Parama Ekadashi Vrat 2020 Date, Vrat Katha and Significance

When is Parama Ekadashi Vrat?

Parama Ekadashi would be celebrated this year on 13th October, 2020 which is a Tuesday.

Parama Ekadashi is observed on the leap month of the year, also known as the ‘Malmas’ or the Adhika Masa. It is also the thirteenth month of a Year every 2-4 years as per some cultures and calendars.

There is no fixed Lunar month when Parama Ekadashi is celebrated, any month of the year when the Parama Ekadashi falls on the Krishna Paksha of the Adhika Masa, that particular Parama Ekadashi is celebrated as the Parama Ekadashi.

Parana would mean somewhere like breaking the fast. Parana is done five days after the Parama Ekadashi fast. If you have not broken the fast on the morning hours, it is advisable to break the fast after noon, since breaking the fast in the noon is not less than an offence. It is similar to a crime or can be equivalent to an offensive situation.

The fasting for Parama Ekadashi Vrat is tough as an individual has to keep the fast for 5 days at a stretch. It is difficult to fast for such a long time but by keeping the fast of Parama Ekadashi, you have nothing to lose but only gains to gain.

Why do we celebrate Parama Ekadashi?

Yudhisthira asked Krishna once as to what is the name of that Parama Ekadashi which is observed in the Krishnapaksh period of the Moon. On hearing this question, Krishna told him that this Ekadashi observed during the darker phase of the Moon/ Krishna Paksha Tithi was known as the Parama Ekadashi and by obeying it, one could enjoy his life and also get released from this wide circle of life and death.

The story that Krishna told to Yudhisthira was told to Krishna by a sage in the ‘city of Kampilya.’

Once a wise and pious Brahmin couple resided in Kampilya and were known by the name of Sumedha and Pavitra. Due to some previous birth’s sins, Sumedha had very less money and less of everything that money could buy him- that included food, clothes and comforts of life. Whenever, there were guests at home, Pavitra would sacrifice her own food to serve them. One day, Sumedha told Pavitra that even though he begged from the rich; he ended up bringing home, less. Therefore, he urged Pavitra to allow him to go off, to far and foreign lands in search of wealth so that she can live happily. To this, Pavitra was touched and pleased and she told him, that having less in this birth is the result of the person’s soul not having donated much in the previous birth. Therefore she urged him that as he had thought about her welfare she thus would want him to stay by her side in Kampilya. Sumedha agreed and stayed back.

Some days passed and one day, sage Kaundinya arrived in their hut. The pair served him as well as they could and then offered their obeisance. After the feeding and serving process got over, Pavitra asked the sage to tell them if there was a way by which they could get relieved from the misery and poverty.

After reflecting about the question for some time, they said that there was a special day when prayers to Hari could actually serve them good. Fasting on this particular day could help them get rid of all the sins that one has accumulated in life till then, through several births.

It is one of the most revered Ekadashi observed to please Shri Vishnu, thus the name Parama is used, and Kaundinya sage instructed them.

Krishna further informed Yudhisthira that this holy fast was also observed by Lord Kubera once. Thus, Kubera was appointed the head of all the wealth in the world. Thus Kubera became the richest God of the world and he once gave a loan to Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupati.

Sumedha and his wife also kept the fast and a prince came riding the horse and supplicated Sumedha with a home and all the resources required for a good home. Yudhisthira too observed this Vrat and after enjoying this world he went to some world far greater than this one.

Thus, Parama Ekadashi is treated as the most pious and pure of all the Parama Ekadashi and comes actually once in three years.

How do you proceed with the Vrat of Parama Ekadashi?

Now, this Vrat is observed over a period of five days.

It begins on the morning of the Parama Ekadashi.

So, basically, you have to bathe early this very morning and then you have to take the oath or Sankalpa. You have to take water and flower in your hand and you have to pray to the holy Lord Vishnu.

One has to recite the Vishnu Sahashranama or any other Vishnu Shloka for the next five days. In the next five days, the person has to observe the fast and call upon the Lord Vishnu.

On the fifth day you must invite a Brahman and also feed him. Give him some Dakshina (donation) before he leaves and then break the fast by eating normal food.

There are few steps that you need to follow strictly in order to keep up with the Parama Ekadashi fast.

