Mohini Ekadashi

Significance

Mohini Ekadashi falls on Vaishakha Shukla Ekadashi — the eleventh day of the waxing fortnight of Vaishakha. It is observed in honour of Vishnu, and like all Ekadashi vratas it belongs to the lunar calendar rather than the solar one, so its Gregorian date shifts from year to year. The dates for this year and the next two are computed from the panchang and listed on this page.

The name recalls the Mohini form of Vishnu. In the traditional telling, the devas and asuras churned the ocean of milk for amrita, and Vishnu took the form of Mohini to settle the distribution of the nectar. The day is read as a reminder that Vishnu's grace, not force, restores balance — and the vrata is kept with that spirit rather than with any expectation of a particular result.

Because Ekadashi tithi is calculated from the moon's movement, the day of observance can differ between regions and between amanta and purnimanta reckoning. Smarta and Vaishnava households may also differ on which day they keep. Where traditions differ, follow the practice of your own family or sampradaya, or consult a qualified jyotishi for your chart and location.

Vrat vidhi step by step

The vidhi below is the common outline. Details vary by household, so treat it as a frame rather than a fixed rule.

• Sankalpa: Begin with a resolve to keep the fast, stating the purpose in your own words. A simple sankalpa is enough.
• Snana and puja: Bathe, then set up a clean place of worship. Offer flowers, tulsi where it is customary, and a lamp before Vishnu.
• Japa and listening: Many devotees recite Vishnu's names or listen to the Ekadashi katha. Reading the katha aloud is a common family practice.
• Fast from grains: The core observance is fasting from grains.
• Jagaran: Some keep vigil through the night with bhajan or japa; others keep a quiet evening and rest. Both are accepted in practice.
• Parana: Break the fast the next morning after sunrise, within Dwadashi.

If you are new to Ekadashi, keep the day simple and consistent rather than elaborate. A steady, modest observance held with attention is the traditional emphasis.

What to eat and avoid

The brief is specific: fast from grains. What replaces them is where families differ widely, and there is no single pan-India rule.

• Avoid: grains, including rice, wheat and their preparations.
• Commonly taken: fruits, milk, curd, and in many homes sabudana, makhana, singhara and rajgira — but whether these are taken, and in what combination, follows family and regional custom.
• Some devotees keep a stricter fast on water or fruit alone; others take one simple meal. Both are documented practices.
• Onion, garlic and similar items are avoided in many households on Ekadashi; again, this is customary rather than uniform.

If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take regular medication, speak to a doctor before fasting and adapt the observance accordingly. The tradition allows for this, and no one should fast against medical advice.

Parana rules

Parana is the breaking of the fast. The rule given here is straightforward: parana next morning after sunrise, within Dwadashi.

Two points follow from that. First, the fast is not broken at midnight or at will — it is broken the following morning, after sunrise. Second, the window closes with Dwadashi tithi, so the parana should be completed before Dwadashi ends. Because tithi timings move, the exact window for a given year is best checked against the panchang for your location; the dates on this page are drawn from the database, and a local panchang will give the precise sunrise and tithi end.

Where a household follows a different reckoning — for instance, a Vaishnava practice that shifts the day — the parana moves with it. Follow your own tradition's timing.

Katha in brief

The katha associated with Mohini Ekadashi centres on the churning of the ocean and Vishnu's Mohini form. The devas and asuras cooperated to churn the ocean for amrita, and when the nectar appeared, the question of who would receive it became a contest. Vishnu appeared as Mohini, and the distribution of the amrita was settled through that form rather than through conflict.

The story is told on Ekadashi as a teaching about restraint and about Vishnu's role as the one who restores order. Different regions tell it with different emphases, and some families read a longer version from a puranic source while others keep to a short telling. Either is in keeping with the day.

For personal guidance on vrata practice, timing and your own chart, consult a qualified jyotishi.