Astha SangrahASTHA SANGRAHhttps://asthasangrah.comShri Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha
The Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha is the story of Yogini Ekadashi in Ashadha's dark fortnight, in which Lord Krishna tells Yudhishthira how Kubera cursed the yaksha Hemamali with leprosy after he forgot the hour of Shiva's worship in his love for his wife, and how the vow taught by the sage Markandeya made him whole again.
Chapter 1 · Kubera's Curse on Hemamali
Yudhishthira said, 'Vasudeva, out of your grace tell me the name of the Ekadashi of Ashadha's dark fortnight.' Shri Krishna said, 'O king, I will tell you the finest of vows, which wipes out every sin and gives every enjoyment and liberation. Best of kings, the Ekadashi of Ashadha's dark fortnight is known as Yogini, and it destroys the gravest sins. For those drowning in the ocean of worldly life it is an eternal boat, and for those who keep the Yogini vow it is the essence of the three worlds. I will tell you an auspicious story from the Puranas. In Alakapuri lived Kubera, king of kings, devoted to Shiva. He had a yaksha servant named Hemamali who brought him flowers. Hemamali's wife was very beautiful, and her name was Vishalakshi. His mind was ever on her, and he was bound in the noose of desire. One day he brought flowers from Lake Manasa and stayed on in his own house. Steeped in love for his wife, he did not go to Kubera's palace. O king, Kubera was worshipping Shiva in the temple and at midday was waiting for the flowers, while Hemamali took his pleasure at home with his wife.'
'Angered that the hour had passed, the king of the yakshas said: Yakshas, why does the wicked Hemamali not come? Find out. He said it again and again. The yakshas said: O king, he is a lover of women and is taking his pleasure at home as he likes. Hearing them, Kubera, filled with rage, at once summoned his servant Hemamali. Knowing he was late, his eyes wild with fear, he came without even bathing and stood before Kubera. Seeing him, Kubera, lord of wealth, his eyes red with anger and his lips quivering, said: You sinful, wicked, ill-behaved one, you have slighted the god. Be struck with the eighteen kinds of leprosy and parted from that beloved of yours. Wretch, fall from this place and go. As soon as he had spoken, Hemamali fell from that place. Overcome with great sorrow, his body racked by leprosy, he found no ease by day and no sleep by night. Even in the shade his body suffered, and in the summer heat it suffered terribly. But by the power of his worship of Shiva his memory did not leave him; though overcome by sin, he remembered what he had done before.'
Chapter 2 · The Sage Markandeya's Counsel and the Yogini Vow
'Wandering on and on, he reached the Himalaya, finest of mountains. There he saw the great sage Markandeya, a treasury of austerity, whose life, O king, is as long as Brahma's. That doer of sinful deeds bowed at his feet from a distance. Seeing him trembling so, the great sage Markandeya, for the sake of helping another, called him near and said: How were you struck by leprosy? Why are you so reviled? Asked this, he said to the great sage Markandeya: Sage, I am a follower of Kubera, king of kings, and my name is Hemamali. Every day I brought lotuses from Lake Manasa and offered them to Kubera at the hour of Shiva's worship. One day, attached to my wife's company and with my mind distracted, I did not even notice the time. Sage, then the angry king of kings cursed me, and struck by leprosy I was parted from my beloved. Now, through some good deed, I have come to you. The hearts of the good are by nature able to help others. Best of sages, knowing this, instruct me, an offender.'
'Markandeya said: You have spoken the truth here and have told no lie, so I will teach you a vow that bears good fruit. In the dark fortnight of Ashadha, keep the vow of Yogini. By the merit of this vow your leprosy will surely leave you. Hearing the sage say this, he fell to the ground at full length. The sage raised him up, and he was overjoyed. He kept the vow as Markandeya had taught him, and all eighteen of his leprosies left him completely. Having kept the vow well at the sage's word, he was happy. Best of kings, such is the Yogini vow I have told you. One who keeps the Yogini vow gains a fruit equal to that of feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins. It quiets the gravest sins and gives the fruit of great merit. By reading and hearing it a person is freed from every sin.'
How to Read Shri Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha
On Ashadha Krishna Ekadashi, bathe in the morning, take the vow of fasting and worship Lord Vishnu. In the katha, Hemamali kept this vow as the sage Markandeya taught him; keep the fast in the same way, read or hear this katha, and break the fast the next day, Dwadashi, within the parana muhurat.
About Shri Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha
The Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha is told in two chapters. In the first, in Alakapuri, the yaksha Hemamali, who brings the flowers for Kubera's worship of Shiva, forgets the hour in his love for his wife Vishalakshi, and Kubera curses him with eighteen kinds of leprosy and separation from his wife. In the second, the sage Markandeya teaches Hemamali, wandering in the Himalaya, the Yogini Ekadashi vow, which cures his leprosy.
This vow is kept on the Ekadashi of Ashadha's dark fortnight, between Nirjala Ekadashi and Devshayani Ekadashi.
The Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha has no named author. It is the fifty-second chapter of the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana, in which Lord Krishna himself tells Yudhishthira the story of the yaksha Hemamali. The text given here is a verse-by-verse translation of that chapter's 34 Sanskrit verses.
Benefits of the Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha
According to the katha, Yogini Ekadashi destroys the gravest sins and is a boat for those drowning in the ocean of worldly life; by its vow all eighteen of Hemamali's leprosies were cured; its fruit equals feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins; and reading or hearing it frees a person from every sin.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters does the Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha have?
It has two chapters, based on the 34 verses of the fifty-second chapter of the Padma Purana's Uttara Khanda.
Why did Kubera curse Hemamali?
Every day Hemamali brought lotuses from Lake Manasa and gave them to Kubera at the hour of Shiva's worship. One day, in his love for his wife Vishalakshi, he stayed at home and the hour of worship passed. Taking this as a slight to the god, Kubera cursed him with eighteen kinds of leprosy and separation from his wife.
Who taught Hemamali the Yogini vow?
The sage Markandeya, who practised austerity in the Himalaya and whose life is said to be as long as Brahma's. Hemamali told him his offence truthfully, so the sage taught him this vow.
What fruit is Yogini Ekadashi said to bring?
According to the katha, one who keeps the Yogini vow gains a fruit equal to feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins, and reading or hearing it frees one from every sin.