Introduction to Mohini Ekadashi:

In Hinduism, the Ekadashi Vrat has religious importance. Ekadashi falls on both the Shukla (waxing) and Krishna (waning) phases of the moon. In 2022, May 12 falls under the Ekadashi of the Vaishakha month during the Shukla Paksha, which is known as Mohini Ekadashi. It is said that the day when this ocean churning took place is this very day, and the nectar of immortality (Amrita) was gained.

Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini to protect Amrita from demons on this very day. Lord Vishnu distributed nectar of immortality to devas in that divine avatar to help them overcome demons and return the cosmic order to its position. This reflects the victory of good over evil, but above all, this action symbolizes the supreme power of Lord Vishnu in saving the universe.

Mohini Ekadashi Rituals and Practices:

• Preparation: Devotees start with a holy bath and cleansing of body and mind.
• Commencement of Worship: On Mohini Ekadashi, devotees should offer their prayers first to Lord Vishnu. The offerings in the puja include roli, moli, yellow chandan, akshat, yellow flowers, seasonal fruits, or ritual, and misthan (sweets).
• Fasting: A fast (upvas) is an integral part of the Mohini Ekadashi Vrat. Many devotees observe a complete fast without grains and water, while some may take fruits or milk.
• Arti and Deep Daan: Do arati (worship with light) and Deepdale (lamp offering) to Lord Vishnu. The use of incense, light, and chanting during the aarti ceremony is an important aspect of creating an atmosphere of divine reverence.
• Japa and Path: The devotee should chant the sacred mantra ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya), recite Vishnu Sahasranama (the thousand names of Lord Vishnu) and reading or listening to the Mohini Ekadashi Katha is considered highly auspicious. Both of these practices invoke divine blessings and purify the mind and soul.
• Vrat and Meditation: On this day, the devotees should leave such vices as backbiting, deceit, greed, and hatred and refrain from such activities. Engage in meditation (dhyan) on Lord Narayan. Recite his holy names and listen to devotional songs and hymns.
• Daan: Daan is given in the form of cooling food items such as mango, melon, watermelon, cucumber, sherbet, thandai, and water. As daan will bring spiritual merit and is in the spirit of the vrat, it has been considered quite beneficial. This way, those who cannot easily observe the whole vrat can still participate by remembering Lord Vishnu in the heart.
• Breaking the Fast: The next day, Dwadashi, devotees break their fast after performing the morning rituals and praying to Lord Vishnu.

By following these rituals with devotion and purity of heart, devotees believe that they will receive the divine blessings of Lord Vishnu, leading to spiritual upliftment and the purification of their souls.

Importance of Mohini Ekadashi:

Mohini Ekadashi is said to be a highly sacred day. It cleanses the soul and removes all kinds of sins by observing fasting on this day and bestows divine blessings. It is highly important for those people who dwell on attaining spiritual enlightenment and liberation called moksha. From the Vedas, it is known that performing fasting on Mohini Ekadashi bestows the same benefits of performing as many as a thousand Yajnas and brings enormous rewards to the spirit.

It is further believed that those devotees who observe this day with utmost sincerity and devotion will be blessed with prosperity, health, and peace, followed by protection from negative energy and evil forces. Story of Mohini Ekadashi:

As mentioned earlier, while the ocean was being churned (Samudra Manthan), the demons and gods were trying to acquire the Amrita. However, once the nectar emerged, the two parties quarreled over its possession. To avoid the demons from drinking the Amrita and thus becoming immortal, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a beautiful, enchanting woman named Mohini.

In this enchanting guise, Mohini managed to mislead the demons and divert their attention while, at the same time, handing over the nectar to the gods. The demons were cheated, and the gods consumed the nectar and thus acquired immortality, and ensured victory. This act of Lord Vishnu emphasizes truth, wisdom, and the dominance of the gods for cosmic order.

Muhurat (Auspicious Time):

The best time for starting the Mohini Ekadashi vrat and performing pooja is when the Ekadashi tithi falls, which is the 11th day of the lunar fortnight. The muhurta, or the exact time for doing pooja, may differ in local time and geographical location. Devotees are advised to consult a panchang, or a Hindu calendar, to find out the exact time of Ekadashi tithi and associated rituals for their location.

Mohini Ekadashi is not only a day of fasting and prayer but also a chance to get aligned with divine principles and to seek protection from evil and the blessings of eternal happiness. Devotionally keeping the vrat can wipe out the sins of a lifetime and bring one closer to the ultimate salvation and divine grace. It reminds of the victory of righteousness over evil and the timeless protection of Lord Vishnu in all forms.

