Yoginī Ekādaśī on 22.6.2025

 Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said, “O Supreme Lord, I have heard of the glories of Nirjalā Ekādaśī, which falls during the bright fortnight of the month of Jyeṣṭha. I now desire to hear from Thee concerning the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha (June–July). I entreat Thee, O slayer of the Madhu demon, to recount its merits in full detail.”

The Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, replied, “O King, verily I shall recount unto thee that most excellent of all fasting days, the Ekādaśī that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha. Known as Yoginī Ekādaśī, it eradicates all forms of sinful reaction and bestows supreme liberation.

“O best of monarchs, this Ekādaśī delivers those who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence, conveying them unto the far shore of the spiritual realm. It is, in all the three worlds, the foremost among sacred fasting days. I shall now make this truth known to thee by narrating a history recorded in the Purāṇas.

“The King of Alakāpuri—Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods—was a steadfast devotee of Lord Śiva. He had in his service a gardener named Hemamālī, who, being a Yakṣa like Kuvera himself, was deeply enamoured of his beautiful wife, Swarūpavatī, whose eyes were large and captivating.

“Hemamālī’s daily duty was to procure flowers from Lake Mānasarovara for use in his master’s worship of Lord Śiva. One day, having gathered the flowers, Hemamālī, overcome by carnal desire, went to his wife instead of returning at once to perform his service. Absorbed in bodily pleasures, he forgot his obligation and failed to deliver the flowers in time for the midday pūjā.

“O King, while Hemamālī was thus engaged with his wife, Kuvera had already begun his customary worship of Lord Śiva within his palace. Discovering that no flowers were at hand for the midday offering, he became greatly incensed. Turning to a Yakṣa messenger, he inquired, ‘Why has that impure-hearted Hemamālī not come with the flowers? Go and ascertain the reason for his delay and report to me at once.’

“The Yakṣa returned shortly and said, ‘O my lord, Hemamālī is enjoying sensual pleasures with his wife.’

“At this, Kuvera flew into a terrible rage and summoned Hemamālī before him. Knowing himself to be guilty of negligence and overcome with shame, Hemamālī approached his master with fear, offered obeisance, and stood trembling before him. Kuvera, his eyes reddened with fury and his lips quivering, roared, ‘O sinful wretch! O destroyer of dharma! Thou art an offence to the very gods! I curse thee to be afflicted with white leprosy and to be sundered from thy beloved wife! Let unremitting suffering be thy lot, O base-born fool! Depart at once from this place and descend to the lower planetary regions, there to endure thy punishment!’

“Thus was Hemamālī cast down from the grace of Alakāpuri, afflicted at once with that dreadful disease. He awoke in a dark and fearsome forest where there was naught to eat or drink. Day and night he endured great torment—unable to sleep due to the pain, and suffering in both heat and cold. Yet, despite his wretched condition, he continued to worship Lord Śiva with unwavering faith. Owing to his piety, he retained remembrance of his former life.

“After wandering aimlessly over mountains and plains, Hemamālī eventually arrived at the Himalayan ranges. There, by great fortune, he encountered the sage Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, the foremost of ascetics, whose lifespan, it is said, extends to seven days of Lord Brahmā. The sage sat tranquilly at his hermitage, radiant like a second Brahmā. Seeing the afflicted Hemamālī standing at a respectful distance, Mārkaṇḍeya, ever compassionate, called out to him, ‘O unfortunate one, what sinful acts hast thou committed to merit this grievous affliction?’

“Hemamālī replied, ‘O venerable sage, I am a Yakṣa servant of Lord Kuvera, and my name is Hemamālī. It was my daily duty to collect flowers from Lake Mānasarovara for my master’s worship of Lord Śiva. One day I was negligent and delayed in my service, having yielded to lustful desire for my wife. My master, learning of this, cursed me in anger, and thus I am bereft of my wife, my home, and my honour. But I have now been blessed with your darśana, and I humbly implore your mercy, for I know that sages such as thyself are as compassionate as the Supreme Lord and ever intent upon the welfare of others. Pray, bestow thy grace upon me!’

“Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, moved by compassion, replied, ‘Since thou hast spoken truthfully, I shall reveal unto thee a most auspicious observance. If thou fast on the Ekādaśī that falls in the dark fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha, thou shalt be released from this terrible curse.’

“Hearing these benedictory words, Hemamālī prostrated himself in gratitude and offered repeated obeisance. The sage then lifted him up, filling him with inexpressible joy.

“As instructed by the sage, Hemamālī duly observed the fast of Yoginī Ekādaśī. By the influence of this vrata, he was at once cleansed of his affliction and restored to his former handsome Yakṣa form. Thereafter, he returned home and lived happily once more with his wife.”

Śrī Kṛṣṇa concluded, “Thus, O Yudhiṣṭhira, thou canst readily perceive that fasting on Yoginī Ekādaśī is supremely potent and meritorious. The merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand pious brāhmaṇas is equally attained by observing this fast with devotion. It destroys heaps of sinful reaction and renders one supremely virtuous. O King, thus have I described to thee the sanctity and greatness of Yoginī Ekādaśī.”

Thus ends the Vraja-vāsī narration of the glories of Āṣāḍha-kṛṣṇa Ekādaśī, or Yoginī Ekādaśī, as recounted in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa.

Source: pgs 67 - 68, Ekādaśī: The Day of Lord Hari by Sri Kṛṣṇa Balarām Swāmi