Kamada Ekadashi 2024: Date, Rituals, Importance, Story

Kamada Ekadashi, one of the most auspicious fasting days for Hindus, falls on April 19, 2024. This sacred Ekadashi tithi in the Chaitra month (March-April) holds great spiritual significance. Learn all about the Kamada Ekadashi 2024 date, puja rituals, importance, and katha (story) from this comprehensive guide.

Introduction

The Kamada Ekadashi will be observed today, 19th April, Friday. According to the Hindu calendar, This Ekadashi is observed on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of the Chaitra month. The Ekadashi tithi began at 5:31 PM on 18th April, Thursday and will end at 8:04 PM today on 19th April. The Ekadashi tithi is greatly beloved to Lord Vishnu. It is believed that devotees who keeps the Ekadashi fast with devotion get all their wishes fulfilled and are liberated from all their sins. This Ekadashi is also known as Phalada Ekadashi.

Kamada Ekadashi Puja Vidhi (Worship Rituals)

• Wake up before sunrise, bathe, and wear clean yellow clothes

• Take the sankalp (vow) to keep the vrat

• Establish Lord Vishnu’s murti on a wooden stool with a yellow cloth

• Give abhisheka to the Lord with panchamrit chanting ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’

• Offer bhog like cloth, chandan, akshata, pushpa, dhoopa, deepa, naivedya, fruits, paan, coconut

• Perform Vishnu aarti with camphor at the end

• Recite or listen to the Ekadashi Katha

Significance of Kamada Ekadashi Vrat

According to the Padma Purana and Hindu scriptures:

• Fasting on Ekadashi absolves one of the gravest sins like brahmahatya (killing of a brahmin)

• It removes flaws and defects like becoming a demon (pisachata)

• Observing Ekadashi gives fruits equal to performing the sacred Vajapeya Yajna

• All desires get fulfilled after keeping this Vishnu-dear Ekadashi vrat

FAQs

People also read: HANUMAN JAYANTI 2024: DATE, TIME, & EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Kamada Ekadashi Katha (Story)

In ancient times, there was a king named Pundarika who was engrossed in sensual pleasures. In his kingdom, a man named Lalit and his wife Lalita lived in great love. One day in the king’s court, Lalit was singing but got distracted by Lalita and his voice faltered. Seeing this, King Pundarika got enraged and cursed Lalit to become a man-eating demon (rakshasa). Lalita was very distressed to see her husband’s condition.

To get her husband cured, Lalita asked many people and finally reached the ashram of sage Shringi in Vindhyachal mountains. She narrated her whole story to the sage. The sage advised her to observe the Kamada Ekadashi vrat which fulfills all desires. He said if she observes this vrat, by its merit her husband Lalit will regain a human form.

Lalita followed the rituals and with devotion to Lord Vishnu, observed the Kamada Ekadashi vrat on the 11th day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra month. She broke the fast the next day on Dwadashi. By the virtue of this vrat, Lord Vishnu liberated Lalit from the demon-form and made him a human again. Thus, their lives became free of miseries and ultimately they attained moksha (liberation).