EKADASI DEVI and the glories of Amalaki ekadasi .and why one should not take grains on Visnuttatva days

[Paramananda das]

 

 

Sri Ekadasi devi killing the Mura Demon 

dear devotees 

Please accept the blessings of Sri Ekadasi devi

all glories to Srila Prabhupada 

 Who is Ekadasi devi this is a mystery that hardly anyone knows.So I will explain it so vaisnavas can understand and benefit .First let me state something from sastra about Ekadasi : 

ekadashi vratam nama

sarva kama phala pradam

kartabyam sarvada viprair

vishnu prinana karanam’

 

‘The brahamins should always observe Ekadashi to please Lord Vishnu for this fulfills all once spiritual desires’.

Ekadasi is for all varnas and asramas and even those who have gone to hell or attained animal body or degraded bodies can be elevated by following ekadasi even by accident as is seen in many Puranic accounts. The glories of Ekadasi is described in many places like in  the Puranas .

.In Garga Samhita we read how Sri Radha in order to show to the world the importance of Ekadasi She strictly observed Eakdasi to obtain Her beloved Krsna , and also She stricly worshipped Tulsi devi .

 Sri Radha especially described the glories of ekadasi to the Sadhana Siddhas to attain entrance in the Maha Rasa lila: 

 

The glories of Ekadashi described in Garga Samhita 

 

 

 

            Narad Muni said O Maithil ! Please hear about the topics of the Gopis which destroyes all ones sinful activities awards piety, fulfils all ones desires and is the source of all auspiciousness.

 

            There is country named Ushinara in South India.  Once there was no rain fall in this country for ten years.  The prosperous cowherd men of this place became afraid of the severe drought and they left for Braja Mandal along with their relatives and cows.  O King!  They came and lived at  the transcendental  abode of  Vrindavan near Jamuna under the guidence of Nanda Maharaj.   By the benediction of Ramachandra many gopis took birth in their families.  They were all transcendental beautiful and decorated with fresh youth.  O best of the kings!  After seeing beautiful Krishna they became enchanted  and in order to know how to please Krishna they approached Shri Radha.

 

             The gopis said O Radhe! O daughter of King Vrisabhanu! O lotus eyed one! Please instruct us about a vow by which we can please Shri Krishna.  Krishna the son of Nanda Maharaj and who is rarely attained even by the demigods is under your control.  O Radhe!   You are the enchanter of the entire universe and expert in all the scripture.

 

            Shri Radha said, you should observe Ekadashi in order to please Shri Krishna.  The the lord certainly be controlled there is no doubt about it.  The gopis said,  O Radhike ! please tell us the names of Ekadashis which occures during a full year and how one should observe Ekadashi.  Radha replied, Ekadashi first appeared from the body of Lord Vishnu during the wanning moon in the month of November/December in order to kill  demon Mura.  Then this exalted Ekadashi appears every month in different form.  For your benefit I am describing their names. Utpanna, Moksada, Saphala, Putrada, Sat tila, Jaya,Vjaya, Amlaki, Papamochani, Kamada, Varuthini, Mohini, Apara, Nirjala, Yogini, Devasayani, Kamini, Pavitra, Aja, Padma, Indira, Pasankusa, Rama, Prabodhini these are the twenty-four Ekadashis which occure during one complete year.  Apart from them there are two more Ekadashis namely Padmini and Parama which occures during an extra leap year month.  Any one who chants the names of these twenty-six Ekadashis, obtainsthe result of observing the vow of Dvadasi for the entire year. 

 

 

        O damshells of Braj! Now hear about the rules and regulations for observing Ekadashi.  On the day before Ekadashi one should sleep on the floor eat only ones and control the sences.  He should also drink water only ones and remain neat and clean.  On the day of Ekadashi one should rise early in the morning during Brahma muhurta and offer obeisances to Lord Hari.  To take bath with well water is the lowest, to take bath in a pond is medium, to take bath in a large pool is the highest and to take bath in a river is the best of all.  A pious person should take bath in this way and give up his anger and greed.  One should not apply oil on the day of Ekadashi.  A person should give up associating with low class sinful and atheists on the day of Ekadashi A person who is observing the vow should carefully avoid the association of those who speak lies, who blaspheme the brahmins, who steal others things, who enjoy the association of others wife, who are miscreants and who do not show respects to the exalted personalities.  On the day of Ekadashi one should worship lord Keshava with devotion and offer Him palatable foodstuffs, one should offer lamp in the temple of the lord.  One should hear the glories of the vow from the mouth of a brahmin and then give him sufficient dakshina.  One should remain awake on the night of Ekadashi while singing the transcendental glories of Krishna.  One should avoid eating in a bellmetal plate, eating meat, pinkdal, any kind of intoxicant, spinach, honey preboiled rice, eating more then ones and indulging in sex life on the day before Ekadashi.  On the day of  Ekadashi one should give up gambling, sleeping, eating betalnuts and pan, brushing teeth, criticising others, cheating, stealing,becoming anvious,indulge in sex life, becoming angry and speaking lies.

