Ekadashi (Sanskrit: एकादशी, romanized: Ēkādaśī, lit. 'The eleventh day') is the eleventh lunar day (tithi) of the waxing (Shukla Pakṣa) and waning (Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa) lunar cycles in a Vedic calendar month.[1] Ekadashi is popularly observed within Vaishnavism, a major denomination within Hinduism. Followers offer their worship to the god Vishnu by fasting.[2][3]
Within Hinduism, the primary purpose of fasting on ekadashi is to gain control over the mind and bodily senses, and channel it towards spiritual progression. In addition, there are several health benefits linked to fasting.[4][5] High protein and carbohydrate-containing foods such as beans and grains are not consumed. Instead, only fruit, vegetables, and milk products are eaten. This period of abstinence starts from sunrise on the day of ekadashi to sunrise on the following day. Rice is not eaten on ekadashi.
The timing of each ekadashi is according to the position of the moon.[6] The Indian calendar marks progression from a full moon to a new moon as divided into fifteen equal arcs. Each arc measures one lunar day, called a tithi. The time it takes the moon to traverse a particular distance is the length of that lunar day. Ekadashi refers to the 11th tithi, or lunar day. The eleventh tithi corresponds to a precise phase of the waxing and waning moon. In the bright half of the lunar month, the moon will appear roughly 3/4 full on ekadashi, and in the dark half of the lunar month, the moon will be about 3/4 dark on ekadashi.
There are usually 24 ekadashis in a calendar year. Occasionally, there are two extra ekadashis that happen in a leap year. Each ekadashi day is purported to have particular benefits that are attained by the performance of specific activities.[7]
Bhagavata Purana (skandha IX, adhyaay 4) notes the observation of ekadashi by Ambarisha, a devotee of Vishnu.[8]
The story behind ekadashi began with Vishnu sleeping or in a meditative state. A demon, Murdanav, approaches and attempts to attack Vishnu. At that time, a beautiful woman sprung forth from Vishnu's 11th sense (often called the "mind"). An infatuated Murdanav asked to marry her, to which responded that only if he defeated her in battle. As they fought, Murdanav was eventually killed. Vishnu awoke from his sleep, and blessed the woman by naming her "Ekadashi", and stated that if anyone were to fast on this day, they would be given moksha (spiritual liberation).[4][9]
List of ekadashisEdit
The table below describes the ekadashis and when they fall in the year.
^"What is Ekadashi? Its types, benefits of Ekadashi fast and foods to be eaten - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
^Jones, Constance; Ryan, James D. (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 147. ISBN978-0-8160-7564-5.
^Melton, J. Gordon (13 September 2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. p. 490. ISBN978-1-59884-205-0.
^ abFieldhouse, Paul (17 April 2017). Food, Feasts, and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. pp. 187–190. ISBN978-1-61069-412-4.
^Verma, Manish (2013). Fasts and Festivals of India. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. pp. 7–9. ISBN978-81-7182-076-4.
^"Ekadashi Dates & Fast Breaking Times (Parana) for 2018 - Ekadashi Katha - Ekadashi Svarupa Darsana". Ekadashi Svarupa Darsana. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
^Goswami, Danvir; Das, Kushakrita (2010). Sri Garga Samhita. Rupanuga Vedic College Publishing.
^"Indriya | Indian philosophy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
^N.A (1950). The Skanda-Purana Part 1. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. pp. 154 (18.31–32).
^"Indira Ekadashi 2019: Date, Times, Puja Vidhi, Shubh Mahurat and all you need to know - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
^"Rama Ekadashi 2019: आज है रमा एकादशी, जानिए शुभ मुहूर्त, पूजा विधि, व्रत कथा और महत्व" [Rama Ekadashi 2019- Date, Time, Significance, Auspicious Time, Puja Vidhi, Vrat Katha and Lakshmi-Puja]. NDTVIndia. from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
Iyer, N.P. Subramania, Kalaprakasika: The standard book on the election (mahoortha) system: with the original text in Devanagari and English translation, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, 1982.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ekadasi tithi.
