When Vishnu opens heaven’s gates for you

Every month, two ekadasis occur, but among them all, Vaikunta Ekadasi is the most celebrated, since it is directly associated with Vishnu. 

There is no greater mantra than the Gayathri, in the world. 

There is no holier water than the Ganges. Among penances for ordinary people, no other practice is more powerful than that of fasting on ekadasi, with Vaikunta Ekadasi being an unparalleled one. In Sanskrit, ekadasi means the 11th titi, and thus we get two ekadasis in a month and 25 in a year.  Among them, Vaikunta Ekadasi , falling in sukla Patcham in the Tamil month of Margazhi is the one which has the potential to offer devotees moksha. Therefore, it is widely observed throughout the world. 

According to Padma puranam and the 36th and 40th chapters of Uttara Kanadam, Vaikunta Ekadasi is the day on which Vishnu Himself throws open the gates of Heaven which had been shut due to the antics of an asura and leads devotees inside. 

According the puranas, Muran, the asura, had garnered immense powers for himself and often waged battles with the devas, who kept losing to him. They lost the kalpaka vrikhsa to him, and Muran began to encroach further into heaven. In desperation, the devas appealed to Vishnu to save them from Muran and regain sorga logam for them. Vishnu agreed. However, Muran was not very worried as he had secured a boon whereby even Vishnu’s chakra would not harm him. Vishnu engaged in a battle with the asura, but could not score a victory. In defence, Vishnu takes refuge in a cave in Badrinath and lay down to sleep, completely exhausted. However, Muran pursued Him relentlessly and when he was about to hurl a weapon at Vishnu, a female form rose from Vishnu’s heart and dealt him a deathly blow. Hearing his howls, Vishnu woke up and was stunned to see a shimmering female form. She identified herself as Ekadasi, and sought a boon. As she had originated from Him, she wanted the day to be observed as Vaikunta Ekadasi by devotees, who  should observe a fast and Vishnu should grant the boon of moksha to those who sought it on that day. Granting her the boon, Vishnu led the devas to Heaven, and threw open the gates of sorga vasal, before returning to Vaikuntam. 

Thus Vaikunta Ekadasi is a very special day for all those who seek to escape the endless cycle of birth and death. Apart from fasting (sipping of tulsi water is permitted), devotees should visit a temple and witness the parama pada (sorga) vasal. 

In Tamil Nadu, the celebrations are unique in Srirangam Ranganthaswamy Temple, which is also known as Bhooloka Vaikuntam. 

In Chennai, the Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane, the Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple in Adyar, the Srinivasan Temple in Mylapore are some of the most famous ones where devotees throng for a darshan from early morning. Even if one cannot make it to the temple early in the morning, one can make a visit any time during the day. 

Significantly, children play the game of snakes and ladders on this day, to learn that bhakti is the ladder that  leads one to heaven, while the snake represents ego, which can only pull one down in life. This year Vaikunta Ekadasi falls on this Friday, which is also a special day for Mahalakshmi. Thus devotees will benefit from praying, both to both Her and Him.