Putrada Ekadasi (Pausha-shukla
Ekaadasi) The pious and saintly Yudhisthira Maharaj said, "Oh Lord,
You have so nicely explained to us the wonderful glories of the
Saphalaa Ekaadasi,which occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna
paksha) of the month of Pausha (December - January). Now please be
merciful to me and explain to me the details of the Ekaadasi that
occurs in the light fortnight (Shukla or Gaura paksha) of this
month. What is its name, and what Deity is to be worshiped on that
sacred day? Oh Purushottama, Oh Hrishikesha, please also tell me
how You can be pleased on this day? Lord Sri Krishna then replied,
"Oh saintly king, for the benefit of all humanity I shall now tell
you how to observe fasting on the Pausha-shukla Ekadasi. As
previously explained, everyone should observe the rules and
regulations of the Ekadasi vrata, to the very best of their
ability. This injunction also applies to the Ekaadasi named
Putradaa, which destroys all sins and elevates one to the spiritual
abode. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Narayana, the
original personality, is the worshipable Deity of the Ekaadasi, and
for His faithful devotees He happily fulfills all desires and
awards full perfection.Thus among all the animate and inanimate
beings in the three worlds(lower, middle and higher planetary
systems), there is no better personality than Lord Narayana. "Oh
King, now I shall narrate to you the history of Putradaa Ekaadasi,
which removes all kinds of sins and makes one famous and learned.
"There was once a kingdom named Bhadraavati, which was ruled by
King Suketumaan. His queen was the famous Shaibyaa. Because he had
no son, he spent a long time in anxiety, thinking, 'If I have no
son, who will carry on my dynasty?' In this way the king meditated
in a religious attitude for a very long time, thinking, 'Where
should I go? What should Ido? How can I get a pious son (putra)? In
this way King Suketumaan could find no happiness any where in his
kingdom, even in his own palace, and soon he was spending more and
more time inside his wife's palace, gloomily thinking only of how
he could get a son.Thus both King Suketumaan and Queen Shaibyaa
were in great distress. Even when they offered tarpana (oblations
of water to their forefathers), their mutual misery made them think
that it was as undrinkable as boiling water. They thus thought that
they would have no descendants to offer tarpana to them when they
died and thus become lost souls (ghosts). The king and queen were
especially upset to learn that their forefathers were worried that
soon there would be no one to offer them tarpana also. After
learning of their forefather's unhappiness, the king and queen
became more and more miserable, and neither ministers, nor friends,
nor even loved ones could cheer them up. To the king, his elephants
and horses and infantry were no solace, and at last he became
practically inert and helpless. The king thought to himself, 'It is
said that without a son, marriage is wasted. Indeed, for a family
man with no son,both his heart and his splendid house remain vacant
and miserable.Bereft of a son, a man cannot liquidate the debts
that he owes his forefathers, the demigods (devas) and to other
human beings.Therefore every married man should endeavor to beget a
son; thus he will become famous within this world and at last
attain the auspicious celestial realms. A son is proof of the pious
activities a man performed in his past one hundred lifetimes, and
such a person achieves a long duration of life in this world, along
with good health and great wealth. Possessing sons and grandsons in
this lifetime proves that one has worshiped Lord Vishnu, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the past. The great blessing of
sons,wealth, and sharp intelligence can be achieved only by
worshiping the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. That is my opinion.'
Thinking thus,the king had no peace. He remained in anxiety day and
night, from morning to evening, and from the time he lay down to
sleep at night until the sun rose in the morning, his dreams were
equally full of great anxiety. Suffering such constant anxiety and
apprehension,King Suketumaan decided to end his misery by
committing suicide.But he realized that suicide throws a person
into hellish conditions of rebirth, and so he abandoned that idea.
Seeing that he was gradually destroying himself by his all
consuming anxiety over the lack of a son, the king at last mounted
his horse and left for the dense forest alone. No one, not even the
priests and brahmins of the palace, knew where he had gone. "In
that forest, which was filled with deer and birds and other
animals, King Suketumaan wandered aimlessly, noting all the
different kinds of trees and shrubs, such as the fig, bel fruit,
date palm, jackfruit,bakula, saptaparnaa, tinduka, and tilaka, as
well as the shala, taala, tamaala, saralaa, hingotaa, arjuna,
labheraa, bahedaa, sallaki, karondaa, patala, khaira, shaka and
palaasha trees. All were beautifully decorated with fruits and
flowers. He saw deer,tigers, wild boar, lions, monkeys, snakes,
huge bull elephants in arut, cow elephants with their calves, and
four-tusked elephants with their mates close by. There were cows,
jackals, rabbits, leopards, and hippopotamuses. Beholding all these
animals accompanied by their mates and offspring, the king
remembered his own menagerie, especially his palace elephants, and
became so sad that he absent mindedly wandered into their very
midst. "Suddenly the king heard a jackal howl in the distance.
