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Hare Krsna

Just got this message from senior devotee in Krsna-Balarama mandir in Vrndavana who is my friend.

Why should one abstain from grains on
Visnutattva days?

Skanda Purana states:

matr ha pitr has caiva bhratr ha guru has tatha
ekadasyas tu ya bhunkte visnu-lokac cyuto
bhavet

“Those who eat grains on Ekadasi and on the
Day of Lord Hari (including Janmastami, Gaura
Purnima etc.) obtain the sin equal to killing
one’s own mother, own father, own brother and
own Guru; and they cannot reach the spiritual
world, which is why one should never eat grains
on fasting days.”

yani kani ca papani brahma hatyadikani ca
annam asritya tiathanti samprapte hari vasare

“Every type of sin in this world, including the
grievous sin of killing a Brahmana, reside in
food grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi
and other fasting days). If grains are eaten on
fasting days sins enter the body of that human
being.”

Padma Purana:

bhuyo-bhuyo drdha vani sryatam syata janah
na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam na bhoktavyam
harer dine

“O human beings, please listen, I tell you
repeatedly with steadfast determination, please
never eat any grains
on the Day of Lord Hari
(Ekadasi day, the Lord’s appearance day like
Janmastami day etc.). Please never eat any
food grains even by mistake on the Day of Lord
Hari. Please do not eat grains on the Day of
Lord Hari even if forced or compelled to do so.”

na saiva na ca saurohasaun na sakta gana
sevakah
yo bhunkte vasare visnor jneyah pasvadiko hi
sah

“Whether one is a follower of Lord Siva, the
goddess Durga, Kali, Surya (sungod), Ganesa,
Bhairava or any other demigod, they should
avoid eating grains on the fasting days of Lord
Hari (Ekadasis and other fasting days of Lord
Hari). If one does not rigidly follow this rule and
eats grains on fasting days they are considered
worse than an animal.”

The Brihan Naradiya Purana states:

brahma-hatyadi papanam kathancin niskrtir
bhavet
ekadasyat tu yo bhunkte niskrtir nasti kutracit

“By rigidly following religious and ritualistic
processes one may become free from grievous
sin like killing a Brahmana, but it is impossible
to eliminate the sins of those who eat grains on
Ekadasi days.”

It is written in the Skanda Purana that Lord
Yamaraja (superintendent of hell) told his
messengers not even to go near the immediate
three generations of those who fast on Ekadasi
days and Visnu tattva days , even if they are
lowborn and full of sin. But even if a pious
person is learned in the four Vedas and
performs rituals and is pure, but eats grains on
Ekadasi days and Visnutattva days , they must
be taken to hell to suffer.

yani kani ca papani brahma hatyadikani ca
annam asritya tiathanti samprapte hari vasare

“Every type of sin in this world, including the
grievous sin of killing a Brahmana, reside in
food grains on the Day of Lord Hari (Ekadasi
and other fasting days). If grains are eaten on
fasting days sins enter the body of that human
being.”

I replied to him that I will keep the fasting days in mind for the rest of my natural life. How to atone?

This was his reply:

Bhagavad-gītā (4.38):

“In this world, there is nothing as purifying as transcendental knowledge.”
The true atonement for ignorance is not external rituals, but illumination by divine knowledge and devotion.
Just as darkness disappears in the presence of sunlight, so ignorance vanishes in the light of Krsna’s holy names and transcendental wisdom of Radha & Krsna.
👆
Which you are already doing so well that and which is very much inspiring to me.

Still, I am feeling very bad because of some past karma or curse I was not born in Vaisnava family. Now, I am determined not to take birth again at all whether in this family or that family. Please help

Hari bol