Saphala Ekadashi 2026-27: Date, Vrat Katha, Puja Vidhi, Parana, Fruit Offering and Deepdaan

Saphala Ekadashi (सफला एकादशी) is the Ekadashi of the waning moon (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Pausha, observed in honour of Lord Vishnu in his form as Narayana. The name says it all: “Saphala” means “that which makes fruitful” — the Ekadashi traditionally believed to bring success to one’s efforts.

It usually falls in late December or the first days of January, so many families keep it as the first fast of the new year. By tradition, devotees offer seasonal fruits to the Lord, light ghee lamps (deepdaan) in the evening and spend the night singing the Lord’s names.

On this page you will find the Saphala Ekadashi date and parana time, the vrat katha of King Mahishman and his son Lumpaka, a step-by-step puja vidhi, the samagri list, mantras, fasting rules, and the traditions of fruit offering and lamp lighting.

Saphala Ekadashi 2026-27 Date: Tithi and Parana Time

In the 2026-27 cycle, Saphala Ekadashi falls on Sunday, 3 January 2027. For New Delhi, the Ekadashi tithi begins at about 2:24 PM on 2 January 2027 and ends at about 4:08 PM on 3 January 2027, with parana on the morning of 4 January. Because 2026 has an Adhik (extra) month, the Pausha Krishna Ekadashi moves into January 2027.

The table above updates automatically and shows the fasting date and exact parana window for your city. This time Smarta (householder) and Vaishnava (including ISKCON) devotees fast on the same day; in years when the tithi spans two sunrises, the Vaishnava fast is usually a day later, so follow the date shown for your tradition.

Saphala Ekadashi Meaning and Other Names

“Saphala” comes from “saphal”, meaning fruitful or successful. Devotees believe that keeping this fast with faith helps stalled work move forward and gives the right direction to one’s efforts. You will also see it written as Safala Ekadashi, Saphala Ekadasi or Saphal Ekadashi.

It is also simply called Pausha Krishna Ekadashi. ISKCON calendars list it under the same name, Saphala Ekadasi.

Which month does Saphala Ekadashi fall in?

India follows two ways of counting lunar months, so the month name differs by region while the actual day stays the same.

Calendar system	Where it is followed	Month of Saphala Ekadashi
Purnimanta	North India — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab	Pausha, Krishna Paksha
Amanta	South and West India — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana	Margashirsha, Krishna Paksha

Saphala Ekadashi comes right after Mokshada Ekadashi (Margashirsha Shukla) and right before Pausha Putrada Ekadashi (Pausha Shukla), making it the middle link in a chain of three important winter Ekadashis.

Why is it called “Saphala”? The idea of success in work

In the vrat katha, Prince Lumpaka keeps this Ekadashi fast and night vigil without even knowing it — and his whole life turns around. The kingdom, family and respect he had lost come back to him. A life that had completely failed became “saphal”, successful. That is why tradition calls this the Ekadashi that grants success.

There is a second layer to the name: offering “phal” (fruit) to the Lord is the special rite of this day. Fruit and fruitfulness come together in one word. Students, job seekers, business owners and anyone starting something new often keep this fast with particular devotion.

Significance of Saphala Ekadashi

Every Ekadashi of the year is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, but each has its own flavour. The central message of Saphala Ekadashi is that by the Lord’s grace even failure can turn into success — what is needed is sincere repentance and surrender.

Religious significance

According to tradition, the presiding deity of Saphala Ekadashi is Lord Narayana. Fasting, worship, lamp offering and night vigil on this day are believed to remove sins and fulfil righteous wishes. The katha’s closing verses say that even reading or hearing the glory of this Ekadashi brings merit equal to a great yajna.

In the scriptural account, Lord Krishna says that just as Shesha is foremost among serpents, Garuda among birds, the Moon among planets and Vishnu among the gods, the Ekadashi fast is foremost among all vows. Saphala Ekadashi is seen as an especially auspicious day within that tradition.

Spiritual message

The story of Saphala Ekadashi shows that the Lord’s door is never closed to anyone. Lumpaka offered fallen fruit with tears in his eyes, and his life changed.

This does not mean one can keep doing wrong and fast once a year. Sincere remorse, humility and lovingly offering whatever you have — that is the heart of devotion.

The second lesson is about what “success” means. Lumpaka’s true success was not the throne but a changed life — in the dharmic view, real success is whatever makes you a better person.

