Ekadasi (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"ekadasi" |"ekadasis"

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Brothers -- Allahabad 1 January, 1955:

(21) Initiated members shall observe the "Ekadasi Brata" twice in a month and on that day he will be allowed to take only fruits & none of the cereals.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 14 March, 1967:

You shall observe Lord Caitanya's birth day as follows:

1. The picture of Lord Caitanya with His party should be nicely decorated with flowers and garlands and Sankirtana should be performed regularly from Morning to evening. Just after seeing the Full Moon on the sky the days fast should be broken. I mean the devotees should observe fasting the whole day. In the evening the devotees should take food as in the Ekadasi days.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

Lord Caitanya's Birthdate is on the Phalguna Purnima between 15 of Feb. and 15th of March. The full moon day is Lord Caitanya's Birthday. I think you can send for Rayarama's calendar which he has published. The exact day is 14th March, Thursday, 1968. The procedure is that you should fast from morning to evening (about 7:00) after that there should be offering to Lord Caitanya and prasadam should be accepted just like on Ekadasi day, and next day, Friday, full love feasting may be provided to as many devotees as you can.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1968:

Sri means opulence, auspicity. And therefore before remembering any friend or superior, the Sri word is prefixed in so many forms. The real word is Sri; the others are all different forms of Sri. Yes, Lord Jagannatha is in the Spiritual Sky; every form of Krishna is in the Spiritual Sky. Ekadasi is observed for increasing the strength of devotion.

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Los Angeles 7 March, 1968:

Fasting should be continued up to evening, then you may have food like on Ekadasi, fruits, milk, etc. On the next day you may observe festival. Janardana consulted me and said he thinks Sunday feasting would be best, so you may do that if you like. Or you may do both days, as you feel best.

Letter to Balai -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:

So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth. Then, on the next day, Friday the 15th, a full-scale feast is held to celebrate His Advent Day. On the 14th, chanting, reading of Srila Bhaktivinode's book, Life and Precepts and Caitanya Caritamrta, Introduction to Bhagavatam, may be held all the day in the Temple.

Letter to Malati -- New York 21 April, 1968:

Yes, here everything is very joyous, because so many nice boys and girls have joined the society, and they are joyfully dancing and chanting. You can let Syamasundara. know that the calculation of Rathayatra was made one month ahead. The actual date is the 28th of June; beginning of Rathayatra is on the 28th, and it will continue till 8 days, and the general festival may be observed on the 7th of July, Sunday (because Saturday is Ekadasi).

Letter to Christopher -- Montreal 13 July, 1968:

I am glad to learn also that you sometimes fast the whole day, and chant. It is a very good idea and you can follow this principle rigidly two days in a month, namely the Ekadasis. I have got always time to answer the letters of sincere souls because my life is dedicated for their service. So you are always welcome to send your inquiries. And I shall always try to enlighten you to my best capacity.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Purusottama -- Hawaii 6 March, 1969:

We performed Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony, not very gorgeously, but amongst ourselves, and Govinda dasi cooked very nice Ekadasi foodstuffs. The next day I expected some big ceremony but it couldn't be performed. We are looking out for a better place where the Brahmacaris and the temple can be united. At the present moment, it is very scattered and actually the temple management is impossible to be in order. So, for the time being you can redirect all my mails to my above post box address in this village.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- New Vrindaban 15 June, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Ekadasi, June 19, 1969, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am so pleased to note that you are chanting nicely and that Krishna is encouraging you in so many ways. This is the actual position that if we are sincerely chanting our rounds, following the prescribed regulative principles, and avoiding the ten offenses, then very quickly Krishna sees our efforts and He gives all encouragement to such sincere soul.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- England 30 September, 1969:

Regarding you first question, we observe Ekadasi from sunrise to sunrise. The 12 midnight is western astronomical calculation, but the Vedic astronomical calculation begins either from the sunrise or the moonrise. Generally it is sunrise. Our calculation is like this: when the sunrise is there, Ekadasi tithi (date) must be there. If Ekadasi tithi is not in the sunrise and the tithi begins, say after a few minutes after the sunrise, then we accept that day as previous to Ekadasi. All our ceremonies are calculated in that way. This means we must see the tithi during sunrise. Therefore, sometimes our dates of ceremonies do not exactly coincide like the western calculations. Just like Christmas Day they have fixed up on the 25th December, but our Janmastami tithi is not fixed up like that. My birthday is on the 1st September, 1896, but this year the tithi of my birthday was fixed for the 4th September. So it is very difficult to calculate, therefore we have to take help from the Indian expert almanac astronomers.

