Observing Kamika Ekadasi bestows the same merit as donating a milkcow and her calf, along with their feed. On this day, whoever worships Lord Sridhara-deva, Visnu, is glorified by the demigods, Gandharvas, Pannagas, and Nagas. Those who are afraid of their past sins and completely immersed in sinful material life should observe this best of Ekadasis according to their ability and thus attain liberation. This Ekadasi is the purest of all days and the most powerful for removing sins. 0 Narada, Lord Sri Hari Himself once said about this Ekadasi, "One who fasts on Kamika Ekadasi attains much more merit than one who studies all the spiritual literatures.
I shall happily narrate its glories to you, for just by hearing about this sacred Ekadasi one attains the merit of performing a horse sacrifice. At the dawn of Dvapara-yuga there lived a king by the name of Mahijita, who ruled the kingdom of Mahismati-puri. Because he had no son, his entire kingdom seemed utterly cheerless to him. A married man who has no son gains no happiness in this life or the next.
There is no better Ekadasi, than this, because it awards liberation so easily. Thus if one truly desires freedom from the material world, one should fast on Vamana Ekadasi. While observing this holy fast, a Vaisnava should lovingly worship the Supreme Lord in His form as Vamanadeva, the dwarf incarnation, whose eyes are like lotus petals. By doing so, he worships all other deities as well, including Brahma, Visnu, and Siva, and at death he undoubtedly goes to the abode of Lord Hari.
King Hariscandra followed Gautama's instructions concerning fasting on the sacred day of Aja Ekadasi. 0 Yudhisthira, because the king fasted on that day, the reactions to his sins were completely destroyed at once. 0 lion among kings, just see the influence of this Ekadasi fast! It immediately vanquishes whatever miseries one may be suffering as a result of past sinful activities. Thus all Hariscandra's miseries were relieved.
Govinda Maharaj