Ekadashi Gufa

Ekadashi Gufa is in Badrinath, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Devotees visiting Badrinath must not miss this holy cave. Ekadashi Gufa is not very prominently spoken of as many other holy places. But it plays a vital part in the Vedic culture as Ekadashi Devi appeared here. Originally it was known as the Himavati Gufa.

Ekadashi Devi is the origin of the Ekadashi fasting which is must for the devotees of Lord Krishna / Vishnu. This lila is an excerpt from the conversations between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.

The demon Mura torments demigods

In the Satya-yuga, there lived a fearsome demon called Mura. Always very angry, he terrified all the demigods, defeating even Indra, the king of heaven; Vivasvan, the sun-god; the eight Vasus; Lord Brahma; Vayu, the wind-god; and Agni, the fire-god. With his terrible power he brought them all under his control. Lord Indra then approached Lord Shiva about his pitiable condition. Lord Shiva advised him to approach Lord Vishnu & seek His shelter.

Indra then approached Lord Vishnu in Shvetadvipa and prayed to Him. Having heard Indra and the other demigods, Lord Vishnu asked about the demon Mura. Indra then informed Lord Vishnu that there was once a powerful demon of the Brahman dynasty whose name was Nadijangha. He was extraordinarily horrible and wholly dedicated to destroying the demigods, and he begot an infamous son named Mura who took over the demigods and rule the world. Thus, Indra requested Lord Vishnu to kill him.

Lord Vishnu attacks Chandravati

Immediately Lord Vishnu charged an attack on Chandravati, the capital city of Mura, along with the demigods. When Mura saw the demigods, that foremost of demons started roaring very loudly in the company of countless thousands of other demons, who were all holding brilliantly shining weapons. The mighty-armed demons struck the demigods, who began abandoning the battlefield and fleeing in ten directions.

Seeing the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, present on the battlefield, the furious demons rushed toward Him with various weapons in their hands. As they charged the Lord, who holds a sword, disk, and club, the Lord immediately pierced all their limbs with His sharp, poisonous arrows. Thus, many hundreds of demons died by the Lord’s hand.

At last, the chief demon Mura, began fighting with the Lord. Mura used his mystic power to render useless whatever weapons the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha unleashed. Indeed, to the demon the weapons felt just like flowers striking him. When the Lord could not defeat the demon even with various kinds of weapons, whether those that are thrown or those that are held, He began fighting with His bare hands, which were as strong as iron-studded clubs.

The Lord wrestled with Mura for one thousand celestial years and then, apparently fatigued, left for Badarikashrama to rest. There Lord Yogeshvara, the greatest of all yogis, the Lord of the universe, entered a very beautiful cave named Himavati to rest. That cave was ninety-six miles in diameter and had only one entrance. The demon followed Lord Vishnu and wanted to kill the Lord while He slept.

The appearance of Ekadashi Devi in Ekadashi Gufa

While the wicked-minded Mura was making plans in this way, from Lord Vishnu’s body there manifested a young girl who had a very bright complexion. Mura saw that she was equipped with various brilliant weapons and was ready to fight. Challenged by that girl to do battle, Mura prepared himself and then fought with her, but he became very astonished when he saw that she fought him without cessation.

Suddenly that effulgent goddess shattered all of Mura’s weapons and in a moment deprived him of his chariot. He ran towards her to attack her with his bare hands, but when she saw him coming, she angrily cut off his head. Thus, the demon at once fell to the ground and went to the abode of Yamaraja. The rest of the Lord’s enemies, out of fear and helplessness, entered the subterranean Patala region.

Then Lord Narayana woke up and saw the dead demon before Him, as well as the maiden bowing down to Him with joined palms. His face expressing His astonishment, the Lord of the universe asked who killed the demon who was unassailable even by Lord Indra & the principal demigods.

The maiden informed the Lord that she appeared from His transcendental body and killed the demon. Lord Hari was very satisfied on the killing of demon and requested her to ask for a boon.

In return she asked the Lord that anyone who fasted on that day should be rid of the greatest of the sins. Such person should be granted the ultimatum of the purusharthas – dharma, artha and moksha.

Lord Narayana assured her that all his devotees would observe fast on that day and finally live in the company of the Lord in His abode. Since she appeared on the eleventh day of the waning moon in the Ekadashi Gufa, Lord Narayana named her as Ekadashi Devi. From that time onward the Ekadashi day became most meritorious and famous all over the universe. Thus Ekadashi Gufa became a great place of pilgrimage

The glories of fasting on Ekadashi

If a person strictly observes fast on Ekadashi, Lord Narayana shall kill all his enemies and grant him the highest destination. Indeed, if a person observes this great Ekadashi fast in any of the prescribed ways, Lord Vishnu shall remove all the obstacles to his spiritual progress and grant him the perfection of life.

The merit one attains by fasting on Ekadashi is greater than that achieved by observing any other kind of fast or by going to a place of pilgrimage, and even greater than that achieved by giving charity to brahmanas.

Best time to visit Ekadashi Gufa

Ekadashi Gufa can be visited whenever you visit Badrinath dham which is cold almost throughout the whole year. May to June and September to October is ideal time to visit. September to October is the best.

How to reach Ekadashi Gufa

You must travel the same way to Ekadashi Gufa as you would travel to Badrinath.

By Road – there are state transport buses from Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar. You can also hire a taxi from these cities depending on your convenience.

By Rail – the nearest railway stations are Dehradun and Haridwar, which are well connected to major cities in India.

By Air – the nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is connected to major airports in India.