Overview
Ekadashi (Sanskrit: एकादशी, Ēkādaśī, meaning 'the eleventh day') is the eleventh lunar day (tithi) of each of the two fortnights in a month of the Vedic calendar — the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). It thus occurs twice in a lunar month and holds an important place in the religious calendar followed within Sanatana Dharma.
The observance is particularly significant within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions of Hinduism, in which devotees offer worship to the god Vishnu. Ekadashi is associated with fasting, prayer and reflection, with the stated aim of cultivating self-discipline, gaining control over the mind and the senses, and directing one's attention towards spiritual progress. Some devotees observe the fast in a strictly literal manner, while others follow it symbolically.
The Ekadashi fast is traditionally described as spanning three days. On the preceding day (Dashami), devotees take a single meal in the afternoon so that no residual food remains in the body the following day. On Ekadashi itself, a strict observance involves abstention from food and water. The fast is broken on the next day (Dwadashi), after sunrise. As such a stringent observance is not feasible for everyone, a more liberal form of fasting is widely practised, and devotees are free to choose an approach that suits their health, lifestyle and spiritual aims.
Several recognised modes of observance exist. In Nirjala, devotees fast completely, without even water. In Jalahar, only water is consumed. Ksheerbhoji permits milk and milk products, while Phalahari allows only fruits. In Naktabhoji, the devotee takes a single meal during the day. Beyond its devotional dimension, fasting on Ekadashi is also believed by adherents to confer benefits to physical well-being, although the principal emphasis in the tradition remains on spiritual discipline and devotion to Vishnu.
References
Adapted from the English W