Ekadashi is the 11th tithi of every fortnight, so it comes twice a month. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and the vrat of Ekadashi is said to clean the mind and body, and bring peace and good fortune. There are 24 Ekadashis in a year (26 in a year with Adhika Maas). Each has its own name, story and special merit; see the Ekadashi list, or read the katha pages linked below.
Why Ekadashi is kept
According to the Puranas, Ekadashi is a goddess who came from the body of Vishnu to destroy the demon Mura (see Utpanna Ekadashi). Vishnu promised that whoever fasts on her day will be freed from sin. A common-sense reason is that a light day twice a month rests the digestive system, and it gives a regular break for prayer and self-control.
Rules of the vrat
- Dashami (the day before): eat a simple, early dinner, without grains if possible. Avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food. Keep celibacy.
- Ekadashi morning: bathe before sunrise, take the sankalp (a resolve) to keep the vrat, and worship Lord Vishnu.
- During the day: no grains, rice, wheat, pulses or beans. Many people take only water (nirjala), or fruit and milk (phalahar). Stay away from anger, gossip and sleeping in the day.
- Night: if possible, stay awake with bhajans or kirtan (jagran), or read the Vishnu Sahasranama or the Gita.
- Dwadashi (the day after): bathe, worship, feed or give to a Brahmin or someone in need, and break the fast at parana time.
Puja vidhi
- Clean the place of worship and put an image of Vishnu or Lakshmi-Narayan on a yellow cloth.
- Offer Ganga jal or clean water, yellow flowers, tulsi leaves, fruit, panchamrit and a ghee lamp. Light incense.
- Chant "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" or read the Ekadashi katha.
- End with aarti and prasad.
Tulsi leaves should be collected on Dashami or earlier, not plucked on Ekadashi.
What to eat on Ekadashi
| Allowed (phalahar) | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Fruits, dry fruits, milk, curd, paneer, makhana | Rice, wheat, atta, maida, suji |
| Sabudana, kuttu (buckwheat), singhara and rajgira flour | All dals, pulses and beans |
| Potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, cucumber, raw banana | Onion, garlic, mushrooms |
| Sendha (rock) salt, ghee, sugar, jaggery | Regular salt (in strict vrat), non-veg food and alcohol |
Parana: how and when to break the fast
Parana is done on Dwadashi after sunrise. Two rules matter: (1) do not break the fast before sunrise, and (2) do not break it in the first quarter of Dwadashi, called Hari Vasara, unless it is only a few minutes. The parana time is also not after Dwadashi ends. If the Dwadashi tithi is short, parana is done in the morning, before it ends. Our Ekadashi page gives the tithi times, and the panchang for your city shows sunrise.
Smarta and Vaishnava Ekadashi
Sometimes you will see two dates. Smarta families (the general householder tradition) keep Ekadashi on the day the tithi is present at sunrise. Vaishnava traditions (such as ISKCON, Vallabh and Ramanuja sampradayas) keep it on the day when the Ekadashi is pure, not mixed with Dashami before sunrise, and so will keep it on the next day in some cases. Our dates follow the Smarta rule. If your family follows a sampradaya, ask your guru or temple.
Who can skip the strict fast
Children, pregnant and nursing women, elderly people and anyone who is ill or on medication do not have to do the full fast. They can do a phalahar vrat, or just avoid grains. The tradition itself says health comes first and a vrat should not harm the body.
Ekadashi katha pages
Questions people ask
Can I drink water on Ekadashi?
Yes, in a normal vrat. Only the strictest form, such as Nirjala Ekadashi, is kept without water.
Can I eat fruit on Ekadashi?
Yes. Fruit, milk, makhana, sabudana and other phalahar foods are allowed.
When should I break my Ekadashi fast?
On Dwadashi morning after sunrise, outside Hari Vasara, and before Dwadashi ends. Check the parana time for your city.
Can women keep Ekadashi during periods?
Many families follow a simple vrat of food restraint and mental worship, without puja rituals. Practices vary, so follow your family tradition.
What if I accidentally ate grains?
Tradition says to pray for forgiveness, keep to fruit and milk for the rest of the day and keep the next Ekadashi with more care.