मोहिनी एकादशी व्रत कथा (वैशाख शुक्ल एकादशी) · Mohini Ekadashi Vrat Katha (Vaishakh Shukla Ekadashi)

The Ekadashi of Vaishakh's bright fortnight is called Mohini Ekadashi. On this day, one is enjoined to worship Bhagwan in His form as Purushottam, Shri Ram. Observing this vrat frees one from the sin of censured deeds. Bhagwan Ram himself kept this vow while searching for Sita, and King Yudhishthir kept it too, on Shri Krishna's counsel. On this day, the deity's image should be bathed, dressed in fine garments, seated upon a high throne, and honored with aarti, with sweet fruits offered as bhog. At night, one should sing kirtan in praise of Bhagwan and sleep on the ground near the murti.

Yudhishthir asked Shri Krishna with great humility, 'O clever one, tell me everything about the Ekadashi of Vaishakh's bright fortnight, along with its story.' Bhagwan Krishna said, 'O son of Kunti, once when Ramchandra was deeply distressed while searching for Sita during her exile, he asked the sage Vashishtha, "O my guru, tell me some vow by which all my sorrow, sin, and torment may be destroyed and my heart find peace." I shall now tell you the answer Vashishtha gave.'

The great sage Vashishtha replied, 'O Ram, you have committed no sin. The mere uttering of your name erases all of a person's ailments and sorrows. Yet you have asked this question out of concern for the world's welfare, so I shall tell you — the unfailing means to attain peace of mind and to erase torment and sin is the vow of Mohini Ekadashi. The Ekadashi of Vaishakh's bright fortnight is called Mohini because observing it frees a person from sin and sorrow and releases them from the web of delusion. Every sorrowing soul should therefore keep this vow.'

On the banks of the Saraswati river stood the beautiful and prosperous city of Bhadravati, ruled by a moon-dynasty king named Dyutimaan. In this city lived a merchant named Dhanpal, rich in grain and wealth, deeply pious and devoted to Vishnu. He built many food-halls, water-shelters, wells, ponds, and rest-houses in the city, and planted mango, jamun, neem, and other trees along its roads. This merchant had five sons — Sumana, Sadbuddhi, Medhavi, Sukruti, and Dhrishtabuddhi. Four of his sons were virtuous, but the youngest, Dhrishtabuddhi, was a great sinner, dissolute and wicked. He kept company with prostitutes and depraved men, gambled, indulged with other men's wives, and consumed liquor and meat. Sinking deeper into such vices, he squandered his father's wealth, and for this his father, brothers, and family drove him from the house.

Once cast out of his home and stripped of his wealth, even the prostitutes and wicked companions abandoned him. Tormented now by hunger and thirst, he took to thieving by night. Caught once, the king's officers let him go on learning he was a merchant's son, but when caught a second time, they brought him before the king. In prison the king inflicted great suffering upon him and then banished him from the city. He now lived in the forest, sustaining himself by hunting animals.

One day, driven by hunger and thirst as he chased his prey, he arrived at the ashram of the sage Kaundinya. It was the month of Vaishakh, and the sage was returning from bathing in the Ganga. A few drops from his wet garments fell upon him, and this stirred in him a flicker of good sense. He stood before the sage with folded hands and said, 'O sage, I have committed many sins in my life; please tell me some simple and costless way to be freed of them.' Hearing his humble plea, the sage said, 'Listen closely — observe the vow of Vaishakh's bright-fortnight Ekadashi. Its name is Mohini, and through it all your sins shall be destroyed.'

Hearing the sage's words, he was overjoyed, and following the method he had been taught, he observed the vow of Mohini Ekadashi. O Ram, through the power of this vrat all his sins were destroyed, and in the end he ascended to Vishnulok upon Garuda. This vrat dissolves delusion and all such bonds — there is no vow in this world greater than it. Merely reading or hearing its glory grants the fruit of one thousand cow-donations.