Mohini Ekadashi Vrat Katha

After listening to the story full of restraint and devotion, Arjuna said to Shri Krishna, "O Madhusudan! What is the name of the Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Vaishakha month and what is the procedure for fasting on it? Please tell me all this in detail."

Shri Krishna said, "O Arjuna! I narrate a religious story, which was told by Maharishi Vashishtha to Shri Ramchandraji. I tell you to listen to it carefully - Once upon a time, Shri Ramji said to Maharishi Vashishtha, "O Gurusrestha! I have suffered a lot due to separation from Jananandini Sitaji, so how will my sufferings be destroyed? Please tell me some fast which will destroy all my sins and sufferings."

Maharishi Vashishtha said, "O Shri Rama! You have asked a very good question. Your intelligence is very sharp and pure. A person becomes pure just by remembering your name. You have asked this very good question in the public interest. I congratulate you. Let me tell you the importance of Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Vaishakha month is known as Mohini Ekadashi. By fasting on this Ekadashi, all the sins and troubles of a person are destroyed. A person becomes free from the trap of attachment with the effect of this fast. Therefore, a sad and distressed person must fast on this Ekadashi. By observing this fast, all the sins of a person are destroyed.

Now listen to its story with devotion- In ancient times, a city named Bhadravati was situated on the banks of river Saraswati. A king named Dyutiman ruled in that city. There lived a Vaishya in the same city, who was full of wealth. His name was Dhanpal. He was a very religious person and a devotee of Narayana. He built many restaurants, ponds, Dharamshala's etc. along the roads, so that the travellers could get pleased. That Vaishya had five sons, the eldest of whom was very sinful and used to spend his spare time in gambling. He did not believe in anyone. He used to spend most of his money on drinking alcohol and eating meat. He became sad when he did not come on the right path even after much persuasion. His father, brothers and relatives threw him out of the house and started criticizing him. After leaving the house, he started earning his living by selling his jewellery and clothes.

After his wealth was destroyed, the prostitutes and his evil friends also left him. When he became distressed with hunger and thirst, he thought of stealing and started earning his living by stealing at night, but one day he was caught, but the soldiers released him considering him to be the son of a Vaishya. When he was caught again for the second time, the soldiers also did not pay any attention to him and presented him before the king and told him the whole story. Then the king put him in prison. In the prison, on the orders of the king, he was subjected to various kinds of tortures and finally he was ordered to be expelled from the city. Feeling sad he had to leave the city.

Now he started filling his stomach by killing animals and birds in the forest. After that he became a fowler and started killing the innocent creatures of the forest with his bow and arrow, eating them and selling them. Once, distraught with hunger and thirst, he set out in search of food and reached the ashram of Kaundinya Muni.

These days it was the month of Vaishakha. Kaundinya Muni had come after bathing in Ganga. The mere splash of his wet clothes fell on this sinner, as a result of which he gained some wisdom. That lowly person reached near the sage and folded his hands and said, "O Mahatma! I have committed many sins in my life, please tell me some simple and money-free solution to get rid of those sins."

The sage said, "You listen carefully, fast on Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Vaishakha month. The name of this Ekadashi is Mohini. By fasting on this, all your sins will be destroyed."

He became very happy after listening to the words of the sage and according to the method suggested by him, he observed the fast of Mohini Ekadashi.

O Shri Rama! Due to the effect of this fast, all his sins were destroyed and finally he went to Vishnu Loka riding on Garuda. There is no other fast in the world better than this fast. The virtue that is obtained by listening and reading about its greatness. Yes, that virtue is equal to the virtue of donating a thousand cows."