Dr. Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra
In Sanatan Dharma culture, the day of every lunar month, 11 days after the full moon and 11 days after the new moon, is called Ekadashi. The human body goes through a cycle approximately every 40 – 48 days, which is called a cycle. There are 3 specific days in this cycle when the body does not need food and these can be different for every person, and it is not necessary that they come at the same interval. It is not a good thing to force feed your body during these 3 days. If you know which are these 3 days, when your body is not asking for food, and abstain from eating during those days, then in this simple way many of your health problems will go away. You can easily identify this cycle if you get rid of the ‘you must consume so many calories, so many proteins, and so many minerals’ nonsense. Most people can identify those three days if they listen to their body. In ancient times, someone paid enough attention to his system and recognized those three days when his body should not eat, and that is why he said this. But then, there was no such awareness among the people so they fixed Ekadashi for this. There are 3 Ekadashis in every 48 day cycle and on this day the earth has a special condition. On the day of Ekadashi the earth is in a special condition. If we keep our body light and available that day, our awareness will turn inward. There is a high possibility of the inner door opening on this day. If your stomach is full, you are healthy and you are not aware, you will not be able to notice it. So, to remain alert, alert and also to keep the body pure, you remain without food on that day – that is, you had eaten food the previous night and now you will eat only on the night of Ekadashi.
Scientific Reason – Since ancient times, devotees have been observing fast on Ekadashi twice a month. This fast is generally for everyone. Ekadashi (‘ek’ is 1, ‘dasha’ is 10) is the 11th day in the lunar calendar, i.e. counted from the new moon day and also from the full moon day. According to a research, the air pressure in the earth’s atmosphere changes rapidly on both Amavasya (Amavasya) and Purnima (Full Moon) days. This is due to the orbital paths – the conjunction of the Sun, Moon and Earth and their varying distances at particular intervals (ie every 24 hours for one complete rotation of the Earth). Accordingly, the pressure in the atmosphere also varies considerably and varies from day to day. This can be seen from the change in the nature of tidal waves on new moon and full moon days. On the day of Amavasya, due to increase in atmospheric pressure in the oceans, the waves become very high and violent. But from the next day onwards the waves calm down – this is a sign that the pressure has also reduced. Especially on the 11th day of Amavasya or Purnima, the pressure is very light or zero.
Now, on the basis of this fact, the importance of Ekadashi fast can be explained as follows-
- Compared to any other day of the lunar cycle, the atmospheric pressure is lowest on the day of Ekadashi. Thus, this is the best time to fast and cleanse our body. If we fast on any other day, the high pressure/stress can harm our system.On this day, the body never experiences pain as we cleanse our systems, thus rejuvenating the entire body system – especially the liver/stomach/intestine.Since the atmospheric pressure increases rapidly and doubles on the 12th day of Amavasya/Purnima (called Dwadashi), to avoid any complications in the body, people observing fast are advised to break the fast the next day in the morning. Consume as much food as possible. ,
- It has been observed that fasting on this day is also very conducive to focusing on meditation and prayer. According to science, after we eat food, it takes about 3-4 days for the brain to understand it. It is said that if we eat light/fast food on Ekadashi day, that food will reach the brain accordingly on Amavasya/Purnima day.
Story of Shattila Ekadashi
Yudhishthir asked Shri Krishna: Lord! Which Ekadashi occurs in the Krishna Paksha of Magh month? What is the method for that and what is its result? Please tell us all these things.
Shri Bhagwan said: Nripashrestha! Ekadashi of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Magh (Paush according to Gujarat and Maharashtra) is famous by the name of ‘Shattila’, which is the destroyer of all sins. Listen to the sinful story told by the sage Pulastya to Dalbhya.
Dalbhya asked: Brahmin! The beings who have come to the mortal world often keep committing sinful acts. What is the solution so that they do not have to go to hell? Please have mercy and explain .
Pulastyaji said: Mahabhag! When the month of Magh comes, a person should take a bath and become pure and should give up evils like lust, anger, ego, greed and backbiting etc. while maintaining control over the senses. Remembering Lord Devadhidev, wash your feet with water and collect the cow dung lying on the ground. Mix sesame seeds and cotton in it and make one hundred and eight pindikas. Then when Ardra or MoolNakshatra comes in Magh, then follow the rules to perform Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha. Take a proper bath and become pure and worship Devadhidev Shri Vishnu with pure feelings. In case of any mistake, chant the name of Shri Krishna. Do Jagran and Homa at night. Worship the deity Shri Hari who holds the conch, disc and mace with materials like sandalwood, argja, camphor, naivegh etc. After that, remembering God and reciting the name of Shri Krishna repeatedly, worship God with pumpkin, coconut or bijora fruit and offer Ardha. In the absence of all other materials, worship and offering can be done with even a hundred betel nuts. The mantra of Ardhya is as follows:
‘Shri Krishna in the form of true love! You are very kind. You are the provider of shelter to us shelterless creatures. We are drowning in the ocean of the world, please be happy with us. Kamalnayan! Universal feeling! Subrahmanya! Great man! Everyone’s ancestors! Greetings to you !Jagatpate! Please accept the offering given by me along with Goddess Lakshmi.
After that worship the Brahmin. Donate him a water pitcher, umbrella, shoes and clothes. While donating, say – ‘May Lord Shri Krishna be pleased with me through this donation.’ Donate a black cow to the best Brahmin as per your capacity. Dwijshreshtha! A learned man should also donate a vessel filled with sesame seeds. If those sesame seeds are sown, the number of branches that can be produced from them will ensure that he is honored in heaven for a thousand years. Take bath with sesame seeds, apply sesame paste, drink water mixed with sesame seeds, donate sesame seeds and use sesame seeds for food. In this way, O great human being! Due to the use of sesame seeds in six works, this Ekadashi is called ‘Shattila’, which destroys all sins.
(The writer is Principal
Churamani Sanskrit Sansthan).