Mention in the Puranas

According to tradition, the story and glory of Saphala Ekadashi appear in the Padma Purana (in the Ekadashi mahatmya of the Uttara Khanda) and the Bhavishya Uttara Purana. In most texts it is told as a dialogue between Dharmaraja Yudhishthira and Lord Krishna: Yudhishthira asks the name and method of the Pausha Krishna Ekadashi, and Krishna narrates the story.

Some panchangs present the same conversation between Krishna and Arjuna; the story itself is unchanged.

Saphala Ekadashi Vrat Katha (Story)

Dharmaraja Yudhishthira asked Lord Krishna, “O Lord, what is the name of the Ekadashi in the dark fortnight of Pausha? How should it be observed, and which deity is worshipped?” Lord Krishna replied, “O King, this Ekadashi is called Saphala, and its deity is Lord Narayana. Listen carefully to its story.”

Long ago there was a beautiful city named Champavati, ruled by the righteous King Mahishman. He had four sons, the eldest of whom was Lumpaka. Lumpaka was deeply wicked. He wasted his father’s wealth on vice and pleasure, mocked the gods, Brahmins and Vaishnavas, and insulted good people.

When his misdeeds crossed every limit, King Mahishman sadly banished him from the kingdom, and not one relative or friend stood by him.

Lumpaka went to live in a dense forest. By day he hunted animals and birds for food; by night he slipped back into his father’s city to steal and trouble the citizens. The guards caught him many times but let him go out of fear of the king.

In that forest stood a very old, huge peepal tree. People worshipped it as divine, and the forest was said to be a playground of the gods. Lumpaka lived beneath this very tree, with no idea of how sacred the place was.

Then came the night of Dashami in the dark fortnight of Pausha. It was bitterly cold, and Lumpaka had hardly any clothes. He shivered all night, could not sleep, his limbs went stiff, and by sunrise he had fainted.

The next day — Ekadashi — he lay unconscious until noon. Only when the sun’s warmth revived him could he get up. He was too weak to hunt, so, faint with hunger, he began gathering fruits that had fallen from the trees. By the time he had collected them the sun had set, and he returned to the peepal tree.

His heart was heavy that evening. Instead of eating the fruits, he placed them at the roots of the tree and said through his tears, “O Lord, I offer these fruits to You. May You be pleased with them.” Out of grief, hunger and remorse, he stayed awake the whole night as well.

And so, without knowing it, Lumpaka had completed all three parts of the vow — the Ekadashi fast, the offering of fruit and the night vigil. Lord Narayana was pleased by his feeling, and all his sins were destroyed.

On the morning of Dwadashi, a beautifully adorned divine horse appeared before him. A voice from the sky declared: “O Prince! By the grace of Lord Narayana and the merit of Saphala Ekadashi, all your sins are gone. Go back to your father and receive your kingdom.”

Overjoyed, Lumpaka praised the Lord, put on divine garments and rode to his father. Seeing his son so transformed, King Mahishman handed him the whole kingdom and retired to the forest for penance.

Lumpaka ruled justly according to the scriptures. His wife, sons and entire household became devotees of Narayana. In old age he passed the throne to his son, went to the forest to worship the Lord, and at the end of his life attained Vaikuntha.

Concluding the story, Lord Krishna said, “O King, whoever observes Saphala Ekadashi with faith is freed from sin and becomes worthy of liberation. Even one who reads or hears its glory gains merit equal to a great yajna.” Some versions compare this merit to the Rajasuya yajna, others to the Ashvamedha yajna.

Variations in the story: In some traditions the king is called Mahishmata or Mahishmat and the prince Lumbhaka. A few retellings give the king five sons. Some ISKCON texts place Lumpaka under a banyan tree instead of a peepal, and a few panchangs describe a divine chariot instead of a horse. The core message is the same in every version.

Lessons from the Saphala Ekadashi katha

• The Lord values devotion over objects — Lumpaka had only fallen fruit, and it was accepted.
• Sincere remorse can change the direction of a life.
• Fasting, offering and night vigil are the three pillars of Saphala Ekadashi.

Saphala Ekadashi Puja Vidhi (Step by Step)

This method is simple enough to follow at home; details may vary slightly with family tradition.

