Jaya Ekadashi Puja Vidhi:
- Those fasting on Jaya Ekadashi should bathe early in the Brahma Muhurta.
- Then the place of worship should be cleaned completely and showered with Gangajal or holy water.
- Put the Vishnu and Krishna shrines or pictures.
- Worship must start immediately after the placement of the idol.
- While adoring, chant Lord Krishna’s songs, Vishnu Sahasranama, and Narayan Stotra.
- Offer them goddesses prasad, coconut, water, basil, fruits, incense sticks, and flowers.
- Mantras should also be repeated during adoration.
- The next day, on Dwadashi, Parana should be done only after worship.
- On Dwadashi, after catering food to Brahmins, give them janeu and betel nut. Eat only after completing this ritual of Jaya Ekadashi.
***
Jaya Ekadashi Vrat Katha
According to the mythological tale, Devraj Indra ruled in heaven and all other gods lived happily in heaven. Once Indra was roaming in Nandan forest with Apsaras. At that time Gandharvas were singing and Gandharva girls were dancing. A Gandharva boy named Malyavan and a Gandharva girl named Pushpavati were also present in this festival. Pushpavati was fascinated by seeing Malyavan and started shooting arrows of love at him. Both of them got so lost in each other that they lost their rhythm. Indra Dev understood their love due to their not singing properly and he considered it as his insult and cursed them.
Indra said, fools! You have violated my order. Now both of you will take the form of vampires in the mortal world as a man and a woman and will suffer the consequences of your deeds there. Both of them became very sad after hearing such a curse from Indra and started living their life in sorrow on the Himalayan mountain. They had no knowledge of smell, taste and touch. They were facing terrible problems on earth. They could not sleep even for a moment.
It was very cold at that place, due to which they were facing a lot of trouble. One day the vampire said to his wife that what sins did we commit in our previous life, that we got this painful vampire birth. Therefore, we should not commit any kind of sin now. Thinking like this, both of them were spending their days with great difficulty.
In the month of Magh, the Shukla Paksha’s Jaya Ekadashi came. That day they did not eat anything and they did all good deeds. They spent their whole day eating only fruits and flowers and in the evening they sat under the Peepal tree in a sad state. That night it was very cold, so both of them remained clinging to each other like dead people due to cold. They could not sleep that night.
In this way, even if unknowingly, both of them completed the fast of Jaya Ekadashi. In this way, as soon as the next day dawned, they got rid of the vampire form. After which, taking the form of a very beautiful Gandharva and Apsara and adorned with beautiful clothes and ornaments, they departed for heaven. After reaching heaven, both of them bowed down to Devraj Indra. Devraj Indra was surprised to see both of them in their original form and started asking them how they got rid of the vampire form.
Malyavan said, O Devendra! We got freedom from the vampire form only due to the effect of the fast of Jaya Ekadashi dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Then Indra said, O Malyavan! Because you are a devotee of Lord Jagdishwar, that is why you will be honored by me and you can live happily in heaven. In this way, by keeping Jaya Ekadashi, the Gandharva boy and girl started living their life happily.
***