What is Nirjala Ekadashi? Benefits of Nirjala Ekadashi Fasting
Nirjala Ekadashi has the highest importance among all the 24 Ekadashis. Do you know why people call Nirjala Ekadashi? 'Nirjala' means not drinking water and fasting for the whole day. This fast was done by Bhima and due to this, the Pandavas won the war of Mahabharata. This Ekadashi was performed by Bhima, hence its other name was 'Bhimseni Ekadashi'. Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadi used to fast on Ekadashi regularly, but Bhima could not fast, again and again, so Maharshi Vyas requested Bhima to observe Nirjala Ekadashi fast. The person observing the fast should not take water or fruits.
It is believed that observing Nirjala Ekadashi fast gives the same results as all the 24 Ekadashi fasts of the year. By observing Ekadashi, a person gets the same virtue as bathing in pilgrimages. By doing this Ekadashi, a person gets the same result as making all kinds of donations. This Ekadashi is the giver of wealth, food, life, son, health, victory, etc.
India is called a country of different religions and people of different religions live there so it is called unity in diversity. Nirjala Ekadashi has great importance in Hinduism. Now let us tell you when Nirjala Ekadashi comes in a year. The fast of Nirjala Ekadashi falls on the Ekadashi date of Shukla Paksha of Jyeshtha month. Fasting on Nirjala Ekadashi leads to salvation and longevity. It is important to worship Lord Vishnu while observing Nirjala fast on this day.
Nirjala Ekadashi 2024 Muhurat
Nirjala Ekadashi on Tuesday, June 18, 2024
On 19th June, Parana (breaking of fast) time тАУ 05:24 AM to 07:28 AM
Dwadashi ending time on Paran Tithi - 07:28 AM
Ekadashi Tithi Starts - June 17, 2024, at 04:43 AM
Ekadashi Tithi Ends - June 18, 2024, at 06:24 AM
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How do you fast Nirjala Ekadashi?
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On Ekadashi, wake up before sunrise and take bath. If possible, wear yellow clothes after bath and it is necessary to worship the sun. That is, even water should not be drunk. Donating water by a person observing a fast is considered virtuous. Then worship Lord Vishnu with flowers, turmeric, sandalwood, Panchamrit, and Tulsi leaves. Those who cannot fast without water can have fruit and lemonade. One can chant and worship the mantras of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi on the day of Ekadashi. It will bring immense peace and happiness to your life. In Nirjala Ekadashi, it is important not to drink water from the sunrise of Ekadashi till the sunrise of Dwadashi, that is why it is called Nirjala Ekadashi.
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Nirjala Ekadashi Benefits
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Nirjala Ekadashi has special importance in Hinduism. It is known as Hard Ekadashi. It is believed that if a person is not able to keep all the twenty-four Ekadashis of the year then he should keep only Nirjala Ekadashi. By doing this, other Ekadashis also get benefits. On this Ekadashi, a person observes fast without eating or drinking anything and worships Lord Vishnu. It is also known as Pandav Ekadashi and Bhimaseni Ekadashi.
By observing the fast of Nirjala Ekadashi only, a person gets the benefit of 25 Ekadashi fasts of the year including two Ekadashis of Adhik month. While dietary restraint is important in other Ekadashi fasts throughout the year, on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi, along with food, and water restraint is also important. Water is not consumed in this fast, i.e. the fast is observed without drinking water. This fast teaches patience to the mind and gives new energy to the body. This fast can be kept by both men and women. There is one rule of fasting.
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What should be Donated?
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Donating on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi gives a lot of virtue in life. It is said that this fast is incomplete without donating. Therefore, donating a water-filled Kumbh on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi is very good. Apart from this, you can also donate things like food grains, umbrellas, clothes, shoes, fruits, etc.
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Nirjala Ekadashi Story
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When Vedvyas made the Pandavas take a pledge to observe Ekadashi fast which gives all the four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Then Yudhishthira said - Janardan! Please describe the Ekadashi which falls in the Shukla Paksha of Jyeshtha month. Lord Krishna said, O King! The most righteous Vyasji will describe it because he is an expert in the essence of all the scriptures and an expert in the Vedas and Vedangas.
