20141123 Śacīmātā's Observance of the Ekādaśī-vrata on Śrī Gaurāṅga’s Instruction

Śacīmātā's Observance of the Ekādaśī-vrata on Śrī Gaurāṅga’s Instruction

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.8

eka dina mātāra pade kariyā praṇāma
prabhu kahe, — mātā, more deha eka dāna

Translation: One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down at the feet of His mother and requested her to give Him one thing in charity.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.9

śacīmātāke ekādaśī vrate pravarttana :—-
mātā bale, — tāi diba, yā tumi māgibe
prabhu kahe, — ekādaśīte anna nā khāibe

Translation: His mother replied, “My dear son, I will give You whatever You ask.” Then the Lord said, “My dear mother, please do not eat grains on the Ekādaśī day.”

Purport by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura: Śrī-jīva-prabhu bhakti-sandarbhe (299 saṁkhyāya) —“skānde— ‘mātṛhā pitṛhā caiva bhrātṛhā guruhā tathā. ekādaśyāntu yo bhuṅkte viṣṇulokāccyuto bhavet.’ atra vaiṣṇavānāṁ nirāhāratvaṁ nāma mahā-prasādānna parityāga eva; teṣāmanya-bhojanasya nityameva niṣiddhatvāt. āgneye—ekādaśyāṁ na bhoktavyaṁ tadvrataṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ mahat.'tatra tāvadasyā avaiṣṇavehapi nityatvam” vaiṣṇavagaṇa mahā-prasāda vyatīta anya kona dravya kona dina kona samayei svīkāra karena nā. kintu ekādaśī-divase mahāprasāda-tyāgera nāmai ‘upavāsa’.

Purport: From the very beginning of His childhood life Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the system of observing a fast on the Ekādaśī day. In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, there is a quotation from the Skanda Purāṇa admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekādaśī becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuṇṭha planet, he falls down. On Ekādaśī, everything is cooked for Viṣṇu, including regular grains and dhal, but it is enjoined that a Vaiṣṇava should not even take viṣṇu-prasādam on Ekādaśī. It is said that a Vaiṣṇava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Viṣṇu, but on Ekādaśī a Vaiṣṇava should not touch even mahā-prasādam offered to Viṣṇu, although such prasādam may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekādaśī, even if it is offered to Lord Viṣṇu.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.18

tataḥ kadācinnivasan svamandire samudyadādityakarātilohitaḥ
svatejasāpūritadeha āvabhau uvāca mātarvvacanaṁ kuruṣva me

Bengali translation: Anantara ekadina nijamandire vāsa karite karite tini samudīyamāna sūryera kiraṇe yena atiśaya raktavarṇa hailena evaṁ nija kāntimālāya pūritadeha haiyā prakāśa pāite lāgilena o śacīmātāke balilena—‘mā! āmāra vākyānusāre ekaṭā kāja kara.’

(Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.18) Once, while dwelling in their home, suddenly, the son of Śacī stood up, displaying a brilliant red luster like the rising sun. As His entire body shone with His potency, He commanded, "Mother, do as I bid you!"

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.19

tathā jvalantaṁ svasutaṁ svatejasā vilokya bhītā tamuvāca vismitā
yaducyate tāta karomi tattvayā vadasva yatte manasi sthitaṁ svayam

Bengali translation: Nijateje jājvalyamāna nijaputrake dekhiyā bhītacittā o vismitā mātā balilena—‘vatsa! tumi yāhā balibe, āmi tāhāi kariba. tomāra mane yāhā āche, tāhā svayaṁ bala dekhi.’

(Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.19) Glancing timidly at her son, who had become so dazzling with power, she felt mystified and replied, "Dear son, whatever You say, I shall do! Come, tell me what is on Your mind."

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.20

taditthamākarṇya vaco'mṛtaṁ punastāṁ prāha mātarna harestithau tvayā
bhoktavyamākarṇya vacaḥ sutasya sā tatheti kṛtvā jagṛhe prahṛṣṭavat

Bengali translation: Mātāra ei vākyāmṛta śravaṇapuṭe pāna kariyā viśvambhara punarāya tāhāke balilena,—‘mā! tumi harivāsare (ekādaśīte) bhojana karibe nā.’ ei kathā śuniyā śacīdevīo ‘tāhāi kariba’ baliyā ānanditacitte svīkāra karilena.

(Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 1.7.20) Hearing this, He replied with His nectarean voice, "Mata, henceforward, on the holy day of Hari, Śrī Ekādaśī, you must fast." Hearing her son's order, Śacī accepted it enthusiastically, saying, "So be it!"

Jayapatākā Swami: Here it says, “Don’t eat”. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, “Don’t eat grains”.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.614-A

śrīrāga–diśā
aki hore gaurāṅga jaya jayamūcchā
(kinā mora gaurāṅgaprema amiyā ānanda)
kinā mora gaurāṅga ki āre jaya jayadhru

Translation: Refrain: Glory, glory to Lord Gaurāṅga! Love for Lord Gaurāṅga is for me the sweetest nectar bliss. Glory, glory to Lord Gaurāṅga!

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.615

āra ekadina prabhu basi nijaghare
āpana-antara-kathā parakāśa kare

Translation: One day Lord Gaura, sitting at home, was rapt in thinking within His heart.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.616

nija teja-amiyā-pūrita sar deha
nirakhi nā pāri-jhalamala kare geha

Translation: His entire body was then flooded with nectar light. His body was so effulgent no one at home could bear to look at it.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.617

māyere dekhiyā baila—śuna mora bola
eka mahādoṣa muñi dekhiyāchi tora

Translation: Glancing at His mother, Lord Gaura said: "Hear My words. I see that you have committed a great offense.”

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.618

ekādaśī tithi amna nā khāiha āra
yatane pāliha tumi e bola āmāra

Translation: “Do not eat grains on Ekādaśī. Carefully obey what I have now told you.”

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.619

megha-gambhīra-nāde kahila māyere
śuni mātā savismitā sambhrama antare

Jayapatākā Swami: With a voice like a thundering cloud, Lord Gaura spoke these words to His mother. Hearing them, Mother Śacī felt great awe and wonder in her heart.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.620

saṅkoca-sambhrame preme bharila śarīre
pāliba tomāra ājñā-bole dhīre dhīre

Translation: Her body was filled with awe and love. Softly, softly she said: “I will obey Your command.”

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.621

śuniñā māyera bola santoṣa-hṛdaya
dharma śikhāila sei antara-sadaya

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing His mother's words, Lord Gaura was pleased at heart. In this way the kind-hearted Lord taught the principles of religion.

Caitanya-carita Mahā-kāvya.2.108

tataḥ kadācin nivasan sva-mandire
samudyad-āditya-mahojjvalaḥ
sva-tejasā dhvasta-tamisra-sañcayo
jagāda devo jananīṁ pura-sthitām

Bengali translation: Anantara eka divasa gaurāṅgadeva sūryyareya svīya aṅga prabhāya andhakāra rāśi vinaṣṭa karata nija mandire upaveśana kariyā sammukhabarttinī jananīke kahilena.

Translation: One day, sitting his house and shining like the sun, destroying all darkness by his effulgence, he spoke to his mother present there.

Caitanya-carita Mahā-kāvya 2.109

saṁśrūyatāṁ mātar idaṁ vadāmi yat
tatheti tasyoditam ādade śacī
yam ucyate tāta samastam eva tat
kariṣyate tad vada tāta bhāṣitam

Bengali translation: Mātaḥ! Āmi ei yāhā āpanāke kahitechi āpani yatna pūrvaka śravaṇa karuna. śacī mātā uttara karilena, vatsa! tumi yāhā balibe āmi tāhāi kariba.

Translation: “O mother! Please listen to what I say.” Śacī answered, “Whatever you say, I will do. Please speak.”

Caitanya-carita Mahā-kāvya 2.110

kadāpi mātar hari-vāsare tvayā
na kāryam evādanam ity asau punaḥ
jagāda paścāt tanujoditaṁ śacī
samādade nirbhara-bhāgya-bhūṣitā

Bengali translation: Mahāprabhu kahilena mātaḥ! Āpani kadāca harivāsare (ekādaśīte) bhojana karibena nā, paścāt bhāgyavatī śacīo putrera kathita viṣaya svīkāra karilena.

