Nirjala Ekadashi, also known as Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi and Bhimseni Ekadashi, will be observed on Friday, June 10. This fast was also observed by Bhima, hence it is called Bhimseni Ekadashi.
Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi date and time:
07:25 am June 10 – 05:45 am June 11.
Tirupati astrologer Dr Krishna Kumar Bhargava says that by observing fast on this day and worshipping Lord Vishnu, one gets the virtue of all the Ekadashi fasts of the year. One must listen to the Nirjala Ekadashi fasting story on this day.
Nirjala Ekadashi Vrat Katha:
Once Bhima told Ved Vyas Ji that his mother and brothers suggest keeping Ekadashi fast. He added that he could worship, charity, etc. but he just couldn’t remain hungry the entire day.
To this, Ved Vyas Ji said that Bhima, if you know about hell and heaven, do not take food on both the Ekadashi every month. Bhima said that if there was one fast in the whole year, then he could keep it, adding he couldn’t fast every month.
He asked Ved Vyas Ji if there was a fast to be observed for only a day in the entire year and it led to the attainment of heaven. Vyas Ji said that Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi i.e. Nirjala Ekadashi was such a fast, which Bhima could observe.
It is forbidden to drink water during this fast. If one does not take water from the sunrise of Nirjala Ekadashi to the sunrise of Dwadashi, the virtue of fasting for the whole year is obtained by observing this fast.
Take a bath after sunrise on Dwadashi and donate some food and clothes to Brahmins, feed the hungry, and that is how this Ekadashi fast is completed. The merit of this Nirjala Ekadashi fast is more than the merits of all donations and pilgrimages.
After listening to Vyas Ji, Bhimsen agreed to observe Nirjala Ekadashi fast. He observed Nirjala Ekadashi fast. Because of this, it came to be known as Bhimseni Ekadashi or Pandava Ekadashi.