Then Vedvyasji said that eating food is prohibited on the Ekadashi of Krishna and Shukla Paksha. On Dwadashi, get purified by taking a bath, etc., and worship Lord Keshav with flowers. Then first feed the Brahmins and finally eat yourself. Hearing this, Bhimsen said тАУ Most wise grandfather! Listen to my best words. King Yudhishthira, Mother Kunti, Draupadi, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev, never eat on Ekadashi and they always tell me that Bhimsen, you should also not eat on Ekadashi, but I tell them that I cannot bear hunger.
On hearing Bhimsen's words, Vyasji said - If you consider hell to be impure and you want to attain heaven, then do not eat on Ekadashi days of both sides.
Bhimsen said - O wise grandfather! I am telling you the truth. I cannot fast even after eating once, then how can I fast? The fire called Vrik is always burning in my stomach, so it calms down only when I eat a lot. Therefore, O great sage! I can fast only once in the whole year. Please tell me one such fast which will make it easy to attain heaven and by doing which I can be a part of welfare. I will follow it properly.
Vyasa said- Bhima! In the month of Jyeshtha, whether the Sun is in Taurus or Gemini, observe the Ekadashi fast of Shukla Paksha with utmost caution. You can only put water in your mouth for gargling or sipping water, except that, a learned person should not put any other kind of water in his mouth, otherwise the fast is broken. If a person abstains from drinking water from sunrise on Ekadashi to sunrise of the next day, then this fast is complete. After this, take a bath in the morning on Dwadashi and donate water and gold to Brahmins as per the prescribed method. After completing all the tasks in this way, a person who has controlled his senses should eat with Brahmins. There is no doubt at all that a person gets the fruits of all the Ekadashis in the whole year by observing this Nirjala Ekadashi. Lord Keshav, who holds the conch, discus, and mace, had told me that 'If a human being leaves all others and takes refuge in me alone and fasts on Ekadashi, he is freed from all sins.
Kuntinandan! Listen to the special donations and duties prescribed for the devout men and women on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi. On that day, one should worship Lord Vishnu who sleeps in water, and donate Jalmayi Dhenu, i.e. a cow standing in water. One can also donate a normal cow or a cow made of ghee. On this day, Brahmins should be satisfied with Dakshina and many types of sweets. When they are satisfied, Shri Hari grants salvation.
Those who have observed the fast of this Nirjala Ekadashi by worshiping Shri Hari and keeping vigil at night, have sent the past hundred generations along with themselves and also the hundred future generations to the supreme abode of Lord Vasudev. On the day of Nirjala Ekadashi, food, clothes, cows, water, a Bed, a beautiful seat, a water pot, and an umbrella should be donated. One who donates shoes to a noble and deserving Brahmin sits on a golden plane and gets established in heaven. The person who listens to or narrates the glory of this Ekadasi with devotion goes to heaven. The fruit that a person gets by performing Shraddha at the time of solar eclipse on the Chaturdashi Amavasya, the same fruit is also obtained by listening to this story.
Bhimsena! The auspicious Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Jyeshtha should be observed as a waterless fast. On that day, pitchers of water with sugar should be donated to noble Brahmins. By doing this, a person experiences happiness by reaching close to Lord Vishnu. After this, on the Dwadashi, after feeding the Brahmin, one should eat himself. One who observes the fast of this completely sin-destroying Ekadashi becomes free from all sins and attains a blissful state. Hearing this, Bhimsena also started the fast of this auspicious Ekadashi.
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Conclusion
It is said that those who donate water on this day get equal results for all the 24 Ekadashis of the year. The festival of Nirjala Ekadashi is a symbol of the auspiciousness of our life. And it has the grace of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. You can talk to astrologers online to know more about the importance and Muhurta of Nirjala Ekadashi.