Importance of Mohini Ekadashi:

The fast of Mohini Ekadashi is of great importance in Hinduism and is an extremely auspicious day. On this day, devotees worship Lord Vishnu in his Mohini form as well as Lord Rama. According to the Padma Purana, Lord Krishna explained the importance of Mohini Ekadashi to Yudhishthir. He shared that, during the Treta Yuga, at the suggestion of Maharshi Vashishtha, Lord Rama observed this vrat (fast).

This fast is known to be incredibly powerful in the elimination of all kinds of suffering and in dispelling sins. The observance of the Mohini Ekadashi vrat brings the divine grace of Lord Vishnu, helping devotees overcome worldly attachments, sins, and the endless cycle of birth and death. It is believed that through the observance of this vrat, one can achieve liberation from all types of moh (attachments) and Bandhan (bonds).

This highest vrat ensures the ultimate moksha. The word “moksha” is actually synonymous with freedom and liberation from worldly life and bondages and means eternal peace, and bliss in Vaikuntha Dham (Lord Vishnu’s heavenly abode). If the vrat is maintained sincerely by a devotee, he is endowed with the grace of Lord Vishnu, and his soul is purified while past sins are erased. In the end, they are granted a place in Vaikuntha, where they attain eternal happiness and divine union with the Supreme Being.

Thus, Mohini Ekadashi is not just a fast for material benefits, but a path leading to ultimate spiritual salvation and eternal closeness to Lord Vishnu.

The Story of Mohini Roop:

The “Mohini” form of Lord Vishnu is one of the most attractive and different incarnations. This is specifically associated with the churning of the ocean, an event known as Samudra Manthan, wherein Lord Vishnu took the Mohini form to protect the Amrit from demons.

Story begins with

The most popular story of Lord Vishnu in his Mohini form is associated with the episode of Samudra Manthan, which is narrated in several Puranas. While the ocean was being churned, the gods, known as Devas, and the demons, known as Asuras, were working together to bring out Amrit, the nectar of immortality, from the ocean. Amrit was necessary for achieving immortality, and both the gods and demons were interested in getting it.

However, the demons, being deceitful, tried to snatch the Amrit before the gods could get it. At this moment, Lord Vishnu, in his divine form, decided to intervene to ensure the safety of the nectar and prevent the demons from gaining immortality.

To achieve this, Lord Vishnu took on the form of a beautiful, seductive female. Her beauty is so bewitching that the demons can’t help themselves from being distracted. Her attraction power was such that the demons got so busy by being caught with her attention and forgot all about stealing Amrit.

In the form of Mohini, Lord Vishnu deceived the demons by making them believe that she was going to share the Amrit with them. So, when the demons thought she was dividing the nectar between the demons and the gods, she secretly gave only the nectar to the gods and denied it to the demons. Hence, the gods drank the Amrit and became immortal, while the demons were left as victims of deceit.

Message of the Story:

The appearance of Mohini was, as it were, a divine intervention by which the universe was restored to balance and protection of dharma. This very form, to show that one can assume whatever form one would like in upholding the cosmos and saving devotees, brought about a series of happenings in which there is the downfall of those arrogant, deceitful, and boastful beings of pride—the demons—and protection to those devoted and sincere-ones who end up being taken to the proper path.

The Mohini incarnation illustrates that God can take any form, regardless of how divine or attractive it may appear, to fulfill his purpose of guiding, protecting, and uplifting his devotees. The ultimate goal is the protection of dharma, the defeat of dharma (unrighteousness), and the liberation of the soul.

This tale depicts the fact that Lord Vishnu, in his avatars, incarnates in different forms and reaches the earth at different times to prevail in truth and righteousness. Be it any condition, he will always be leading his followers and saving them from evil forces.

The Story of Mohini Ekadashi (In Detail)

According to the Puranas, there was a beautiful city on the banks of the Saraswati River known as Bhadravati. This city was ruled by King Dhritiman, who was a very religious and devoted devotee of Lord Vishnu. King Dhritimaan had five sons, but the fifth son, Dhritbuddhi, was extremely sinful due to his bad conduct and actions.

The Sinful Behavior of Dhritbuddhi

Dhritbuddhi’s conduct was highly unethical. He used to indulge in bad activities and also used to prompt others to do sinful activities. This made the king Dhritimaan highly distressed as, though he was a pious king, his son’s act was distressing him. Ultimately, he thought of sending away his sinful son from the palace and ordered him to leave the kingdom and go to some other place to reflect upon his sinful acts and rectify his life.

