वरुथिनी एकादशी के दिन भगवान विष्णु के वामन अवतार की पूजा-अर्चना की जाती है। वरूथिनी एकादशी का व्रत करने से दुर्भाग्य भी पलट सकता है। इस व्रत को करने वाले व्यक्ति को जीवन में समृद्धि, प्रचुरता और सौभाग्य की प्राप्ति होती है।
॥शांताकारं भुजङ्ग शयनम पद्म नाभं सुरेशम॥
Once Dharmaraja Yudhishthira asked Lord Krishna to tell about the importance of Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha of Vaishakh month and also asked about the story of this fast. Then Lord Krishna told Yudhishthira about the story of Varuthini Ekadashi fast.
In ancient times there was a king named Mandhata, who ruled on the banks of river Narmada. He was an ascetic and charitable king. One day he went to the forest to do penance. He started doing penance at a place in the forest, when a bear came there. He started chewing on the feet of King Mandhata, but the king remained absorbed in penance. The bear started dragging the king and took him inside the forest.
The king was very frightened by this behavior of the bear. He prayed to Lord Vishnu for protection in his heart. Hearing the call of the devotee, Lord Vishnu appeared there and saved the life of the king by killing the bear. The bear had eaten the king's leg, due to which the king was very sad. Then Lord Vishnu told him that you should not be sad. There is a solution to this. You fast on Varuthini Ekadashi in Mathura, worship my Varaha avatar idol there. With the effect of that fast, you will be fine. The bear ate your feet because of the sins of your old birth. You do the given remedy.
Hearing the words of the Lord, the king observed Varuthini Ekadashi fast in Mathura. There he worshiped the Varaha avatar idol with the law. He fasted while eating fruits. With the effect of Varuthini Ekadashi fast, the king again became beautiful body.
After death, he attained heaven. In this way, whoever observes Varuthini Ekadashi fast, his sins are destroyed and he gets salvation.
According to another legend, when Lord Shiva cut off the fifth head of Brahma ji, who was angry, he was cursed. To get rid of this curse, Lord Shiva fasted on Varuthini Ekadashi. By observing Varuthini Ekadashi fast, Lord Shiva was freed from curses and sins. According to religious beliefs, the result of fasting on this day is equivalent to many years of penance.
