Significane of Aashada Ekadashi-Pandarapur Jatra
"Pandarapura vemba dodda shahara,
Alli Vithobha yemba obba Sashukara
Vithobha eruvudu nadi teera
Alli Pandari bhajaneya vyapara
Jai jai vittala panduranga..
Jai hari Vittala Panduranga"..
Goes the Kananda Bhajan on Vittala Panduranga...
I was perplexed as to how I managed to skip writing a post about Aashada Ekadashi for my blog.
One moment, please. I have posted one on Vaikuntha Ekadashi. As is also the case with Aashada Ekadashi, which is an extremely useful reference.
Ekadashi, Triyodashi, Amavasya (Day of the New Moon), and Pournima (Day of the Full Moon) are all days that hold a lot of importance for Indians. Each Ekadashi, Triyodashi, Amavasya (New Moon Day), and Pournima (Full Moon Day) have their own unique names, each of which is connected to a myth or legend that explains how the day came to be called that.
Ekadashi, also known as the eleventh day, is a day that is revered in the religions of Hinduism and Jainism as being particularly fortunate for spiritual growth. "Upvasa" is a Sanskrit word, with "UP" meaning near and "VASA" meaning to sit or reside. This event is typically celebrated as "Upvasa." We ask that you refrain from pronouncing it like the English word "up."
Now the question arises sit or reside before whom?
In any manifestation of the Almighty, one must engage in the practice of spiritual meditation. It's kind of like having a day off from all the activities you normally do, like cooking, cleaning, eating, washing, chatting, etc.
One day in which we will give our full attention to meditation to improve ourselves and advance our spiritual development.
The Upvasa is often incorrectly translated as "fasting" in English, which means abstaining from eating or food consumption. Once more, on the day of Ekadashi, a wide variety of food is prepared. This may take the form of fruit salads, the preparation or consumption of particular kinds of grains, milk, and so on.
The correct method of abstinence begins on the day before, which is the tenth day, which is called the Dashami afternoon meal and marks the end of one's responsibilities in the kitchen. From the afternoon of the tenth day until just before dawn on the Dwadashi day, also known as the twelfth day. On the twelfth day, the specially prescribed food must be consumed before sunrise, and then the individual must go the entire day without eating or sleeping. This would equate to approximately 36 hours of not having access to food or water. Because of this, going without food or water twice a month is equivalent to going without either for three to three and a half days. This is yet another scientific reason that is to the advantage of our bodies.
What would a person do on Ekadashi day?
It is expected of a person that they will devote themselves completely to spiritual activities such as Sath sangh bhajan, the recitation of Sahasranamas, meditation, and Japa and that they will refrain from engaging in gossip that is not necessary.
On the other hand, there is a large number of exceptions to the rule that one must fast on Ekadashi day. There are exceptions made for people who are pregnant, have health problems, are sick or injured, or who are sick or injured and are younger than 8–10 years old. To reiterate, there is a sense of relaxation that comes from consuming one meal as opposed to three meals. In all honesty, the observance of Ekadashi is not a mandate that must be followed to the letter by everyone. It depends on the person making the decision.
In a typical year, there are twenty-four Ekadashis to mark the passage of time. There are two additional Ekadashis that fall on leap years. In the Indian calendar, a leap year is defined as any year that contains an additional lunar month known as Adhika Msa. This type of year only occurs every three years.
