Ekadashi

(eleventh day) Hindu religious life is
primarily based on the lunar calendar,
in which the year contains twelve lunar
months, each of which is divided
equally into “dark” (waning) and
“bright” (waxing) halves. Ekadashi is
the name of the eleventh day in both
the waning and the waxing half of the
lunar month. Certain days during each
half of the lunar cycle are deemed
sacred to particular gods and goddesses, and these are days for special worship. The ekadashi or eleventh day in
each half of the lunar month is deemed
sacred to the god Vishnu. With one
exception, each of the twenty-four
ekadashis has a separate name, charter
myth, prescribed rites, and promised
result for fulfilling it. Pious Vaishnavas
observe each of these twenty-four festival days. In their order of occurrence
throughout the year, the ekadashis are:
Papamochani Ekadashi and Kamada
Ekadashi during the lunar month of
Chaitra, Baruthani Ekadashi and
Mohini Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Baisakh, Achala Ekadashi
and Nirjala Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Jyeshth, Yogini Ekadashi and
Devshayani Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Ashadh, Kamika Ekadashi
and Putrada Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Shravan, Aja Ekadashi and
Parivartini Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Bhadrapada, Indira Ekadashi
and Papankusha Ekadashi during the
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Eighteen Minor Works
lunar month of Ashvin, Rambha
Ekadashi and Devotthayan Ekadashi
during the lunar month of Kartik,
Utpanna Ekadashi and Mokshada
Ekadashi during the lunar month of
Margashirsha, Saphala Ekadashi and
Putrada Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Paush, Shattila Ekadashi and
Jaya Ekadashi during the lunar month
of Magh, and Vijaya Ekadashi and
Amalaki Ekadashi during the lunar
month of Phalgun. Of these ekadashis,
some are more important to the general
populace than others, particularly
Devshayani and Devotthayan Ekadashis,
which mark the rainy season “sleep” of
Vishnu during the chaturmas period. The
only ekadashi to appear twice is Putrada
(“son-giving”) Ekadashi. This promises
that faithful observance will bring the
birth of a son, and its reappearance clearly points to the traditional preference for
sons over daughters.