Ekadashi Vrat
Ekadashi Vrat

Ekadashi Vrat (एकादशी व्रत)

Ekadashi is the eleventh day of both the waxing (Shukla Paksha) and waning (Krishna Paksha) lunar phases in the Hindu calendar. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is considered a spiritually powerful day for fasting, prayer, and self-discipline. Devotees observe Ekadashi vrat Katha (fast) to cleanse the mind, body, and soul and seek divine blessings.

Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Ekadashi Vrat Katha (एकादशी व्रत कथा)

Once there lived a poor Brahmin who was deeply troubled by his poverty. Despite being devoted and sincere, he could hardly earn enough to survive. One day, a sage visited his village. The Brahmin respectfully welcomed the sage and shared his miseries. Pleased by his hospitality and humility, the sage advised him to observe the Amavasya Vrat and perform Pitru Tarpan (ancestral offerings) with complete devotion.

The Brahmin followed the sage’s instructions and observed Amavasya Vrat sincerely every month. Gradually, his life began to change. He found small sources of income, his family conditions improved, and peace returned to his home. More importantly, he started experiencing blessings in unexpected ways, which he believed were from his satisfied ancestors.

This story teaches that observing Amavasya Vrat with faith not only pleases Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva but also brings peace to departed souls and removes negativity and ancestral curses from one’s life.

God Worshipped

Lord Vishnu

Day Observed

Twice a month

Associated Color

White or Yellow

God Worshipped

Lord Vishnu

Day Observed

Twice a month

Associated Color

White or Yellow

Ekadashi Vrat List Dates of 2025

  • January 10 (Friday) – Pausha Putrada Ekadashi

  • January 25 (Saturday) – Shattila Ekadashi

  • February 8 (Saturday) – Jaya Ekadashi

  • February 24 (Monday) – Vijaya Ekadashi

  • March 10 (Monday) – Amalaki Ekadashi

  • March 25 (Tuesday) – Papmochani Ekadashi

  • April 8 (Tuesday) – Kamada Ekadashi

  • April 24 (Thursday) – Varuthini Ekadashi

  • May 8 (Thursday) – Mohini Ekadashi

  • May 23 (Friday) – Apara Ekadashi

  • June 6 (Friday) – Nirjala Ekadashi

  • June 21 (Saturday) – Yogini Ekadashi

  • July 6 (Sunday) – Devshayani Ekadashi

  • July 21 (Monday) – Kamika Ekadashi

  • August 5 (Tuesday) – Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

  • August 19 (Tuesday) – Aja Ekadashi

  • September 3 (Wednesday) – Parsva Ekadashi

  • September 17 (Wednesday) – Indira Ekadashi

  • October 3 (Friday) – Papankusha Ekadashi

  • October 16 (Thursday) – Rama Ekadashi

  • November 1 (Saturday) – Devutthana Ekadashi

  • November 15 (Saturday) – Utpanna Ekadashi

  • December 1 (Monday) – Mokshada Ekadashi

  • December 15 (Monday) – Saphala Ekadashi

  • December 30 (Tuesday) – Pausha Putrada Ekadash

Ekadashi vrat items list

Ekadashi Vrat Pooja Kit (Ekadashi Vrat)

  • Kalash (water pot)

  • Incense sticks (agarbatti)

  • Diya (lamp) with oil or ghee

  • Cotton wicks

  • Flowers (especially tulsi leaves)

  • Fruits (for naivedya)

  • Panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar)

  • Rice or raw grains (akshata)

  • Chandan (sandalwood paste)

  • Kumkum and Haldi

  • Betel leaves and nuts

  • Picture or idol of Lord Vishnu

  • Tulsi leaves (essential for Lord Vishnu)

  • Camphor (kapoor) for aarti

  • Clean cloth or mat for pooja setup

  • Ekadashi Vrat Katha book

Importance of Ekadashi Vrat

  • Considered highly auspicious for worshipping Lord Vishnu.

  • Helps in spiritual cleansing and growth.

  • Observing Ekadashi promotes self-discipline and control over desires.

  • It is believed to destroy sins and bring peace to ancestors.

Benefits of Ekadashi Vrat

  • Enhances mental clarity and emotional balance.

  • Supports digestive health through fasting.

  • Helps release negative karma and spiritual burden.

  • Attracts divine blessings and prosperity.

  • Promotes inner peace and spiritual elevation.

Vrat Procedure

Procedure of Ekadashi Vrat Fast Puja

  • Wake up early and take a bath before sunrise.

  • Clean your home and altar space.

  • Install an idol/photo of Lord Vishnu and offer yellow flowers, incense, and diya.

  • Recite Vishnu Sahasranama, Gita, or Ekadashi Vrat Katha.

  • Observe fast (nirjala, phalahar, or light sattvic meal) based on your health and devotion.

  • Avoid negative thoughts, and spend the day in spiritual activities.

  • Offer tulsi leaves, fruits, and milk-based sweets to the deity.

  • Break the fast (Parana) on the next day (Dwadashi) after offering food to Brahmins or the needy.

  • Reading Ekadashi Vrat Katha Book.

Types of Ekadashi Vrat

  1. Putrada Ekadashi (Paush Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Known for blessing childless couples with progeny.
Special Worship: Devotees pray to Lord Vishnu and offer Tulsi leaves. Reading the Putrada Ekadashi Vrat Katha is considered auspicious.

