![paruthiveeran old lady paruthiveeran old lady](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjM2MTZhMTktOTZiOC00N2YyLWE5YTgtYTVjYTZmNTY4ZjcxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODMyODMxNDY@._V1_.jpg)
This leads us directly to the second source of Ekadasi celebrations, a more popular one at that.
![paruthiveeran old lady paruthiveeran old lady](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZGE5MjQwYjEtNGE0NC00YTQ3LTliYWQtMjQ0MTYxNTBkYWQ4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjYwMDk5NjE@._V1_SX175_.jpg)
From that day forth, people fast during Ekadasi to realize Mahalakshmi's benefits on Dwadasi. The Devas fasted the entire Ekadasi day conquering their greed for hunger, sleep and many other material desires to realize their objective. Finally Mahalakshmi reappeared in Indira-loka the next day, on the day of Dwadesi. The ocean then gave many gifts (Parijatham flower, Kamadhenu - not the theater, comes to mind). The ocean first sprang a poison leak, which was gulped down by Shiva (which in-turn was gulped down by Vishnu residing as Shiva's antaryamin). On this magnificent Vaikunta Ekadasi day, they devas churned and churned the ocean. So Mahameru became the churning rod, vasuki became the serpent with which the rod was churned and Mahavishnu avatared as the tortoise that balanced the rod. Sympathetic to Indira's cry for help, Mahavishnu advised him to churn the ocean. She walked out in a huff from Indira-loka and settled beneath the Milky Ocean leaving Indira-loka bereft of wealth and prosperity. This curse deprived Indira of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Unimpressed by Indira's manners, Durvasa gave Indira yet another of his famous curses. However, Indira in some act of momentary madness casually discarded the garland. Durvasa wanted to gift this garland to Indira. This young lady had initially won that garland as a gift from Goddess Mahalakshmi for her impressive singing prowress. In this instance, he happened to secure a garland from a young lady. The first reason for observing Ekadasi is attributed to Sage Durvaysa, who apparently is a very angry man and easily prone to cursing other people. There are many legends as to why Ekadesi is observed. This is also the day when Lord Krishna delivered all 18 chapters of Bhagavad Githa to Arjuna and also the day when Krishna lifted the Govardhana mountains to protect his country men from rain and thunder. This year the festival falls on December 30th, 2006. Ekadasi appears every Vedic/Hindu/Tamil month with Vaikunta Ekadasi being the most popular among the Ekadasis, primarily because it appears during the month of 'Maarga Sirisha'(Maargazhi/Dhanur), the most favorite month of Lord. There is a sukla (bright) paksha ekadasi and the krishna (dark) paksha(fortnight) ekadasi. Ekadasi as the name suggests is the 11th day of a lunar month.