The Significance of Ekadashi Vrat

Ekadashi falls on the eleventh day of each of the two lunar fortnights (waxing and waning) every month, making it one of the most frequently observed vrats (fasting days) in the Hindu calendar. It is dedicated to Vishnu, and observant devotees fast partially or fully, spend the day in prayer and reading of scripture, and break the fast (parana) the following morning at a prescribed time. Each of the twenty-four Ekadashis through the year has its own name and an associated katha explaining its origin and the merit of observing it, drawn from texts like the Padma Purana and Skanda Purana. The practice is understood as a way of purifying the body and mind, cultivating discipline, and turning attention toward the divine.