Translation: He said, “O mother! Never eat on Ekādaśī day.” From that time, the fortunate Śacī followed that instruction.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.8

eka dina mātāra pade kariyā praṇāma
prabhu kahe, — mātā, more deha eka dāna

Translation: One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down at the feet of His mother and requested her to give Him one thing in charity.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.9

śacīmātāke ekādaśī-vrate pravartana—
mātā bale, — tāi diba, yā tumi māgibe
prabhu kahe, — ekādaśīte anna nā khāibe

Translation: His mother replied, “My dear son, I will give You whatever You ask.” Then the Lord said, “My dear mother, please do not eat grains on the Ekādaśī day.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.10

śacī kahe, — nā khāiba, bhāla-i kahilā
sei haite ekādaśī karite lāgilā

Translation: Mother Śacī said, “You have spoken very nicely. I shall not eat grains on Ekādaśī.” From that day, she began to observe fasting on Ekādaśī.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.615

śuniñā māyera bola santoṣa-hṛdaya
dharma śikhāila sei antara-sadaya

Jayapatākā Swami: One day the Lord Viśvambhara was in his own house. He was seated in the Viṣṇu temple and He wanted to speak something inside from Himself and the whole house was quivering. Mother Śacī saw her son as effulgent as many suns.

He told her “There is one fault that I see in you” and he feel at her feet, “Can I make one request to you. Will you follow this?”

And she said, “Whatever you ask I will follow?”

He said that “You should not take grains and cereals on Ekādaśī day.”

She said, “I accept and follow whatever you say.”

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.619

megha-gambhīra-nāde kahila māyere
śuni mātā savismitā sambhrama antare

Jayapatākā Swami: He spoke to His mother in a deep voice this caused her hairs to stand on end.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.620

saṅkoca-sambhrame preme bharila śarīre
pāliba tomāra ājñā-bole dhīre dhīre

Jayapatākā Swami: On one hand she was surprised and embarrassed and her hairs stood on end as her body was filled with kṛṣṇa-prema but she told her son that whatever you ask I will follow.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.617

māyere dekhiyā baila—śuna mora bola
eka mahādoṣa muñi dekhiyāchi tora

Translation: Glancing at His mother, Lord Gaura said: "Hear My words. I see that you have committed a great offense.

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.618

ekādaśī tithi amna nā khāiha āra
yatane pāliha tumi e bola āmāra

Jayapatākā Swami: On Ekādaśī tithi you should not take grains, promise to me that you will not do it again. Mother Śacī replied “I will follow your words; I will not take grains on Ekādaśī anymore.”

Caitanya-maṅgala.1.3.621

śuniñā māyera bola santoṣa-hṛdaya
dharma śikhāila sei antara-sadaya

Jayapatākā Swami: So hearing His mother declaration, He became internally satisfied. While He was instructing on the religious principles, He was feeling very merciful inside.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 15.8

Purport: From the very beginning of His childhood life Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the system of observing a fast on the Ekādaśī day. In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, there is a quotation from the Skanda Purāṇa admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekādaśī becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuṇṭha planet, he falls down. On Ekādaśī, everything is cooked for Viṣṇu, including regular grains and dhal, but it is enjoined that a Vaiṣṇava should not even take viṣṇu-prasādam on Ekādaśī. It is said that a Vaiṣṇava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Viṣṇu, but on Ekādaśī a Vaiṣṇava should not touch even mahā-prasādam offered to Viṣṇu, although such prasādam may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekādaśī, even if it is offered to Lord Viṣṇu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Thus we see that right from the beginning of His life Lord Caitanya even as a child introduced the system of fasting from grains and pulses. In this regard in his Bhakti-sandarbha, Jīva Gosvāmī quotes from Skanda Purāṇa. Skanda Purāṇa admonishes that if someone eats grains on Ekādaśī is considered gets the bad karma like as killing his mother, father, brother and spiritual master and even if one is elevated to Vaikuṇṭha spiritual planets, he falls down because of having consumed grains on Ekādaśī. One should not take grains on Ekādaśī even though it may be offered to the Lord. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa takes all kinds of food without restriction on the Ekādaśī day like grains, dal, vegetables, etc, full vegetarian diet. But although the devotees may keep those grains for the next day, they should not eat them on the Ekādaśī day even though it is offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa.