Ekadasi Svarupa Darsana

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Ekadasi-devi teaches us, "You have your mind and senses, but I will purify them and connect you to Krsna. The love that Krsna has given you is only meant for Him. But how can you understand that this love is only meant for Him and not anyone else? All the jivas have this love for Krsna. He is the proprietor of prema. The treasure of love is only meant for Him. Engage this love in Krsna's service, not for men and women of this world. Don't share your love. No one should steal your love away. No one should make a hole in your heart and drink your most precious nectar. You are doing sadhana only for this: to protect your love. That is meant only for Krsna. Really you are the beloved of Krsna and should consider yourself to be His beloved."

A sadhu will give you what you need, not what you want. He has love and affection for the fallen. Someone may ask, "Give me material blessings," but the sadhu will not do so. The demigods will give you poison if that is what you want. They will give you a lady or man or whatever temporary enjoyment you want, but a sadhu will not give such things. He has love and affection for the fallen. He will pray on your behalf to Bhagavan Sri Kṛsna.

Ekadasi-devi is Krsna-priya, the beloved of Krsna. She has the capacity and the qualification to purify all of your senses, and to infuse you with spiritual tendencies, thus making your consciousness inclined toward Krsna's service. She will offer you in Kṛsna's service and give you relationship with Him.

It is only by the causeless mercy of those who are tadiya, most near and dear, to Sri Bhagavan, that we can advance and develop our bhakti. Foremost, the responsibility to help us progress is taken up by Sri Guru, who is the embodiment of Bhagavan's mercy and compassion. Sri Guru is the Lord's pure representative, and in that sense he is non-different from Him. Along with Sri Guru, the Vaişnavas, who are all oceans of mercy, continuously help us grow. They are like wish-fulfilling desire trees (kalpataru) that fulfill all our spiritual wants. By their mercy we get Kısna's mercy.

Krşna has innumerable potencies, which are all manifestations of His svarupa-Sakti, or personal, internal energy. Among these innumerable potencies, there is a very special one, which is said to be the mother of devotion (bhakti-janani). That special potency is Ekadasi. We should not limit our vision and understanding of EkadaSi by thinking she is just a tithi or a holy day that comes twice a month. Rather, we should understand her to be like a mother. She has an individual svarupa, or identity. She is characterized by her own name (nama), form (rupa), qualities (guna), and pastimes (lila). We therefore refer to her as EkadaSi-devi, understanding her to be the near and dear potency of the Lord.