Kamika Ekadasi

 

Date & Tithi

• Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
• Ekadashi Tithi: Begins – July 20 at 12:12 PM
  Ends – July 21 at 9:38 AM
• Parana (Breaking the Fast): July 22, between 5:07 AM and 7:05 A

Regional Observance

Kamika Ekadashi is observed during the Krishna Paksha (waning phase) of the moon:

• In North India (Purnimanta calendar), it falls in the Shravan month.
• In Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, and Telugu calendars (Amanta system), it is observed in the Ashada month.

Significance of Kamika Ekadashi

Kamika Ekadashi is revered as one of the most powerful and spiritually rewarding Ekadashis:

• Greater than bathing in sacred rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Sindhu, Cauvery, Godavari, and Krishna.
• More meritorious than visiting holy sites like Kashi, Haridwar, Kedarnath, and Rameswaram.
• Equivalent to reciting all Vishnu scriptures and performing elaborate yajnas.
• Ultimate reward: Vaikunta Prapthi – attaining salvation and reaching Vishnu Lokam, free from the cycle of rebirth.

Legend & Beliefs

According to Hindu scriptures, a devotee who observes Kamika Ekadashi with sincerity is freed from all sins and protected from the fear of death. It is believed that Yamadharmaraja, the god of death, cannot disturb the soul of one who has observed this vrat with devotion.

Rituals & Observances

1. Sacred Bath & Purity

• Take a holy dip in rivers or at home with sanctified water.
• Wear clean clothes and maintain a sattvic (pure) mindset.

2. Worship of Lord Vishnu

• Offer Tulsi leaves, flowers, fruits, and light ghee or sesame oil lamps.
• Chant Vishnu Sahasranama, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, and Bhagavad Gita verses.

3. Fasting (Vrat)

• Observe a nirjala (without water) or phalahar (fruit-based) fast.
• Avoid grains, pulses, and tamasic foods.
• Maintain silence or engage in bhajans and spiritual reading.

4. Temple Offerings

• Visit Sri Krishna or Vishnu temples and light lamps as a symbol of divine illumination.
• Offer deepa daan (lamp donation) and annadaanam (food donation) for added merit.

Symbolic Power of the Vrat

Spiritual Act	Kamika Ekadashi Equivalent
Bathing in all sacred rivers	Equal or lesser in merit
Visiting all major Hindu pilgrimages	Surpassed by Kamika Ekadashi vrat
Reading all Vishnu-related scriptures	Equal to observing this single vrat
Performing yajnas and homas	Considered less potent than this Ekadashi
Seeking salvation (Vaikunta Prapthi)	Most accessible through Kamika Ekadashi devotion