About Ekadashi Vrat: Ekadashi Vrat Vidhi-Niyam and Vrat Bhojan
List of all Ekadashi of this year 2022
September 26, 2023
ekadashi, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, 2015, lear. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ekadashi news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Ekadashi Sanskrit एक दश romanized Ekadasi lit The eleventh day is the eleventh lunar day tithi of the waxing Shukla Pakṣa and waning Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa lunar cycles in a Vedic calendar month 1 Ekadashi is popularly observed within Vaishnavism a major denomination within Hinduism Followers offer their worship to the god Vishnu by fasting 2 3 Calculation of the Ekadashi in a Tamil Hindu calendar Within Hinduism the primary purpose of fasting on ekadashi is to gain control over the mind and bodily senses and channel it towards spiritual progression In addition there are several health benefits linked to fasting 4 5 High protein and carbohydrate containing foods such as beans and grains are not consumed Instead only fruit vegetables and milk products are eaten This period of abstinence starts from sunrise on the day of ekadashi to sunrise on the following day Rice is not eaten on ekadashi The timing of each ekadashi is according to the position of the moon 6 The Indian calendar marks progression from a full moon to a new moon as divided into fifteen equal arcs Each arc measures one lunar day called a tithi The time it takes the moon to traverse a particular distance is the length of that lunar day Ekadashi refers to the 11th tithi or lunar day The eleventh tithi corresponds to a precise phase of the waxing and waning moon In the bright half of the lunar month the moon will appear roughly 3 4 full on ekadashi and in the dark half of the lunar month the moon will be about 3 4 dark on ekadashi There are usually 24 ekadashis in a calendar year Occasionally there are two extra ekadashis that happen in a leap year Each ekadashi day is purported to have particular benefits that are attained by the performance of specific activities 7 Bhagavata Purana skandha IX adhyaay 4 notes the observation of ekadashi by Ambarisha a devotee of Vishnu 8 Contents 1 Legend 2 List of ekadashis 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLegend EditThe story behind ekadashi began with Vishnu sleeping or in a meditative state A demon Murdanav approaches and attempts to attack Vishnu At that time a beautiful woman sprung forth from Vishnu s 11th sense often called the mind An infatuated Murdanav asked to marry her to which responded that only if he defeated her in battle As they fought Murdanav was eventually killed Vishnu awoke from his sleep and blessed the woman by naming her Ekadashi and stated that if anyone were to fast on this day they would be given moksha spiritual liberation 4 9 List of ekadashis EditThe table below describes the ekadashis and when they fall in the year Vedic lunar month Presiding deity Krishna paksha ekadashi Shukla paksha ekadashiChaitra च त र March April Rama Vishnu Papavimocani Ekadashi Kamada EkadashiVaisakha व श ख April May Madhusudana Vishnu Varuthini Ekadashi Mohini EkadashiJyeshtha ज य ष ठ May June Trivikrama Vishnu Apara Ekadashi Nirjala EkadashiAshada आष ढ June July Vamana Yogini Ekadashi Shayani EkadashiShravana श र वण July August Sridhara Kamika Ekadashi Shravana Putrada EkadashiBhadrapada भ द रपद August September Hrishikesha 10 Annada Ekadashi Parsva EkadashiAshvina अश व न September October Padmanabha Indra Ekadashi 11 Pasankusa EkadashiKartik क र त क October November Damodara Rama Ekadashi 12 Prabodhini EkadashiMargashirsha Agrahayana म र गश र ष November December Keshava Utpanna Ekadashi Mokshada Ekadashi Vaikuntha EkadashiPausha प ष December January Narayana Vishnu Krishna Saphala Ekadashi Pausha Putrada Ekadashi Vaikuntha EkadashiMagha म घ January February Madhava Shattila Ekadashi Bhaimi Ekadashi Jaya EkadashiPhalguna फ ल ग न February March Govinda Krishna Vijaya Ekadashi Amalaki EkadashiAdhika month अध क once in 2 3 years Purushottama Padmini Vishuddha Ekadashi Parama Shuddha EkadashiSee also EditGuruvayur Ekadasi AmavasyaNotes Edit What is Ekadashi Its types benefits of Ekadashi fast and foods to be eaten Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 20 April 2021 Jones Constance Ryan James D 2006 Encyclopedia of Hinduism Infobase Publishing p 147 ISBN 978 0 8160 7564 5 Melton J Gordon 13 September 2011 Religious Celebrations An Encyclopedia of Holidays Festivals Solemn Observances and Spiritual Commemorations ABC CLIO p 490 ISBN 978 1 59884 205 0 a b Fieldhouse Paul 17 April 2017 Food Feasts and Faith An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions 2 volumes ABC CLIO pp 187 190 ISBN 978 1 61069 412 4 Verma Manish 2013 Fasts and Festivals of India Diamond Pocket Books P Ltd pp 7 9 ISBN 978 81 7182 076 4 Ekadashi Dates amp Fast Breaking Times Parana for 2018 Ekadashi Katha Ekadashi Svarupa Darsana Ekadashi Svarupa Darsana Retrieved 30 May 2018 Goswami Danvir Das Kushakrita 2010 Sri Garga Samhita Rupanuga Vedic College Publishing Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami 1995 Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Nine The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust pp 85 170 ISBN 978 81 8957491 8 Indriya Indian philosophy Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 27 May 2023 N A 1950 The Skanda Purana Part 1 Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers pp 154 18 31 32 Indira Ekadashi 2019 Date Times Puja Vidhi Shubh Mahurat and all you need to know Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 27 December 2019 Rama Ekadashi 2019 आज ह रम एक दश ज न ए श भ म ह र त प ज व ध व रत कथ और महत व Rama Ekadashi 2019 Date Time Significance Auspicious Time Puja Vidhi Vrat Katha and Lakshmi Puja NDTVIndia Archived from the original on 23 October 2019 Retrieved 27 December 2019 References EditGangadharan N Agni Purana New Delhi Motilala Banarsidass 1985 Chapter 178 Iyer N P Subramania Kalaprakasika The standard book on the election mahoortha system with the original text in Devanagari and English translation New Delhi Asian Educational Services 1982 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ekadasi tithi About Ekadashi Vrat Ekadashi Vrat Vidhi Niyam and Vrat Bhojan List of all Ekadashi of this year 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ekadashi amp oldid 1175540870, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
