Apara Ekadashi 2026
13 May, 2026
Wednesday
Apara Ekadashi 2026 on
(13-05-2026)
Muhurtas Details
Tithi Begin Time:
Tithi End Time:
Nakshatra, Muhurat (Start Time):
Nakshatra, Muhurat (End Time):
Ekadashi Parana Time:
Parana Time 05:11 to 07:48 AM, 14 May 2026, Thursday
Meaning & Significance of Apara Ekadashi
Apara Ekadashi (अपरा एकादशी) comes in June month. This is a very powerful Ekadashi which is work like an axe that cuts down a fully matured forest filled with trees of sinful deeds, it is a forest fire that burns sins as if they were burning wood, it is the sun shining in front of one's dark misdeeds and it is a lion that kills the meek deer of impurity of the devotee.
Sri Krishna, tells Oh Yudhishthira, anyone who is really afraid of his past and present sins should observe Apara Ekadashi very strictly. One who does not observe this fast has to be born again in the material world, like a bubble among millions in a vast reservoir of water, or like a tiny ant among all other species.
Why is Lord Vishnu called as Trivikrama?
One should therefore sincerely observe the holy Apara Ekadasi and worship Lord Sri “Trivikrama” a name of Lord Vishnu. One who does this is freed from all his sins and reaches the abode of Lord Vishnu.
The term “Trivikrama(त्रिविक्रम)” means the three steps or three strides means Vikrama or steps. This nickname refers to the three steps or strides of Vishnu in the Rigveda. It relates to the Lord Vishnu who as Vamana, in the Vamana Avtaar, he conquered three worlds in three steps and earned for him Trivikrama, conqueror of three worlds, from King Bali, the demon king mentioned as in Vamana Purana found more elaborately. Since then, Lord Vishnu’s one of the names is Trivikrama.
Shri Krishna told Yudhishthira, that Apara Ekadashi is the provider of virtues and destroyer of big sins. One who has done with Brahmahatya(ब्रह्महत्या), one who kills a person belonging to a lineage, one who kills an unborn child, one who slanders another, one who commits adultery, by observing the fast of Apara Ekadashi is freed from those sins and attains the respect in Vishnu Loka.
Apara Ekadashi Katha(अपरा एकादशी कथा)
Sri Krishna again told, Yudhishthira! I am sharing with you a story on it, you will know why this Ekadashi is very important and different from others.
There was a pious king named Mahidhwaj. The king's younger brother Vajradhwaj had a bitterness in his mind against his elder brother Mahidhwaj. One day he found an opportunity to kill his brother and killed the king at the moment then buried him under a “Peepal Tree” in the forest. No body known about this incident. But due to his untimely death, the king's soul became a ghost and started living on that Peepal Tree. The soul troubled every person passing by. Because something bad had happened to him and he was angry to take revenge. One day a sage was passing by this way. He saw the ghost and with his spiritual powers, found out the reason for his becoming a ghost.
The sage brought down the ghost, the soul of king Mahidhwaj from the Peepal tree and preached the knowledge of the afterlife. The sage taken interest to get free from this problem and take out the king from the ghost world. The sage himself, kept the fast of Apara Ekadashi and on completion of the fast on the day of Dwadashi, he gave the virtue of the fast to the ghost. By gaining the virtue of the Ekadashi fast, the king was freed from the ghost world and went to heaven forever.
Importance of Apara Ekadashi
So, Krishna said, Yudhishthira! this Apara Ekadashi has a very big significance. You can do it for someone else too. If you do this Ekadashi for someone, you will get as much benefit as he gets.
When is Apara Ekadashi in 2026?
Apara Ekadashi falls on 13th May,2026 Wednesday
Frequent Asked Questions(FAQs)
According to the Hindu calendar, Ekadashi occurs twice every month, marking the 11th lunar day of both the “Shukla Paksha” (waxing phase) and the “Krishna Paksha” (waning phase) as per Moon’s transition. It is a sacred day dedicated to Lord Vishnu. On thi
Observing the Ekadashi fast leads to mental purification, the eradication of sins both known and unknown and, ultimately, the attainment of salvation.
One should wake up early in the morning, perform one's cleansings, and wear clean clothes. Thereafter, one should worship Lord Lakshmi Narayan using incense, lamps, flowers, food offerings (Naivedya), and other ritual items. There are three prescribed
One should wake up early in the morning, perform one's cleansings, and wear clean clothes. Thereafter, one should worship Lord Lakshmi Narayan using incense, lamps, flowers, food offerings (Naivedya), and other ritual items. There are three prescribed methods for observing the Ekadashi fast:
1) Sajala: This entails observing a fast throughout the entire day by consuming only water, and breaking the fast by performing Parana on the following day after sunrise.
2) Safala: This involves a fruit-based diet; one may consume a meal consisting of fruits called Phalahar once, after sunset. The fast is then broken on the following day after sunrise during the Parana period.
3)Nirjala: This involves observing a fast without consuming either water or food; this is considered a very rigorous form of fasting. The fast is subsequently broken on the following day after sunrise during the Parana period.
According to the Hindu calendar, Ekadashi occurs twice every month, marking the 11th lunar day of both the “Shukla Paksha” (waxing phase) and the “Krishna Paksha” (waning phase) as per Moon’s transition. It is a sacred day dedicated to Lord Vishnu. On this day, devotees worship Lord Vishnu by observing a fast, either by abstaining completely from food or by surviving solely on a fruit-based diet. It is believed that observing the Ekadashi fast invokes the divine grace of Lord Vishnu.
Nirjala Ekadashi is observed on the Ekadashi of the “Shukla Paksha” (waxing phase of the moon) during the month of “Jyeshtha Month” to seek the grace of Lord Vishnu and to attain the spiritual merits of all the Ekadashi observed throughout the year. It is considered the most rigorous of fasts, requiring one to abstain completely from both food and water. Subsequently, the fast must be broken the following day during the designated “Parana” period. According to mythological legends, Bhimasena observed this fast; hence, it is also known as 'Bhimseni Ekadashi'.
There is two Ekadashi occur in a month. Thus, the total of 24 Ekadashi come across in 12 months.
Nirjala Ekadashi is the most difficult one. This is because, during all other Ekadashi, you can observe the fast by consuming fruits or drinking water; however, on Nirjala Ekadashi, the fast is observed without consuming any food or water.
There is four most like Ekadashi Nirjala Ekadashi, Amalaki Ekadashi, Devshayani Ekadashi, and Dev Uthani Ekadashi.
Saphala Ekadashi is observed for the sake of success.
If you fall asleep during the day while observing a fast, your fast is considered broken. Whether it is an Ekadashi fast or a Navratri fast.
You may observe it for as many years as you wish. However, according to the “Vishnu Purana”, observing the Ekadashi Fast for at least 11 years is considered meritorious.