Ekadashi Vrat Katha — The Story Behind the Fast

Ekadashi, the eleventh day of each lunar fortnight, is one of the most widely observed fasting days in the Hindu calendar. According to the Padma Purana, the story of Ekadashi begins with a fierce demon named Mura, who terrorized the heavens until Lord Vishnu manifested a divine female form from his own being to defeat him. This form was named Ekadashi, and pleased with her valor, Vishnu granted her a boon: that all who fast and worship him on this day would be freed from their sins.

Devotees who observe Ekadashi typically avoid grains and certain foods, spending the day in prayer, reading scripture, and quiet reflection. The fast is broken the following morning, on Dwadashi, after appropriate rituals.

Each month's Ekadashi carries its own name and associated story — from Nirjala Ekadashi in the peak of summer to Devshayani Ekadashi, which marks the beginning of Chaturmas. Across all of them, the underlying theme remains the same: discipline of the body in service of clarity of the mind.