Haribodhani Ekadashi is on Wednesday and Thursday
Haribodhini Ekadashi, which is celebrated every year on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, should be celebrated on Wednesday by those who perform deeds based on memory. But those who perform deeds based on Vedas on Thursday, said the Nepal Panchang Adjudicating Committee.
Chairman of the committee Prof. Dr. Ram Chandra Gautam says that the date of Ekadashi on Wednesday, November 25, will exceeds 59 ghadi and will be in the morning at Arunodaya next day. There is a classical opinion that the first day of Dashami and Ekadashi dates beyond 56 ghadi you can also celebrate the next day i.e. november 26.
On the day when Ekadashi date exceeds 56 ghadi , people celebrate Ekadashi by doing deeds based on memory. For this reason, it is mentioned in the calendar approved by the committee that Wednesday, November 26 is a Smartan Ekadashi fast, he said.
Those who perform deeds based on the Vedas celebrate Ekadashi on the day of Arunodaya. The four hours before sunrise are called Arunodaya. The committee has stated that this Ekadashi fell on November 26 this year. It is called Vaishnavan Ekadashi or Vaishnava Ekadashi. Chairman Gautam said that only those who take special tika should not be considered as Vaishnavism. The same has been mentioned in the calendar as approved by the committee.
Importance of Haribodhani Ekadashi
Kartik Shukla Ekadashi is called Haribodhani Ekadashi. There is a classical belief that Lord Vishnu, who sleeps in the ocean of milk on the day of Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi, wakes up on this day. From Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi to Kartik Shukla Purnima, devotees of Sanatan Dharma worship Tulsi in their homes. On the day of Haribodhani Ekadashi, Tulsi is specially celebrated by marrying Vishnu.
Out of the 16 dates mentioned in the Vedic calendar, Ekadashi is celebrated as an important date. Haribodhani Ekadashi is also called Thulo Ekadashi. On this day, the followers of Sanatan Dharma eat groundnuts and fruits without taking food. Tulsi, which is worshiped for four months, is concluded with a Vedic sacrifice from Kartik Shukla Ekadashi to Margashirsha Krishna Panchami.
On this occasion, a special fair is held in the four Narayan temples of the valley. Special fairs are held at Changunarayan in Bhaktapur, Bishangkhunarayan in Godavari of Lalitpur, Shesh Narayan in Dakshinkali Municipality of Kathmandu and Ichangunarayan in Nagarjuna from Ekadashi to Kartik Shukla Purnima. There is a religious belief that if one visits the four Narayans on this occasion, one can wash away sins and earn virtue and fulfill one’s desires.
Due to the corona virus infection, only a few of the four Narayanas will be opened this year. The theologians and the concerned temple management committee have called on the devotees to worship Narayan from house to house.
Fair to be held in Shesh Narayan
A fair will be held on Wednesday and Thursday on the occasion of Haribodhani Ekadashi at Shesh Narayan Temple. One of the four Narayans in Dakshinkali Municipality-5. Ward Chairman Shyam Bahadur Khatri, who is also the chairman of the temple management committee, says that the temple will not closed on the day when devotees will be maximum in a year.
He said that even if the temple is open, the darshan will be done only by maintaining physical distance. The locals of the city area will celebrate Ekadashi on April 25. The municipality has also given local leave in the city area on that day.
On the occasion of Haribodhani Ekadashi, who cannot visit Char Narayan visits Budhanilkantha in the northern part of the valley. There is a religious belief that if you visit here, you will get the fruits of the four Narayans. The Budhanilkantha temple will also not be open to devotees this year due to the corona. Nigmananda, abbot of Budhanilkantha Narayansthan Dasnami Math says the daily worship will resume.