Shrawan Shukla Putrada Ekadashi

The name of Shrawan Shukla Ekadashi is ‘Putrada Ekadashi’. The deity of this Ekadashi is Lord Narayan. Mythological context has it that Lord Krishna disclosed the importance of this Shrawan Shukla Putrada Ekadashi by erasing the curiosity of King Yudhisthir regarding the context of Putrada Ekadashi. Even just listening to the Mahatmya (greatness) of this Ekadashi, one receives the fruit of performing the Vajpayee Yagya. The story of this Ekadashi is as follows:

At the beginning of the Dwapar era, a country called Mahishmati was ruled by a king named Mahijit. Although his state system was very good, he was very sad as he had no son. Because of this reason, he did not enjoy the state. He used to say:– अपुत्रस्य सुखं नास्ति इह लोके परत्र च। That is, for those who do not have children, both this world and the next one both are painful. So he tried many ideas to have a son, but he was unable to have a son.

Realizing that he was getting older day by day, the king called a meeting of the representatives of his people and said: O people, I have not committed any sin in this life. That is why I don’t have unjustly earned money in my store. I have never taken away the wealth of gods and Brahmins. I have not taken any illegal wealth from anyone. I raised all the people like a son. I also punished the heinous criminals as my son and brother. I have never hated anyone. I treated everyone equally. I always worshiped gentlemen. I have ruled the country with full observance of religion but still, I do not have a son. So I am very sad. What could be the reason for this? I would be grateful if you could kindly tell me.

The minister and some distinguished people went to the forest to relieve their king’s anguish. There they decided to visit and seek counseling with special ascetic sages. While searching for a noble ascetic for the fulfillment of the king’s best wishes, they found a very old religious scholar in an ashram. They saw Jitendriya (Ascetic), Jitatma (Self-subdued), Jitkrodh (Imperturbable), theologian, and knower of all scriptures, Mahatma Lomash Muni (sage), who was fasting and doing penance with his mind concentrated on God. At that time, the Lomus sage had passed an eon and one of his hair had fallen out.

They bowed to such a sage. The sage also questioned them:- Fow what work you have come for? If I could do good to you, my birth would be meaningful. These words of the Lomus sage convinced the people to tell him the story of their king and they requested suggestions to solve the king’s problem.

We are the people of the same king. Therefore, we are also saddened by his pain. However, your sight has awakened the belief that we can be saved from this crisis. Because, just the vision of a great man alone removes many sufferings. Now please do tell us the way that the king can have a son.

Hearing such prayers of the people, the sage closed his eyes and meditated for a while. Then the sage told the story of the king’s previous birth- This king was poor vaizya (vaisya) in his previous life. He had done very bad karmas because of his poverty. He used to go from one village to another for trade. At one time, on the Jestha Shukla Pakchya Dwadashi day, at noon, after being hungry for two days he went to a pond to drink water. There was a thirsty cow drinking water there at the pond, which recently gave birth to a calf. He chased the thirsty cow away from the pond and he only drank water that is why he is suffering in this life. He became king because he stayed hungry on the day of Ekadashi and as he chased the thirsty cow away he now had to endure the pain of childlessness. After hearing this story, all the people asked him to suggest a way of salvation and atonement from that sin.

Then the Lomus sage said–The Ekadashi of Shrawan Shukla Pakchya is called Putrada Ekadashi. All of you do observe fast on Putrada Ekadashi and stay awake at night, this will surely destroy the king’s previous birth’s sin and he will have a son. After hearing the advice of the Lomus sage, all the people, including the minister, came to the city and on Shrawan Shukla Ekadashi, as per the order of the sage, everyone fasted and stayed awake on Putrada Ekadashi night. After fasting and concluding it, everyone gave the meritorious fruit of the fasting to the king on the day of Dwadashi. Under the influence of the same virtue, the queen immediately became pregnant and after delivery she gave birth to a very beautiful son.

After telling this story, Lord Krishna told Maharaj Yudhisthir- O Rajan, thus the name of Shrawan Shukla Ekadashi became Putrada Ekadashi. Let us observe this fast to achieve the happiness of having children. Just only by hearing its greatness also man can be freed from all sins in this world, they will have the happiness of having children in this life and in the hereafter, they will have happiness in heaven.