Vaikuntha Ekadashi is an important festival celebrated every year. Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the fortnight of the waxing or waning moon and occurs twice a month. But the Ekadashi that occurs in the month of Margashirsha (December – January) during the fortnight of the waxing moon is of special significance and is glorified as Vaikuntha Ekadashi.
On this day, the gates of Vaikuntha (the Lord’s abode) open to His ardent devotees. This is a major festival of South India celebrated in all the temples of Lord Vishnu.
Devotees of Lord Vishnu observe Ekadashi Vrata and remember the Supreme Lord by chanting His Holy Names and singing His glories. Nammalwar, a great devotee in the Sri Sampradaya (the disciplic succession descending from Lakshmi Devi), went back to Godhead on this day. The Vaikuntha Dwara (a special entrance to Vaikuntha) is opened once a year on this particular day in all Vishnu temples to commemorate this event. It is believed that anyone who enters the Vaikuntha Dwara on this day is guaranteed to attain the Vaikuntha, the spiritual abode.
Things you could do to please the Lord on the auspicious occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi:
1. Visit your nearest Vishnu or Krishna temple and seek the Lord’s blessings.
2. Chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra as much as possible.
3. Read the Bhagavad Gita and associate with the Lord through His divine instructions.
4. Observe the Ekadashi fast and distribute prasadam.
5. Click here to offer seva to the Lord.
