Kamika Ekadashi Vrat Katha in English
Arjuna said- "O Lord! I heard the detailed description of Devshayani Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha of Ashadha month. Now can you kindly tell me the story of Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Shravan month. What is the name of this Ekadashi? What is its method. Which deity is worshiped in this? What fruit does a person get by fasting it?
Lord Shri Krishna said - "O best archer! I narrate the story of the holy Ekadashi of the month of Shravan, listen carefully. Once the holy story of this Ekadashi was told by Bhishma Pitamah to Naradji for the benefit and interest of people.
Once Naradji said - 'O father! Today I have a desire to hear the story of Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Shravan, so you should narrate this Ekadashi fasting story with a law.
Hearing Naradji's wish, Pitamah Bhishma said - 'O Naradji! You have made a beautiful proposal. Now listen to it very carefully - the name of Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Shravan month is Kamika. Only by listening to the story of this Ekadashi one gets the fruits of the Vajpeya Yagya. In the fasting of Kamika Ekadashi, conch, wheel and mace-bearing Lord Vishnu is worshipped. Those who worship Lord Vishnu on this Ekadashi with incense, lamp, naivedya etc., they get better results than the fruit of bathing in the Ganges-the river Ganga.
The virtue which is attained by bathing in Kedar and Kurukshetra during solar eclipse and lunar eclipse is attained by worshiping Lord Vishnu with devotion on the day of Kamika Ekadashi.
The fruit of worshiping Lord Vishnu with devotion in the month of Shravan is more than the fruit of donating the earth along with the ocean and forest.
The fruit that is obtained by bathing in the Gandaki river in Vyatipat yoga is obtained by worshiping Sri Vishnu on this day.
Worship of God is the highest fruit in the world, so if worship of God is not possible with devotion, then fasting should be done on Kamika Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Shravan month.
The fruit that is obtained by donating a cow with a calf with ornaments is obtained by fasting on Kamika Ekadashi.
Those who fast on Kamika Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Shravan month and worship Lord Vishnu, then they automatically worship other gods, snakes, kinnars, their ancestors, etc. Therefore, people who are afraid of sin should observe this fast with law and order.
People who are trapped in the sins and ocean of world should observe Kamika Ekadashi fast to get rid of them.
Sins are also destroyed by fasting on Kamika Ekadashi, there is no other way in the world to destroy more sins than this.
O Naradji! The Lord Himself has said from His mouth that by observing the fast of Kamika Ekadashi, more fruits are obtained by humans than those obtained by spiritual knowledge. By observing this fast, one does not see Yamraj who is the god of death nor does he have to suffer the sufferings of hell. He becomes the possessor of heaven.
Those who worship Lord Vishnu with devotion on this day with Tulsi leaves, they remain separate from the world even while living in the ocean of this world, just as the lotus flower, while living in the water, remains separate from the water.
The fruit of worshiping Lord Shrihari with Tulsi leaves is equal to the reward of donating gold once and silver four times. Lord Vishnu is more pleased with Tulsi leaves than gems, pearls, gems etc.
Those who worship Sri Vishnu with Tulsi leaves, all their sins are destroyed.
O Naradji! I bow to the very dear Shri Tulsiji of Sri Vishnu.
All the sins of a man are destroyed by the mere sight of Tulsiji and a person becomes pure by the mere touch of the body.
By bathing Tulsiji with water, all the sufferings of a person are destroyed. One who offers Tulsiji devotionally at the lotus feet of the Lord, he gets liberation.
Even Chitragupta is unable to write down the virtues of those who do wake up and night taking names of the Lord and donate lamps on the night of this Kamika Ekadashi.
On the day of Ekadashi, the ancestors of those who light a lamp in front of the Lord, drink nectar in heaven.
Those who light a lamp of ghee or sesame oil in front of God, they get the light of thousands of lamps even in the place of Sun.
Everyone should observe Kamika Ekadashi fast.
By observing this fast, all the sins even killing of Brahman etc. get destroyed and after enjoying happiness in this world, the living being finally go to Vishnu lok or the place where Sri Vishnu resides. By hearing and reciting the greatness of this Kamika Ekadashi, human beings attain heaven.
Synopsis
Lord Srihari is the supreme. He is easily pleased by the unconditional devotion of his devotees. Tulsiji is the beloved of Lord Vishnu. Lord Shri Hari is not so pleased with diamonds, pearls, gold and silver, as much as he is pleased with the offering of Tulsi leaves.
