Fasting on Ekadashi comes twice a month.

One should not consume any grains or meat on this day.

Lord Krishna says that if a person fasts on Ekadashi, I will burn up
all his sins. Indeed this day is the most meritorious day for
destroying all kinds of sins.
In the three worlds, there is no kind of fasting, which is even
comparable to the Ekadashi fast.
Even if one performs this fast without a proper attitude, he achieves
the Lords Supreme Abode.
Anyone who fasts on Ekadashi, with full devotion, the merit one
receives cannot be compared to anything else in the three worlds.

Compiled by Astrologer
Pitchumani

Amalaki
Ekadasi
story
Mandhata once said to Vasistha Muni,

King
O great
sage, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast
that will benefit me eternally.
Vasistha Muni replied. O king, kindly listen as I describe
the best of all fast days,Amalaki Ekadasi. He who
faithfully observes a fast on this Ekadasi obtains
enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds of
sins, and attains liberation.
Fasting on this Ekadasi is more purifying than donating
one thousand cows in charity to a pure brahmana. So
please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a
hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent
animals for his living, achieved liberation by observing a
fast on Amalaki Ekadasi following the prescribed rules and
regulations of worship.

There was once a kingdom named Vaidisha, where all

the brahmanas, khsatriyas, vaishyas, and shudra were
equally endowed with Vedic knowledge, great bodily
strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the
whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single
person was atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this
kingdom wasKing Pashabinduka, a member of the
dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known
asChitrarathaand was very religious and truthful. It is
said that King Chitraratha had the strength of ten
thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and
knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.
During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single
person in his kingdom attempted to practice anothers
dharma (duty); so perfectly engaged in their own
dharma's were all the brahmanas, khsatriyas, vaishyas,
and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen
throughout the land, never was there ever a drought or

The people rendered loving devotional service to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as did the
king, who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva.
Moreover, twice a month everyone fasted on Ekadasi.
In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of Vaidisha lived
many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving
up all varieties of materialistic religion, they completely
dedicated themselves to the loving service of the
Supreme Lord, Hari.
Observing Amalaki Ekadasi
Once, in the month of Pahlguna (February March), the
holy fast of Amalaki Ekadasi arrived, conjoined with
Dvadasi. King Chitraratha realized that this particular fast
would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he and all
the citizens of Vaidisha observed this sacred Ekadasi very
strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations.

went to the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalaki tree

grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree
a pot filled with water, as well as a fine canopy, shoes,
gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic
incense. Then they worshiped Lord Parashurama with
these prayers:
Oh Lord Parashurama, Oh son of Renuka, Oh all-pleasing
one, Oh liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this
holy Amalaki tree and accept our humble obeisance's.
Then they prayed to the Amalaki tree: Oh Amalaki, Oh
offspring of Lord Brahma, you can destroy all kinds of
sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisance's
and these humble gifts.
O Amalaki, you are actually the form of Brahman, and
you were once worshiped by Lord Ramachandra Himself.
Whoever circumambulates you ,immediately freed of all

and his subjects remained awake throughout the night,

praying and worshiping according to the regulations
governing a sacred Ekadasi fast. It was during this
auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very
irreligious man approached the assembly, a man who
maintained himself and his family by killing animals.
Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the
king and the citizens of Vaidisha observing Amalaki
Ekadasi by performing an all-night vigil, fasting, and
worshiping Lord Vishnu in the beautiful forest setting,
which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The
hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary
sight before him was.
The fortunate hunter
What is going on here? he thought. What he saw in that
lovely forest beneath the holy Amalaki tree was the Deity
of Lord Damodara being worshiped upon the Asana of a
water pot and he heard the devotees singing sacred

innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great

amazement as he watched the Ekadasi celebration and
listened to the glorification of the Lord.
Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue
including the court sages and all the citizens completed
their observance of Ekadasi and returned to the city of
Vaidisha.
The hunter returned to his hut and happily ate his meal.
In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had gained
by fasting on Amalaki Ekadasi and hearing the
glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as
well as by being forced to stay awake all night, made him
eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may
chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers.
His name was Vasuratha, the son of King Viduratha, and

King Vasuratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as

the Sun, and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he
was like Sri Vishnu, and in forgiveness like the Earth itself.
Very charitable and every truthful,.
King Vasuratha always rendered loving devotional
service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. He therefore
became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always
active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent
care of his subjects, as though they were his own children.
He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he
saw it.
He performed many kinds of sacrifices, and he always
made certain that the needy in his kingdom received
enough charity.
One day, while hunting in the jungle, King Vasuratha

fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came

upon him and, remembering their long standing enmity
toward the king, began discussing among themselves
various ways to kill him. It is because he killed our
fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews,
and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so
many madmen in the forest.
The Great Rescue
They prepared to kill King Vasuratha with various
weapons, including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic
ropes. But none of these deadly weapons could even
touch the sleeping king, and soon the uncivilized, dogeating tribesmen grew frightened.
Their fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost
what little intelligence they had and became almost
unconscious with bewilderment and weakness had tried

tribesmen lying around him, he was astonished.

