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SravaNa DvAdasi

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • September 2, 1997 


Dear Sri  Jaganathan  : 

SravaNa DvAdasi comes once a year and this 
Isvara Year , it falls on Sunday , 14th of September 
( Sukla Paksha DvAdasi ) . The ruling by the saasthrAs is
that the upavAsam on Sukla Paksha SravaNa DvAdasi 
is equal to the accumulated merits of fasting on 10,000 
Ekadasis . Thus , Sukla Paksha SravaNa DvAdasi is 
even more sacred than KrishNa  paksha SravaNa 
DvAdasi . 

The source for the NirNayam of Tithi and UpavAsam 
come from many PurANAs and SamhitAs as well as
Sroutha SutrAs .

These nirNaya granthAs rule that the upavAsam should
be done on SravaNa DvAdasi and the paaraNai 
( breaking of the fast )  on TrayOdasi . 

These aadhAra granthAs point out also that one can safely 
skip the fasting on the Ekadasi day prior to SravaNa dvAdasi
and should fast on the SravaNa dvAdasi day , if one is unable to
fast on  both the days . VishNu purANam has also ruled that 
one , who is unable to fast on SravaNa dvAdasi day should limit
oneself to fruits, milk and roots and stay away from salt 
( lavaNa Varjitham and no rice as you pointed out ) .Such a person 
will still get the fruits of this special upavAsam , which is 
suggested to remove mahA paathakams such as 
Brahma hatthi dhosham .

The sacredness of the SravaNa dvAdasi upavAsam is
pointed out in another way . SruthisAra Samucchayam states 
that the puNyam accumulated over five previous years  
are destroyed by nonobservance of this fast by a 
Sri VaishNavA .

To be at Oppiliappan Sannadhi on SravaNa DvAdasi day 
and have the darsanam of SravaNa dheepam is one of the 
gretest of blessings that one can have . I guess the acceptable 
alternative for us " locked up " here is the recitation of 
Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam in front of a dheepam .

Thanks very much  for reminding us all about this important day .

V.Sadagopan