Startled, he began wandering about, looking around in all
directions. Soon it was midday, and the king started to tire. He
was tormented by hunger and thirst also. He thought, 'What sinful
deed could possibly have done so that I am now forced to suffer
like this, with my throat parched and burning, and my stomach empty
and rumbling? I have pleased the devas (demigods) with numerous
fire sacrifices and abundant devotional worship. I have given many
gifts and delicious sweets in charity to all the worthy brahmins
too. And I have taken care of my subjects as though they were my
very own children. Why then am I suffering so? What unknown sins
have come to bear fruit and torment me in this dreadful way?'
"Absorbed in these thoughts, King Suketumaan struggled forward, and
eventually, due to his pious credits, he came upon a beautiful
lotus bearing pond that resembled the famous Lake Maanasarova. It
was filled with aquatics, including crocodiles and many varieties
of fish, and graced with varieties of lilies and lotuses. The
beautiful lotuses had opened to the Sun,and swans, cranes and ducks
swam happily in its waters. Nearby were many attractive ashramas,
where there resided many saints and sages who could fulfill the
desires of anyone. Indeed, they wished everyone well. When the king
saw all this, his right arm and right eye began to quiver, a sakuna
sign (for a male) that something auspicious was about to happen.
"As the king dismounted his horse and stood before the sages, who
sat on the shore of the pond, he saw that they were chanting the
holy names of God on japa beads.The king paid his obeisances and,
joining his palms, addressed them with glorified praises. Observing
the respect the king offered them, the sages said, 'We are very
pleased with you, Oh king. Kindly tell us why you have come here.
What is on your mind? Please inform us what is your heart's
desire.' "The king replied, 'Oh great sages, who are you? What are
your names, surely your presence reveals that you are auspicious
saints? Why have you come to this beautiful place? Please tell me
everything.' "The sages replied,'Oh king, we are known as the ten
Vishvadevas (the sons of Vishva;Vasu, Satya, Kratu, Daksha, Kaala,
Kaama, Dhriti, Pururavaa, Maadrava and Kuru). We have come here to
this very lovely pond to bathe. The month of Magha (Madhava mase)
will soon be here in five days (from the Magh nakshatra), and today
is the famous Putradaa Ekadasi. One who desires a son should
strictly observe this particular Ekadasi.' "The king said, 'I have
tried so hard to havea son. If you great sages are pleased with me,
kindly grant the boon of having a good son (putra).' 'The very
meaning of Putradaa,'the sages replied, '…is "giver of a putra,
pious son." So please observe a complete fast on this Ekaadasii
day. If you do so, then by our blessing and by the mercy of Lord
Sri Keshava invested inus - surely you will obtain a son.' "On the
advice of the Vishvadevas, the king observed the auspicious fast
day of Putradaa Ekaadasii according to the established rules and
regulations, and on the Dvasdasi, after breaking his fast, he paid
obeisances again and again to all of them. "Soon after Suketumaan
returned to his palace and united with his queen. Queen Shaibya
immediately became pregnant, and exactly as the Vishvadevas had
predicted, a bright faced, beautiful son was born to them. In due
course of time he became famous as an heroic prince, and the king
gladly pleased his noble son by making him his successor. The son
of Suketumaan took care of his subjects very conscientiously, just
as if they were his own children. "In conclusion, Oh Yudhisthira,
one who wises to fulfill his desires should strictly observe
Putradaa Ekadasi. While on this planet, one who strictly observes
this Ekaadasii will surely obtain a son, and after death he will
achieve liberation.Anyone who even reads or hears the glories of
Putradaa Ekadasi obtains the merit earned by performing an horse
sacrifice. It is to benefit all humanity that I have explained all
this to you." Thus ends the narration of the glories of
Pausha-shukla Ekaadasii, or Putradaa Ekaadasii, from the Bhavishya
Purana of Veda Vyaasadeva.
