Once Bhimasena, the younger brother of Maharaja Yudhisthira, asked the great sage Srila Vyasadeva, the grandfather of the Pandavas, if it is possible to return to the spiritual world without having observed all the rules and regulations of the Ekadasi fasts.

Bhimasena said, "O greatly intelligent grandfather, my brother Yudhisthira, my dear mother Kunti, and my beloved wife Draupadi, as well as Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, fast completely on Ekadasi and strictly follow all the rules and regulations of that sacred day. Being very religious, they always tell me that I should also fast on that day. But, O grandfather, I tell them that I cannot live without eating, because hunger is unbearable to me. I give widely in charity and worship Sri Kesava properly, but I cannot fast on Ekadasi Please tell me how I can obtain the same result without fasting."

Hearing these words, Srila Vyasadeva replied, "If you want to go to the heavenly planets and avoid the hellish planets, you should indeed observe a fast on both the light and dark Ekadasis."

Bhima said, "O greatly intelligent grandfather, please listen to my plea. O greatest of munis, since I cannot live if I eat only once in a day, how can I possibly live if I fast completely? Within my stomach burns a special fire named vrka, the fire of digestion.' Only when I eat to my full satisfaction does the fire in my stomach become satisfied. 0 great sage, I might possibly be able to fast only once, so I beg you to tell me of an Ekadasi that includes all other Ekadasis. I shall faithfully observe that fast and hopefully still become eligible for liberation." Srila Vyasadeva replied, "O king, you have heard from me about the various kinds of occupational duties, such as elaborate Vedic ceremonies. In the Kali-yuga, however, no one will be able to observe all these occupational duties properly. I shall therefore tell you how, at practically no expense, one can endure some small austerity and achieve the greatest benefit and resultant happiness. The essence of what is written in the Vedic literatures known as the Puranas is that one should not eat on either the dark- or light-fortnight Ekadasis.

One who fasts on Ekadasi is saved from going to the hellish planets." Hearing Vyasadeva's words, Bhimasena, the strongest of all warriors, became frightened and began to shake like a leaf on a banyan tree in a strong wind. The frightened Bhimasena said, "O grandfather, what should I do? I am completely unable to fast twice a month throughout the year! Please tell me of the one fasting day that will bestow the greatest benefit upon me!" Vyasadeva replied, "Without drinking even water, you should fast on the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyestha [May-June], when the sun travels in the sign of Gemini and Taurus. According to learned personalities, on this day one may bathe and perform acamana for purification. But while performing acamana one may drink only that amount of water equal to a drop of gold, or that amount which a single mustard seed can be immersed in. Only this amount of water should be placed in the palm, which one should form to resemble a cow's ear. If one drinks more water than this, he might as well have drunk wine. "One must certainly not eat anything, for if he does so he breaks his fast. This rigid fast is in effect from sunrise on Ekadasi to sunrise on Dvadasi. If a person endeavours to observe this great fast very strictly, he easily achieves the results of observing all twenty-four Ekadasi fasts throughout the entire year.

"On Dvadasi. the devotee should bathe early in the morning. Then, according to the prescribed rules and regulations, and depending on his ability, he should give some gold and water to worthy brahmana. Finally, he should cheerfully honour prasadam with a brahmana.

"O Bhimasena, one who can fast on this special Ekadasi in this way reaps the benefit of having fasted on every Ekadasi during the year. There is no doubt of this. O Bhima, now hear the specific merit one gets by fasting on this Ekadasi. The Supreme Lord Kesava, who holds a conch, disc, club, and lotus, personally told me, 'Everyone should take shelter of Me and follow My instructions.' Then He told me that one who fasts on this Ekadasi. without drinking water or eating, becomes free of all sinful reactions, and that one who observes the difficult nirjala fast on Jyestha-sukla Ekadasi. truly reaps the benefit of all other Ekadasi fasts. "O Bhimasena, in the Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, when all the principles of the Vedas will have been destroyed or greatly minimized, and when there will be no proper charity or observance of the ancient Vedic principles and ceremonies, how will there be any means of purifying the self? But there is the opportunity to fast on Ekadasi and become free of all one's past sins.