Indira Ekadashi 2026 falls on Tuesday, 6 October. Devotees break the fast on Wednesday, 7 October, between about 6:25 AM and 8:45 AM IST. Sunrise differs from city to city, so the parana time shifts too. Check a panchang for your own city.
Why does Indira Ekadashi ask you to fast for someone else? Most Ekadashi vrats belong to the person who fasts. Indira Ekadashi works differently.
The katha begins with a king who has everything: a strong kingdom, sons, grandsons and wealth. Then Devarshi Narada arrives with a message from the king’s father in Yama Loka. The father asks for one thing. He wants his son to keep the Indira Ekadashi fast.
Devotees still keep this vrat each year in Ashwin Krishna Paksha. Many keep it for their ancestors.
| Detail | Information |
| Fasting date | Tuesday, 6 October 2026 |
| Ekadashi tithi begins | About 2:07 AM IST, 6 October |
| Ekadashi tithi ends | About 12:34 AM IST, 7 October |
| Parana date | Wednesday, 7 October 2026 |
| Parana window (Ujjain, IST) | 6:24 AM to 8:44 AM |
| Hindu month | Ashwin Krishna Paksha (Purnimanta calendar); Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha (Amanta calendar) |
| Presiding Deity | Lord Vishnu, with Lord Shaligram worship |
| Pitru Paksha | Ends on 10 October 2026 with Sarva Pitru Amavasya |
| Next Ekadashi | Papankusha Ekadashi, 22 October 2026 |
The fast falls on 6 October because the Ekadashi tithi holds at sunrise that day. Tradition gives priority to the tithi present at sunrise. The tithi begins at about 2:07 AM IST on 6 October. It ends at about 12:34 AM IST on 7 October. Dwadashi then begins, and the parana window opens after sunrise on 7 October.
Sources differ by a few minutes. One calendar gives 6:24 AM to 8:44 AM for Ujjain. Another lists 6:26 AM to 8:49 AM. So always verify your own city’s panchang for the exact window.
For example Parana time in other cities
| City | Parana window on 7 October |
| Ujjain (IST) | 6:24 AM to 8:44 AM |
| Houston (local time) | 7:18 AM to 9:39 AM |
| Dubai (GST) | 6:14 AM to 8:35 AM |
Lord Vishnu is the presiding deity of Indira Ekadashi. Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, Chapter 58 describes the Ekadashi fast as dedicated to him.
The katha adds a specific form. Narada tells the king to set up an idol of Lord Shaligram. Many devotees worship Vishnu in the form of a Shaligram stone.
Three other figures shape the story. Krishna narrates it to Arjuna. Devarshi Narada carries the message. Yamaraja, the lord of the dead, presides over the assembly where Narada sees the king’s father.
Indira Ekadashi falls inside Pitru Paksha, the fortnight when Hindus remember their ancestors. In 2026, Pitru Paksha ends on 10 October. Calendars give 26 or 27 September as the start.
In the katha, Shri Krishna tells Arjuna that this fast cleanses sins. He adds that it frees ancestors who have descended into hell. Although that is a traditional belief, not a verifiable fact.
Two observances share this week, and people often confuse them. Indira Ekadashi is a Lord Vishnu vrat. Devotees fast, worship Lord Vishnu and hear the katha. Ekadashi Shraddha is a Pitru Paksha ritual. Families perform it for ancestors who died on an Ekadashi tithi. People also call it Gyaras Shraddha.
Listed dates for Ekadashi Shraddha differ. A Drik Panchang listing for a US city shows 5 October. Another calendar lists 7 October. Shraddha rules look at the Aparahna period in your city, so ask your family Pandit/priest to confirm.
The sources name three intentions. The katha says the fast frees ancestors who have descended into hell. Prokerala says Hindus also keep it to seek forgiveness for past wrong deeds. It adds that devoted worshippers of Lord Vishnu seek his love and affection.
Important Note: These are religious beliefs. They are not medical, financial or scientific promises. The vrat does not cure illness or guarantee any outcome.
This retelling follows the Padma Purana, Uttara-Khanda, Chapter 58. Krishna narrates the story to Yudhishthira. The retelling paraphrases the Deshpande translation..
Arjuna asks Lord Krishna about the Ekadashi of Ashwin Krishna Paksha. Krishna names it Indira Ekadashi and tells the story of King Indrasena. Indrasena rules the city of Mahishmati in Satya Yuga. He has sons, grandsons and wealth, and his enemies fear him. One day, Narada Muni visits the court. The king rises, honors the sage and offers him a seat of honor.
Narada then shares what he saw on a journey from Brahmaloka. He saw the king’s father in the assembly of Yamaraja. The father was wise, generous and pious. A broken Ekadashi fast had brought him to Yama Loka.
