Amla Tree
Importance of Amla Tree for Ekadashi Vrata. Amla is a very nutritious fruit and great religious significance has been attached to it. Amla fruit is very dear to Lord Vishnu and its use on the auspicious day of Ekadashi brings unmatched virtue.
A person who regularly eats amla enjoys a long life. The following tale adequately describes the religious importance of amla —
Once upon a time, a chandala went into the forest for hunting. He hunted many deer and birds. Feeling hungry, he saw an amla tree and climbed up the tree. This way he satiated his hunger by eating sweet amla fruits.
Unfortumately while he was climbing down the tree, he fell down and died.When the attendants of Yamaraj arrived to take back his soul, they could not do so even after repeated attempts. The attendants of Yamaraj became very surprised and went to the sages for clarification.
The sages revealed to the attendants that they could not go near the chandala’s dead body, because he had eaten amla just before his death. Such is the glory of amla!