Vrat · Vishnu

Yogini Ekadashi

The fast that lifted a curse: the gardener Hemamali, cursed by Lord Kubera, was healed on the word of the sage Markandeya.

Yogini Ekadashi 2027: Wednesday 30 June 2027; New Delhi

City

For New Delhi, Wednesday 30 June 2027

Krishna Ekadashi tithi

Begins: 10:04 pm, 29 June
Ends: 8:31 pm

Sunrise: 5:26 am
Sunset: 7:23 pm
Moonrise: 2:17 am, 1 July
Moonset: 3:29 pm

Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.

Full panchang for this day →

Puja times

For New Delhi, Wednesday 30 June 2027

Parana (breaking the fast), 1 Jul

5:27 am to 8:14 am

Hari Vasara ends: 1:57 am
Dwadashi ends: 6:15 pm
Ekadashi begins: 10:04 pm, 29 June
Ekadashi ends: 8:31 pm

Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.

How it is kept

Customs vary by region and family

Fast without grains or beans
Hear the story of Hemamali
Break the fast tomorrow in the parana time

What it remembers

Yogini Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Jyeshtha (Ashadha in North India), in June or July, between Nirjala Ekadashi and Devshayani Ekadashi. Its story is of Hemamali, the yaksha gardener of Lord Kubera, who forgot his duty for love of his wife and was cursed with leprosy, until the sage Markandeya told him of this fast. It is held to clear the sins of the past, as it lifted Hemamali’s curse. The fast is broken the next morning in the parana time.

The flowers for Shiva

The Brahmavaivarta Purana tells this story as Lord Krishna told it to Yudhishthira. In the city of Alakapuri ruled Lord Kubera, a devotee of Lord Shiva. Every day his servant Hemamali, a yaksha, went to the lake Manasarovar and brought back fresh flowers for Kubera’s worship. Hemamali loved his beautiful wife (Swarupavati in some tellings, Vishalakshi in others) so dearly that one day, with the flowers picked, he went home to her and forgot all about his duty.

Kubera’s curse

Lord Kubera sat waiting to begin his worship, and the flowers did not come. He sent a servant to find Hemamali, who came back to say the yaksha was at home with his wife. Kubera, furious, called Hemamali before him and cursed him: he would fall to the earth, suffer white leprosy and be parted from the wife he loved. At once Hemamali fell from Alakapuri, a leper, alone.

The sage Markandeya

Hemamali wandered in misery, but by Lord Shiva’s grace he remembered who he had been, and he kept his faith. At last he came to the Himalayas and to the hermitage of the sage Markandeya, who asked him what wrong had brought him to such a state. Hemamali told him the whole truth, and Markandeya told him to keep the fast of the dark Ekadashi of Ashadha. Hemamali kept it; the leprosy left him, his own fair form returned, and he went home to live happily with his wife again.

The merit of Yogini Ekadashi

Lord Krishna told Yudhishthira that the merit of this Ekadashi is like that of feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins. Kept with faith, it clears the sins of the past, as it lifted the curse from Hemamali.

Keeping Yogini Ekadashi

The fast runs from sunrise to the parana the next morning. Families keep it in many ways, strictly or simply; follow your own tradition where it differs.

On Dashami, the day before, eat one simple meal before sunset, and pick the tulsi leaves you will need: tulsi is not plucked on Ekadashi.
Bathe early and take the vow (sankalpa) to fast. Keep it without grains or beans, on fruit and milk, or without water, as your health allows.
Worship Lord Vishnu with tulsi leaves, fresh flowers, a lamp and incense, keeping to your worship as Hemamali failed to keep to his.
Read or hear the story of Hemamali and the sage Markandeya, and chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya or read the Vishnu Sahasranama.
Avoid sleep in the day, keep the mind on Lord Vishnu, and give to those in need.
Many keep awake in the night with kirtan (jagaran), and sing Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
On Dwadashi, break the fast in the parana time shown on this page, starting with tulsi water, then a simple meal.

What you need

Tulsi leaves, picked the day before
Fresh flowers
Fruit, milk and the foods allowed in the fast (sabudana, kuttu, singhara, potato)
A lamp and incense
The Yogini Ekadashi story, or the Vishnu Sahasranama

Across India

North India

Kept in the dark fortnight of Ashadha, as the monsoon comes, with the story of Hemamali read at home.

Gujarat, Maharashtra and the south

By the southern calendar, whose months end at the new moon, the same day is the dark Ekadashi of Jyeshtha. It is the same fast: only the month’s name differs.

Vaishnava and ISKCON tradition

Kept by the Vaishnava rule, which can move the fast a day later when Dashami touches Ekadashi’s dawn, with the story told from the Brahmavaivarta Purana.

When it falls

Krishna Ekadashi of Jyeshtha (Ashadha in North India). Kept on the day of the Ekadashi fast (the Smarta day).

These are the usual rules. A few days can differ by a day in your tradition, so check with your temple.

Yogini Ekadashi in the coming years

New Delhi, India time

2027Wednesday 30 June 2027
2028Sunday 18 June 2028

Questions

When is Yogini Ekadashi in 2027?

Wednesday 30 June 2027, in New Delhi. In a few places it can fall a day apart, so the date above is worked out for your city.

When does Yogini Ekadashi fall?

Krishna Ekadashi of Jyeshtha (Ashadha in North India). Kept on the day of the Ekadashi fast (the Smarta day).

How is Yogini Ekadashi kept?

Families fast without grains or beans, hear the story of Hemamali and break the fast tomorrow in the parana time. Customs vary by region and family.

Who is honoured on Yogini Ekadashi?

Vishnu. The fast that lifted a curse: the gardener Hemamali, cursed by Lord Kubera, was healed on the word of the sage Markandeya.

What is the story of Yogini Ekadashi?

Hemamali, a yaksha who brought flowers each day for Lord Kubera’s worship of Lord Shiva, forgot his duty for love of his wife. Kubera cursed him with leprosy and sent him to the earth, parted from her. In the Himalayas the sage Markandeya told him to keep this fast, and by it he was cured and returned to his wife.

Who was Hemamali?

A yaksha in the service of Lord Kubera, the king of Alakapuri, whose task was to bring flowers from the lake Manasarovar for his master’s worship each day.

What is the merit of Yogini Ekadashi?

Lord Krishna likened it to the merit of feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins. It is held to clear the sins of the past, as it lifted the curse from Hemamali.