By: Divya Venkat & Vidya Venkat
What is Ekadasi?
• The eleventh day of a fortnight belonging to a lunar month.
• There are two fortnights in a lunar month - the bright and
the dark.
• It occurs twice in a month.
• The special feature of Ekadasi is fasting, the abstinence
from food.
• The moon influences the tides, and also the moods of man.
• The mind gets concentrated and collected easily on
Ekadasi.
• Seekers take advantage of this and try to elevate
themselves spiritually.
Why ekadasi
comes twice
in a month
time?
Full Moon to No Moon &
No Moon to Full Moon
What
happens on
Ekadasi in
our chakra?
Our mind also
moves from one
chakra to
another with the
phase of the
moon..
On Ekadasi,
the mind stays
in AJNA or
ANAHATA
chakra
Fasting-What should we eat on Ekadasi?
• Fasting is for the whole day (24 hours).
• The traditional approach is to abstain from food
completely on the day
• But nowadays a complete fast is not possible for
many people
• Avoiding grains, beans are mandatory
• The fasting does not need to be extreme
• Taking water, fruits, roots, nuts, milk, ghee and
medicine are allowed.
• Fasting prevents and cures many illnesses and
diseases
Methods of Ekadasi fasting.
• Complete fasting involves total abstinence from
food and water for 24 hours.
• Partial fasting involves consumption of fruits and
milk and the avoidance of rice and grains.
• People with health problems can opt for partial
fasting after consulting with their doctors.
• Some people take only a single meal on the
Dasami day, the day before Ekadasi.
Glories of Ekadasi
• One who observes fasting on Ekadasi day is freed
from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities.
• The basic principle is not just to fast, but to
increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or
Krishna.
• Those who observe fasting on Ekadasi days are
keeping fittest health, cleansing their bowel system
and mostly free from frequent ailments.
• Those who are Bhakta’s of Lord Krishna,
observing fasting on Ekadasi days, have lot more
mental peace, by way of self realization and inner
soul.
Benefits of Ekadasi
• Brings the blessings of Lord Hari.
• Liberates one from the cycle of birth & death.
• Gives one freedom from the sins of the past.
• Fulfills the wishes and gives happiness.
• Enhances the physiological functions of the
body.
• Helps in flushing out the toxins from the
body.
• Helps to strengthen one’s self-control.
• Improves one’s emotional stability.
24 different Ekadasi’s
1. Putrada Ekadasi
2. Shatilla Ekadasi
3. Jaya Ekadasi
4. Vijaya Ekadasi
5. Amalki Ekadasi
6. Papamochini
Ekadasi
7. Kamda Ekadasi
8. Varuthini Ekadasi
9. Mohini Ekadasi
10.Apara Ekadasi
11.Nirjala Ekadasi
12.Yogini Ekadasi
13. Devshayani Ekadasi
14. Kamika Ekadasi
15. Aja Ekadasi
16.Parivartan Ekadasi
17.Indira Ekadasi
18.Pasankusa Ekadasi
19. Rama Ekadasi
20.Prabhodini Ekadasi
21.Utpanna Ekadasi
22. Mokshada Ekadasi
23. Saphala Ekadasi
24. Haribobhini Ekadasi
Even to
Karmis,
Ekadasi has
been declared as
the best Vrata
Karma Kanda - Ekadasi Vrata is Superior
Na GaayathryA Para Manthra :
Na MAthu Para Dhaivatha
Na GangAsyA: paramam theertham
Na EkAdasyA: samam vratham.
There is no mantra superior to the Gayatri mantra,
there is no god superior to the Mother, There is
no water more purifying or superior than River
Ganges. And finally, there is no fast/austerities
(vradham) more sacred or superior than the
Ekadasi.
Ekadasi for Krishna Bhakta
For Krishna Bhaktas, the
main reason of observing is to
increase the devotion to Lord
Krishna so that the jiva can
engage in eternal service.
Are you observing
Ekadasi?
References
• http://www.parihara.com/blogs/info/ekadasifasting.html
•http://www.radhakunda.com/ekadasi/index.html
•http://asteptowardsgod.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/
facts-about-ekadashi/
•http://www.hindu-blog.com/2007/02/significanceof-ekadashi.html
•http://www.parihara.com/blogs/info/ekadasi-2011dates.html
Thank You!
Thank you
Hare Krishna