Devotional Dishes (Recipes for Ekadasi Fasting)

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Krishna Priya Dasi is a disciple of His Holiness Lokanath Swami who is a direct disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. She was born in Rajasthan and raised in Jaipur, India. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and is famous for the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Dev Ji temple.

Besides cooking, she paints traditional Rajasthani art and writes devotional poems. Her poetry book, Lotus Lyrics, inspired by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is, has received much appreciation. One of her paintings, Rasa-Lila, which she painted with help of artist Shri Mohan Soni in Jaipur, is printed on the front cover of Dance of Divine Love by Graham M. Schweig. She has been cooking for Sri Sri Radha Golokananda at New Goloka, NC USA since 1996. Her first cookbook, 'The Art of Indian Sweets', is appreciated very much. She is working on one series of cook books at present.

Ekadasi, referred to as the mother of devotion, is a very holy day and is celebrated by all Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. Each month, it falls on the 11th day after the new (waxing) moon and on the 11th day after the full (waning) moon; and on that day, Ekadasi is observed from sunrise to sunrise.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (lSKCON), known as Srila Prabhupada to his followers, asked his disciples to follow Ekadasi. In Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila 3.9, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked for one thing in charity from His mother: He requested her to refrain from eating grains on Ekadasi. One may read the purport by Srila Prabhupada for further instructions.

Some adherents of the Vaisnava tradition fast completely on Ekadasi, but all Vaisnavas refrain from eating any type of grains and beans. On these days, devotees of the Lord increase their hearing and chanting while minimizing the demands of the body. Because grains and beans take more energy to digest, one will actually sleep less, thus leaving more time for spiritual practices on this day.

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana says that one who observes fasting on Ekadasi is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and thus advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or Krishna.

So, one may observe Ekadasi by either fasting completely or just fasting from grains and beans, with the main focus on increasing one's devotional practices.