Vaikuntha Ekadashi

Vaikuntha Ekadashi is one of the grandest festivals celebrated in almost all the Vaishnava Temples all over India connected to the Sri Sampradaya or the Ramanuja Sampradaya. The festival marks its advent every year during the auspicious month of Marghashirsha when the sun is in the Dhanur Rashi.

The origin of Vaikuntha Ekadashi

There are many pastimes connected to this festival from various Puranas and as per many acharyas. Most prominent ones of them are mentioned below:

Nammazhwar attains Vaikuntha

A great Vaishnava devotee named Sri Nammazhwar or Nammalwar had served Lord Narayana fervently. He is counted as fifth amongst the twelve Azhwar saints of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. Nammazhwar is more famed due to his most revered work Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. This work contains 4000 verses in glorification of Lord Narayana and is widely known as the Fifth Veda or Dravidian Veda in South India. He contributed 1352 of 4000 verses.

He was born in Alwar Tirunagari where  he always stayed inside the tamarind tree right from the birth. He is glorified as the greatest Vaishnava in South India to establish the supremacy of Lord Narayana. He had attained the Vaikuntha Loka on this day (Vaikuntha Ekadashi). Pleased by his work, Lord Narayana had personally come to receive him on the doors of the Vaikuntha.

The Doors of Vaikuntha open today

Do you know, as we move higher in the universe the time dilates. Meaning 1 day of our life is equal to the one lifetime of an insect. To put in other words, 1 year of our life is equivalent to 1 day of devatas living on the higher planets. In fact Lord Brahma who is living on the highest planet in this universe has the longest lifespan.

100 years of Brahma’s life is techincally called as Para which is equal to 100 X 365 X 1000 Maha-yugas X 2. Each maha-yuga consists of 4 yugas i.e, kali-yuga, dwapara-yuga, treta-yuga and satya-yuga. Everyday in the morning before beginning the day, devatas visit the doors of Vaikuntha to pray to Lord Narayana and worship Him. Hence the doors of Vaikuntha open today giving us all an opportunity to serve the Lord and celebrate Vaikuntha Ekadashi.

The origin of Ekadashi

The Padma Purana states Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the birthday of Ekadashi Tithi. During the battle between the Mura Demon and Lord Narayana, the latter got tired and wanted to take rest. While He took rest in the Badrikashrama, the demon Mura attacked Him. At that time from the effulgence of Lord Narayana, a shakti was born who killed the Rakshasa Mura. Lord Narayana was very pleased with her and blessed her that anyone who would fast on the day of Ekadashi would surely achieve Vaikuntha Loka.

How is Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrated?

Vaikuntha Ekadashi is primarily celebrated only in the temples. Devotees throng the Vishnu Temples and perform devotional service all through out the day in the temples. In the morning, Suprabhata seva is performed in the brahma-muhurta and in some temples grand panchamrita abhisheka is performed to the vigraha of Lord Narayana. On the Northern gate of the temple a replica of Vaikuntha Dwara is erected which is ritualistically invoked with the presence of Lord Narayana’s dwara-palakas.

In some temples, the utsava vigrahas themselves adorn on the Vaikuntha Dwara. Through out the day devotees pass underneath the Vaikuntha Dwara with a belief that the Vaikuntha is assured to them. Vaikuntha is the place where there is no anxiety and everyone wants to achieve it. Therefore on the day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi, devotees swarm the temples of Lord Vishnu.

Some of the temples where you may plan to have darshan on the day of Vaikuntha Ekadashi are:

Sri Ranganatha Temple in Srirangam

Srirangam is the world’s largest functioning temple. Here Vaikuntha Ekadashi is celebrated for one complete month in fact this is the biggest and grandest celebration of Vaikuntha Ekadashi in India. But this temple celebrates Vaikuntha Ekadashi based on different alamanac calculation. Be sure of the date before you plan to visit it for the festival. Read more about Srirangam

Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Tirumala

Tirumala is known for the celebrated temple of Lord Srinivasa. Only once in a year a special door called Vaikuntha Dwara is opened in the temple and devotees are allowed to pass through the door to have darshan of Lord Srinivasa. Vaikuntha Ekadashi is celebrated for 1 week in this temple.

Sri Vaikuntha Rama Temple in Bhadrachalam

Although this is the Rama Temple, Vaikuntha Ekadashi is the biggest celebration in this temple. On this auspicious day Their Lordships are given Kalyanotsava Seva which is attended with the state honors. In fact whole of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and many devotees swarm this temple on Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Read more about Bhadrachalam

Vaikuntha Ekadashi at ISKCON Bengaluru

This is not an ancient temple but nonetheless host of one of the grandest Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrations. The Vaikuntha Dwara erected at ISKCON Bengaluru is marvelous and the celebration is celestial. The temple is thronged by thousands of devotees on this day. The most important feature of the temple is serving of hot and delicious khichdi prasadam which you should never miss. Read more about ISKCON Bengaluru

There are many more temples in South India numbering in thousands where this festival is celebrated grandly. It is impractical to list them all. So get out of your house and visit the nearest temple and receive the blessings of Lord Narayana.