Letter to Govinda -- Tittenhurst 27 October, 1969:

I have duly received the bananas you sent, and you can send me these dried bananas tons and tons. It is very useful and can be nicely used for our Ekadasi foodstuffs. After drying the bananas you can make powder, just like flour, and out of this you can prepare puris, halava, pakoras and other fruit products.

Letter to Rudra -- London 11 November, 1969:

Regarding the vows and chanting method you have adopted, it is very nice. But do not impose something which will be difficult to execute. There is no need of fasting once every week. Two days fasting per month on Ekadasi is sufficient. Besides that there are other special fasting days.

Letter to Gaurasundara -- London 20 November, 1969:

Srimati Jayasri Dasi sent me some dried banana chips and they are very nice for my Ekadasi food. Is it possible to send us in large quantity this foodstuff? If not, please try to send me at least one small packet like that every fortnight. It is very nice. The mango pulp, a sample of which was also sent to me, I don't think it has come out very nice, so there is no need of sending it. Here the preaching work is going on nicely.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1970:

Lord Caitanya's Appearance day falls on March 22, that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 29 April, 1970:

Regarding your questions about the calendar-almanac:

1. Herapancami is correct (9 July 1970).

2. When there is an important Dvadasi, the Ekadasi fasting is transferred on the Dvadasi, and this is called Mahadvadasi. The 26th October, 1970, is actually Dvadasi, so the fasting is observed together, or Ekadasi fasting is disregarded, and the Dvadasi (Mahadvadasi) fasting is taken as important.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Los Angeles 29 April, 1970:

The dates are different, so whatever date I have given, that is correct. Why you are searching Byanjali Dvadasi in this last year's Panjika? What I have given is from this year's Panjika, so everything will not collaborate.

3. The word is __. That is called Odana-Sasthi and the date is 14th December, 1970. That is correct even if you do not find it in the dictionary. The dictionary may not have every word.

5. 7th February, 1971—Varaha-Dvadasi, I have explained the position in regard to #2.

6. So far determining Ekadasi it is counted 11 days after the full moon and 11 days after the new moon, but sometimes it so happens as you have noted one day later. However, what I have given is correct.

The Panjika which I gave you is old Panjika, our calendar is for this new year.

Letter to Karandhara -- Calcutta 19 September, 1970:

On the whole I am very pleased with your management. The Ekadasi program is very nice. Krishna is giving you good sense and intelligence. Take care of your godbrothers and godsisters very carefully.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1971:

Why just 25 rounds? You should chant as many as possible. Real Ekadasi means fasting and chanting and no other business. When one observes fasting, the chanting becomes easier. So on Ekadasi other business can be suspended as far as possible unless there is some urgent business.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- NEWSLETTER 26 November, 1976:

So a little leniency, immediately so many faults will grow. Now for our practical life we are known all over the world as shaven headed, is it not? Now we are becoming hair-headed, we are forgetting shaving. Because there is a little leniency, immediately faulty things are creeping in. So we should be known as shaven-headed, not hair-headed. This is discrepancy. At least once in a month you must be clearly shaven-headed. On the bright fortnight, on the day of purnima, four days after ekadasi. Once in a month, in the bright fortnight we must be shaven-headed. It is not desirable that in grown up age also, you be chastised. that is not desirable-that is also difficult because when the disciple or son is grown up, if he is chastised, then he breaks. So before being chastised we should be conscious that this is our rules and regulations, we must observe.

Letter to Ramesvara -- NEWSLETTER 26 November, 1976:

Kindly send a copy to each of our centers as soon as is conveniently possible. His Divine Grace specially requests that the system of shaving on the fourth day (the head) after Ekadasi, on Purnima, be introduced immediately in all centers.

Hoping this meets you in good health and Krsna Consciousness.

Your eternally worthless servant,

Hari Sauri Das, personal servant

Approved: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

P.S. No feasting in the evening of Caitanya's birthday. Fasting all day till evening moon rise. Then take Prasadam like Ekadasi. Next day you can have full swing feasting. On the birthday if can take a procession of Kirtana on the street it is very nice.