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Ganeshprasad
22 June 2010, 02:18 AM
Pranam all

Happy Nirjala Ekadasi or popularly known as Bhima Ekadasi

Good luck to those who observe it fully.

Nirjala Ekadsahi is associated with a legend of Bhima the second eldest brother of Pandava, who was popular for his power and strength. Bhima always wanted to observe fast. Due to his strong body and love towards food he could not succeed to resist himself against food during ekadashi fast. This all made ekadashi fast difficult for him.
Sage Vyasa showed Bhima a solution for the problem by advising him to observe single tough fast on ekadashi, once in a year. That single ekadashi was the ekadashi of Jyestha Shukla paksh as it has the benefits of observing all the 24 Ekadasis and tough fast included no water and food consumption for all 24 hours of ekadashi. Thus Bhim was able to get the benefits of all Ekadasis by observing Nirjala Ekadasi.





Jai Shree Krishna

Odion
22 June 2010, 02:36 AM
Blessed Nirjala Ekdasi and good luck to those who celebrate it!
I already failed, I've already eaten breakfast... oops. Oh well, there's always next year. :)

Ganeshprasad
09 June 2011, 12:55 PM
Pranam all

well that next year is upon us this Sunday, check the actual day for your region.

This fast is observed without any food or water, it is so named as Nirjala i.e. without water. off course there are lots of exclusion like children, pregnant woman and old,or any one with medical problem, are excused. in any case all taps are voluntary, i will probably have a have nice day because it coincide with Rathyatra in London.

there are great benefit in observing Ekadasi especially this one so says the Mahabharat. Most Hindus observe this one, not everyone do Nirjala, infect we are strange ones, there are more preparation made on agiyaras as is known with Gujaratis, FalAhar, no grains. Failing that just chant

if we are able, we do Nirjala, next best Sahjala ie without food but with water, next best water plus fruits only, next best everything but without grains or rice.

In essence ekadasi or Agiyaras is observed to control the mind, 5 karma indriya and 5 Gyan indriya plus the mind makes 11, so every waxing and waning of moon cycle on the 11th this vrat is observed with fasting and chanting, spending time at the temple and generally doing good deeds.

Happy Bhim Ekadasi

Jai Shree Krishna

Ganeshprasad
11 June 2011, 06:52 AM
Pranam, here is another reminder for this auspicious vrat.

Nirjala ekadesi other wise know as Bhim ekadashi, it is said one who observes this day and fast without water on this day is absolve from sins of not fasting on other ekadashi days.

There are many stories about Bhima and this Ekadasi but the one which is stuck to me from my childhood is this, which is unusual but not entirely surprising not to me anyway, as a child I remember we all fasted certain Holy days, This is one of them.



So the story goes as much as I can remember is, on this auspicious day Bhim set out to take a bath in the river. Mother Kunti reminds Bhim of the ekadashi and reminds him to observe it but Bhim as we all know liked his food too much, so he is pleading with his mother and asks her to prepare Khichdi on his return from daily routine, he kept thinking of food and keep convincing himself that he can not fast but the lord had other ideas for him.

On the way to the river, Bhim meets with a Siva pujari who is lamenting how difficult it is for him to bring jal for the lord, so he, true to pandav’s nature, obliged to help and as we know he does not do any thing in half measure, he spreads himself across the stream of water, diverted it to come pass the temple, he lied there all day thinking of going home and eat but he could not forsake his task and the pujari never came to relieve him.

Off course we know sage Vyasji narrates to Bhim the glories of Nirjala Ekadasi

Jai Shree Krishna

smaranam
11 June 2011, 09:49 AM
Namaste

Every ekAdashi has a story behind it - usually narrated by BhagvAn VAsudev (KrushNa) to YudhishThir, but not always. There is a site that does a wonderful service of sending ekadashi reminder with the story if you subscribe. I am not sure if i should put the link to bheema nirjal story here. It was a provision made by VyasDev to Bheem who would be very hungry - so that he can fast nirjal once a year and compensate for the other ekadashis. For us, those who have accidentally missed or broken an ekadashi get a chance to amend that with a nirjal fast on bheema nirjal ekadashi - others may opt to eat fruit and water sometimes. In any case, to correct a missed/broken ekadashi VaishNavs usually fast on the following trayodashi.

Jai Shri KrushNa
take care everyone - in the heat

NayaSurya
11 June 2011, 10:40 AM
Beloved Portion, would you please send me this link?

I began the night before was urged into complying and now with reading this do understand. At your Beloved Feet for providing the reasons.

satay
12 June 2011, 10:14 AM
namaste smaranam,
Why wouldn't you put the link?