Each Ekadashi has its own name and significance, and it is connected with either one of the avatars (incarnations) of the Supreme Being or one of the specific incidents, people, or deities described in the Puranas or Itihasas. The following is a list of the twenty-four Ekadashi that occurs in a year:
Chaitra Maasa- Begins in March -April
Kṛiṣhṇa Pakhaa - Papavimocanī Ekadashi
Śukla Pakshaa - Kamada Ekadashi
Vaishakha Maasa – Begins in April- May
Kṛiṣhṇa Paksha - Varuthini Ekadashi
Śukla Paksha - Mohini Ekadashi
Jyeṣṭha Maasa –Begins in May -June
Krishna Paksha- Apara Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Nirjala or Bhima Ekadashi
Aashada Maasa- June-July
Krishna Paksha- Yogini Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Devsayani Ekadashi
Shravaṇa Maasa –July-August
Krishna Paksha- Kamika Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Putrada Ekadashi
Bhadrapada Maasa-August-September
Krishna Paksha- Ananda Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Parshva Ekadashi
Ashvija Maasa—September-October
Krishna Paksha- Iṅdira Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Papakuṅsa Ekadashi
Kartika Maasa- October-November
Krishna Paksha- Rama Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Prabodhini or Devuthani Ekadashi
Margashirṣa Maasa – November-December
Krishna Paksha- Vaikunta or Trikoti Ekadashi or Mukkoti Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Mokṣada Ekadashi
Pushya Maasa-December-January
Krishna Paksha- Saphala Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Putrada Ekadashi
Magha Maasa- January-February
Krishna Paksha- Shata Tila Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Bhaimi or Jaya Ekadashi
Phalguna Maasa – February-March
Krishna Paksha- Utpanna Ekadashi
Shukla Paksha- Amalaki Ekadashi
As the first Ekadashi of the year, Aashada Ekadashi, which can also be spelled as Aashadhi Ekadashi, is considered the most significant of all the Ekadasis. This day is referred to as "Toli Ekadashi" in Telugu. It occurs on the eleventh day of the Ashada Maasa, which is the bright half of the month (June-July
Pandarpur Yatra culminates on Aashada Ekadasi and is of great importance in Maharashtra State, India.
This Aashada Ekadashi holds a special significance for members of the Varkari community who live in Western India. It is the 11th day of the first half of Aashada, and on this day the Varkaris, who has been on a pilgrimage for weeks from their homes to reach holy Pandharpur, gather at dawn for darshan of their beloved Vitthal Panduranga, which is a form of Vishnu. They have travelled from their homes to reach the holy Pandharpur.
Pandharpur is a well-known pilgrimage town that can be found in the Sholpur district of Maharashtra, India. It is situated on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River. Additionally, it is referred to as the Southern Kashi of India and the Kuldaivat of the State of Maharashtra. It can be reached by road after travelling a distance of 72 kilometers from the Solapur District headquarters. The Miraj-Kurduwadi-Latur railway track passes through the vicinity of the Pandharpur Railway Station.
Pandharpur, along with several other holy sites located all over India, functions as a kind of energy nucleus. It is a place where the Supreme Consciousness agreed to take on a human form after being invited to do so. Numerous miraculous tales recount the life of Vittala Panduranga, who served as a devotee while disguising himself as a commoner. It is widely held among the common people that Vittala will enter the home of a devotee and behave as any other member of the devotee's family would.
Legend Story behind Aashada Ekadashi
Pundalik was a very devout man, and he had an incredible amount of trust and love for the Supreme Being. He obeyed all of the directives that came from the Almighty and carried out his responsibilities in his day-to-day life with complete devotion. His elderly parents, who had raised him well and directed him in his youth, expected a few small services in their old age, such as a little oil massage or pressing their feet, just so that they could sleep well. This was done so that the elderly couple could enjoy a good night's rest.
One evening, precisely at the time that he presented his services to his parents, Vittal, also known as Vitoba or Krishna, materialized in the room taking the form of a farmer. He had the blue-black skin of a worker and told Pundalik, "Since you constantly keep me in your mind and also satisfy your Karma Yog, I decided to come over and meet you." He continued on to say that he was a worker.
Pundalik simply replied, “At the moment, until I complete my duties, I cannot be with you’, and in that simple room, he placed a brick near the Almighty to give Him a place and said, “Please wait upon this brick until I am done.”
Then the All-Powerful stepped onto the brick and assumed a waiting stance, placing his hands in a position of prayer on either side of his waist. In Marathi, a brick is referred to as a vit, and the term Vittala evolved into the term Vithala, which means "the Almighty who paused upon the brick."
Pundalik was a very devout man, and he had an incredible amount of trust and love for the Supreme Being. He obeyed all of the directives that came from the Almighty and carried out his responsibilities in his day-to-day life with complete devotion. His elderly parents, who had raised him well and directed him in his youth, expected a few small services in their old age, such as a little oil massage or pressing their feet, just so that they could sleep well. This was done so that the elderly couple could enjoy a good night's rest.
