Ekadashi is the eleventh tithi of each lunar fortnight, observed twice a month as a day of fasting and devotional practice in the Vaishnava tradition. Because the day is traditionally kept free of grains and of heavy activity, it is widely used for an increased naam jaap count rather than for the usual daily baseline.
This guide covers what devotees chant, how much, and how the jaap fits alongside the fast. If naam jaap is new to you, start with the broader naam jaap guide. The counter most used on Ekadashi is the Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya counter.
Key Takeaways
- Ekadashi falls twice in every lunar month — once in the waxing fortnight and once in the waning one.
- There is no fixed required count. Many devotees simply double their normal daily malas.
- The most commonly chanted mantras are Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya and the Hare Krishna maha mantra.
- Jaap is valid whether or not you keep the fast; the two are separate observances that often go together.
What is Ekadashi, and why chant on it?
Ekadashi means "the eleventh" — the eleventh day of each paksha, the fortnight between new moon and full moon. Each lunar month therefore contains two: Shukla Paksha Ekadashi in the waxing fortnight and Krishna Paksha Ekadashi in the waning one. That gives roughly 24 Ekadashis a year, with 25 or 26 in a year containing an Adhik Maas (an intercalary month).
The day is dedicated to Vishnu. Traditional observance involves abstaining from grains and beans, reduced activity, and extended devotional practice — reading, kirtan, and naam jaap. The reasoning devotees give is practical as much as scriptural: a day with less eating and less running about leaves more attention available for the naam, which is why the count is traditionally raised rather than kept flat.
Each Ekadashi also has its own name and associated story, drawn largely from the Puranas. Some are observed far more widely than others.
The major Ekadashis of the year
| Ekadashi | When it falls | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Vaikuntha (Mokshada) Ekadashi | Margashirsha, Shukla Paksha (December) | The most widely observed; associated with the Vaikuntha Dwar; also Gita Jayanti |
| Nirjala Ekadashi | Jyeshtha, Shukla Paksha (May–June) | Kept without water; said to carry the merit of all the year's Ekadashis |
| Devshayani Ekadashi | Ashadha, Shukla Paksha (July) | Vishnu is said to begin cosmic sleep; opens Chaturmas |
| Prabodhini (Devuthani) Ekadashi | Kartik, Shukla Paksha (November) | Vishnu is said to wake; closes Chaturmas, opens the wedding season |
| Putrada, Aja, Shattila, Jaya and others | Through the year | Each with its own Puranic account |
In 2026, Vaikuntha Ekadashi falls on 20 December. Confirm every Ekadashi date against a Panchang for your own location before observing — Ekadashi tithi boundaries vary with local sunrise, and Vaishnava (ISKCON and Gaudiya) calendars sometimes mark a date a day apart from the general Hindu calendar. Drik Panchang is a reliable public reference.
What to chant on Ekadashi
Any Vishnu or Krishna naam is appropriate. The most common choices:
- Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya — the Dvadashakshari, the twelve-syllable Vishnu mantra, and the most directly associated with the day. Use the Dvadashakshari counter.
- Hare Krishna maha mantra — the standard choice in Gaudiya and ISKCON practice. See the Hare Krishna counter and our guide to the maha mantra's benefits.
- Simple Krishna naam or Radha naam — for those whose daily practice already uses one of these, there is no need to switch.
- Vishnu Sahasranama — recited rather than counted on a mala; some devotees do one recitation and then their usual jaap.
Stay with whatever you already chant daily. Ekadashi is a day to increase the count, not to experiment with a new mantra.
How many malas on Ekadashi?
There is no prescribed number in general practice. Three approaches devotees use:
| Approach | What it means | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Double the baseline | If you keep 4 malas daily, keep 8 | Anyone with an existing daily count |
| A fixed Ekadashi number | The same raised count every Ekadashi, often 16 or 24 malas | Those who want a stable rhythm |
| Time-based rather than count-based | One or two hours of jaap, however many malas that is | Those for whom counting becomes pressure |
A practical note: twenty-four Ekadashis a year is a large number of days. A count you can keep on every one of them is worth more than an ambitious figure kept on three and abandoned by the fourth. If you are starting, two malas above your normal daily count is a reasonable Ekadashi observance.
Jaap and the fast
The fast and the jaap are separate observances. You can chant on Ekadashi without fasting, and the chanting is not diminished by that. Many devotees who cannot fast for health reasons, or who are pregnant, elderly, travelling, or unwell, keep the naam jaap and set the fast aside entirely — the tradition explicitly exempts these cases from fasting, and no such exemption applies to the naam.
Where both are kept, a common daily order is: a morning sitting for most of the day's count, a reduced-activity afternoon, and a shorter evening sitting before the fast's conclusion. The fast is traditionally broken the next morning during parana, a defined window after sunrise — check the parana timing for your location, since breaking the fast outside it is considered a lapse in observance.
Common questions devotees get wrong
- Assuming a missed Ekadashi must be "made up." It is not an obligation with a penalty attached; the next one comes in a fortnight.
- Starting a very high Ekadashi count in the same month as beginning daily practice. Build the daily baseline first.
- Switching mantras for the day because another seems more suited to Vishnu. Consistency serves better.
- Treating the fast as the observance and the jaap as optional. In most accounts the emphasis runs the other way.
Frequently asked questions
How many Ekadashis are there in a year?
Usually 24 — two in each lunar month, one in the waxing fortnight and one in the waning. In a year with an Adhik Maas (an extra intercalary month) there are 25 or 26. The year 2026 contains an Adhik Maas, which adds Padmini and Parama Ekadashi.
Which mantra should I chant on Ekadashi?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, the twelve-syllable Vishnu mantra, is the most directly associated with the day. The Hare Krishna maha mantra is the standard choice in Gaudiya and ISKCON practice. If you already have a daily Vishnu or Krishna naam, keep it and raise the count rather than changing mantra.
How many malas should I chant on Ekadashi?
There is no fixed requirement. A common approach is to double your normal daily count. Devotees who want a stable rhythm often fix a number — 16 or 24 malas — and keep it on every Ekadashi. If you are new, two malas above your usual count is a complete observance.
Can I do Ekadashi naam jaap without fasting?
Yes. Fasting and naam jaap are separate observances. Those who cannot fast for health reasons, or who are pregnant, elderly or unwell, are traditionally exempt from the fast, and that exemption has never extended to chanting. The jaap stands on its own.
What time should I chant on Ekadashi?
Brahma muhurta, roughly an hour and a half before sunrise, is the traditional preference, and many devotees complete most of the day's count then. There is no restriction on chanting at other times — Ekadashi is a full day of observance, and jaap through the day is normal practice.