Utpanna Ekadashi occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (November-December).The Bhavishya Purana tells the creation and significance of this Ekadashi. The legend associated with Utpanna Ekadashi is described below.

In ancient times, there was a very powerful demon named Taljangha in the Brahma dynasty. His son Mur was terribly oppressive and terrifying. He lived in a kingdom called Chandravati. He conquered the whole kingdom of Heaven with his power. None of the gods were able to defeat him, even Indradev, Vayudev and Agnidev were defeated by him and expelled from Heaven. Thus the gods were once driven out of the kingdom of Heaven and forced to wander on the earth. The helpless deities then went to Kailasa and described their plight in detail to Lord Shiva. Hearing the problems of the gods, Lord Shiva advised the gods to go to Lord Vishnu.

 

All the gods reached the shores of the ocean of milk and told Lord Vishnu about their sorrow.  Hearing everything, Lord Vishnu erupted in anger towards the treacherous Murasura. He went to Chandravati Puri with the gods to punish Murasura. Seeing the demon Lord Vishnu, began to roar in anger. Then a fierce battle broke out between the gods and the demons. Being defeated, the gods fled from the battlefield. Lord Vishnu was left alone on the battlefield. Seeing Lord Vishnu alone, Murasura wanted to fight him. The war started again. Lord Vishnu then began to knock down the demons with the help of divine weapons. Then they fled in various directions in fear. At one point, all the demonic forces were destroyed on the battlefield. Only Murasura was alive. He fought hard and defeated Lord Vishnu. Then Lord Vishnu engaged in an arm battle with Murasura.

In this way the battle for the gods lasted for a thousand years but Lord Vishnu could not defeat him. Then Vishnu left the battlefield with special concern. On his way to the Badrika Ashram, he took refuge in a cave called Singhavati. He slept in that secluded cave. Then the terrible Murasura followed him and entered the cave. When he saw Vishnu asleep, he thought that Lord Vishnu must have lost the battle with him and taken refuge in this cave. So he must be killed now. When the demon started thinking like this, a beautiful, fortunate and divinely armed idol was born from the body of Lord Vishnu. He was omnipotent due to the radiance of Lord Vishnu. Murasura started a fierce battle with that goddess. After a short battle, Mur was burnt to ashes. Lord Vishnu woke up and was surprised to see the demon burnt to ashes. He also saw a divine daughter standing beside him. When Vishnu asked him about the burnt asura, she said that while Sri Vishnu was asleep, the asura wanted to kill him (Vishnu). Realizing that, she (the goddess) killed the demon.

Hearing all this, Lord Vishnu named his glorious daughter Ekadashi and gave her the gift of being the most revered Ekadashi everywhere in Tribhuvan. Lord Vishnu, fulfilling the wishes of Ekadashi, said that all the wishes of the performers of the Ekadashi vrat known as ‘Utpanna’ born in Ekadashi will be fulfilled. Since Goddess Ekadashi is the power of Lord Vishnu, all those who observe Ekadashi vrat will worship Lord Vishnu. 

The significance of Utpanna Ekadashi is same as making donations on auspicious days like ‘Sankranti‘ or bathing in pilgrimage places. In Hinduism, it is believed that one can be liberated from one’s sins by observing Utpanna Ekadashi properly and attain Moksha (salvation).

Talker: Krishna Das

[Last Edited: 28 November, 2021]