Festival of the Holy Name Pandemic Kirtan

~by Rukmini Walker

Mohini Ekadasi, May 3, 2020

Today is Mohini Ekadasi. The Ekadasi days fall every eleven days from the waning to the waxing moon. Ekadasi is a special day for receiving blessings and empowerment on the spiritual path.

On the path of Bhakti, devotees observe Ekadasi by fasting completely, or fasting from grains and beans, or just eating fruit, or juice. Astrologically there is special power on this day, that comes twice in a month. So to save time, usually taken up by eating, and also to save food grains in the mood of sharing with others, this day is observed.

Today is particularly special because today marks the completion of 360 hours of continuous kirtan (chanting of the Holy Names of Lord Krsna) that began on the last Ekadasi day, last April 18th, and circled the globe by 360 degrees.

During this time, that began as a tiny inspiration, millions of people (7.2 million at one count) have taken part in this continuous kirtan, with the intention of blessing, and sending healing to our world.

Sound travels in the ether, and so often the ether is contaminated by lies and propaganda coming from those with ulterior motives to control and deceive. In order to purify and uplift the world during this time of pandemic, this blessing kirtan was conceived. Today, upon its completion, this kirtan has garlanded the earth with Prema Nam Sankirtan, or the chanting of the Holy Name, offered in a mood of divine love.

Here is a verse from the Padyavali of Srila Rupa Goswami, in glorification of the chanting of the Holy Name:

[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]May Krsna’s holy name, which is a reservoir of all transcendental happiness, the destruction of Kali-yuga’s sins, the most purifying of all purifying things, the saintly person’s food as he traverses the path to the spiritual world, the pleasure-garden where the voices of the greatest saints, philosophers, and poets play, the life of the righteous, and the seed of the tree of religion, bring transcendental auspiciousness to you all.  (author unknown)[/perfectpullquote]

Be safe, be well, and be blessed,

Rukmini Walker