Yoginī Ekādaśī
Purāṇic Glories & Sacred Lore · Āshāḍha · Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Revealing transcendental glories
King Yudhiṣṭhira
Seeking liberation for all beings
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय नमः
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
The Legend of Yoginī Ekādaśī
The sacred Purāṇic dialogue between Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and King Yudhiṣṭhira revealing the transcendental glories and vows of this holy vrata.
Liberation from accumulated sins and attainment of Viṣṇuloka.
The Healing Compassion of Sage Mārkaṇḍeya (Yoginī Ekādaśī)
King Yudhiṣṭhira inquired of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa:
“O Keśava! What is the name of the Ekādaśī that arrives in the dark fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha (June–July)? What are its healing virtues, and which deity is adored?”
Lord Kṛṣṇa answered with profound tenderness:
“O King! This holy day is known as Yoginī Ekādaśī. It possesses the extraordinary power to heal physical and emotional suffering, lift heavy curses, and restore peace to the body and soul. Listen to the moving story of Hemamālī the Yakṣa.”
Hemamālī and King Kubera
In the celestial city of Alakāpurī, on the slopes of Mount Kailāsa, ruled King Kubera, the treasurer of the gods. Kubera was deeply devoted to Lord Śiva and performed daily worship with fresh, dewy flowers from Lake Mānasa.
A young Yakṣa named Hemamālī was appointed as Kubera’s royal gardener. Hemamālī loved his beautiful wife Viśālākṣī with all his heart. One morning, after gathering the fresh flowers for Kubera’s pūjā, Hemamālī returned home for a brief moment. Lost in loving conversation with his wife, hours slipped away unnoticed, and he forgot all about his morning service to the king.
At the palace, King Kubera waited at the altar, but the flowers never arrived. When he learned why the gardener was late, Kubera was seized with sudden anger and cursed him: ‘Because you neglected your sacred duty in selfish pleasure, be cast down to earth, separated from your wife, and afflicted with a terrible disease!’
The Wandering Gardener
In an instant, Hemamālī fell from the celestial heights down to the earthly realm. His divine beauty was stripped away, and his body was covered in painful white leprosy. His joints ached day and night, and he wandered through thorny forests with no shelter, weeping for his lost wife and cursing his own negligence.
Yet, because he had spent years gathering flowers for Lord Śiva, the latent merit of his past service kept a spark of faith alive in his heart. He never lost hope in divine mercy.
The Hermitage of Sage Mārkaṇḍeya
After years of wandering in agony, Hemamālī reached the foothills of the Himalayas and entered the peaceful ashram of the immortal Sage Mārkaṇḍeya—the sage who conquered death through devotion to Lord Śiva.
Hemamālī fell prostrate in the dust before the sage, trembling and weeping:
‘O compassionate father! I am a fallen soul, burning with disease and separated from all I love. My body is broken by my own past mistake. Is there any mercy for someone like me?’
Sage Mārkaṇḍeya looked upon the suffering Yakṣa with deep parental compassion. He gently said:
‘Do not despair, my son. True repentance opens the doorway to grace. In the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha arrives Yoginī Ekādaśī. Fast on that day with complete devotion, keep a loving vigil through the night, and pray to Lord Nārāyaṇa. His healing touch will dissolve your illness and restore your divine form.‘
Healing and Joyous Reunion
Hemamālī observed Yoginī Ekādaśī with tears of pure devotion, fasting completely and spending the night in prayer. As the golden dawn of Dvādaśī broke, a miracle unfolded!
All traces of disease vanished from his body. His skin became radiant, fragrant, and glowing with celestial youth. Clothed in heavenly robes, he boarded a divine chariot, thanked Sage Mārkaṇḍeya with overflowing tears, and ascended back to Alakāpurī, joyfully reunited with his beloved wife.
How to Observe Yogini Ekādaśī
- Prayers for Health & Healing: Begin the morning with a prayer for healing of body, mind, and spirit for yourself and loved ones.
- Worship of Lord Nārāyaṇa: Offer fresh flowers, incense, a lighted lamp, and tulasī leaves.
- Gentle Fasting: Observe a peaceful fast suited to your health.
- Night Vigil: Spend the evening chanting Oṁ Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya or the Mahā-mṛtyuñjaya Mantra.
- Dvādaśī Pāraṇā: Next morning on Dvādaśī, offer food and charity to the needy, and break your fast within the designated window.
Source: Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 52, ‘Yoginī Ekādaśī Mahātmyam’. Translated and retold in classical devotional prose for contemplation and daily observance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Yogini Ekadasi?
- Yogini Ekadasi is the ekādaśī tithi, the eleventh lunar day, of the waning fortnight (kṛṣṇa pakṣa) of Āshāḍha. Its name signifies "the yogic one". Like every Ekadasi, it is observed by fasting and remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. The sacred narrative and transcendental fruits (phalaśruti) of Yogini are preserved in Purāṇas.
- When is Yogini Ekadasi observed?
- Yogini Ekadasi falls on the ekādaśī tithi of the waning fortnight of Āshāḍha 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 Yogini Ekadasi?
- Yogini Ekadasi, like all Ekadasis, is dedicated to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa / Mahāviṣṇu. Traditional devotional observances include chanting the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma, reading the corresponding chapter from Purāṇas, hearing the sacred katha, and meditating on the divine holy names.
- What is the spiritual fruit (phalaśruti) of observing Yogini Ekadasi?
- Canonical scriptures declare that observing Yogini Ekadasi bestows: Liberation from accumulated sins and attainment of Viṣṇuloka.. Across all sacred Ekadasis, the fast purifies consciousness, dissolves karmic impressions, and elevates the soul toward spiritual liberation.
- How is Yogini 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 Yogini 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.