He wondered, These are all great enemies of mine! Who
has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?
At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky,
You asked that who helped you. Well, who is that person
who alone can help anyone is distress? He is none other
than Sri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any
selfish motive.
Upon hearing these words, King Vasuratha became
over-whelmed with love for the Personality of Godhead Sri
Keshava
(Krishna).
He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a
second lord Indra (king of the heavenly regions), without
any obstacles at all.

Conclusion
Therefore, Oh King Mandhata, the venerable Vasistha
Muni concluded, anyone who observes this holy Amalaki
Ekadasi will undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of
Lord Vishnu, so great is the religious merit earned from
the observance of this most sacred fast day.
Thus ends the narration of the glories of Pahlguna-sukla
Ekadasi, or Amalaki Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.
Note:
If the Amalaki tree is not available then worship the
sacred Tulsi tree. Also plant the sacred Tulsi seeds, and
offer lamps to her.

Amla or Dhatri or Dhatrika means a nourishing mother.

The tree is highly revered as it is associated with both
Lord Vishnu and Siva.
According to Skanda Purana Once, when the whole earth
was submerged into the water and Lord Brahma was
immersed in the meditation of Parabrahma (Almighty
Vishnu). He became so full of emotion that tears started
rolling down from his eyes and fell down on the earth. The
Amla tree germinated from those tears.
The Amla tree had many branches, and it was full of Amla
fruits. Since the Amla tree was the first tree to manifest
itself on the earth, therefore it is also known as ADIROHA
(Pre-eminent tree).
This Amla tree was very much liked by Lord Vishnu and all
the deities alike. One day while the deities was looking at
this pre-eminent Amla tree, they heard a voice from the

On the day of Shivaratri, special pujas are offered to the

tree.
Women bind the tree with red and yellow threads, and
pray by offering flowers and fruits.
During Karthika Masa,(October- November) Akshaya
Navami is celebrated when women offer prayers to the
tree.
A prayer offered to Amla tree on Akshaya Navami begets
a male progeny.
In Brahmanda Purana, it is mentioned that whoever
observes the Amla Ekadashi Vratha, reaps its benefits
(blessings of the Lord) not only in the present birth but
also in the next birth.

the woman. He composed Kanakadara Stotra (Kanaka in

Sanskrit means gold) in praise of goddess Mahalaxmi to
alleviate the suffering of the lady.
Goddess Mahalaxmi, pleased with the devotion of Sri
Shankaracharya blessed the lady by showering gold
coins.
In Padma Purana, the following story is mentioned which
glorifies the divinity of the Amla fruit.
There was once a chandala who went to the forest for
hunting. After having hunted a good number of animals,
he began to feel hungry. He climbed the Amla tree which
was nearby and ate a handful of Amla fruits.
Unfortunately, while descending from the tree, he fell
down and died. When the attendants of Yamaraja came
to take his soul away, they failed in spite of several
attempts. They then approached sages seeking

According to Charaka Samhita, while collecting the Amla

fruit by the light of a full moon, if one were to recite
Om, then one will live in enjoyment of youth, for as
many thousands of years as the number one eats.
TheCharaka Samhitasays, "Amalakiis the best among
rejuvenative herbs.
Eating food under the Amla tree in the month of Karthika
absolves one from the Anna doshas for a year.

Guna (Qualities) Dry and light

1.Rich source of Vitamin C: Amla fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C. One amla fruit
has 700- 921 gms of Vitamin C. Vitamin C in the most concentrated form is found only
in Amla. A medium sized amla fruit contains 8.7 mg of Vitamin C equivalent to 100 mg
of synthetically produced Vitamin C.
2.Improves food absorption: One of the properties of Vitamin C is that it enhances
the food absorption, digestion and assimilation in the body. Regular consumption of
Amla helps in absorption of iron in the food. Amla improves the thirteen digestive fires
in the body. Thus regular consumption of amla makes a person enjoy the taste of food
better. It is very useful for people having pitta body constitution.
3.Helps in reducing acidity: Amla with its cooling property is used in treating mild to
moderate hyper acidic reactions in the body.
4.Improves liver functioning :Amla is very effective in removing the toxins from the
body. It stimulates the liver and purifies the digestive juice (Bile) produced by the liver.
It also purifies the blood.
5.Enhances the brain function: Amla is effective in enhancing the brain functions
such as attention, registration, retention and recall. It is used in improving the nervous
system. Amla fruit strengthens the senses.
6.Enhances heart functioning: Regular consumption of amla, nurtures the heart,
improves blood circulation and aids in the overall cardiovascular system
7.Strengthening lungs: Amla is used in treating phlegm. It is very effective in
strengthening the lungs and clearing the respiratory tract of phlegm.

which nurtures the sperm and ovaries. Regular consumption of amla

enhances fertility in both men and women.
9.Effective in treating urinary tract infections: Amla enhances
the digestive system in the body, it is also used in treating urinary
tract infections like mild burning while urinating. It is a natural
diuretic which removes waste water from the body.
10.Improves the skin complexion: As amla removes the toxins
from the body, and is a rich source of Vitamin C, it enhances the skin
complexion. It helps the skin to fight against bacterial infection. It
improves the glow and luster of the skin.
11.Good Hair care: Regular consumption of amla delays premature
greying and improves hair growth.
12.Calcium absorption: Amla aids in calcium absorption in the
body, thus aiding in the creation of strong bones, teeth and nails.
13.As a coolant: Amla with its cooling property is very effective
during summer season. It is especially useful for people with Pitta and
Vatha constitution.
14.Strengthens the eyes: Amla is also known as chakshushya,
which means "strengthening the eyes"-(Chakshu means "eye" and
ayushya means "Rasayana" so it is literally a "Rasayanafor the
eyes"). It aids in improving the vision.
15.Improves muscle tone: Amla improves the protein synthesis in
the body, thereby strengthening the muscles.

