सफला एकादशी व्रत कथा

The beginning
Dharmaraj Yudhishthira asked Shri Krishna, “O Janardan, what is the name of the Ekadashi in the Krishna paksha of Paush? How is its fast kept, and who is worshipped on that day? Please tell me.”
Shri Krishna said, “O King, this Ekadashi is called Saphala Ekadashi. Its deity is Bhagwan Narayan. Just as Sheshnag is the greatest among serpents, Garud among birds and Vishnu ji among the gods, the Ekadashi fast is held to be the greatest among fasts. On this day people worship Narayan, offer fruits and naivedya, and stay awake at night. Now listen to its story.”

The story
Long ago there was a city called Champavati, ruled by a king named Mahishman. The king had four sons. The eldest, Lumpak, had gone badly astray. He kept bad company, wasted his father’s wealth on wrong things, and insulted the gods, Brahmins and devotees. The people were troubled by him, but because he was the prince, no one dared to complain to the king.

One day the king came to know what his son had been doing. He was deeply hurt and angry, and he sent Lumpak out of the kingdom. Once his father had turned him out, everyone else left him too.

Lumpak wondered, “Where do I go now? What do I do?” In the end he chose the wrong path again. By day he hid in the forest, and by night he crept into his father’s city to steal and trouble people. Sometimes people caught him, but they let him go because he was the king’s son.

In the forest where he lived stood a huge, very old peepal tree. People worshipped that tree like God and believed the forest was a playground of the gods. Lumpak lived under that very tree.

Some time later came the Dashami of the Krishna paksha of Paush. That night was bitterly cold, and Lumpak did not even have clothes to cover himself. He could not sleep all night because of the cold. His hands and feet went stiff, and by morning he had fainted.

The next day was Ekadashi. Only at noon, when the sun warmed him, did he wake. Stumbling, he somehow got up and went to look for food. He was so weak that day that he could not find anything else, so he picked up some fruits that had fallen under the trees and came back to the peepal tree. By then the sun had set.

Though he was hungry, he did not feel like eating the fruits. He placed them at the root of the peepal tree and said sadly, “O Lord, these fruits are now offered to you. May you be satisfied with them.” Saying this, he began to weep. That night too he could not sleep, because of his sorrow and the cold.

So, without knowing it, Lumpak kept the Ekadashi fast and also stayed awake all night. Bhagwan Narayan was pleased with this feeling of his, and all his sins were wiped away.

The next morning a beautifully decorated horse came and stood before him. At the same moment a voice spoke from the sky: “O Prince, by the grace of Bhagwan Narayan your sins are wiped away. Now go to your father and take up your kingdom.”

Hearing this, Lumpak was filled with joy. He said, “O Lord, glory to you!” Then he put on good clothes, went to his father and told him everything. Seeing his son so changed, the king was very happy. He handed the kingdom to him and himself went away to the forest.

Now Lumpak ruled by dharma. His whole family became devotees of Bhagwan Narayan. When he grew old, he too handed the kingdom to his son and went to the forest to give his mind to the Lord’s bhakti. In the end he found a place in the Lord’s abode.

This story reminds us that God is very kind. For anyone who truly wants to change, God’s door is always open.

May Vishnu ji keep faith and peace in every heart.
Bolo Shri Hari Vishnu Bhagwan ki Jai!