4 years ago
On the day of Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, Haribodhini Ekadashi festival is being celebrated today with the marriage of Damodar of Tulsi as a symbol of Lord Vishnu and special worship.
As Ekadashi falls on two days on Wednesday and Thursday this year, those who perform religious activities based on memory are fasting on previous day and those who perform religious activities based on Vedas are fasting Ekadashi on Thursday and performing special worship.
As Vishnu, who slept in the ocean of milk, is awakened on the day of Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi, i.e. Hari Shayani Ekadashi, today's Ekadashi is also called Haribodhini or Prabodhini Ekadashi.
From Hari Shaini to Hari Bodhini Ekadashi, devotees of Vishnu fast for four months and perform special worship.
As Vishnu sleeps in the ocean of milk, there is a tradition of not doing good deeds like marriage fast for these four months. At this time, it is considered auspicious not to travel due to fear of floods and landslides in rivers and streams.
On the day of Harishyani Ekadashi, specially worshiped Tulsi is planted in every house and marriage is performed by decorating it with cow dung and red soil.
As Tulsi is Bishnupriya, it is customary to marry Damodar of Tulsi on this day. Nigala's penis is buried as a symbol of Vishnu near Tulsi monastery. There is a religious belief that all gods and goddesses reside in Tulsi during the month of Kartik.
Glory of Tulsi, which has been a tradition of worship since time immemorial, has also been scientifically proven to be beneficial. That is why the house where Tulsi monastery is located is considered as a pilgrimage.
It is said that the fragrance of Tulsi purifies ten directions. Due to the belief that even Yamadutas do not enter the house where Tulsi is worshiped, Hindus build a Tulsi monastery at home.
Juice of basil leaves, stalks or flowers is used as medicine for colds, malaria and other diseases. Applying this juice on the body, mosquitoes do not bite while sleeping. Poisonous snakes do not come around the place where Tulsi monastery is located.
Wind that blows around the monastery destroys poisonous germs. Basil is considered to be a great medicine for all creatures throughout the autumn.
Tea made from basil is considered to be suitable for enhancing immunity in human body. Ayurveda doctor Dr. Shesh Raj Acharya says that regular consumption of Tulsi tea is beneficial to avoid corona.
It is believed that the desire is fulfilled by wearing a garland of Tulsi in the month of Kartik and offering one lakh Tulsi leaves to Vishnu. According to Garud Puran, offering a tulsi leaf to Lord Vishnu this month yields equivalent of donating 10,000 cows.
Nowadays, it is customary to carry idol of Lord Vishnu in a chariot. At night, Vishnu is awakened by playing conch shells, bells and drums, saying, "Govinda, wake up, you are asleep, world is asleep, you are awake, world is awake."
As a symbol of this, there is a classical belief that human beings have five senses and five senses and mind is used to conquer eleven.
Farmers plant sugarcane in the monastery. Since grains are not to be eaten these days, Sakharkhand, Pindalu and Vantarul are boiled and eaten.
There is a religious belief that fasting in this way destroys sins and increases virtue and attains salvation. Today's Ekadashi vrata, also known as Thulo Ekadashi, has a classical belief that it yields equivalent of a thousand Ashwamedha Yajnas and Rajsuya Yajnas.
In the month of Kartik, devotional remembrance of Lord Vishnu is described in various scriptures as a result of bathing, giving alms, chanting and home, and getting rid of the sins of a hundred births.
Today, special fairs are held at Char Narayan of Kathmandu Valley, Changunarayan of Bhaktapur, Bishangkhunarayan of Lalitpur, Sheshnarayan of Kathmandu and Ichangunarayan.
It is believed that those who cannot visit here will get the same reward if they visit and worship four Narayans at Budhanilkantha Narayansthan in the north of Kathmandu. Today, this festival is celebrated with special worship in Narayan temples across the country.
This year, most of the Narayan temples have been closed to prevent the spread of corona virus. It is said that Shesh Narayan temple of Dakshinkali will be opened by maintaining physical distance and adopting health security method.
Shyam Bahadur Khatri, chairman of Dakshinkali Municipality-5, who is also the chairman of temple management committee, told RSS that the temple is being reopened as many visitors come for worship one day in a year.
