In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who ob¬serves fasting on Ekadashi day is freed from all kinds of reac¬tions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one’s faith and love for Govinda, or Krishna. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekadashi is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or per¬forming similar service.

The injunction to fast on Ekadashi is especially meant for devotees; on Ekadashi there are no restrictions regarding food¬stuffs that may be offered to the Lord. On Ekadashi, everything is cooked for Vishnu, including regular grains and dahl. How-ever it is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekadashi, even if it is offered to Lord Vishnu.

To observe Ekadashi-vrata means to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those interested in advancing in Krishna consciousness must observe Ekadashi-vrata regularly. Ekadashi fast is broken on the next day i.e. Dvadashi by tak¬ing grains during the stipulated paran time for that Ekadashi. If one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvadashi, there is a flaw in one’s observance of the vow. All these rules and regulations are offered by the great acharyas for those who are actually interested in getting ad¬mission into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world.