Ekadashi Vrat – Complete Guide For Modern Devotees

Ekadashi Vrat – Complete Guide For Modern Devotees

Ekadashi is one of the most important tithis dedicated to Lord Vishnu, observed twice every lunar month on the eleventh day of the waxing and waning moon. It is considered a powerful day for cleansing the mind, body and karma through fasting, prayer and charity.

On each Ekadashi, devotees avoid grains, focus on sattvik food, japa and simple living. Traditionally, it is believed that sincere Ekadashi upvas helps reduce past negative karma and strengthens bhakti towards Shri Hari.

Ekadashi types and dates

Every month has:

• Shukla Paksha Ekadashi (after Amavasya).
• Krishna Paksha Ekadashi (after Purnima).

You can check the exact dates and names for the current year (like Pausha Putrada, Shattila, Jaya, Nirjala, Dev Uthani, Mokshada etc.) from any reliable Hindu panchang for your city.

Spiritual significance

Ekadashi is seen as a vrata that trains the mind to rise above constant cravings and live with more awareness. Fasting, even in a light form, encourages discipline, while chanting Vishnu mantras and reading scriptures like the Gita fill the mind with positivity.
Many devotees also consider Ekadashi as a day to reset their lifestyle – dropping one bad habit, adding one good spiritual practice or consciously doing an act of service or charity

How to observe Ekadashi at home

A simple and practical Ekadashi routine:

• Wake up early, take bath, wear clean, light-coloured clothes.
• Clean your puja space and light a diya in front of Lord Vishnu or Krishna.
• Offer tulsi leaves, flowers, fruits and simple naivedya.
• Spend time in japa, bhajan, Gita reading or silent meditation.
• Keep the mind calm – avoid anger, harsh speech and excessive screen time.

You can choose your fasting level based on health:

• Nirjala (no food or water – only for very healthy devotees under proper guidance).
• Jal-only or fruit-only.
• Satvik one-time meal, avoiding grains and heavy fried food.

Small changes that make Ekadashi easier

To make Ekadashi more effortless for families with busy schedules:

• Pre-plan simple satvik recipes one day before.
• Keep your puja shelf stocked with ready-to-use essentials.
• Fix a specific time for family aarti or bhajan in the evening.

This way, Ekadashi becomes a beautiful monthly spiritual rhythm instead of a stressful obligation.

How OmBhakti products can support your Ekadashi

On Ekadashi, purity and simplicity matter a lot. OmBhakti products are created exactly for this purpose – to make your home puja easy, clean and sattvik.

You can use:

• OmBhakti Cotton Long Batti for deep, long-lasting diya light during your morning and evening aarti, so you don’t need to keep checking the lamp again and again.
• OmBhakti Ghee Batti (pre-soaked) if you want the glow and fragrance of ghee without the mess of pouring and storing it separately.
• OmBhakti Bhimseni Camphor for a pure, soothing camphor aarti that leaves no residue and fills the home with a clear, uplifting fragrance.
• OmBhakti Kumkum and Haldi, made only for puja use, to do tilak and sankalpa with full pavitrata.
• Pure Gangajal packed at Gangotri for abhishek and for sprinkling in your puja space.