Ekadashi Vrat एकादशी
Ekadashi is the eleventh day of each lunar fortnight and the most important fasting day for devotees of Vishnu. It falls twice a month; each one carries its own name and story. This guide explains the fast, how to keep it, and lists every Ekadashi of the year.
What is Ekadashi?
The word ekadashi means “eleventh.” It is the eleventh tithi (lunar day) counted from both the new moon and the full moon, so it recurs twice in every lunar month - once in the waxing fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and once in the waning fortnight (Krishna Paksha). Across the twelve months that gives twenty-four Ekadashis, each with its own name; a leap month adds two more, Padmini and Parama.
Why it is observed
Ekadashi is dedicated to Vishnu. Tradition holds that the day carries a special quality of the mind that makes restraint and devotion easier, so it is set aside for fasting, worship, chanting and reflection. Observing it is believed to burn away accumulated sins, steady the mind and draw the devotee toward liberation. Vaishnavas keep it as their foremost monthly vow.
How to keep the fast
The central rule is to avoid grains, rice, lentils and beans from sunrise on Ekadashi until the fast is broken the next morning. Beyond that, observers keep it at the level their health and devotion allow:
- Nirjala - the strictest, taken without even water. Most people keep this only for Nirjala Ekadashi itself.
- Phalahar - fruit, milk, nuts, tubers and other non-grain foods; the common form of the fast.
- Satvik meal - a single simple grain-free meal, for the elderly, unwell, children or those who cannot fast fully.
The day is spent in worship of Vishnu - reading his names, singing bhajans, keeping a lamp and staying wakeful and truthful.
Paran - breaking the fast
The fast is broken the next morning, on Dwadashi, during the paran window - after sunrise and within the first quarter of the day, and only after Dwadashi has begun. Breaking it too early or after Dwadashi has passed is discouraged. The paran time is location-specific, so check the day’s panchang for your city.
The Ekadashis through the year
Each lunar month has a Shukla and a Krishna Ekadashi. The leap month (Adhika Masa), when it occurs, adds Padmini and Parama.
| Ekadashi | Lunar month | Paksha | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamada | Chaitra | Shukla | The wish-fulfilling Ekadashi, the first of the new lunar year. |
| Papmochani | Chaitra | Krishna | Cleanses the sins gathered through the year, just before the new year. |
| Mohini | Vaishakha | Shukla | Frees the devotee from the web of illusion (moha); named for Vishnu's Mohini form. |
| Varuthini | Vaishakha | Krishna | Grants protection and the merit of great charity. |
| Nirjala | Jyeshtha | Shukla | The waterless fast - the most austere Ekadashi, said to carry the merit of all the others. |
| Apara | Jyeshtha | Krishna | Bestows boundless (apara) merit and release from grave sins. |
| Devshayani | Ashadha | Shukla | Vishnu begins his four-month cosmic sleep; the start of Chaturmas. |
| Yogini | Ashadha | Krishna | Absolves sin and disease; a step toward yoga and liberation. |
| Shravana Putrada | Shravana | Shukla | A purifying (pavitra) fast, observed by couples seeking the blessing of a child. |
| Kamika | Shravana | Krishna | Worship on this day is said to equal bathing in all the sacred rivers. |
| Parivartini | Bhadrapada | Shukla | Vishnu turns on his cosmic bed mid-sleep; linked to the Vamana avatar. |
| Aja | Bhadrapada | Krishna | Removes the heaviest sins and sorrows; restored King Harishchandra in the legend. |
| Papankusha | Ashwin | Shukla | A 'goad against sin', granting heavenly merit and freedom from suffering. |
| Indira | Ashwin | Krishna | Merit is offered for departed ancestors, easing their onward path. |
| Prabodhini | Kartika | Shukla | Vishnu awakens from his cosmic sleep; Chaturmas ends and weddings resume (Devutthana). |
| Rama | Kartika | Krishna | Named for Lakshmi (Rama); dispels sin and grants devotion, just before Diwali. |
| Mokshada | Margashirsha | Shukla | Bestows liberation (moksha) for oneself and one's ancestors; falls on Gita Jayanti. |
| Utpanna | Margashirsha | Krishna | The Ekadashi personified is said to have arisen (utpanna) to slay the demon Mura. |
| Pausha Putrada | Pausha | Shukla | Sought by parents for the welfare of children; kept as Vaikuntha Ekadashi in the South. |
| Saphala | Pausha | Krishna | Makes every effort fruitful (saphala); turns failure toward success. |
| Jaya | Magha | Shukla | Grants victory (jaya) over sin and frees one from a ghostly rebirth. |
| Shattila | Magha | Krishna | Charity of sesame (til) in six ways brings great merit and purification. |
| Amalaki | Phalguna | Shukla | Worship of the sacred amla tree, in which Vishnu is said to dwell; near Holi. |
| Vijaya | Phalguna | Krishna | Bestows victory (vijaya); Rama observed it before crossing to Lanka. |
| Padmini * | Adhika Masa | Shukla | A rare Ekadashi of the leap month, granting exceptional merit and devotion. |
| Parama * | Adhika Masa | Krishna | The 'supreme' leap-month Ekadashi, said to fulfil the deepest wishes. |
* Padmini and Parama occur only in a leap month (Adhika Masa), which comes roughly every three years.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ekadashi?
Ekadashi is the eleventh lunar day (tithi) of each fortnight - so it comes twice a lunar month, once in the waxing Shukla Paksha and once in the waning Krishna Paksha. It is sacred to Vishnu and is kept as a fast (vrat) for spiritual merit and purification.
How many Ekadashis are there in a year?
Twenty-four in an ordinary year - two each lunar month. In a leap-month (Adhika Masa) year there are twenty-six, with the two extra ones called Padmini and Parama Ekadashi.
What can you eat during an Ekadashi fast?
Grains, rice, lentils and beans are avoided. Observers keep the fast at the level they are able to: nirjala (without even water) is the strictest; phalahar allows fruit, milk, nuts and non-grain foods; many simply eat a single satvik meal. The choice depends on health and devotion.
Which is the most important Ekadashi?
Nirjala Ekadashi (Jyeshtha Shukla) is the most austere and is said to carry the merit of all the others. Devshayani and Prabodhini Ekadashi bookend Chaturmas, and Vaikuntha (Mokshada) Ekadashi is especially revered.
When is the next Ekadashi in Mumbai, MH?
The next Ekadashi in Mumbai, MH is Yogini Ekadashi, on 9 August 2026.
Last updated 26 July 2026