Two Monthly Invitations
Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi of each lunar fortnight, appearing once during the waxing Moon and once during the waning Moon. Vaishnava traditions dedicate the day to Lord Vishnu through fasting, prayer, japa, and inward attention. When I, Pushpam Appalanaidu, observe Ekadashi, I see it not as a test of hunger but as an opportunity to reduce excess.
Different Ekadashis carry different names and associations. Vaikuntha Ekadashi recalls the longing for liberation; Nirjala Ekadashi is traditionally observed with exceptional austerity; Devshayani and Prabodhini Ekadashi mark significant points in the devotional calendar. Yet the number of names should not distract us from the shared purpose: restraining habit so that remembrance becomes stronger.
Fasting With Understanding
Families observe the fast differently. Some avoid grains and pulses, some take fruit, milk, nuts, or simple permitted foods, and others maintain only a lighter diet. The elderly, children, pregnant women, people with diabetes, those taking medication, and anyone with a medical condition should not undertake severe fasting without appropriate professional guidance. Devotion is never proved by harming the body.
Food is only one part of Ekadashi. We can also fast from anger, gossip, wasteful spending, constant entertainment, and careless speech. Time saved from preparation or distraction can be given to Vishnu Sahasranamam, the Bhagavad Gita, quiet service, or feeding someone after the observance.
The Divine Life Society describes Ekadashi as a day of fasting, prayer, and spiritual awakening. That combination matters. Hunger without remembrance can become irritation; prayer without self-restraint can remain comfortable theory. It turns restraint into attention and attention into service.
The fast is traditionally concluded at the prescribed time on Dwadashi, according to one’s lineage and local calendar. I, Pushpam Appalanaidu, believe Ekadashi is beneficial when less food, less noise, and less indulgence create more room for clarity, compassion, and the presence of Lord Vishnu.