 

 

           On the day of Dvadasi one should not eat on a bellmetal plate, Urad Dal, Honey, Oil and contaminated food stuff.  One should strictly follow these rules and regulations.  The gopis said O Greatly learnedone! Please explain to us the proper time for observing Ekadashi.  Shri Radha replied, if the tithi of dasami is consists of fiftyfive dandas then one should not fast on the next day rather he should fast on the day of Dvadasi.  If an Ekadashi is conjoined with a fraction of second of Dasami then such an Ekadashi should be rejected like a pot of ganges water mixed with a drop of wine.  If an Ekadashi extends on the day of Dvadasi then one should fast on the day of Dvadasi.  O damshells of Braja by hearing the glories of Ekadashi one obtains the result of Vajpayee Sacrifice.   The result one obtains by following a vow of a Dvadasi is equal to that of  feeding 88,000 brahmins.   By observing the vow of Ekadashi one obtains one thousand times more results then the result one obtains by donating the entire earth with all the oceans and forests.  Observing the vow of Dvadasi is adviced as the means of deliverance for those who are absorbed in the ocean of material existence which is filled with the mare of sinful activities.  If human beings observe Ekadashi by remaining awake on the night of Ekadashi then even if they are very sinful they do not go to the fearful abode of Yamaraja. 

 

 

A person who worships lord Hari with devotion on the day of Dvadasi by offering him Tulasi leaves never become touched by sin just as a lotus leaf  remains  untouched

by water.  The results of performing one thousand horse sacrifices and one hundred Raja Suya sacrifices is not even equal to the one sixteenth portions of the results obtained by observing Ekadashi.  By observing Ekadashi a person delivers ten generations of his mothers family, ten generation from his fathers family and ten generations from his wifes family.  A cow may be a  white or black but both are qualitatively same because both give milk.  Similarly the Ekadashis of both the wanning moon and waxing moon are same in awarding piety,

 

 

O Gopis! An Ekadashi burns to ashes aheaps of sinful reactions of a person accumulated from one hundred life times.  The charity given on the day of Dvadasi may it be less or more or given with or without proper rules and regulations, awards merits equal to that of a mountain.  A person who hears the topics of Hari on the day of Ekadashi obtains the result of giving the entire earth which consists of seven Islands in charity.  The piety one achieves by taking bath in the holy place of Gaya and seeing the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu is not even equal to the one sixteenth portion of piety obtained by observing Ekadashi.  The merit one obtains by giving charity at Prabhasa Ksetra, Kuruksetra, Kedarnath, Badrikashrama, Kashi, Sukaraksetra, during solar and lunar eclips, as well as giving charity during four hundred thousand Sankrantis (When the sun enters into a perticular rasi) is not even equal to one sixteenth portion of merit one obtains by fasting on Ekadashi.

 

 

Shri Radha continued O Gopis! Just as Ananta is best among the snakes, Garuda is best among the birds, Lord Vishnu is best among the demigods, the brahmana is best among the varnas, banyan tree is best among the trees and tulasi is best among the leaves similarly the vow of Ekadashi is best among all the vows.  The result one obtains by performing austerities for ten thousand years is obtained simply by observing the vow of a Dvadasi.  O damshells of braja!  Such are the glories of the vow of Ekadashi.  All of you should immediately observe this vow.

