Dev Uthani Ekadashi, also called Prabodhini Ekadashi, is an important Hindu religious occasion. It signifies the awakening of Lord Vishnu from his Chaturmas, a four-month period of divine slumber.
Venerated on the Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu calendar, in Kartik month, Dev Uthani Ekadashi will be marked on November 14, 2024. This day is considered the beginning of the Hindu marriage season and other ceremonies, etc., as the awakening of Vishnu removes the inauspicious period.
The fasting of the day does not include grains, beans, or some vegetables and the rituals and prayers offered on this day are to Lord Vishnu. The bath, prayer, and chanting of the holy names of Vishnu and singing the glories of Vishnu are mandatory purification processes to get divine grace.
The ‘proper time’ or ‘muhurat’ for performing these rituals is said to be in the early hours of the day though in practice it may just be slightly different depending on the geographical location of the household.
It is said that if one observes the Dev Uthani Ekadashi ‘vrat’ or fast, the gods bestow blessings for prosperity, health, and spiritual advancement. People also pray for joy in marriage, for blessings in marriage, and for marriage partners, as others pray for peace and deliverance. This particular festival represents justice and the triumph of good forces over evil forces, correspondingly establishing the storm of right karma.
So, let’s discover the significance of Dev Uthani Ekadashi Vrat and find out why Dev Uthani Ekadashi is celebrated.
Significance Of Dev Uthani Ekadashi
Dev Uthani Ekadashi also known as Prabodhini Ekadashi. It is highly revered in the Hindu calendar as the day when Lord Vishnu wakes up from his four months of sleep called Chaturmas.
Held on the 11th day of the Kartik month’s Shukla Paksha, the day breaks a spiritually passive phase. And this day is liberally blessed with auspiciousness. He awakens during the month of Ashadh, according to Lord Vishnu’s sleeping cycle. It marks the beginning of pious occasions such as marriages and house warming etc are not performed during Chaturmas.
Hindu followers of this religion perform fasting, prayers, and several religious functions to seek prosperity, development of harmony, and spiritual advancements. This day symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, hope over despair, and the return to order in the world.
Dev Uthani Ekadashi is also considered an auspicious occasion for couples to pray to maintain a happy conjugal life and for persons to seek God’s help in their journey to spiritualism.
Date And Auspicious Time
Dev Uthani Ekadashi in 2024 will fall on Monday of the November 11 fortnight. This day is important to the devotees who have to abstain from food, pray, and offer rituals to wake up Lord Vishnu.
Attention to the auspicious time of the day, which is called ‘muhurat’, also adds to one’s spiritual level as it taps into celestial power.
This time Ekadashi of Kartik month will be from 6:46 p.m. on 11 November to 04:04 p.m. on 12 November. In such circumstances, the fast of Devuthani Ekadashi will be fasted on this day. Its Parana will be done on 13 November, between 6:42 a.m. and 8:51 a.m.
It is also common for many devotees to do their prayers in the evening as a way of calling it quits with the fast while asking for blessings of health, wealth, foremost of all harmony, and spiritual strength. These timings add to the increase in the positivity and holiness associated with the fasting and celebration of Dev Uthani Ekadashi.
The Fast Story
The Fast of Dev Uthani Ekadashi is a very interesting story that is touched in detail by Hindu mythology and explains the importance of fasting and devotion. It is said that after conquering the demon Mura, Lord Vishnu wanted to relax during the Chaturmas – the four months of the rains and went to sleep in the Ksheersagar (ocean of milk). This phase, decreases in spirituality, occurs till Dev Uthani Ekadashi when Vishnu springs up and symbolizes good over bad.
The fast is linked to Lord Vishnu’s battle with the demon Mura, as described in the **Padma Purana**. Mura caused chaos in the three *lokas*, troubling both devas and humans. To restore balance, Vishnu fought Mura but felt exhausted and rested at Badrikashram.
While Vishnu rested, Mura attempted an attack, but a divine feminine force emerged from Vishnu and defeated Mura. Pleased, Vishnu named her ‘Ekadashi’ and declared fasting on this day would cleanse sins and bring blessings.
‘Dev Uthani Ekadashi’ symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the awakening of divinity. Devotees fast, pray, chant Vishnu’s name, and perform puja, avoiding grains and certain foods to honor the day.
Through this fast, they seek blessings, prosperity, and spiritual growth, showing devotion to righteousness.