One evening, precisely at the time that he presented his services to his parents, Vittal, also known as Vitoba or Krishna, materialized in the room taking the form of a farmer. He had the blue-black skin of a worker and told Pundalik, "Since you constantly keep me in your mind and also satisfy your Karma Yog, I decided to come over and meet you." He continued on to say that he was a worker.
Pundalik simply replied, “At the moment, until I complete my duties, I cannot be with you’, and in that simple room, he placed a brick near the Almighty to give Him a place and said, “Please wait upon this brick until I am done.”
Then the All-Powerful stepped onto the brick and assumed a waiting stance, placing his hands in a position of prayer on either side of his waist. In Marathi, a brick is referred to as a vit, and the term Vittala evolved into the term Vithala, which means "the Almighty who paused upon the brick."
The concept of the Almighty standing upon this brick is interesting.
Scholars of the spiritual arts think that this brick represents a single cell in the body, in the same way, that it is a single cell in a structure. In the same way that a good brick needs to be made from high-quality earth, combined with the devotional water, and then baked in the heat of Karma Yoga, each and every cell in the body needs to be cleaned. All of our undesirable qualities, known as doshas, tamas, and bad gunas, can be broken down into smaller and smaller pieces just like grains of soil. Then you add to them the water of devotion, and through the fire of Karma Yog, which is the heat of the hard work done to fulfill our responsibilities, you give them the shape of a brick or a cell. You can inscribe the name of the Supreme onto such a brick or cell by continuously meditating and chanting on it. Pundalik invited the Supreme into his house, his family, and each cell as a result of this invitation.
These characteristics characterize members of the Varkari community, who adhere to that Vithala. They choose to work jobs that don't require much skill but they put in a lot of effort. They have a rich tradition of community songs and verses as well as devotional songs, which they use to express their tremendous devotion to God and give Him all the credit for their work. This is done through the practice of nama-japa, which is performed continuously, and they also sing devotional songs.
All of this is done to continue inviting the Supreme to return to Pandharpur and meet with him on the Ekadashi of the month of Ashada. Hundreds of thousands of Varkar are led out into the streets at the same time to make it to Pandharpur in time for the tithi. There, they meet new people and expand their social networks. They form massive groups of people and sing and walk together as one unit. On their journey to meet their Lord, the plan is to make room for everyone they encounter along the way and gradually incorporate the entire world into a single circle. They sing straightforward mantras such as "Vithala-Vithala" or "Pandurang Hari," and their devotional songs are packed with sound guidance on how one should best navigate life, in both a material and a spiritual sense. They educate one another, refresh one another's memories, and eventually make their way to Vithala.
Saint Dnyaneshwar, who lived in the 13th century, and Saint Tukaram, who lived in the 16th century, were two of the most influential visionaries in Maharashtra. They were the ones who showed the community how to invite the grace of the Almighty into their daily lives through the use of straightforward practices. The towns of Alandi and Dehu, where Shree Dnyaneshwar and Shree Tukaram once resided, are popular starting points for pilgrimages. Some come from very far away, and getting them can take up to three or four weeks. They carry only the essentials on their backs and are supported by hundreds of people along the way who provide them with food and water at regular intervals. They make the most of the time by singing together and eventually reach the evening before Ekadashi. The entirety of their lives, the work they have done, and the devotion they have shown come full circle when the Lord comes to meet them on a glorious morning. Saint Tukaram has stated unequivocally in one of his "Abhangas" that Vithala and the Pandharpur Yatra are examples of "Vaikunthpeethaalegharaa," which translates to "the Lord has come into our homes over here," and that he has even witnessed the Supreme Being in the form of a human being shining with luminous glory. The brick or cell of the body serves as the peeth, which literally translates to seat, and invites the Lord to come to you. Each and every cell in your body has the potential to become a dwelling place for the Supreme. This is the result that one obtains when one can instill deep trust in the Almighty into their bodies to carry out their daily responsibilities. When pilgrims live their lives by this guiding principle, they experience the highest level of spiritual joy, which reaches its pinnacle when they finally get to meet their Lord as a group. This joy is known as the vaari.
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