 

            The gopis said, O beautiful one! O daughter of king Vrisabhanu! You are expert in all scriptures.  Even the statement of Brihaspati is baffled before the statement of you.  O Radhe!  You are directly the ocean of transcendental knowledge.  Please describe to us perticularly the names of those who had previously observed these Ekadashis.  Radha replied, O Gopis! Inorder to regain their lost kingdom the demigods had observed this sacred Ekadashi long long ago. King Vaishanta observed this Ekadashi inorder to deliver his forfather from the abode of Yamaraja.  The sinful king Lumpaka who was rejected by his subjects observed the vow of Ekadashi and regained his lost kingdom.  King Ketumana of Badravati who had no son observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of the learned brahmins and was blessed with a son.  Once the wives of  the demigods instructed the wife of the brahman to observe Ekadashi. Though that wife of the brahman was an ordinary human being yet she achieved prosperity and heavenly pleasure.  Both Pushpa danta and Malyavan became ghosts due to being cursed by their enemies, but by observing the vow of Ekadashi they regained their original forms as Gandharva.  In the ancient time inorder to built a bridge on the ocean and to kill Ravana Ramachandra observed this Ekadashi.  At the end of the annihilation the demigods observed the vow of Ekadashi under the Amalaki tree for the benefit of entire world. 

 

 

Sage Medhavi observed the vow of Ekadashi according to the instruction of his father and became freed from the bad association of Apsaras and thus became fully effulgent.  A Gandharva named Lalit became a demon by the curse of his wife but by observing this Ekadashi he regained his position as a Gandharva.  By observing the vow of Ekadashi many great kings like Mandata, Sagara,Kakutstha, Muchukunda and Dhundhumara went back to the spiritual world.  By observing Ekadashi Lord Shiva became freed from the curse of brahma.  A son of a Vaishya named Dristhabuddi returned to Vaikuntha by observing this Ekadashi.  King Rukmangada also observed the vow of Ekadashi.  As a result he enjoyed the whole world as his kingdom and yet the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha with his subjects. King Ambarisa also observed this Ekadashi and as a result even the inevitable curse of Lord Brahma could not touch him.  A yaksa named Hema Mali became afflicted by leapracy due to the curse of Kubera but observing the vow of Ekadashi he became as good as the moon.  By observing Ekadashi king Mahijit was blessed by a son and at the end of his life returned to Vaikuntha.

 

 

In Satyayuga there was a king named Shobhana who became the son-in-law of King Muchukunda.  He observed Ekadashi and attained a beautiful place among the demigods in  Mandara Mountain. Even today he is ruling his kingdom with his wife Chandrabhaga like Kubera.  O gopis!  Know it for certain that the vow of Ekadashi is the highest of all.  There is no tithi as auspicious as the tithi of Ekadashi.

 

 

Narada Muni concluded, after hearing this description from Shri Radha the gopis properly observed the Ekadashi inorder to attain the favour of Krishna.  As a result of their observing Ekadashi lord Hari became pleased with them and performed Rasa dance with them on the full moon night in the month of Agrahayana (November).

 

This holy narration about Ekadasi from Sri Radha is not even described in Srimad Bhagavatam ,so holy is this Garga Samhita anyone who find faults with Garga Samhita will enter a hellish planet. 

Ekadasi devi manifested from Lord Visnu on Utpanna Ekadasi that is in November and killed the demon Mura.Today is Amalaki Ekadasi ,the pastime of Amalaki Ekadasi is described in Brahmanda Purana for example : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalaka_Ekadashi  .Krsna Balarama Mahant former Krsna Balarama Swami in ISKCON translated and explained the glories of each ekadasi to all of ISKCON and this book is still read to this day. I pray Sri Ekadasi devi will always protect and bless him there in Sri Vrindavana Dham ( I have not seen him in many years since I did a Vrindavana parikama with a friend of mine many years ago)

 The Amalaki tree is considered a form of Visnu ,because Sri Laxmidevi resides in the Amalaki tree, her fruits is also used in ayurvedic medicine. I offer my prostrated obaisences to the Amalaki trees where ever they grow  Sri Laxmidevi is present. ON this Ekadasi many pious hindus chant Sri Sukta in honor of Sri Laxmidevi and observe this  Ekadasi. This Ekadasi also falls in the middle of the Holi season that started on Vasant pacami but from Amalaki ekadasi that starts major celebration to limit the amount of holi celebration in India they just observe it mainly for one day ,not 40 days ,no one has that many spare set of cloth anymore or riches to celebrate for 40 days as was done by Lord Caitanya in Navadvipa as described by a disciple of Srinivasa Acarya. Also Krsna and Radha and the Vrijabasis celebrated holi seriously in Vrindavana day after day . So festive is the Lord Pastimes Maha utsava a constant festival at least we can celebrate a festival of constantly chanting Hare Krsna.It is free and cost nothing. 

