Step-by-Step Guide to Observing Aja Ekadashi

0) The Day Before (Dashami) – Preparation

Timing: Dashami afternoon → bedtime

Clean & set your space: Tidy the altar; place an image/murti of Vishnu/Narayana, a Tulsi sprig if available, diya, incense, bell, water, flowers, fruit.
Shop/prepare offerings: Fruit, rock salt (sendha namak), milk/curd, ghee, honey, Tulsi, flowers, camphor, cotton wicks. Optional “Ekadashi-friendly” items: buckwheat (kuttu), water chestnut (singhada) flour, barnyard millet (sama/vrat ke chawal), sabudana, potatoes, sweet potato, peanuts.
Wind down diet: Eat one simple sattvic meal before sunset (or at least 2–3 hrs before sleep). Avoid onion, garlic, alcohol, meat, eggs. (Some traditions also avoid grains already on Dashami night—optional but beneficial.) Hydrate well.
Intention (write it down): “I undertake Aja Ekadashi vrat for purification of past karmas, blessings for my ancestors, and devotion to Lord Vishnu.”
Sleep early. Keep mind quiet (no heavy media).

1) Brahma Muhurta (pre-dawn of Ekadashi)

Timing: ~4:00–6:00
6) Wake, bathe, wear clean/light clothes. If possible, add a few Tulsi leaves to bath water. Apply tilak (sandal/vibhuti/kumkum as per sampradaya).
7) Sankalpa (formal vow): Sit facing east at the altar, hold water in the right palm. Say aloud:

“On Aja Ekadashi of Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada, I, [Name], in [City], vow to observe Ekadashi for the pleasure of Lord Vishnu, for the removal of past karmas, and upliftment of my lineage. May this vrat be successful.”
Sip or release the water.

Choose your fasting level:
- Nirjala: no food, no water (advanced; not for those with medical needs).
- Upavāsa (phalahār): fruits, water, milk, nuts, herbal tea.
- Ekabhukta/Light meal (grain-free): one simple, non-grain sattvic meal (see items above).
  (If pregnant, nursing, ill, elderly, or intense sadhana/teaching day—use phalahār or ekabhukta.)

2) Morning Puja & Japa

Timing: After sunrise
9) Altar offering: Light diya, incense. Offer water (ācamaniya), flowers, fruit/naivedya, and Tulsi leaves to Vishnu.
10) Mantra practice (pick one):

“Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya” — 108–1008 repetitions, or timed 11–31 min.
Hare Krishna Mahāmantra — kirtan/japa 1–4 rounds (or more).
Vishnu Sahasranāma recitation.

Meditation: 11–31 minutes of quiet sitting. (Yoga option: gentle pranayam—long deep breathing, Sitali/Sitkari for hunger regulation. If you’re a Kundalini practitioner, keep it devotional and light today; avoid strenuous sets.)
Read/Listen to the Vrat Kathā: The story of King Harishchandra and the glory of Aja Ekadashi.

3) Mid-Morning to Noon – Seva & Study

Charity/Seva: Offer food/donation to the poor, temple, or go-seva. Even small acts count.
Svādhyāya: Read a Gita chapter (common: Ch. 12 or 18) or Narayana kavacha.
Mindful work: Keep speech truthful and gentle. Avoid gossip, arguments, and overwork.

4) Afternoon – Energy Maintenance (fast-safe)

Hydration & rest: If not nirjala, sip water/herbal tea; power-nap 10–20 min if needed.
Light movement: 10–20 min of walking or gentle asana to keep prana flowing.
Japa top-up: Another short round (5–15 min) of mantra or kirtan.

5) Evening Sandhyā & Ārati

Timing: Around sunset
19) Second puja: Light diya again, offer flowers/fruits/Tulsi, and perform ārati (camphor/diya).
20) Bhajan/Kirtan: Keep the atmosphere devotional.
21) For ekabhukta: If you choose your single meal now, keep it grain-free and sattvic (potato/peanut/sabudana/sama with rock salt and ghee). Eat with gratitude, no overeating.
22) Quiet night: Optional jāgran (night vigil) with soft chanting/reading; otherwise retire early.

6) Dwadashi (Next Morning) – Paran (Breaking the Fast)

Important: Traditional Vaishnava rule is to break after sunrise, within the parana window, and after Hari-Vasara (the first quarter of Dwadashi) ends. Check your local panchāng for the exact window.

Morning bath & quick puja. Offer a simple bhog (preferably with grains—see note).
Feed first: If possible, serve a guest/monk/elder, or at least set aside food as charity.
Break the fast (Paran):

Classical: End Ekadashi by honoring grains (rice/wheat) in prasad form; this formally closes the vrata.
If grain-free due to health/diet: Take a symbolic grain (a spoon of cooked rice) or offer grains at the altar and touch a few grains to the lips, then eat a gentle meal your body tolerates.

First meal suggestions: Soft rice/khichdi with ghee, mung dal (if you take legumes), or a very simple sattvic plate. Eat moderately.
Gratitude & closure: Offer thanks to Vishnu, Tulsi, Guru/lineage, and your ancestors.

Allowed vs. Avoided (Quick Reference)

Allowed (grain-free, Ekadashi-friendly):

Fruits, milk/curd, nuts, coconut, jaggery/honey
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumber, pumpkin
Sabudana, sama (barnyard millet), kuttu (buckwheat), singhada (water chestnut)
Rock salt (sendha), ghee, mild spices (cumin, black pepper, cardamom)

Avoid:

All grains (rice, wheat, barley), pulses/beans, maize, millet (other than sama)
Onion, garlic, mushrooms; meat, eggs, alcohol, tobacco
Tamasik foods and heavy/fried meals

Health & Practical Notes

Safety first: Skip nirjala if you have any medical concerns; choose phalahār/ekabhukta.
Teachers/performers: If you’re leading classes that day, keep nutrients steady with fruit, coconut water, and light sattvic options.
Menstruation/pregnancy/illness: The merit of Ekadashi comes from bhāva (devotion). Do a light dietary observance + full puja/japa.
Travel: Carry nuts, fruit, and a small puja kit (tilak, small photo, Tulsi, a few flowers, cotton wicks).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the sankalpa—intention frames the vrata.
Breaking fast before the parana window or during Hari-Vasara.
Over-exertion or mental agitation (keep the day sattvic and simple).
Overeating at night or at parana—moderation preserves the merit.

Optional Add-Ons (for deeper practice)

Tulsi Archana: Offer 11–108 Tulsi leaves with Vishnu names.
Japa goal: 4–16 rounds of your chosen mantra across the day (or a fixed time target).
Ancestor prayer: Add a brief tarpan/mantra for lineage upliftment after morning puja.
Kundalini-friendly insert: 11 min of So-Ham breath awareness or 11 min of Ajapa-japa with mala; 3–7 min Sitali if hunger spikes.