The father sends a message through Narada. He asks Indrasena to keep Indira Ekadashi in Ashwin Krishna Paksha and to give him the merit. That merit will free him for heaven. Indrasena feels deep sorrow and asks Narada for the full method. Narada explains every step and then vanishes.
When Indira Ekadashi arrives, the king keeps the fast with his relatives. Flowers fall from the sky. His father leaves Yama Loka on a chariot and rises to heaven. The katha says Indrasena also reaches heaven at the end of his life.
Krishna closes by telling Arjuna that reading or hearing this story absolves sins. That is a traditional belief.
Devotees read the story as a lesson in duty to ancestors. They also read it as a lesson in keeping a vow fully once they take it. Those readings are interpretation. The text itself only describes the events.
सतयुग में इन्द्रसेन नाम के एक धर्मपरायण राजा हुआ करते थे। वे माहिष्मती नगरी के राजा थे और अपनी प्रजा का पालन न्याय और धर्मपूर्वक करते थे। राजा इन्द्रसेन का यश चारों दिशाओं में फैला हुआ था। वे भगवान विष्णु के परम भक्त थे और अपना समय गोविंद के मोक्षदायक नामों का जप करने तथा आध्यात्मिक चिंतन में व्यतीत करते थे।
एक दिन राजा इन्द्रसेन अपनी राजसभा में सुखपूर्वक बैठे थे। तभी देवर्षि नारद आकाश मार्ग से वहां पहुंचे। देवर्षि को आया देखकर राजा तुरंत अपने आसन से उठे और हाथ जोड़कर उनका स्वागत किया। उन्होंने विधिपूर्वक उनका पूजन किया और उन्हें सम्मानपूर्वक आसन पर बैठाया।
इसके बाद राजा ने कहा, “हे मुनिश्रेष्ठ! आपकी कृपा से मेरे राज्य में सब कुशल है। आज आपके दर्शन से मेरे सभी यज्ञ और धार्मिक कार्य सफल हो गए। हे देवर्षि, कृपा करके अपने यहां आने का कारण बताएं और मुझे अपना आशीर्वाद दें।”
राजा की बात सुनकर नारद मुनि ने कहा, “हे नृपश्रेष्ठ! मैं तुम्हें एक ऐसी बात बताने आया हूं जिसे सुनकर तुम्हें आश्चर्य होगा। मैं ब्रह्मलोक से यमलोक गया था। वहां यमराज ने मेरा विधिपूर्वक सत्कार किया और मुझे सम्मानपूर्वक अपने आसन पर बैठाया। उसी समय मैंने तुम्हारे पिता को भी यमराज की सभा में देखा।”
नारद जी ने आगे कहा, “तुम्हारे पिता व्रत भंग के दोष के कारण वहां पहुंचे हैं। उन्होंने तुम्हारे लिए एक संदेश भेजा है। उन्होंने कहा है, ‘पुत्र, मुझे इंदिरा एकादशी व्रत से प्राप्त पुण्य प्रदान करो, ताकि मैं स्वर्गलोक को प्राप्त कर सकूं।’ इसी संदेश को लेकर मैं तुम्हारे पास आया हूं।”
फिर नारद मुनि ने राजा इन्द्रसेन से कहा, “हे राजन, अपने पिता को स्वर्गलोक की प्राप्ति कराने के लिए तुम श्रद्धापूर्वक इंदिरा एकादशी का व्रत करो और इसके पुण्य का फल उन्हें अर्पित करो।”
राजा इन्द्रसेन ने विनम्रता से पूछा, “हे भगवन! कृपा करके मुझे इंदिरा एकादशी व्रत की विधि बताइए। यह व्रत किस पक्ष और किस तिथि को करना चाहिए और इसकी उचित विधि क्या है?”