You cannot drink water during these five days but have to survive only on the Charnamrit from the day of Parama Ekadashi until the Amavasya.
You cannot eat certain vegetables like brinjal and cabbage or cauliflowers.
If you cannot go completely hungry, eat fruits and milk as and when you are hungry.
You cannot eat curd, buttermilk at this point of time.
Avoid salt too.
You cannot consume beans and grains of any kind.
You must sleepless and also continuously chant the Vishnu Mantras.

What can you eat to break the Parama Ekadashi fast?

You can eat potatoes, sweet potatoes, Cassava, turnip, Yams, milk, yoghurt, nuts, and some vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and tomatoes to break your fast. You can try grains like Samo and Rajagri.

Why is this fast important for the Vishnu followers?

This fast is extremely interesting since there is no other Parama Ekadashi where a person needs to keep fasting until Amavasya.

This fast is extremely important for the Vishnu disciples. Let us jot down a few benefits of keeping up this fast.

The man is forgiven of all sins that he incurred from all his births.
It is also a way to offer peace to the dead ancestors in return the souls.
Since, this Parama Ekadashi comes once every 32 months, thus by observing this fast; you need not be poor ever again. Poverty is completely eliminated from one’s system for the ones who keep this fast.

How can you interpret Parama Ekadashi in today’s world?

We can interpret it this way.

You wouldn’t be poor anymore?

Can a King come and abolish your problems now, in an age when there is no king? I guess, we all understand that the world is no longer such now. However, what I can tell you is this, by being in a meditative state for five days, when you constantly interact with your Atman (Soul) you do come to a point where you know what you must do to get out of your problems. Thus, this Parama Ekadashi Vrat helps you to achieve this end.

Your ancestors would be at peace?

Yes, your ancestors would find peace by any act of kindness from your end. All our souls it is believed is linked to each other. Thus, this would help your ancestors to find peace.

Thus, even in today’s world, this particular Parama Ekadashi can actually add a lot of value to your life. Due to time crunches, you may not be able to spend five days but then it comes once every 2-4 years, thus if you think your problem is much greater and finding a respite is what you need to do, then you must make some time for yourself.

Thus, Parama Ekadashi is that time in 2-4 years when life can grow in a dimension, in which you wish it to move. Parama Ekadashi’s significance is in its ability to touch our soul, in short touch our God for such a long period of time. Five days would mean 120 hours and you can achieve a lot in 120 hours, if not in 5 days.

Ekadashi Fasting Days

There are 24 Ekadashi Vrat in a year that fall on Krishna and Shukla Paksha of Hindu Calendar. All these Ekadashi tithi are very significant in Hindu traditions and are popular with various Ekadashi names. Here is the list of Ekadashi Vrat observed throughout the year.

S. N.	Hindu Month	Paksha	Ekadashi Vrat
1	Chaitra	Krishna Paksha	Papmochani Ekadashi
2	Chaitra	Shukla Paksha	Kamada Ekadashi
3	Vaishakha	Krishna Paksha	Varuthini Ekadashi
4	Vaishakha	Shukla Paksha	Mohini Ekadashi
5	Jyeshtha	Krishna Paksha	Apara Ekadashi
6	Jyeshtha	Shukla Paksha	Nirjala Ekadashi
7	Ashadha	Krishna Paksha	Yogini Ekadashi
8	Ashadha	Shukla Paksha	Devshayani Ekadashi
9	Shravana	Krishna Paksha	Kamika Ekadashi
10	Shravana	Shukla Paksha	Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
11	Bhadrapada	Krishna Paksha	Aja Ekadashi
12	Bhadrapada	Shukla Paksha	Parsva Ekadashi
13	Ashwin	Krishna Paksha	Indira Ekadashi
14	Ashwin	Shukla Paksha	Papankusha Ekadashi
15	Kartika	Krishna Paksha	Rama Ekadashi
16	Kartika	Shukla Paksha	Devutthana Ekadashi
17	Margashirsha	Krishna Paksha	Utpanna Ekadashi
18	Margashirsha	Shukla Paksha	Mokshada Ekadashi
19	Paush	Krishna Paksha	Saphala Ekadashi
20	Paush	Shukla Paksha	Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
21	Magha	Krishna Paksha	Shattila Ekadashi
22	Magha	Shukla Paksha	Jaya Ekadashi
23	Phalguna	Krishna Paksha	Vijaya Ekadashi
24	Phalguna	Shukla Paksha	Amalaki Ekadashi