 Sri Radha has mentioned the devas also observed Amalaki ekadasi under the Amalaki tree and it is mentioned in Brahmanda Purana ,Lord Damodara is worshipped and also Lord Parasurama so that is interesting. King Vasuratha was a hunter in his previous life but by accidentily observing Amalaki ekadasi he became a king and when some dacoits tried to kill him Sri Ekadasi devi protected him and killed the dacoits with a chakra.Similary if we surrender to Sri Ekadasi devi She will personally protect us . In the beginning of creating sin personfied ,Papa purusha  had some  great power and influence of the embodied jivas.So Lord Visnu created Ekadasi , and Papapurusha begged Lord Visnu for a place to stay on Ekadasi .Lord Visnu allowed him to stay in grains .Taking some ekadasi prasadam is not so bad on ekadasi but to get the full protection of Sri Ekadasi devi one is supposed to fast fully for 24 hours and chant constantly the Mahamantra and read sastra.Day and night this was shown by Lord Caitanya in Jagannatha Puri : 

 

 

 

One day after visiting Gundica Temple Gaura Hari came and sat down at Jagannatha Vallabha Garden.  It was the day of a sacred Ekadashi.  The lord spent the entire day and night chanting the holy names of Krishna.  He was accompanied by many resident devotees like Swarup Damodara, Ramananda Rai and Vakresvara Pandit.

 

 

The Lord said, ‘Today all of you should attentively chant the holy names of Krishna and give up eating and sleeping.  Some of you should chant the holy names with prescribed number of rounds, some of you should offer obeisances and some of you should discuss the topics of Krishna and Balarama.  Stay any where and constantly chant the name Govinda and always be intoxicated with love of God.’

 

 

At that time  Gopinath along with Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya brought prasad from Gundica Temple.  They placed rice various types of vegetables, sweet, sweet rice, youghrt and curd before Mahaprabhu.  By the order of the lord everyone offered obeisances and repeatedly glorified  the Mahaprasad.  They spent the entire day and night chanting the holy names of the lord without any offence. According to the instruction of the lord they took bath early in the morning on the day of Dvadasi and broke the Ekadashi fast with Mahaprasad. 

 

 

Thereafter the devotees folded their hands and requested the lord as follows.  O lord! We know that the vow of Ekadashi is the crest jewell  among all the vows.  We strictly observe this vow by giving up eating and sleeping.  But it is recommended that the grain prasad of Jagannath which is always respected at Jagannatha Puri should be honoured immediately upon receiving.  Therefore O lord! We are in a great dilemna and also frightened.  Please instruct us clearly in this regard.  We know that your orders are the statements of the Vedas and they are followed even by Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. 

 

 

The lord replied, ‘observing Ekadashi is one of the  limbs of devotional service.  If one disregards the following of Ekadashi his spiritual life will be spoiled.  One should simply respect the prasad on the day of Ekadashi and eat them on the next day.  On the day of Ekadashi a pious vaishnava should become satisfied by drinking the necter of Krishna’s holy names.  They donot indulge in any kinds of material enjoyments and donot speak any useless words.  The pure vaishnavas only honour food stuffs that has been already offered to the lord and do not eat any unoffered food stuff.  On the day of sacred Ekadashi they fast totally and they break their fast by eating prasad on the next day.  However only on special circumstances a vaishnava accept food stuff that does not contain any grain on the day of Ekadashi.  Those who are non devotees they enjoy various foodstuffs day and night on the pretex of eating prasad.  Such people associates with sinful persons and eat grains on the day of Ekadashi.  Always cultivate the limbs of devotional service and thereby respect Bhakti Devi and you will obtain her bhakti.   Give up the association of non devotees and observe the vow of Ekadashi. 

 

 

 

Consider carefully that actually there is no contradiction between honouring prasad and observing Ekadashi.  Know it  for certain that if a person accepts one limb and envies another limb he is certainly a fool.  One should strictly follow a perticular limbs of devotional service according to time place and circumstances.  The son of Nanda Maharaj is the lord of all the limbs.  Therefore please follow that by which he becomes pleased.  One must giveup eating and sleeping on the day of Ekadashi and honour prasad only on the next day.’

 

 

After hearing these words of the lord all the vaishnavas happily chanted the name Govinda and offered their respectful obeisances to Him.  All the devotees of Orissa and Bengal headed by Swarup Damodar and Ramananda Rai became jubilant. 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung: 

madhava-tithi, bhakti-janani,

jetane palana kori

krishna-basati, basati boli’,

parama adare bori

 

  The holy days like Ekadashi and Janmashtami are the mother of devotion for those devotees who respect them. Let the holy places of Krishna’s pastimes be my places of worship, and bless me.

