Vaikunta Ekadasi/Vaikuntha Ekadashi is a major festival in South India, which is celebrated grandly in the temples of Lord Vishnu. Ekadasi is a very sacred day for Hindus, especially Vishnu devotees, and they observe fasting on this day. The great Vaishnavite saint, Nammalwar, also attained Vaikunta, the abode of Lord Vishnu, on Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is the most auspicious day for Vishnu’s prosperity blessings to be showered upon you. According to scriptures, it is the only day when Vishnu, Supreme Preserver of the Universe and Supreme Archetype of Wealth, opens the gateway to his celestial abode, Vaikuntam, his inner sanctum. He resides there with his consort, Supreme Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, the very symbol of auspiciousness and abundance. This symbolizes that Vishnu is giving access to powerful prosperity energy that can change your financial mindset and help you receive boons of abundance.
Celebrating Vaikunta Ekadasi is believed to bring abundant blessings from Lord Vishnu. On this holy day, you can do the seven things listed below to invoke the blessings of the Lord.
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Perform Vaikuntanathar Homa
Perform a Homa for Vishnu as Vaikuntanathar. This can help you gain overall well-being, happiness, wealth, and prosperity. It can also bestow Moksha or liberation from the life-death cycle. It helps you to overcome misfortune and achieve progress and success in all your endeavors.
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Chant Purusha Suktam
Chant the Vedic hymn Purusha Suktam on this auspicious occasion as it can bestow happiness, well-being, abundance, and salvation.
According to scriptures, invoking Vishnu with his sacred hymns and rituals can bestow the following combined blessings:
- Grants clarity of thought and liberation
- Bestows longevity
- Gives success in endeavors
- Enhances wealth and affluence
- Cures diseases
- Alleviates debts and poverty
- Reduces stress and fears
- Removes sins
- Bestows self-confidence
- Grants progeny
- Protects from negative energy of enemies
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Food Feeding to Vedic Boys on Dwadashi
It is a traditional practice to feed Vedic Brahmins on Dwadashi (12th Moon). This attracts blessings like long life, good health, and wealth. It helps us to get the blessings of teachers and also helps us to get rid of their curses incurred in previous births.
4. Chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
Chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra 108 times (one round on the japa mala).
Mantra
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
In Kali Yuga, the epoch we are currently living in, one easy way to spiritual realization is to chant the names of Lord Krishna. The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra finds mention in the Kali-santarana Upanishad, which claims that there is no religion more sublime for this yuga than chanting Hare Krishna. Chanting it makes our heart pure, removes all the problems in our life, and helps us to achieve spiritual perfection.
5. Read the Bhagavad-Gita
Gita Jayanti is usually on the same day as Vaikunta Ekadashi. It is the day Lord Krishna imparted spiritual knowledge to Arjuna. Hence, it is highly recommended to read the Bhagavad-gita on this day.
One can find two kinds of literature glorifying Krishna. One talks about the glories about the Lord, while the other is directly uttered by Krishna. As the Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krishna, there is no difference between him and the Gita. To read the Gita is to connect directly with Krishna. So one can recite the verses of the Gita and try to understand their meaning on this holy day.
6.Visit a Vishnu temple
Visit a temple of Vishnu, or any of his incarnations like Krishna or Rama in your locality take part in the Vaikunta Ekadashi celebrations. The festival is celebrated grandly at temples like Venkateswara temple (Tirupati), Sri Ranganathaswamy temple (Srirangam), and Sita Ramachandraswamy temple (Bhadrachalam).
On this day, a special door or entrance called Vaikunta Dwara will be erected in many Vishnu temples. Supposedly, those who pass through this entrance can attain Vaikunta. If you have idols of Vishnu, Krishna, or other avatars (Rama, Narasimha, etc.) at home, decorate the altar and idols and perform a special Pooja.
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Observe a fast
Being an Ekadasi day, you can observe a fast. Fasting helps detoxify the body and purify the mind. It has many spiritual benefits, too. Ekadashi represents the eleven senses which comprise the mind, five sense organs, and five action organs. By observing a fast, we control the eleven senses. Food items like meat, fish, and grains must be avoided. Fruits, milk, milk-based products, and non-grain products can be eaten. One can observe the fast at different levels, according to one’s health and convenience.
8. Gho (Cow) Pooja
As per traditional belief, performing Cow Pooja on this auspicious day can bestow you with abundance and prosperity.
9. Tulsi Garland Offering to Vishnu
According to traditional practices, offering a Tulsi garland to Vishnu resolves financial miseries and physical suffering.
10. Order Energized Tulsi Mala with Pendant (Copper)
This Mala will be energized in our Vaikunta Ekadasi ceremonies. Wearing this Tulsi Mala is believed to grant peace, reduce stress, cure throat infections, ward off evil, purify the mind, body, senses, and enhance your spiritual connection with the Divine.
