Today is Shatatila Ekadashi
BY: PATITA PAVANA DAS ADHIKARI
Feb 3, USA (SUN) — My dear Prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to the empowered personal representative of Shrila Shri (108) Siddhanta Saraswati and Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu, our beloved Shrila Prabhupada, whose lotus feet have brought all auspiciousness to this Earth. By the continued faithful worship of the pure devotee-acharya of the holy name, all auspiciousness may prosper all over the world with the chanting of
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
A few of my more clever readers have noticed Pavan's tracking year and date as measured by the birthday of the saviour of the world, Shrila Prabhupada. For the Prabhupada calendar, our concept of time and year measurement are based upon the Vedic solar, rather than the Vedic lunar (or certainly not the awful and confused Gregorian) calendar, when measuring the beginning of the year.
Now each year the solar calendar begins on Mesha Sankranti, when the Sun enters the first sign of Aries, its place of exaltation. Aries the Ram is an unstoppable force, the sign of new ideas, a new age, new religious thought. Shrila Prabhupada himself was born when the Sun was in it's "own house" of Simha-rashi or Leo. And Prabhupada's message is just like the Sun, as he said many times.
For the Bhagavat Purana encompasses the essence of all wisdom. It is the brightest Sun of all Puranas, and Shrila Prabhupada himself was the Sun of the Person Bhagavat bringing us in print form the crest jewels of all Vedic literature. The bright twin Suns of the Bhagavat and the Chaitanya Charitamrita (with its message of and krishna surya sama) are powerful enough to entirely revolutionize world religious thought as much as the harnessing of electrity changed the world forever.
Thus, Prabhupada Samvat 112 will begin this year on April 13th when the Sun God enters his Mars-ruled uccha-rashi.
Shatatila Ekadashi (Sat-tila Ekadasi)
According to the wonderful book Ekadashi by Krishna Balarama Swami, the glories of this sin-killing day are narrated in the Bhavishya-uttare Purana. Here's a quote from Ekadashi: "After bathing, the person who intends to observe Ekadasi should worship the Supreme Lord. While praying to Lord Krishna by chanting His Name, he should promise to observe the Ekadashi fast."
I hope that this has met you all in good health.
Your servant,
Patita Pavana das Adhikary
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