Papankusha Ekadasi

Frequently asked

What is Papankusha Ekadasi?

Papankusha Ekadasi is the ekādaśī tithi, the eleventh lunar day, of the waxing fortnight (śukla pakṣa) of Āśvina. Its name means "the goad upon sin". Like every Ekadasi, it is observed by fasting and remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. The story and fruits (phalaśruti) of Papankusha are recorded in Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 59.

When is Papankusha Ekadasi observed?

Papankusha Ekadasi falls on the ekādaśī tithi of the waxing fortnight of Āśvina (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 Papankusha Ekadasi?

Papankusha Ekadasi, like all Ekadasis, is dedicated to Viṣṇu (as Padmanābha). Specific forms of worship vary by tradition: chanting Viṣṇu-sahasranāma, reading the corresponding chapter from Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 59, hearing the story, and remembering the divine names are all considered part of the observance.

What is the spiritual fruit (phalaśruti) of observing Papankusha Ekadasi?

The Purāṇic source declares that observing Papankusha Ekadasi yields: Frees thirty ancestors, ten on the mother's side, ten on the father's, ten on the wife's; greater than a thousand horse-sacrifices. 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 Papankusha 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 Papankusha 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 Papankusha Ekadasi falls in such a fortnight in a given year, the two dates will appear on this page side by side.