Amalaki Ekadashi vrata

According to the Hindu calendar, the eleventh date that comes twice a month is called Ekadashi. Ekadashi that is observed in the shukla Pakshya (Waxing Moon) of Falgun Month is Amaliki Ekadashi and this Ekadashi is also known as Falgun Shukla Ekadashi. This Ekadashi alarms the celebration of upcoming Holi, so hereby I wouldn't miss to wish you a happy forthcoming Holi of this year. This Ekadashi correlates with the fruit "Amala" which is also called Indian gooseberry and in Sanskrit this fruit is called "Amaliki". Amaliki tree is worshipped in this day as an existence of Lord Vishnu.

Welcome to the Amalaki Ekadashi of this year, allow me to introduce this divine event by following conversation between ancient King Mandhata and renowned scholar Rishi, Vasistha Muni.

King: Great Sage Vasistha Muni, please kindly deliver mercy to me and narrate me a holy fast which can eternally purify me.

Vasistha Muni then narrates the result of observing Amalika Ekadashi and its importance. Fasting this Ekadashi is equally purifying as donating thousand cows. This Ekadashi is so liberating that even a hunter who hunted animals for his living throughout his life attends liberation and salvation from all his sins as he observes this Ekadashi.

Listening to this, King decided to observe this Ekadashi. After taking a river bath in the dawn, King and his followers visited a Vishnu Temple where an Amaliki tree grew. I will later describe what this tree is? King now offered water, flowers and various materials to this tree, worshiped this tree followed by a prayer to praise Lord Parshuram. Ramayana apparently brings evidence when Lord Rama also worshiped this divine tree of "Amalika" and narrated its importance to his followers.

Vishnu Purana states that from the divine kingdom of Vishnu once a bright object fell down to the earth which later turned as a tree of Amala or Amaliki, this is why Sanatan people use leaves, branches and roots of Aamala in their worship and other traditional rituals. This divine fruit "Amalika" or "Amala" is a crucial ingredient mentioned in Ayurved, one among the most cited panacea "Trifala" dust "Amala" has its peculiar significance in health and rituals.

Suyog Dhakal