Bhakta King Yudhisthira asked Sri Krishna:

Janardhana Oh!, Supreme maintainer of all living things   What is the Ekadasi in the new moon fortnight in the month   Bhadrapada (between August and September).   Bhagavan Sri Krishna   explained the history of fasting   the holy day of Ekadasi Aja   How to eliminate all bad karma (all reation on   responsibilities acquired by living in this world   material, according to universal laws of Sri Brahma):

Oh, king, listen to me carefully. The name of this sacred   fast unlimited merit is Aja. Any person who   fasts on this day (at least for cereals and legumes)   worshiping the holy name of Sri Rishikesh (Sri Hari)   Lord of the senses (the Breath of Life), becomes free   reactions of all sins created from   attachment-aversion activity (Ignorance, passion, kindness)   Anyone who simply reads or hears,   Santo Glories of Ekadasi Fasting is free again   of their sins and miseries materials, including life   next. Oh, king, no better day than this dedicated   to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in all the land   Celestial worlds and this is true without any doubt.

There once was a famous king named Harischandra,    who could be considered, the emperor of the world    and a person of great veracity and integrity.    The name of his wife was Chandramati    and had a son named Lohitàshva.    By force of fate, King   Harischandra lost his kingdom    and sold his wife and son.

Harischandra became a domestic servant of a sophisticated    dining dog, who became guardian in a crematorium.   Even being so insulting to a King, did not quit   good character and devotion, such as soma-rasa (nectar   of immortality) that even when mixed   with some other liquid, loses his ability to grant   health and youth (also acts as positive).    The king spent many years in this condition slave.   One day, very upset and run away thought;   Where can I go? How I can rid   of this karma, Krishna away from me?. (more…)

Once Bhimasena the young brother of Maharaja Yudhisthira asked the great sage Srila Vyasadeva grandfather of the Pandavas, if it was possible to return to espirutual world without having observed all the rules and regulations of the Ekadasi fasts. Bhimasena said: Oh, clever grandfather!, My brother Yudhisthira, my dear mother Kunti, and my beloved wife Draupadi as Arjuna, Nakula Sahadeva fast and completely Ekadasi and strictly follow the rules and regulations of this sacred day. Oh, Grandpa!, I say, I can not live without eating, because hunger is unbearable to me. (more…)