Ekadashi is Sanskrit word, which means (the eleventh). Ekadashi is the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight, occurs twice in a month and is very auspicious. Of the 24 Ekadashis in a year, the Vrishchika Ekadashi (Sukla paksha) that falls in the Mandala season has got special significance in Guruvayoor, Kerala. It is also believed that it was during the Suklapaksha Ekadashi day that Lord Vishnu was reincarnated as Ekadashi Thithi in the form of a Devi.
Sri Guruvayoor is considered to be “Bhooloka Vaikunta” - the heaven on earth, as the idol was once worshiped by the Lord Mahavishnu himself in Vaikunta. Guruvayoor is the place where the vigraham of Lord Krishna originally worshipped in Dwaraka was installed by Guru ( Jupiter) and Vayu (The wind God). The Deity is in the traditionally orthodox form of Sri Mahavishnu, with all the compliments - four arms each carrying Shankh (Conch), Chakra (Wheel), Gadha (Club) and Padmam (Lotus).
His lower right hand holds the conch, symbol of the five elements (Panchajanyam). His upper right hand holds the Discs (Sudarshana Chakra). The upper left hand holds the Lotus, the symbol of purity and represents the unfolding of creation. The lower left hand holds Gada (Mace), the symbol of primeval knowledge. The Ekadashi day is also observed as Holy Gita Day as it was on this auspicious day that the Lord Krishna imparted the teachings of Gita to Arjuna.
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