नारद मुनि ने कहा, “हे राजन, अब मैं तुम्हें इस कल्याणकारी व्रत की विधि बताता हूं। ध्यानपूर्वक सुनो।”
आश्विन मास के कृष्ण पक्ष की दशमी तिथि को श्रद्धापूर्वक प्रातःकाल स्नान करना चाहिए। इसके बाद मध्याह्न में दोबारा स्नान करके एक समय भोजन करना चाहिए और रात में भूमि पर सोना चाहिए।
अगली सुबह, एकादशी तिथि पर दातुन करके मुख को स्वच्छ करना चाहिए। इसके बाद भक्तिभाव से उपवास का संकल्प लेना चाहिए और भगवान विष्णु से प्रार्थना करनी चाहिए:
“अद्य स्थित्वा निराहारः सर्वभोगविवर्जितः।
श्वो भोक्ष्ये पुण्डरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाच्युत॥”
इसका भावार्थ है:
“हे कमलनयन भगवान नारायण! आज मैं सभी भोगों का त्याग करके निराहार रहूंगा और कल भोजन करूंगा। हे अच्युत, आप मुझे अपनी शरण में स्वीकार करें।”
इस प्रकार उपवास का संकल्प लेने के बाद मध्याह्न में पितरों की प्रसन्नता के लिए शालिग्राम शिला के समक्ष विधिपूर्वक श्राद्ध करना चाहिए। इसके बाद दक्षिणा देकर ब्राह्मणों का सत्कार करना और उन्हें भोजन कराना चाहिए।
पितरों को अर्पित किए गए पिंड को विधि के अनुसार गाय को अर्पित करना चाहिए। इसके बाद धूप, गंध और अन्य पूजन सामग्री से भगवान हृषीकेश, अर्थात भगवान विष्णु, की पूजा करनी चाहिए। रात में भगवान के समीप जागरण करते हुए भक्ति और स्मरण में समय बिताना चाहिए।
अगली सुबह द्वादशी तिथि पर फिर से श्रद्धापूर्वक श्रीहरि की पूजा करनी चाहिए। इसके बाद ब्राह्मणों को भोजन कराकर उनका सम्मान करना चाहिए। फिर भाई-बांधवों, पुत्रों और परिवार के अन्य सदस्यों के साथ मौन रहकर स्वयं भोजन करना चाहिए।
नारद मुनि ने राजा इन्द्रसेन से कहा, “हे राजन! तुम भी बिना किसी आलस्य के इसी विधि से इंदिरा एकादशी का व्रत करो। इस व्रत के पुण्य से तुम्हारे पितर भगवान विष्णु के वैकुंठ धाम को प्राप्त होंगे।”
राजा इन्द्रसेन को यह विधि बताने के बाद देवर्षि नारद वहां से अंतर्धान हो गए।
इसके बाद राजा इन्द्रसेन ने नारद मुनि द्वारा बताई गई विधि के अनुसार अपनी रानियों, पुत्रों और सेवकों सहित इंदिरा एकादशी का व्रत किया। जब व्रत पूर्ण हुआ, तब आकाश से फूलों की वर्षा होने लगी।
कथा के अनुसार, राजा इन्द्रसेन के पिता गरुड़ पर आरूढ़ होकर श्रीहरि के धाम को चले गए। राजा इन्द्रसेन ने भी लंबे समय तक निष्कंटक राज्य का पालन किया। बाद में उन्होंने अपने पुत्र को राज्य सौंप दिया और स्वयं स्वर्गलोक को प्राप्त हुए।
इस प्रकार भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने राजा युधिष्ठिर को इंदिरा एकादशी व्रत का माहात्म्य और इसकी कथा सुनाई। मान्यता के अनुसार, जो व्यक्ति श्रद्धापूर्वक इस कथा को पढ़ता या सुनता है, वह अपने पापों से मुक्त होता है।
Chapter 58 gives Narada’s instructions in verses 20 to 31. The steps below follow them. Families today follow simpler versions, and customs differ by region.
Bathe in the morning with a devout mind. Bathe again at midday. Perform Shraddha with faith to gratify the ancestors. Eat once and sleep on the ground at night.
In the morning, worship Vishnu again. Perform Shraddha for the ancestors. The text lists wheat flour, barley, rice, sesame, beans and grams as Shraddha offerings. Honor brahmanas with gifts. Then eat, staying controlled in speech, with your blood relatives.
The Padma Purana chapter gives no list of mantras. It gives the words of the sankalpa. Devotees draw Vishnu mantras from other texts.
| Mantra or text | Source | Use |
| Vow of fasting and refuge in Vishnu | Padma Purana, Uttara-Khanda 58 | Spoken at the sankalpa on Ekadashi dawn |
| Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya | Bhagavata Purana 4.8.54 | Twelve-syllable mantra for Vishnu worship |
| Vishnu Sahasranama | Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva, Chapter 149 | Thousand names of Vishnu, recited on Ekadashi |
In the Bhagavata Purana, Narada gives this twelve-syllable mantra to the boy Dhruva. The verse pairs it with worship of the Lord using offerings that suit place and time.
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ।
Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
Many devotees count repetitions on a tulsi mala. That is a custom. Ask your priest to teach you the pronunciation.
The Padma Purana chapter asks for a fast without food and pleasures from Ekadashi dawn. The Narada Purana, Chapter 120, opens its Ekadashi rules with the same instruction. The devotee must desist from food on the eleventh day. Tradition also avoids grains, including rice, on Ekadashi as per Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Krishna Janma Khanda, Chapter 26.
Households choose a level. Some fast on water alone. Some take fruit and milk. Others eat one grain-free meal before sunset. These are customs, and the texts cited here do not grade them.
Common grain-free foods include fruit, milk products, sabudana, potato and groundnuts. Families differ on kuttu (buckwheat) and samak rice.
