Papankusha Ekadashi

Papankusha Ekadashi falls on the 11th day of the bright fortnight in Ashvin month (September-October). The name means 'the destroyer of sins,' and devotees believe observing this Ekadashi cleanses all past sins and grants liberation (moksha). Devotees spend the day in prayer, chanting Vishnu mantras, and reading sacred texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranama.

According to the Padma Purana, a king named Rishabhdeva was once cursed by a sage to become a chandal. Distraught, he wandered the forests until Sage Narada appeared and instructed him to observe Papankusha Ekadashi with unwavering devotion. As the king observed the fast with sincerity, Lord Vishnu appeared before him, broke the curse, and restored his kingdom and divine form. This story illustrates the immense power of this Ekadashi to destroy even the gravest of sins.

In Odisha, devotees rise before dawn, take a ritual bath, and worship Lord Vishnu with tulsi leaves, sandalwood paste, and fresh flowers. The fast is observed without grains, and the devotee breaks it on Dwadashi after offering food to Brahmins and the needy. Reading the Vishnu Sahasranama throughout the day is considered especially auspicious, as the very name of the deity is believed to burn away accumulated karma.