Sanatani Kashi.

Fast on the 11th day of Jyeshtha Krishna Paksha (the waning phase of the moon heading towards new moon) is Aparaa Ekaadas hi. The name Aparaa comes from the word Apar meaning immense or boundless. This day confers immense benefits on those who undertake the fast. Story in Short More than a story or a parable, this chapter is told as a conversation between Lord Krishna and King Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas. Lord Krishna lists out the advantages of this fast to Yudhishthira. There is no specific story. Lord Krishna highlights that observing a fast on this day can bring about immense benefits.  One does come across reference to a Mahabharata time story of King Mandhata, who ruled over the kingdom of Ayodhya and a poor farmer named Kuber when researching about Aparaa Ekaadashi. However, this story is not in the Ekaadashi Mahoutsav Varat Katha (published by Babu Madav Prasad Sharma, Varanasi). This is a good place to note that the reasons and inspirations for different peopl...

Fast on the 11th day of Vaishak Shukla Pacha (moving towards full moon) is Mohini Ekaadashi. Often associated with the only female avatar of Vishnu, Mohini (goddess of enchantment), Mohini Ekaadashi is also about day of fast directed towards shedding Moha , the illusions of emotions that cause us to be attached to this world and temporal relations. The story is simple and like all good short tales, it is direct so there is not much confusion on the final message of shedding addictions, attachment and illusions through fasting.  Story in Short Dhrishtabuddhi is born into great privilege in a prosperous and influential family indulges in a hedonistic lifestyle filled with drinking and engaging prostitutes. Eventually, his own actions lead him to a life of crimes and he eventually ends up being a lonely feral, barely surviving in the forest. A sage, he meets in the forest, tells him of the Mohini Fast to help him get rid of fast to be tama (extremely indulgences & high tendency ...