Aja Ekadasi
Bhādrapada · Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa · Aja Ekadasi
Aja Ekadasi
Wednesday, 15 August 2001
Break after sunrise (6:07 AM) with Caraṇāmṛta & Tulasī leaf before Dvādaśī ends.
Fresh fruits, milk, nuts, sabudana, water.
Grains, rice, wheat, dal, beans, onion, garlic.
View Astronomical Tithi Timings Table ▾
- Ekadasi tithi
- Tue
- 14 Aug
- 11:40 PM
- Dvādaśī begins
- Wed
- 15 Aug
- 9:41 PM
- Hari Vāsara ends
- Wed
- 15 Aug
- 9:41 PM
- Pāraṇa window
- Thu
- 16 Aug
- 6:07 AM – 9:15 AM
1. Pre-dawn sanctity: Breaking the fast while still dark invalidates the vrata. Always await local sunrise.
2. Dvādaśī adherence: The fast must be broken before Dvādaśī tithi elapses to retain spiritual fruit.
3. Sacred Order: Offer prayers to Lord Viṣṇu, sip sacred Caraṇāmṛta with Tulasī, then partake of light food.
The Legend of Aja Ekadasi
ಅನ್ನದಾ ಏಕಾದಶೀ, ಕಳೆದುಹೋದ ಭಾಗ್ಯದ ಪುನರುತ್ಥಾನ
Preserved across canonical scriptures to dissolve spiritual burdens, bestow clarity, and elevate consciousness.
Immerse in the complete unabridged dialogue, verses & audio.
Read Full Legend→Need guidance on observances? Read the canonical Ekādaśī Fasting Rules : what to eat, what to avoid, the three vrata intensities, and breaking rules (pāraṇa).
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Aja Ekadasi?
- Aja Ekadasi is the ekādaśī tithi, the eleventh lunar day, of the waning fortnight (kṛṣṇa pakṣa) of Bhādrapada. Its name signifies "the unborn". Like every Ekadasi, it is observed by fasting and remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. The sacred narrative and transcendental fruits (phalaśruti) of Aja are preserved in ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವೈವರ್ತ ಪುರಾಣ.
- When is Aja Ekadasi observed?
- Aja Ekadasi falls on the ekādaśī tithi of the waning fortnight of Bhādrapada in the Hindu lunar calendar. The exact Gregorian date varies each year because the lunar calendar shifts relative to the solar year. Smārta and Vaiṣṇava observers occasionally fast on different civil days when the tithi spans two sunrises; see the timings table above for your locality's exact window.
- Who is worshipped on Aja Ekadasi?
- Aja Ekadasi, like all Ekadasis, is dedicated to ಹೃಷೀಕೇಶ. Traditional devotional observances include chanting the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma, reading the corresponding chapter from ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವೈವರ್ತ ಪುರಾಣ, hearing the sacred katha, and meditating on the divine holy names.
- What is the spiritual fruit (phalaśruti) of observing Aja Ekadasi?
- Canonical scriptures declare that observing Aja Ekadasi bestows: ಸಮಸ್ತ ಸಂಕಟಗಳ ನಿವಾರಣೆ ಮತ್ತು ಪುನಃ ಸುಖ-ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿ.. Across all sacred Ekadasis, the fast purifies consciousness, dissolves karmic impressions, and elevates the soul toward spiritual liberation.
- How is Aja Ekadasi observed?
- A complete observance begins the prior evening (Daśamī) with a light sattvic meal, followed by a dedicated fast on Ekadasi day. Devotees may observe nirjala (without water), phalahāra (fruits, milk, and water), or a single sattvic meal according to physical capacity. Grains, rice, wheat, beans, onion, and garlic are strictly avoided. The fast concludes on Dvādaśī morning during the designated pāraṇa window with sacred Caraṇāmṛta and Tulasī.
- What is the difference between Smārta and Vaiṣṇava observance of Aja Ekadasi?
- On most occasions, both traditions observe the fast on the identical date. A variation occurs during an atirikta Ekādaśī when the tithi spans two consecutive sunrises. Smārtas fast on the first day (Viddhā), while Vaiṣṇavas observe the fast on the subsequent morning (Śuddhā), ensuring adherence to Dvādaśī touching sunrise.
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