Mohini Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Mohini Ekadashi Vrat Katha

The beginning
Dharmaraj Yudhishthira said to Shri Krishna, “O Lord, you have told me in detail about Varuthini Ekadashi in the Krishna paksha of Vaishakh. Now please tell me: what is the name of the Ekadashi in the Shukla paksha of Vaishakh, what is its story, and how is its fast kept?”
Shri Krishna said, “O Dharmaraj, it is called Mohini Ekadashi. I will tell you the story that Maharishi Vasishtha told to Shri Ramchandra ji. Listen carefully.”

The story
Once Shri Ram said to his guru, Vasishtha ji, “O Gurudev, I have suffered great sorrow in my separation from Sita ji. Please tell me of a fast that takes away all sorrow and sin.”
Vasishtha ji said, “O Ram, people become pure just by taking your name. Still, you have asked this question for the good of everyone. The Ekadashi in the Shukla paksha of Vaishakh is called Mohini. This fast is said to free a person from the net of attachment. Listen to its story.”

On the bank of the river Saraswati there was a beautiful city called Bhadravati. King Dyutiman of the Moon dynasty ruled there. In the same city lived a rich merchant named Dhanpal. He was very good and a devotee of Lord Vishnu. He had built eating places, water stalls, wells, ponds and rest houses for the people. Along the roads he had planted mango, jamun and neem trees, so that travellers would have shade.

Dhanpal had five sons: Sumana, Sadbuddhi, Medhavi, Sukriti and Dhrishtabuddhi. The youngest, Dhrishtabuddhi, took the wrong path. He kept bad company, gambled, drank and did not respect his elders. He wasted his father’s hard-earned money on bad deeds. When he did not change even after much advice, his sad father and family sent him out of the house.

Out on his own, he lived by selling his jewellery and clothes. When everything was gone, his bad friends left him too. Troubled by hunger and thirst, he began to steal. The first time he was caught, the guards let him go with a warning because he was Dhanpal’s son. But he was caught again. This time the king put him in prison and later sent him out of the city.

Now he wandered in the forest and fed himself by hunting. One day, weak with hunger and thirst, he wandered into the ashram of Rishi Kaundinya. It was the month of Vaishakh, and the rishi was coming back from his bath in the Ganga. A few drops of water from the rishi’s wet clothes fell on Dhrishtabuddhi. As soon as those holy drops touched him, it was as if a light came on in his mind, and he began to feel sorry for what he had done.

He folded his hands and said to the rishi, “O great sage, I have done many wrong things in my life. I have no money left. Please tell me a simple way, one that needs no money, by which I can be freed from these sins.”
Hearing his humble words, Rishi Kaundinya’s heart softened. He said, “Keep the fast of Mohini Ekadashi, in the Shukla paksha of Vaishakh, in the proper way. By its power even the greatest sins are wiped away.”

Dhrishtabuddhi kept the Mohini Ekadashi fast with his whole heart, just as the rishi had taught him. By the power of the fast all his sins were wiped away. In the end he rode on Garud to the abode of Lord Vishnu.

Vasishtha ji said, “O Ram, there is no other fast like this one to free us from attachment.”

This story of Mohini Ekadashi reminds us that good company can change a life, and that after true regret the way back to God is always open.

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