituals and is pure, but eats grains on Ekadasi days, they must be taken to hell to suffer. (The correct Ekadasi days are calculated each year and printed as a calendar and can be gotten upon request). If grain filled prasadam is given to a person on a fasting day it should be kept for consumption on the next day, but should not be consumed on the fasting day. Only fruits, roots (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, tapioca, sago etc.) water, milk products, nuts, rock salt, Singhara flour, Kutu flower, Sama Rice (found in the Indian grocery stores) and prescribed medicines can be consumed on fasting days. Fasting on Ekadasis began in Satyayuga and everyone followed fasting rules then.
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