This Wednesday- 4th January 2012, we at ISKCON Scarborough will be celebrating the all auspicious Vaikunta Ekadasi by having an all night spiritual program starting from 6.30 pm which will go all the way until 7.51 am on Thursday 5th January.
The extended ekadasi celebrations will end with breakfast prasadam.
On 5th January (Thursday), we will also be having Mangal Arti at 5am.
We will have ecstatic kirtans, chanting sessions and will also play several spiritual DVD's during the course of the night.
According to Vishnu Purana, fasting on Vaikunta Ekadasi is equivalent to fasting on the remaining 23 Ekadasis of the year.
The significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi can be traced back to the Padma Purana. The Purana indicates that Lord Vishnu took the form of ‘Ekadasi’ – female energy – to kill demon Muran. Impressed by ‘Ekadasi,’ Lord Vishnu told her that whoever worships him on this day will reach ‘Vaikunta’ (heaven).It is widely believed that the gates to the heaven open - the Gate of Vaikunta - on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day. It is one of the most auspicious days in Lord Vishnu Temples in South India .It was on this day that during the “Sagara Mathana” (churning of the ocean), ‘Amrit’ (nectar) emerged out of the ocean and was distributed to the demigods. This day is considered very auspicious and it is believed that those who die on this day are freed from the rounds of birth and death; they directly reach Vaikunta, the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is for this reason that the Great King Bheeshma waited long on his bed of arrows, to leave his last breath. Hence it is also called Bheeshma Ekadasi.
We welcome you and your family to take part in this all night program at ISKCON Scarborough coming Wednesday at 6.30pm.
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