5 years ago I tried to explain to some devotees in Dubai why they should not take grains on Sri Nityananda Trayodasi but they where not pious enough to understand  these instructions  ,Lord Nityananda Prabhus apperance day is supposed to be observed as full fasting according to Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in his 108 Names of Lrod Nityananda Prabhu has mentioened this .But still they take grains after half day as it was allwed to them by Bhanu Swami ,this a very bad and neophyte understanding and not based on sastra at least one should do half day fasting and then only take ekadasi prasadam .

I pray Sri Ekadasi devi ,will bless and protect anyone who read these glories of Sri Ekadasi .On Visnutattva apperance days one should also fast or only take some ekadasi prasadam Srila Prabhuapda wrote that gaura Purnima fasting is untill Moonrise for ISKCON and then with ekadasi prasadam sadly many temples especially in the west also serve grain prasadam/.It is an aparadha in the worship of Nitai and Gaura. If we want Their full mercy DO NEVER TAKE GRAINS ON GAURA PURNIMA OR NITYANANDA TRAYODASI

your servant

Paramananda das 

 

this is from the Brahmanda Purana: 

glories of Amalaki Ekadasi

King Mandhata once said to Vasishtha Muni, “O great sage, kindly be merciful to me and tell me of a holy fast that will benefit me eternally.”

Vasishtha Muni replied. “O king, kindly listen as I describe the best of all fast days, Amalaki Ekadasi.He who faithfully observes a fast on this Ekadasi obtains enormous wealth, gets free of the effects of all kinds of sins, and attains liberation. Fasting on this Ekadasi is more purifying than donating one thousand cows in charity to a pure brahmana. So please hear me attentively as I tell you the story of a hunter who, though daily engaged in killing innocent animals for his living, achieved liberation by observing a fast on Amalaki Ekadasi following the prescribed rules and regulations of worship.”

The Kingdom of Vaidisha
“There was once a kingdom named Vaidisha, where all the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras were equally endowed with Vedic knowledge, great bodily strength, and fine intelligence. Oh lion among kings, the whole kingdom was full of Vedic sounds, not a single person was atheistic, and no one sinned. The ruler of this kingdom was King Pashabinduka, a member of the dynasty of Soma, the moon. He was also known as Chitraratha and was very religious and truthful. It is said that King Chitraratha had the strength of ten thousand elephants and that he was very wealthy and knew the six branches of Vedic wisdom perfectly.”
“During the reign of Maharaja Chitraratha, not a single person in his kingdom attempted to practice another's dharma (duty); so perfectly engaged in their own dharmas were all the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Neither miser nor pauper was to be seen throughout the land, never was there ever a drought or flood. Indeed, the kingdom was free of disease, and everyone enjoyed good health. The people rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, as did the king, who also rendered special service to Lord Shiva. Moreover, twice a month everyone fasted on Ekadasi. "In this way, O best of kings, the citizens of Vaidisha lived many long years in great happiness and prosperity. Giving up all varieties of materialistic religion, they completely dedicated themselves to the loving service of the Supreme Lord, Hari.”

Observing Amalaki Ekadasi 
“Once, in the month of Phalguna (February - March), the holy fast of Amalakii Ekadasi arrived, conjoined with Dvadasi. King Chitraratha realised that this particular fast would bestow especially great benefit, and thus he and all the citizens of Vaidisha observed this sacred Ekadasi very strictly, carefully following all the rules and regulations.”

“After bathing in the river, the king and all his subjects went to the temple of Lord Vishnu, where an Amalaki tree grew. First the king and his leading sages offered the tree a pot filled with water, as well as a fine canopy, shoes, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls, sapphires, and aromatic incense. Then they worshiped Lord Parashurama with these prayers: ‘Oh Lord Parashurama, Oh son of Renuka, Oh all-pleasing one, Oh liberator of the worlds, kindly come beneath this holy Amalaki tree and accept our humble obeisances.’ Then they prayed to the Amalaki tree: ‘Oh Amalaki, Oh offspring of Lord Brahma, you can destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Please accept our respectful obeisances and these humble gifts. O Amalaki, you are actually the form of Brahman, and you were once worshiped by Lord Ramachandra Himself. Whoever circumambulates you is therefore immediately freed of all his sins.’

