19/08/2025
Aja ekadashi vrat katha
According to the ancient legend, there once lived a king named Harishchandra. He was renowned for his truthfulness, righteousness, and compassion toward his subjects. At one point in his life, he lost everything, his kingdom, his wife, and even his son, and began working at a cremation ground under a low-caste (Chandala) man. This suffering was the result of a curse given by a sage.
Although King Harishchandra was deeply troubled, he never strayed from the path of truth. He continued to perform his duties at the cremation ground, having even lost his beloved son. Every day, he would wonder when he would be freed from this suffering. One day, Maharishi Gautama visited the cremation ground and, upon seeing the king’s pitiful condition, advised him to observe the Aja Ekadashi Vrat.
The sage said, “O King, if you observe the fast of Bhadrapada Krishna Ekadashi with proper rituals and devotion, all your sins will be destroyed, and you will regain your former glory.” Following the sage’s advice, King Harishchandra observed the Aja Ekadashi fast with full faith and discipline. As soon as the fast was completed, all his sins were wiped away. He was reunited with his wife and son. The Devdutas descended from heaven with a divine chariot and took him to the heavens, marking his liberation and return to a blessed state.
