Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi

The Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi is observed on the ‘Krishna Paksha Ekadashi’ (11th day of the dark fortnight of moon) in the ‘Keshava’ month of the Vaishnava calendar. In the Hindu lunar calendar this ekadashi fasting is observed during the ‘Margashirsha’ month while in the English calendar the date corresponds to the months of November-December. The Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi is also referred as the ‘Utpatti Ekadashi’ and is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm all over India, especially in the northern regions. In the Indian states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh where Tamil calendar is followed, this ekadashi is observed during the ‘Kartik’ month.

According to the Hindu mythology, the day of Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi holds immense significance owing to the fact that it signifies the birth of Ekadashi Mata and the victory of Lord Vishnu over the demon named ‘Murasura’. It is also the first ekadashi observance of the 24 other ekadashis in the Hindu year. On the day of Utpanna Ekadashi, Vaishnavism followers also worship Ekadashi Mata together with Sri Hari Vishnu.

There is no Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi in 2024

Lord Vishnu

Rituals during Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi:

• On Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi keeping a fast to please Lord Vishnu is held very sacred for Hare Krishna followers. This pious vrat starts from the time of getting up on the ekadashi day until the dawn of the subsequent day, ‘dwadashi’ (12th day). While some devotees abstain from eating or drinking at all, some even keep the fast by eating fruits or dairy products. The fast is only broken after worshipping Lord Vishnu on the following day.
• The observer of the Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi engages oneself in spiritual practices and stay away from sinful thoughts and actions. The day is spent chanting Vedic mantras and they stay awake on the Ekadashi night and perform jagrans in honour of their deity.
• Devotees worship Lord Vishnu and Mata Ekadashi on Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi. They get up before sunrise and perform the puja during the ‘Brahma Muhurat’. Several offerings are made to Lord Vishnu like flowers, fruits, incense sticks and dhoop. Special ceremonies are organized in temples of Lord Vishnu all across the country, and devotees visit the temples during the evening. Reading ‘Vishnu Sahasranaam’, ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and other religious scriptures is believed to be highly rewarding on Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi.
• Offering charity is another important ritual of the day. It is considered very auspicious to donate food, clothes and money to the Brahmins on the day of Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi.

Significance of Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi:

The rituals and importance of Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi is mentioned in Hindu religious scriptures like ‘Bhavisyottara Purana’. It is believed that anyone who devotedly keeps the Utpanna Ekadashi vrat will be granted all the happiness in the materialistic world and eventually attain ‘moksha’ or salvation. The individual will also be pardoned for the sins committed during his/her current and past lives. The merits of observing the Vaishnava Utpanna Ekadashi vrat is same as taking bath in Hindu pilgrimages or offering charity to Brahmins on solar or lunar eclipse.