1. Prepare on Dashami: On the day before Ekadashi, eat a light sattvic meal before sunset. Avoid rice, onion, garlic, meat and alcohol. Resolve in your mind to fast the next day for the pleasure of Lord Narayana.
2. Arrange the samagri in advance: Tulsi leaves are not plucked on Ekadashi, so pick them on Dashami.
3. Morning bath: Rise before sunrise and bathe, adding a little Ganga jal to the water. In winter, bathing with warm water is perfectly fine. Wear clean clothes, preferably yellow or light-coloured.
4. Take the sankalp: Sitting at your altar with water, akshat and a flower in your hand, state your vow: “I (your name) am observing Saphala Ekadashi today for the pleasure of Lord Narayana and the well-being of my family.” Choose nirjala, phalahar or one-meal fasting according to your health.
5. Set up the altar: Spread a yellow cloth on a low stool and place an idol or picture of Lord Vishnu, Narayana or Krishna, with Mata Lakshmi if you wish. Bathe the idol with Ganga jal or panchamrit.
6. Worship: Offer sandalwood, roli, akshat, yellow flowers and tulsi leaves. Light incense and a ghee lamp. If time is short, the five-fold puja (fragrance, flower, incense, lamp and naivedya) is considered complete.
7. Offer fruits: This is the special rite of Saphala Ekadashi. Arrange seasonal fruits such as coconut, betel nut, amla, pomegranate, lemon, ber and banana on a plate and offer them to the Lord, remembering Lumpaka’s simple, heartfelt offering.
8. Chant and read: Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” at least one mala (108 times). Read or listen to the Vishnu Sahasranama, a chapter of the Gita, or the Saphala Ekadashi vrat katha.
9. Aarti: Close the puja with Om Jai Jagdish Hare Aarti and Ekadashi Mata Ki Aarti, and ask forgiveness for any mistakes.
10. Through the day: Avoid daytime sleep, anger and gossip. Donating food, warm clothes or blankets is especially helpful in this cold season.
11. Evening deepdaan: At sunset, light ghee or sesame-oil lamps at your home altar, near the tulsi plant and, if possible, at a temple or under a peepal tree. Perform the evening aarti.
12. Night vigil (jagran): Tradition gives special importance to staying awake on Saphala Ekadashi night with bhajans, kirtan, katha and japa. If a full night is not possible, sing for the first part of the night — do not compromise your health.
13. Dwadashi worship and charity: On Dwadashi morning, bathe, worship the Lord and give food, grain or dakshina to a Brahmin or someone in need.
14. Parana: Break the fast within the parana window shown in the table above. First offer bhog to the Lord, then break the fast with a tulsi leaf or prasad fruit, followed by a simple sattvic meal.

Puja Samagri List

• Idol or picture of Lord Vishnu / Narayana / Krishna
• Low stool (chowki) and yellow cloth
• Ganga jal and a kalash of clean water
• Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar)
• Sandalwood, roli, turmeric, akshat (whole rice — for worship only)
• Yellow flowers and a garland
• Tulsi leaves (plucked on Dashami)
• Seasonal fruits — coconut, betel nut, amla, pomegranate, lemon, ber, banana, guava, orange
• Cloves, cardamom and betel leaves
• Incense sticks, dhoop and camphor
• Ghee lamp plus extra diyas and cotton wicks for deepdaan
• Sesame oil (for a lamp under a peepal tree, if you wish)
• Dry fruits, mishri or a phalahari sweet for bhog
• Saphala Ekadashi vrat katha book or printout
• Aarti plate and bell
• Grain, warm clothes, blankets or dakshina for donation

Saphala Ekadashi Mantras

Chant with a calm mind; a tulsi mala is traditionally preferred for japa.

1. Dwadashakshara Vasudeva Mantra

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya)

Meaning: I bow to the all-pervading Lord Vasudeva (Krishna / Vishnu). This is the main mantra of the Ekadashi fast and can be chanted throughout the day.

2. Ashtakshara Narayana Mantra

ॐ नमो नारायणाय (Om Namo Narayanaya)

Meaning: I bow to Lord Narayana. Since Narayana is regarded as the presiding deity of Saphala Ekadashi, this mantra is especially chanted on this day.