Dhriti Buddhi in the forest. 

Dhritbuddhi, completely disappointed and defeated, fled into the forest. There he committed all the atrocities, robbing and engaging in other bad actions, losing his way further to sin. He was going along in the forest one day, when he arrived at Rishi Kaundinya’s hermitage. Now, Kaundinya had entered the water for bathing. And because the droplets were falling off the body, a few drops came in contact with Dhritbuddhi.

A Divine Awakening

The effect of the water droplets had a profound impact on Dhritbuddhi’s mind. He realized the gravity of his sins and the destructive path he had been on. Feeling deep regret for his past actions, he decided to seek guidance from the sage to redeem himself.

Dhritbuddhi humbly approached Rishi Kaundinya and said, “I wish to atone for my sins. I want to cleanse myself of my past mistakes. Please show me the way to salvation.”

Rishi Kaundinya’s Guidance

Rishi Kaundinya, knowing Dhritbuddhi’s situation, advised him to observe the Mohini Ekadashi Vrat. He explained, “By observing this fast, your sins will be washed away, and you will receive the blessings of Lord Vishnu.”

Observing the Mohini Ekadashi Vrat

Dhritbuddhi accepted the sage’s advice and vowed to observe the Mohini Ekadashi Vrat with full devotion and faith. On the day of Ekadashi, he fasted with purity, meditated on Lord Vishnu, and offered his full devotion to the divine. He kept the fast with sincerity, free from any malice or negative emotions.

Divine Transformation

As a result of his devotion and adherence to the fast, all of Dhriti Buddhis sins were washed away, and his mind became pure. With Lord Vishnu’s divine grace, all his flaws were eradicated, and his life transformed completely. Eventually, Dhritbuddhi attained a place in Lord Vishnu’s divine realm, a symbol of moksha (liberation). There, he found peace, bliss, and eternal happiness, and he was relieved of the cycle of sin and thus deserved to reside in the abode of God.

Moral of the Story:

This story teaches us that no matter how sinful a person may be, if he seriously realizes his mistake and comes to God with real devotion and faith, then they can gain salvation. The Mohini Ekadashi Vrat represents that it is the powerful method of self-purification of sins and blessings by Lord Vishnu. Anyone, by his mercy, can reform their life, seek redemption, and finally attain liberation from worldly attachments to achieve a position in the divine world.

Mohini Ekadashi Vrat Rules and Rituals:

1. Pooja Samagri: On Ekadashi day, provide the following to Lord Vishnu:

• PanchAmrit (Inclueds: Gangajal, milk, curd, honey, ghee)
• Yellow flowers
• Bananas
• Seasonal fruits
• Sweets
• Tulsi leaves

2. Vrat: The Ekadashi fast lasts for 24 hours, and during this fast, devotees abstain from consuming any grains or cereals. The focus is on fasting purely and piously.

3. Rice Abstinence: No dish should be consumed that is made of rice on Ekadashi day. It is one of the major principles to follow in a fast as rice is an important food and must not be consumed during this day.

4. Satvik Food: A day before Ekadashi, eat satvik food (pure, vegetarian food) and abstain from tamasic (unhealthy or impure) substances that are said to be an obstacle to spiritual advancement. This includes the avoidance of non-vegetarian food, alcohol, and spicy foods.

5. Japa and Katha: The devotees are expected to read the Ekadashi Vrat Katha (the story of Mohini Ekadashi) and chant the mantra:

 “ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय” (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya).

This mantra is believed to invoke the blessings of Lord Vishnu and purify the soul.

6. Parana: The fast ends with Parana (breaking the fast), which should be done on the Dwadashi tithi (12th day) after the Ekadashi. This should be done early in the morning, after performing the morning rituals and prayers.

Mohini Ekadashi Muhurat (2025):

• Tithi Start: May 8, 2025, at 8:25 PM
• Tithi End: May 9, 2025, at 10:14 PM

Mohini Ekadashi 2025 Parana Muhurat:

• Parana Time (Morning): May 9, 2025, between 5:33 AM and 8:14 AM

• Dwadashi End (Afternoon): May 9, 2025, at 2:56 PM

On this day, the devotees, through the worship of Lord Vishnu, get rid of their sins and get the blessings of God. It is a day for purification and to seek the blessings of Lord Vishnu, thereby achieving spiritual progress and prosperity in life.