16.Antioxidant property: With the anti oxidant property, amla is

very effective in strengthening the overall immunity system and
delay the aging process.
17.Energy booster: As amla aids in better absorption of food,
purifies the blood, removes toxins from the body, it removes fatigue
from the body. It aids in cell regeneration process, wherein the old
cells are replaced by the healthy new cells, thus making the body
more energetic.
18.Treating Hypoglycemia: Amla is very effective in treating
hypoglycemia, (a condition when the blood sugar levels fall
suddenly).
19.Inflammation and fever: As amla has a cooling nature, it is
used in the treatment of inflammation or burning sensation in any
part of the body. It is also used in the treatment of fever.

attained by seeing this Amla tree are twice than donating

a cow and the virtues attained by eating an Amla fruit is
thrice as compared to donation of a cow. So efforts should
be made for its preservation.
Eating the fruits of Amla is very nutritious for the body.
Taking bath by the water mixed with the juice of Amla
fruit has great curative values.
The performance of Pindadana under the Amla trees
gives salvation to the souls of dead ancestors. Ghosts and
other evil spirits do not trouble a house where Amla fruits
are kept.
One who is desirous of acquiring wealth should take bath
by water mined with the juice of Amla fruits daily.
A person who washes his hairs with the juice of Amla
mixed with water, attains Vishnu loka by destroying all

A person who has his food under an Amla tree in the

Hindu month of Kartik, becomes free from the defects of
the food (annadosha) for one year.
All the above-mentioned benefits of the Amla tree and
Amla fruit has been described by sage Vyasa in 'Skanda
Purana'.
If one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy
names of Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda, very
quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon
as he chants the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, he
feels the ecstasy of love for God.

"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare"

and its significance

Follow the general rules of the Ekadasi vrata.
Worship Amla tree with incense, fruits and flowers.
Faithfully worship Lord Shri Krishna and forms of
Krishna .
Planet Venus Ruled by Parashurama, During this Ekadasi
venus transit is either towards Meena or in Meena Rasi
,that is venues uccha Rasi.
Sukra Parashurama incarnation is indweller. It is not
recommended by the Parampara to use the name worship
Parashurama directly. So worship goddess Lakshmi and
can chant NAMO BHAGAVATE HRISHIKESHAYA
Venus is Adi devatha is Maha Laxmi. So this Ekadasi
Fasting blesses both material and spiritual prosperity.
It is believed that Lord Vishnu, goddess Lakshmi, Lord
Shiva and Lord Brahma reside in the Amla tree.
One obtains great religious merit by touching the tree
and by eating the fruit. Therefore, prepare Ekadasi dishes
with Amla, offer to Lord Vishnu, distribute the prasadam.

 Observing Amalaki Ekadasi vrata is more purifying than

donating one thousand cows to a pious brahmana.

The faithful observer is bestowed with immense wealth

and is freed from the effects of past sins.

Ultimately, the observer is blessed with liberation and

residence in Lord Vishnu's abode.

conditioned soul produces a samskara. Each samskara

becomes added to a stockpile of mental impressions that
is not vanquished even at death, these samskaras, and
impressions from previous births, are embedded deep in
the sub consciousness, How can we overcome this eternal
enemy, this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization?
One technique to control the mind is to ignore it. A
person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of
desiresthat enter like rivers into the ocean, which is
ever being filled but is always stillcan alone achieve
peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such
desires. (Bg. 2.70) By tolerance alone can one conquer
desires .(SB 1.9.27)
So many nonsense thoughts enter our minds. If instead
of picking up on them we simply ignore them, they will
naturally and quickly die, to be replaced by other
thoughts. Therefore we have to train our minds to think of

Maharaja Ambarisha engaged in various activities of

Philosophical discussion between devotees, attempting to
understand the philosophy of Krishna consciousness from
different angles of vision , gives the mind meaningful
subject matter to meditate on and makes it strong.
One should not be lazy in the matter of understanding
the philosophical conclusions of devotional service, for
such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus ones mind
becomes attached to Shri Krishna. (Cc. Adi 2.117)
A sincere devotee of the Lord must be sincerely
convinced that simply by the strength of devotional
service and the mercy of Lord Krishna he will achieve
everything auspicious in life.
One must believe that Lord Krishna is all-merciful and
that He is the only real goal of ones life. Such determined

Break the Fasting on Monday morning between 6 to 9 am