Ashadhi Ekadashi

Some people consider the two eleventh days, "ekadashi", of every month to be of special importance. But the eleventh day (bright) of Ashadh is known as the great ekadashi or Mahaekadashi. It is a day of fast. This is the day of the huge "yatra" or pilgrimages to the god Vithoba of Pandharpur, a town in south Maharashtra, situated on the banks of the Bhima River, a tributary of the Krishna River.
    This Mahaekadashi is also known as Shayani Ekadashi, because on this day Vishnu falls asleep to wake up four months later on Prabodhini Ekadashi in the Kartik month. This period is known as Chaturmas and coincides with the rainy season.

Mrudumanya
    There was a demon called Mrudumanya. He performed austere penance to obtain the blessings of Shankar. At the end Shankar was pleased and offered a boon to Mrudumanya. The demon asked for the gift of immortality. Shankar replied, "You will not die by the hands of anyone, except of a woman."

   Mrudumanya's goal was to defeat all the gods and conquer heaven. Shankar agreed to everything, "Neither Bramha, nor Vishnu, nor myself shall ever be able to defeat you." "That will be sufficient," said Mrudumanya full of satisfaction. "I got what I wanted."
    Mrudumanya began to conquer heaven. Indra ran away to Bramhadev in Satyalok (abode of truth). Mrudumanya marched towards Satyalok. Since Bramhadev knew about the boon Mrudumanya had obtained from Shankar, he did not want to engage him in battle. He gathered his 33 crore gods (330 million) and escaped to Vaikunth, the abode of Vishnu, with the hope that at least Vishnu would protect them from this demon. Satyalok fell into the hands of Mrudumanya. Bramhadev fell at the feet of Vishnu. Then Mrudumanya reached Vaikunth. He said to Vishnu, "Do not give protection to Bramhadev. Fall at my feet and I shall spare Vaikunth. But if you do not listen to me, I will conquer the three worlds."
    Vishnu stood ready to fight. There was a fierce struggle without anyone being able to establish his superiority. Then they came to a hand to hand wrestle. Vishnu, though not defeated, felt exhausted. Then he decided to have recourse to Shankar. All the gods then went to Shankar, who was happily seated on Kailas mountain. Bramha and Vishnu arrived and worshipped Shankar. Shankar was happy at seeing all the gods coming to him.
    Vishnu was angry and complained to Shankar, "You gave this boon to this demon. He routed Jndra and Bramhadev. I too have been unable to subdue him. Now he will rule over the three worlds. So, please, do something about it." Then Mrudumanya arrived. He began to storm Kailas mountain. Shankar got angry. He ordered his troops to fight. He himself sat on his nandi (bull), took his trisul in his hand, and marched to meet Mrudumanya. Vishnu and all the gods began to fight against Mrudumanya. But Mrudumanya was invincible on account of Shankar's boon.

The Goddess Shakti
    Shankar decided to use a stratagem instead of force. Bramha, Vishnu and Shankar retreated. They went to Trikut mountain. Then came a storm of rain and thunder. Shankar took shelter in the hole of a big tree. Bramha and Vishnu followed him. For 24 hours they remained sitting, fasting and meditating in that hole. With their breath the air became hot, and finally a bright light appeared, and from the light the figure of a frail girl emerged. As they became fully awake a beautiful virgin was standing before them. Shankar understood that the virgin was the goddess Shakti, at whose hands Mrudumanya would be killed. She said, "Be quiet, I have come to destroy Mrudumanya."
    Mrudumanya reached the place and suspected that the gods were hiding in the hole of that big tree. As he came closer with his sword in hand, he saw that beautiful girl at the entrance of the hole. Mrudumanya was astonished and asked, "Who are you?" The girl's body began to grow. She reminded him of the words of Shankar, "You will be killed by the hand of a woman." Then the girl flew into the sky and took the form of the goddess with four arms. In one hand she held a sword, in the other a huge "gada" (mace or club), and two dreadful weapons in the remaining two hands. She threw her sword on Mrudumanya. His neck was severed and the demon collapsed to the ground.
    All the gods fell at the feet of the goddess and asked her to declare who she was and by what method she would be pleased. Then the goddess said, "I am the mother of the three worlds. The power of Bramha, Vishnu, and Shankar is contained all in me. My name is Ekadashi. To please me the ekadashi vow should be observed. I shall forestall any calamity from those who keep this vow."

Pandharpur
    The feast of Ashadhi Ekadashi is celebrated with great solemnity at Pandharpur. Hundreds of thousands go in procession from different parts of Maharashtra, some carrying palanquins with the images of the great saints of Maharashtra. Dnaneshwar's image is carried from Alandi, Tukaram's from Dehu, Eknath's from Paithan, Nivruttinath's from Trimbakeshwar, Muktabai's from Edlabad, and Sopan's from Sasvad. At Pandharpur the devotees worship the god Vithoba and his consort Rukhmmi.
    Pundalik was giving his parents a lot of trouble. But one day listening to a rishi's sermon he realised his folly, and thereafter devoted himself to the service of his parents. One-day god Vithoba came to see him while he was engaged in massaging the feet of his old parents. Pundalik threw a brick and told god Vithoba to stand on the brick and wait. God Vithoba stood on the brick and he is still there with his arms akimbo, waiting. Vishnu is believed to have taken the form of Vithoba for the sake of Pundalik, as a reward for his wonderful devotion to his parents.