Fast according to your health. Take fruit or a grain-free sattvic diet if a strict fast is not possible. Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with medical conditions should not force a strict fast. Fasting does not replace medical advice, so ask your doctor if you have doubts.
The Padma Purana chapter gives no remedy for this. Ask your family priest for guidance.
Parana means breaking the fast. Chapter 58 places it on Dwadashi morning. The devotee first worships Vishnu, performs Shraddha and honors brahmanas with daan. Then the devotee eats with family.
Panchang tradition adds timing rules. Break the fast after sunrise on Dwadashi. Wait until Hari Vasara ends. Hari Vasara is the first quarter of Dwadashi. Your city’s panchang lists the exact Hari Vasara end and parana window.
Chapter 58 of Padma Purana mentions giving in two places. The devotee honors brahmanas with Daan and dakshina on Dwadashi. The devotee also shares a meal with kinsmen.
| Category | Examples | Basis |
| Food items | A meal for brahmanas and kinsmen | Padma Purana 58 |
| Gifts to brahmanas | Gifts and dakshina | Padma Purana 58 |
| Clothing | New or clean clothes | Family custom |
| Money and benefaction | Dakshina, support for a temple or cause | Family custom |
| Religious items | Scriptures and puja items | Family custom |
| Shelter and support | Food or essentials for people in need | Family custom |
| Cows and animal care | Food or fodder for a cow | Family custom |
The chapter names none of the custom rows. Families add them from wider daan traditions. So, of course give what you can afford.
Chapter 58 also names Shraddha on Dashami and Dwadashi. Tarpan and pind daan belong to wider Shraddha custom dos and don’ts. Tarpan offers water mixed with black sesame seeds. Pind daan offers cooked rice balls. Practice varies by region and family, so your priest can guide you.
Fast on 6 October. On Dwadashi, worship Vishnu, perform Shraddha and honor brahmanas. Break the fast on 7 October within the parana window. The Padma Purana promises relief to ancestors and freedom from sin. Those are religious beliefs, not verifiable facts. Fast within your health limits, and confirm local timings before you begin.
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Yes. A Nirjala fast is not the only way to observe Indira Ekadashi. If fasting without food or water is difficult, devotees traditionally choose alternatives such as fruits, milk, or a sattvic, grain-free meal. The level of fasting can vary according to health, age, family tradition, and personal capacity.
Traditional Ekadashi fasting generally focuses on abstaining from regular meals and grains rather than prescribing tea or coffee as part of the vrata. However, practices differ between families. If you are following a strict Ekadashi fast, follow the rules prescribed by your family tradition or priest rather than assuming that every commonly consumed drink is permitted.
Yes. Fruit is commonly included in lighter forms of Ekadashi fasting. Devotees who cannot observe a complete fast may consume fruits and other foods permitted by their family tradition while avoiding grains and other restricted foods.
Traditional observance described in the Padma Purana calls for staying awake during the night in devotion to Lord Vishnu. This practice is known as jagran. However, devotees who cannot remain awake for the entire night may follow a more practical observance according to their health and family tradition.
Do not force a strict fast when it could affect your health. You can follow a lighter form of fasting, such as consuming suitable fruits or a grain-free sattvic diet, according to your health needs. People with medical conditions, older adults, children, and pregnant women should seek appropriate medical advice before undertaking a restrictive fast.
Yes. Indira Ekadashi is not restricted to married people. An unmarried devotee can observe the vrata with devotion, worship Lord Vishnu, listen to or read the vrat katha, and follow the fasting and ritual practices appropriate to their family tradition.
Yes. The traditional story of Indira Ekadashi specifically connects the vrata with King Indrasena’s father and the offering of the vrata’s merit for his spiritual benefit. The Padma Purana’s account also includes Shraddha for the ancestors as part of the observance. This is why many devotees associate Indira Ekadashi with remembrance and religious duties toward ancestors.
No. Indira Ekadashi and Ekadashi Shraddha are different observances. Indira Ekadashi is a Vishnu-centered Ekadashi vrata observed during Ashwin Krishna Paksha. Ekadashi Shraddha is a Pitru Paksha Shraddha performed for a deceased person whose death anniversary falls on an Ekadashi tithi. Their dates and rituals can therefore differ.
Yes. Indira Ekadashi can be observed at home. The traditional account describes worship of Lord Vishnu and Shaligram, along with Shraddha for the ancestors. Families may follow simpler home-based rituals according to their regional and family traditions, while the specific rites can be confirmed with a family priest.
The Padma Purana’s Indira Ekadashi chapter does not prescribe a specific remedy for accidentally breaking the fast. If this happens, devotees can continue the observance with sincerity and seek guidance from their family priest about any traditional corrective practice. It is better not to invent a “purification remedy” and attribute it to scripture when the cited text does not actually prescribe one.
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