विजया एकादशी व्रत कथा

The beginning
Dharmaraj Yudhishthira asked Shri Krishna, “O Janardan, you have told me the story of Jaya Ekadashi of Magh Shukla paksha. Now, what is the name of the Ekadashi in the Krishna paksha of Phalgun, and how is its fast kept? Please tell me.”
Shri Krishna said, “O King, this Ekadashi is called Vijaya Ekadashi. Once Devarshi Narad asked Brahma ji, the father of the world, this same question. Brahma ji then told him this story about Shri Ram. I will tell you that same story.”

The story
This happened in the Treta Yuga. When Shri Ram was sent to the forest for fourteen years, he lived at Panchavati with Lakshman ji and Sita ji. From there Ravan carried Sita ji away by trickery. Shri Ram and Lakshman ji were deeply troubled and wandered from forest to forest searching for her.

On the way they found the wounded Jatayu. Jatayu told them that Ravan had taken Sita ji away, and then he breathed his last in Shri Ram’s lap. Later Shri Ram became friends with Sugriv, the king of the vanars. Hanuman ji went to Lanka, found Sita ji in the Ashok Vatika, and came back to give Shri Ram all the news.

Then Shri Ram set out for Lanka with Sugriv and the army of vanars and bears. When the army reached the seashore, Shri Ram saw that the sea was very deep and wide, full of huge crocodiles and sea creatures. He said to Lakshman ji, “Lakshman, how will we cross this sea with such a large army?”

Lakshman ji said, “Bhaiya, you know everything. Still, half a yojan from here, on Kumari island, lives a sage named Vakdalbhya. He is very wise and very old. Please ask him for a way.”

Shri Ram went to Sage Vakdalbhya’s ashram, bowed to him and sat down. The sage asked, “O Ram, what brings you here?” Shri Ram said, “Munivar, I want to go to Lanka with my army. Please tell me a way to cross the sea.”

The sage said, “O Ram, Vijaya Ekadashi comes in the Krishna paksha of Phalgun. Keep the fast on that day along with your army chiefs. This is how it is done. On Dashami, take a kalash of gold, silver, copper or clay. Fill it with water, place leaves of five trees (panch pallav) on top, and set it on an altar. Put seven kinds of grain (satnaja) under the kalash and barley on top. Place an image of Bhagwan Narayan on it.

On Ekadashi, after bathing, worship the Lord with incense, a lamp, naivedya and a coconut. Spend the whole day with devotion in front of the kalash, and stay awake there through the night as well. On Dwadashi, bathe at a river or pond, and after the puja give the kalash to a Brahmin.”

Shri Ram kept the Vijaya Ekadashi fast with the chief members of his army, just as the sage had said. After that the army crossed the sea, and Shri Ram won victory over Lanka.

Shri Ram was himself an avatar of Vishnu ji, yet before a great task he humbly asked a sage for advice and kept the fast. This story teaches that before any big task, patience, the advice of elders and the remembrance of God matter a great deal.

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