Yogini Ekadashi 2026: Date, Timings, Vrat Katha, Vidhi & Puja Samagri (10 July)

Of all the twenty-six Ekadashis in a Hindu calendar year, Yogini Ekadashi carries a grace that is rare and immediate. Observed on the Krishna Paksha Ekadashi of Ashadha, this fast is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his compassionate Vamana form. The Padma Purana describes its merit as equal to feeding 88,000 Brahmins — a staggering measure of the spiritual weight this single day carries. Devotees who observe Yogini Ekadashi with sincerity are said to be freed from the burden of past karmas, healed of illness, and placed firmly on the path to moksha. Tomorrow is that day.

Yogini Ekadashi 2026 — Date & Timings

Note: Timings are in IST, based on Ujjain. They may vary slightly by location.

The Significance of Yogini Ekadashi

Yogini Ekadashi is not merely a day of fasting — it is a day of complete spiritual renewal. Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his Vamana form on this day, the fifth avatar who measured and reclaimed the three worlds with three simple strides, restoring divine order. Worshipping him on Yogini Ekadashi is said to invoke his infinite grace in a particularly concentrated way.

The Padma Purana describes several dimensions of this Ekadashi's power: it releases devotees from the weight of sins accumulated over multiple lifetimes, it has the capacity to heal physical illness (the katha directly involves a healing miracle), and it bestows liberation — moksha — as its ultimate gift. For those who seek Vishnu's blessing and cannot perform elaborate rituals throughout the year, a single, sincerely observed Yogini Ekadashi vrat is said to carry the weight of all of them.

Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha — The Story of Hemmali

The Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha is narrated in the Padma Purana, shared by Lord Krishna himself with King Yudhishthira. It tells the story of Hemmali — a Yaksha attendant in Kubera's divine realm — who neglected his sacred duty one morning and was cursed to leave his heavenly form, descend to earth, and suffer a devastating illness. Separated from his wife, stripped of everything he had known, Hemmali wandered in torment until he reached the Himalayas and encountered the great sage Markandeya.

What the sage told him next — and what Hemmali did — transformed everything. The single remedy prescribed changed the course of his life completely. And Lord Vishnu's response is what makes this katha one of the most moving in all of Ekadashi scripture.

Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Vidhi — Step by Step

Day Before (Dashami — 9 July)

Begin preparation the evening before. Eat only sattvik food — no onion, garlic, meat, or alcohol. Keep your meal light and consume it before sunset. Resolve in your mind to observe the vrat sincerely. Clean your home mandir and ensure your Vishnu idol or photo is properly placed.

Morning of Ekadashi (10 July)

1. Rise before sunrise — ideally during Brahma Muhurta (around 4:30–5:30 AM).
2. Take a ritual bath — add a few drops of Gangajal (₹59) to your bath water. This is considered purifying on Ekadashi.
3. Take the Sankalp (vow) — facing east, with folded hands, declare your intention to observe the Yogini Ekadashi vrat for the grace of Lord Vishnu. You may say: "Om Vishnavey Namah. I observe this Yogini Ekadashi vrat in devotion to Lord Vishnu, seeking his blessings and liberation from past sins."
4. Clean your puja space — sprinkle Gangajal around it and arrange all samagri.

Puja Vidhi

1. Place an idol or image of Lord Vishnu (or Narayan) on a clean yellow cloth.
2. Offer yellow flowers, Tulsi leaves, fruits, and sweets.
3. Light a diya (oil or ghee lamp) and incense.
4. Perform aarti with your Aarti Thali (₹299).
5. Recite or listen to the Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha — this is essential, as the katha itself is considered part of the puja. The complete katha in Hindi & English is in the Sampurna Ekadashi eBook (₹199).
6. Chant Vishnu mantras: Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, or the Vishnu Sahasranama.
7. Keep vigil through the night if possible — even a few hours of nighttime prayer significantly increases the merit of the vrat.

Next Day — Parana (11 July, 1:52 PM – 4:32 PM)

The fast must be broken within the Parana window on Dwadashi. Offer food to a Brahmin or a needy person before you eat yourself. Then consume sattvic food. Do not break the fast with onion, garlic, or meat even after parana.

Watch: Ekadashi Vrat Puja Vidhi

Watch this complete guide to performing Ekadashi vrat puja — the correct method, mantras, and what to offer Lord Vishnu on this sacred day:

Yogini Ekadashi Fasting Rules — What to Eat & What to Avoid

🚫 Strictly Avoid on Ekadashi

• All grains: rice, wheat, barley, corn, and any grain flour
• Pulses and lentils
• Onion and garlic
• Non-vegetarian food of any kind
• Alcohol and tamasic food
• Mustard oil (use ghee or sendha namak-compatible oils instead)

✅ Allowed on Ekadashi (Vrat-friendly foods)

• Fresh fruits — bananas, apples, pomegranate, mangoes
• Milk, curd, and paneer
• Dry fruits — almonds, raisins, cashews
• Sabudana (tapioca pearls) — khichdi or kheer
• Makhana (fox nuts)
• Sendha namak (rock salt) — regular salt is avoided
• Rajgira (amaranth) and singhara (water chestnut) flour preparations
• Water, coconut water

Yogini Ekadashi Puja Samagri

Here is everything you need for a proper Yogini Ekadashi puja, all available at the Sanatana Journey Divine Store:

Frequently Asked Questions

Observe Yogini Ekadashi with Devotion — Lord Vishnu Is Waiting

Yogini Ekadashi is one of those rare moments in the sacred calendar when the grace of Lord Vishnu flows with particular intensity — when the spiritual fruit of a single day's sincere devotion can dissolve what ordinary days cannot. Hemmali's story is not simply ancient myth; it is a living testimony to what becomes possible when a human being turns to Lord Vishnu with a whole heart, regardless of past mistakes.

Tomorrow is that day. Light a diya. Sprinkle Gangajal. Offer Tulsi. Fast with intention. And let the Lord's grace do the rest.

🛕 Download the Sampurna Ekadashi eBook (₹199) — All 26 Kathas & 2026 Calendar →

🪔 Shop all puja samagri at Sanatana Journey Divine Store →

Jai Shri Hari 🙏