  1. Shattila Ekadashi (Paush Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Emphasizes the importance of donating sesame seeds (til).
Special Worship: Use sesame seeds in bathing, food, charity, and offerings to Vishnu.

  1. Jaya Ekadashi (Magha Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Helps one attain victory over sins and ghosts.
Special Worship: Chanting Vishnu Sahasranama and reading the Jaya Ekadashi Katha is ideal.

  1. Vijaya Ekadashi (Magha Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Aids in removing obstacles and achieving success, especially before travel.
Special Worship: Devotees light lamps and offer yellow sweets to Vishnu.

  1. Amalaki Ekadashi (Phalguna Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Associated with worship of the Amla (gooseberry) tree, symbolizing purity.
Special Worship: Amla trees are worshipped along with Vishnu.

  1. Papmochani Ekadashi (Phalguna Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Known for relieving sins and evil thoughts.
Special Worship: Devotees meditate and chant Vishnu mantras for purification.

  1. Kamada Ekadashi (Chaitra Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Grants wishes and relieves curses, especially related to love and relationships.
Special Worship: Offer prayers to Lord Krishna with flowers and sweets.

  1. Varuthini Ekadashi (Chaitra Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Provides protection from evil and misfortunes.
Special Worship: Donations, especially to Brahmins, are highly recommended.

  1. Mohini Ekadashi (Vaishakha Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Helps in overcoming desires and spiritual illusions.
Special Worship: Chanting the Gita and donating food brings merit.

  1. Apara Ekadashi (Vaishakha Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Atonement for past sins and liberation from negative karma.
Special Worship: Devotees offer milk and light diyas near Tulsi plants.

  1. Nirjala Ekadashi (Jyeshtha Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Known as the strictest Ekadashi, where even water is avoided.
Special Worship: Fasting without water gives the virtue of all 24 Ekadashis.

  1. Yogini Ekadashi (Jyeshtha Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Cleanses the body of diseases and relieves misdeeds.
Special Worship: Chanting Vishnu mantras and offering milk and sweets is common.

  1. Devshayani / Ashadhi Ekadashi (Ashadha Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Marks the start of Chaturmas, when Lord Vishnu goes into yogic sleep.
Special Worship: Start of a 4-month period of extra devotion and abstinence.

  1. Kamika Ekadashi (Ashadha Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Ideal for resolving conflicts and earning blessings for the ancestors.
Special Worship: Lighting ghee lamps and chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama.

  1. Shravana Putrada Ekadashi (Shravana Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Another Ekadashi for blessings of children and family harmony.
Special Worship: Worship Lord Vasudev and feed Brahmins.

  1. Aja Ekadashi (Shravana Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Eliminates sins and grants Moksha (liberation).
Special Worship: Recite Ramcharitmanas and Vishnu stories.

  1. Parsva Ekadashi (Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Known for turning off Lord Vishnu during sleep in Vaikuntha.
Special Worship: Donating to the needy and observing fast is emphasized.

  1. Indira Ekadashi (Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Helps in liberating ancestors from hell (Pitru Moksha).
Special Worship: Shraddha rituals and tarpan for forefathers.

  1. Papankusha Ekadashi (Ashwin Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Brings spiritual progress and heavenly blessings.
Special Worship: Offer lotus flowers to Vishnu and chant divine names.

  1. Rama Ekadashi (Ashwin Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Observed for wealth, peace, and detachment from materialism.
Special Worship: Perform Vishnu puja with white sweets and bhajans.

  1. Devutthana / Prabodhini Ekadashi (Kartik Shukla Paksha)

Significance: End of Chaturmas and the awakening of Lord Vishnu.
Special Worship: Start of auspicious events like Tulsi Vivah and marriages.

  1. Utpanna Ekadashi (Kartik Krishna Paksha)

Significance: Marks the origin of Ekadashi vrat itself.
Special Worship: Begin Ekadashi vrat from this day for newcomers.

  1. Mokshada Ekadashi (Margashirsha Shukla Paksha)

Significance: Helps attain liberation (Moksha) and peace for ancestors.
Special Worship: Reading the Bhagavad Gita is especially meritorious.

  1. Saphala Ekadashi (Margashirsha Krishna Paksha)

Food Items Do's and Don'ts for Ekadashi Vrat

What to Eat on Ekadashi Vrat

  • Fruits (banana, apple, papaya, etc.)

  • Sabudana (khichdi, vada, or kheer)

  • Samak rice (vrat ke chawal)

  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes

  • Rock salt

  • Milk, curd, and other dairy products

  • Dry fruits and coconut water

Food Items to Avoid in Ekadashi Vrat

  • Rice and wheat-based grains

  • Lentils and legumes

  • Onion and garlic

  • Processed or fried food

  • Meat, fish, and eggs

  • Caffeinated drinks and alcohol

Frequently Asked Questions - Ekadashi Vrat

Yes, unless you’re observing a nirjala vrat which prohibits both food and water.

While it’s not ideal, you can pray for forgiveness and observe the next Ekadashi with sincerity.

Yes, they can observe a light or partial fast, depending on health.

According to scriptures, eating rice on Ekadashi attracts negative energy and is believed to disrupt spiritual progress.

It’s advised to stay awake, chant mantras, and engage in spiritual activities, though light rest is acceptable if needed.

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