Papamochani Ekadasi
Chaitra · Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa · Papamochani Ekadasi
Papamochani Ekadasi
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Break after sunrise (6:21 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
- Sat
- 21 Mar
- 5:38 PM
- Dvādaśī begins
- Sun
- 22 Mar
- 7:40 PM
- Hari Vāsara ends
- Sun
- 22 Mar
- 7:40 PM
- Pāraṇa window
- Mon
- 23 Mar
- 6:21 AM – 9:24 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 Papamochani Ekadasi
The destroyer of sin
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
- What is Papamochani Ekadasi?
- Papamochani Ekadasi is the ekādaśī tithi, the eleventh lunar day, of the waning fortnight (kṛṣṇa pakṣa) of Chaitra. Its name means "the destroyer of sin". Like every Ekadasi, it is observed by fasting and remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. The story and fruits (phalaśruti) of Papamochani are recorded in Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 46.
- When is Papamochani Ekadasi observed?
- Papamochani Ekadasi falls on the ekādaśī tithi of the waning fortnight of Chaitra (the Hindu lunar month). The exact Gregorian date varies each year because the lunar calendar drifts relative to the solar one. Smārta and Vaiṣṇava observers occasionally fast on different civil days when the tithi spans two sunrises, see the date above for the next occurrence.
- Who is worshipped on Papamochani Ekadasi?
- Papamochani Ekadasi, like all Ekadasis, is dedicated to Viṣṇu. Specific forms of worship vary by tradition: chanting Viṣṇu-sahasranāma, reading the corresponding chapter from Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 46, hearing the story, and remembering the divine names are all considered part of the observance.
- What is the spiritual fruit (phalaśruti) of observing Papamochani Ekadasi?
- The Purāṇic source declares that observing Papamochani Ekadasi yields: The fruit of giving a thousand cows; frees one even from the sins of killing a brāhmaṇa, snatching gold, drunkenness, and violating the preceptor's wife. Across all Ekadasis, the underlying claim is the same, the fast aligns the body, breath, and mind with the eleventh lunar day's particular quietness, and bestows merit equivalent to extensive austerities, charity, or pilgrimage.
- How is Papamochani Ekadasi observed?
- A complete observance begins the previous evening with a light, sattvic meal and continues into a fast on Ekadasi day. The fast can be nirjala (without water), phalāhāra (fruits and water), or a single sattvic meal, pick the level your health and discipline allow. Grains, pulses, onions, and garlic are universally avoided on Ekadasi. The fast is broken on Dvādaśī during the prescribed pāraṇa window listed on this page. The day is spent in remembrance, chanting, reading, hearing the Ekadasi story, and avoiding sleep during daylight where possible.
- What is the difference between Smārta and Vaiṣṇava observance of Papamochani Ekadasi?
- On most Ekadasis the two traditions fast on the same day. They diverge only in the rare atirikta case, when the Ekadasi tithi spans two consecutive sunrises. Smārtas fast on the first such day; Vaiṣṇavas wait until the next, preferring that Dvādaśī also touches sunrise. If Papamochani Ekadasi falls in such a fortnight in a given year, the two dates will appear on this page side by side.
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