{"id":2591,"date":"2015-06-19T12:46:50","date_gmt":"2015-06-19T07:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/?p=2591"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:59:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T06:29:06","slug":"ekadashi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/ekadashi\/","title":{"rendered":"Ekadashi \u2013 Dates, Rituals and Significance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Ekadashi is a well-known fasting day. Learn more about Ekadashi, its purpose and benefits, and how to observe Ekadashi-vrata.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5582 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/rama-ekadashi.jpg\" alt=\"rama-ekadashi\" width=\"717\" height=\"450\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/rama-ekadashi.jpg 717w, https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/rama-ekadashi-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/rama-ekadashi-320x200.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/rama-ekadashi-171x108.jpg 171w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 717px) 100vw, 717px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What is Ekadashi?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the moon cycle, both from the Purnima (full moon) and from the Amavasya (new moon). Well-known as the day of Lord Hari, this is celebrated as one of the highly auspicious days suitable for fasting.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Who should observe Ekadashi vrata?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ekadashi should be observed by all classes of people including women. According to scriptures, from the age of eight to the age of eighty, a person should fast on this day.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>What are the foods forbidden on Ekadashi?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Food grains, cereals and beans (pulses) must be avoided.<\/li>\n<li>While spices can be used for cooking, mustard seeds should be avoided.<\/li>\n<li>You cannot use powdered asafoetida (hing), since it generally contains grains.<\/li>\n<li>As far as sesame seeds are concerned, they may be used only on Sat-tila Ekadashi.<\/li>\n<li>Take care not to use any cooking ingredients which may be mixed with grains. For example, avoid ghee which you have used to fry puris, and spices which you have touched with hands dusted with chapati flour.<\/li>\n<li>You cannot take even Vishnu-prasadam containing the above forbidden foods. But such prasadam may be kept to be honored the following day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/vaishnava-calendar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Click here<\/em> <\/a>t<\/strong><strong>o know the dates of Ekadashi vrata this year.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> Different levels of observing Ekadashi<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ekadashi may be observed in different levels as given below and one may choose a particular level of fasting depending on one\u2019s age, health and various other factors pertaining to one\u2019s lifestyle.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>The real way to observe, is to fast completely without even taking water. This is called nirjala fast.<\/li>\n<li>If you cannot observe a nirjala fast, you can take just water.<\/li>\n<li>If you cannot do that, you can also take a little fruit and milk.<\/li>\n<li>The next option is that you can also take other non-grain foods like vegetables (except onion and garlic), roots, nuts, etc., only once during the fast.<\/li>\n<li>The last option is to take the above items three times like on a regular day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> How do we observe Ekadashi vrata?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We observe Ekadashi vrata from sunrise to sunrise.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Duringthis day, try to engage your time in spiritual activities such as \u2013<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Remembering the pastimes of Lord Krishna or His different incarnations.<\/li>\n<li>Chanting\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/hare-krishna-mantra\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hare Krishna maha-mantra<\/a><\/span>\u00a0as many times as possible.<\/li>\n<li>Reading scriptures like\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bhagavad-gita-as-it-is.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bhagavad-gita<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and Srimad-Bhagavatam.<\/li>\n<li>Visiting a temple of Lord Vishnu\/Krishna.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> The purpose and benefits of Ekadashi<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Fasting is meant for reducing the fat within the body which otherwise induces more sleep, inactiveness and laziness.<\/li>\n<li>On Ekadashi, more time can be utilized for spiritual activity. In this way, one can achieve both external and internal purity.<\/li>\n<li>The real purpose of fasting is to increase one\u2019s faith and love for Krishna. By observing a fast, we can minimize the bodily demands and engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra or performing similar service.<\/li>\n<li>Observing Ekadashi vrata pleases the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by its regular observance, one makes advancement in Krishna consciousness.<\/li>\n<li>In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekadashi day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life.<\/li>\n<li>Padma Purana states that one should follow Ekadashi especially since even if one by trickery follows Ekadashi, all of his sins are absolved and he very easily attains the supreme goal, the abode of Vaikuntha.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong> Breaking an Ekadashi fast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fast must be broken next day after the sunrise.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you have not observed a nirjala fast (a complete fast without even water), it should be broken by taking grains.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the case of a nirjala fast, you can break it with even non-grain items like milk or fruits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Names of all Ekadashi vrata and significance :<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-padmini-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Padmini Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-parama-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Parama Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/pandava-nirjala-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pandava Nirjala Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-yogini-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yogini Ekadashi<\/a><\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-shayana-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shayana Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-kamika-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kamika Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-pavitropana-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Pavitropana Ekadashi<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.iskcontimes.com\/glories-of-pavitropana-ekadashi-august-22-2018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-annada-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Annada Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-parshva-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Parshva Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-indira-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Indira Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-pashankusha-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pashankusha Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/the-glories-of-rama-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Rama Ekadashi<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/the-glories-of-utthana-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Utthana Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/the-glories-of-utpanna-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Utpanna Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/the-glories-of-mokshada-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mokshada Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-saphala-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Saphala Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-putrada-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Putrada Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-sat-tila-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sat-tila Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-bhaimi-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bhaimi Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-vijaya-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Vijaya Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-amalaki-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Amalaki Ekadashi<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-papamochani-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Papamochani Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-kamada-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kamada Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-varuthini-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Varuthini Ekadashi<br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-mohini-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Mohini Ekadashi<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/glories-of-apara-ekadashi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apara Ekadashi<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"post-title entry-title\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Sevas during Ekadashi Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You can offer Tulasi Hara to Their Lordships on Ekadashi day. For more details <strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/donations.iskconbangalore.org\/srivigrahasevas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click Here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related Links:<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/vaishnava-calendar\/\">Vaishnava Calendar<\/a><\/span> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/ekadashi-calendar\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Ekadashi Calendar<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ekadashi is a well-known fasting day. Learn more about Ekadashi, its purpose and benefits, and how to observe Ekadashi-vrata. What is Ekadashi? Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the moon cycle, both from the Purnima (full moon) and from the Amavasya (new moon). Well-known as the day of Lord Hari, this is celebrated as one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[25],"class_list":{"0":"post-2591","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-vratas","8":"tag-ekadashi"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2591"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7883,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2591\/revisions\/7883"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iskconbangalore.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}