Namaste

Every ekAdashi has a story behind it - usually narrated by BhagvAn VAsudev (KrushNa) to YudhishThir, but not always. There is a site that does a wonderful service of sending ekadashi reminder with the story if you subscribe. I am not sure if i should put the link to bheema nirjal story here.

smaranam
12 June 2011, 05:51 PM
Well... i did not realize i said that aloud... it is just that it is probably irrelevant - the paurANic stories may not be appreciated by all readers. Those interested can always find them. The salagram website has all of them. This one is from Brahma Vaivarta PurAN.

The ekadashi stories have paap-puNya references and rules and regulations, but are meant for a different Yug (age), so for us maintaining the ekadashi, and remembering the Lord more, is all that counts.

http://www.salagram.net/ekadasi-14.htm

Jai Shri KrushNa
praNAm

Ganeshprasad
31 May 2012, 08:38 AM
Pranam all,

Happy, Ganga Avataran Parva (Ganga Dussehra) and Gayatri Jayanti today.

It is that time again, tomorrow a lot of us would be observing Bhim Ekadasi.

Sadly i will not be able to observe like i normally do.

Happy Nirjala Ekadasi Jai Shree Krishna

Jainarayan
31 May 2012, 08:48 AM
Namaste.

Yes, today Ekadasi began at 05:25 EDT. I too cannot observe the full waterless fast (actually I never can). I have a lot of driving to do in this heat (already almost 76* at 09:45), and cannot risk blood sugar or hydration problems on the road. I will at least try to curtail the amount of permitted foods for Ekadasi.

All glories to Sri Krishna. Have a blessed day.

Ganeshprasad
06 June 2014, 03:37 AM
Pranam all,

Happy, Ganga Avataran Parva (Ganga Dussehra) and Gayatri Jayanti this Sunday 8th June

It is that time again, following day on Monday 9th June we are observing Bhim Ekadasi. (Check local Callander in your area)

Happy Ganga Dussehra
Happy Nirjala Ekadasi

Jai Shree Krishna

ShivaFan
06 June 2014, 06:27 AM
Yes indeed, this Sunday, June 8, is the final highlight of GANGA PUJA! It is literally the "birthday or descent of mother Ganges - Ganga Ma". Throughout india this festival lasts ten days beginning on the Amavasya (dark moon night) and going through to the dasami tithi (tenth phase of the Moon, the day before Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi), and will highlight this Sunday. Lots of ceremony in Varanasi and elsewhere.

Joyous Ganga Puja!

Anirudh
06 June 2014, 05:34 PM
In essence ekadasi or Agiyaras is observed to control the mind, 5 karma indriya and 5 Gyan indriya plus the mind makes 11, so every waxing and waning of moon cycle on the 11th this vrat is observed with fasting and chanting, spending time at the temple and generally doing good deeds.


Namaste Ganesh Prasad ji

What is it for people if the air around them is not pure. Like say people living in an appartment that accommodate multi culturals. If such a person has the intention to observe this but medically unfit to fast and doesn't have the luxury (beyond bathing twice, wearing washed clothes, consuming wheat
bread+ (fresh cucumbers / tomato), oats boiled in water, fresh fruits) what's that he must keep in mind.

Kindly explain in detail on the 11 aspects (Indriya) that you have mentioned in the past.

Thanks in advance....

Ganeshprasad
07 June 2014, 02:18 AM
Pranam Anirudh ji


Namaste Ganesh Prasad ji

What is it for people if the air around them is not pure. Like say people living in an appartment that accommodate multi culturals. If such a person has the intention to observe this but medically unfit to fast and doesn't have the luxury (beyond bathing twice, wearing washed clothes, consuming wheat
bread+ (fresh cucumbers / tomato), oats boiled in water, fresh fruits) what's that he must keep in mind.

Kindly explain in detail on the 11 aspects (Indriya) that you have mentioned in the past.

Thanks in advance....

You have posed a question, perhaps i don't full understand it, in any case each individual will have to decide for them self how far they can abstain from pampering or the demands of the indriyas.
Fasting on Ekadashi in strict sense means abstaining completely not just from food but all other demands of senses and fixing the mind on the supreme, off course there are exceptions to rules above all the emphasis is left on the individual to decide for them self how far they can manage.

Any endeavour in controlling the senses would bring its own reward.

Jai Shree Krishna

Ganeshprasad
28 May 2015, 06:35 AM
Pranam all

its been a while, i have been inactive on the net don't really feel like it.

just that today being auspicious day i thought i remind people here that it is,

Ganga Avataran Parva (Ganga Dussehra) and Gayatri Jayanti today.

Jai Jai Maa Gange, Jai Maa Gayatri
And Tomorrow

It is that time again, a lot of us would be observing Bhim Ekadasi.

.

Happy Nirjala Ekadasi Jai Shree Krishna

devotee
28 May 2015, 10:53 PM
Namaste Ganeshprasad Ji,

Where have you been for so long ? Nice to see you after a long time !! :)

OM