Ekadashi is called Hari Vasara, “the day of Sri Hari” and
refers to the eleventh day of a fortnight in a lunar month. It occurs twice
every month, in the bright fortnight and the dark fortnight. Majority of
Vaishnavites (Followers of Vaisnavism) observe fast on this particular day. This observance is not merely constituted
of avoiding food as fasting can be done any day. There is an astrological
phenomenon to this also. We all know that our personality is tremendously
influenced by the movement and the gravitational pull of the planets.
Rig Veda refers to Sun as “Atma Karaka” (Significator of Higher Self, Consciousness) identifying with the soul of the
universe as well as the soul of an individual. Sun controls the center of our
personality. While different planets influence different parts of the body, Sun
is capable of influencing the entire being.
Moon has its influence on our mind hence referred as “Mano
Karaka” (Significator of Lower Self, Mind). Mind
is just matter; it is a subtle portion of the material substance of what we
eat. And it is what we eat which forms our Guna (Quality within) namely Sattva, Rajo & Tamo. On new moon day as there is
darkness Rajo (Quality of Passion) and Tamo (Quality of Ignorance) are
predominantly strong on the mind compared to other days. In contrast on full
moon day there is a decrease in the Rajo and Tamo Guna prominence because of
the increased illumination. That is why they say moody lighting for the
scarcely lit ambiance. Ekadashi has its relevancy to this relationship
between moon and our mind.
We all know about certain energy centers
called Chakras present in our body. They are not visible physically as they are
psycho-physical and psycho-somatic and have their presence in the Astral Body (Mind and Intellect index). Moon which
gets the illumination from Sun influence the Chakras which in turn influence on
our mind. Hence there is psychic variation experienced by some on the full-moon
and new-moon days.
Mind is an internal energy which has no
limits. It finds its presence throughout the body if it is searched. At times
it can be made to go out of the physical body also and for that greater level
of practice is required. But sticking to the topic let us consider that it
travels in our body and goes up and down the Chakras. Though it goes to every
part of the body it has two places which it can say “My Own Place” that is the Ajna Chakra (between the two eye-brows) the Rational
Thinking spot and Anahata Chakra (Heart) the Emotional Thinking spot.
In
the fortnightly movement Mind finds itself in its comfortable place in the Ajna
Chakra and the Anahata Chakra on Ekadashi (the eleventh day). In Shukla Paksha (waxing moon phase) Mind is in the Ajna
Chakra and in Krishna Paksha (waning moon phase) it is in the Anahata
Chakra. As these two Chakras are the abode of mind, mind gets focused and
connected to Absolute Consciousness in a jiffy at those days.
Our ancients have understood this secret
and had taken advantage of these two days to focus the mind on Absolute.
Fasting help in keeping body light and stomach free from excessive metabolic
activity. We might have experienced that after a heavy meal we tend to feel
sleepy because the blood circulation is accelerated towards the digestive
system and hence there is deficiency in blood circulation to the head and so we
feel drowsiness. With a feel of drowsiness and lethargy, mind fails to
concentrate and focus. Fasting once in fifteen days on Ekadashi will bring feel
of cheeriness not weariness. Those who are healthy can observe complete fast
while those who are sick and weak can avoid rice and cereals and have milk and
fruits on that day. This helps in controlling mind and also will power.