“After offering these excellent prayers, King Chitraratha and his subjects remained awake throughout the night, praying and worshiping according to the regulations governing a sacred Ekadasi fast. It was during this auspicious time of fasting and prayer that a very irreligious man approached the assembly, a man who maintained himself and his family by killing animals. Burdened with both fatigue and sin, the hunter saw the king and the citizens of Vaidisha observing Amalaki Ekadasi by performing an all-night vigil, fasting, and worshiping Lord Vishnu in the beautiful forest setting, which was brilliantly illuminated by many lamps. The hunter hid nearby, wondering what this extraordinary sight before him was.
The fortunate hunter 
‘What is going on here?’ he thought. What he saw in that lovely forest beneath the holy Amalaki tree was the Deity of Lord Damodara being worshiped upon the Asana of a waterpot and he heard the devotees singing sacred songs describing Lord Krishna's transcendental forms and pastimes. Despite himself, that staunchly irreligious killer of innocent birds and animals spent the entire night in great amazement as he watched the Ekadasi celebration and listened to the glorification of the Lord.”

“Soon after sunrise, the king and his royal retinue - including the court sages and all the citizens - completed their observance of Ekadasi and returned to the city of Vaidisha. The hunter returned to his hut and happily ate his meal. In due time the hunter died, but the merit he had gained by fasting on Amalaki Ekadasi and hearing the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as by being forced to stay awake all night, made him eligible to be reborn as a great king endowed with may chariots, elephants, horses, and soldiers. His name was Vasuratha, the son of King Viduratha, and he ruled over the kingdom of Jayanti.
King Vasuratha 
“King Vasuratha was strong and fearless, as effulgent as the Sun, and as handsome as the Moon. In strength he was like Sri Vishnu, and in forgiveness like the Earth itself. Very charitable and every truthful, King Vasuratha always rendered loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu. He therefore became very well versed in Vedic knowledge. Always active in the affairs of state, he enjoyed taking excellent care of his subjects, as though they were his own children. He disliked pride in anyone and would smash it when he saw it. He performed many kinds of sacrifices, and he always made certain that the needy in his kingdom received enough charity.”

“One day, while hunting in the jungle, King Vasuratha strayed from the footpath and lost his way. Wandering for some time and eventually growing weary, he paused beneath a tree and, using his arms as a pillow, fell asleep. As he slept, some barbarian tribesmen came upon him and, remembering their long standing enmity toward the king, began discussing among themselves various ways to kill him. ‘It is because he killed our fathers, mothers, brothers-in-law, grandsons, nephews, and uncles that we are forced to aimlessly wander like so many madmen in the forest.’
The Great Rescue
So saying, they prepared to kill King Vasuratha with various weapons, including spears, swords, arrows, and mystic ropes. But none of these deadly weapons could even touch the sleeping king, and soon the uncivilised, dog-eating tribesmen grew frightened. Their fear sapped their strength, and before long they lost what little intelligence they had and became almost unconscious with bewilderment and weakness. Suddenly a beautiful woman appeared from the king's body, startling the aborigines. Decorated with many ornaments, emitting a wonderful fragrance, wearing an excellent garland around her neck, her eyebrows drawn in a mood of fierce anger, and her fiery red eyes ablaze, she looked like death personified. With her blazing chakra discus she quickly killed all the tribal hunters, who had tried to slay the sleeping king.”

“Just then the king awoke, and seeing all the dead tribesmen lying around him, he was astonished. He wondered, ‘These are all great enemies of mine! Who has slain them so violently? Who is my great benefactor?’ At that very moment he heard a voice from the sky: ‘You asked that who helped you. Well, who is that person who alone can help anyone is distress? He is none other than Sri Keshava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He who saves all who take shelter of Him without any selfish motive.’

“Upon hearing these words, King Vasuratha became over-whelmed with love for the Personality of Godhead Sri Keshava (Krishna). He returned to his capital city and ruled there like a second lord Indra (king of the heavenly regions), without any obstacles at all.

Conclusion 
“Therefore, Oh King Mandhata,” the venerable Vasishtha Muni concluded, “...anyone who observes this holy Amalaki Ekadasi will undoubtedly attain the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, so great is the religious merit earned from the observance of this most sacred fast day.”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Phalguna-sukla Ekadasi, or Amalaki Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.
Note: If the Amarlaki tree isn't available then worship the sacred Tulsi tree.   Amalaki ekadasi is a good day to plant Tulsi seeds as this is the beginning of spring and good weather will be  there soon