3. Vishnu Gayatri Mantra

ॐ नारायणाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो विष्णुः प्रचोदयात्॥ (Om Narayanaya Vidmahe Vasudevaya Dhimahi, Tanno Vishnuh Prachodayat)

Meaning: We know Narayana and meditate on Vasudeva; may Lord Vishnu guide our intellect on the right path. It is chanted with a prayer for clear decisions and success in work.

4. Fruit Offering Mantra

इदं फलं मया देव स्थापितं पुरतस्तव। तेन मे सफलावाप्तिर्भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि॥

Meaning: O Lord, I have placed this fruit before You; through it may I attain success in every birth. This verse is used in puja manuals while offering fruit and fits the spirit of Saphala Ekadashi perfectly. If Sanskrit feels difficult, offer the same prayer in your own words.

What to Eat and Avoid on Saphala Ekadashi

The aim of an Ekadashi fast is not to punish the body but to restrain the senses and turn the mind to God. Choose the type of fast that suits your age, health and daily responsibilities.

Nirjala fast

No food or water from Ekadashi sunrise until parana on Dwadashi. This is the strictest form and is only for people in good health. Anyone with diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure or kidney problems, pregnant or breastfeeding women, the elderly and people on regular medication should consult a doctor before attempting it.

Phalahar fast

The most common way: fruits, milk, curd, nuts and fasting-friendly dishes during the day. Because fruit is so central to Saphala Ekadashi, many families keep this fast on fruit and milk alone.

One-meal (ekabhukta) fast

Those who cannot fast all day may take one phalahari meal. This suits the elderly, students and people doing physical work.

Foods allowed

• Seasonal fruits — banana, apple, guava, orange, pomegranate, papaya, ber
• Milk, curd, buttermilk, paneer, butter
• Nuts — almonds, cashews, walnuts, raisins, makhana
• Kuttu (buckwheat) flour, singhara (water chestnut) flour, rajgira, sabudana, sama rice (barnyard millet)
• Potato, sweet potato, arbi, raw banana
• Rock salt (sendha namak), black pepper, cumin
• Coconut water and plenty of water (if not keeping nirjala)

Foods to avoid

• Rice and anything made from rice — traditionally forbidden on Ekadashi
• All grains such as wheat, barley, maize and millet
• Lentils and beans (chana, moong, rajma and so on)
• Onion, garlic, meat, eggs, fish, alcohol and tobacco
• Ordinary table salt (use rock salt)
• Packaged “fasting snacks” that may contain grain flour or regular salt

Saphala Ekadashi Parana: When and How to Break the Fast

Breaking the fast correctly is as important as keeping it; by tradition, a fast not broken at the right time is considered incomplete. Check the exact parana window for your city in the table above.

• Break it on Dwadashi: Parana is done the day after Ekadashi, after sunrise, during Dwadashi tithi — and before Dwadashi ends.
• Not during Harivasar: The first quarter of Dwadashi tithi is called Harivasar. Do not break the fast in this period; wait until it is over.
• Morning is best: Avoid midday (madhyahna); if the morning is missed, break the fast after midday.
• Smarta and Vaishnava: In years with two listed dates, householders (Smarta) fast on the first day and Vaishnavas or ascetics on the second, so their parana days and times differ too. Use the time for your tradition from the table.
• How to do it: Bathe, worship, offer bhog and give something in charity. Break the fast with a tulsi leaf, amla or prasad fruit, then eat a light sattvic meal.
• Go gently: After a nirjala fast, start with water or coconut water and ease back into food slowly.

Fruit Offering on Saphala Ekadashi

The hallmark of Saphala Ekadashi is offering fruit to the Lord — in the story, fallen fruit was all Lumpaka had, and it became his worship.

The traditional account mentions worship with coconut (shriphal), betel nut, bijora (citron), lemon, pomegranate, amla, cloves, ber and mango. Today people offer whatever fruits are fresh and available in their region.

Traditional meaning of common offerings

Fruit / item	Traditional meaning
Coconut (shriphal)	Complete surrender and an auspicious beginning; many homes always offer a coconut on this day
Betel nut (supari)	Completeness of worship and firmness of resolve
Amla	Considered dear to Lord Vishnu; a key winter fruit, also used for parana
Pomegranate (anar)	Its many seeds suggest prosperity and a growing family
Lemon / citron (bijora)	Named in the traditional account; a sign of purity
Banana, ber, guava, orange	Local seasonal fruits that are easy to find

Use fresh, clean, whole fruits and share them afterwards as prasad with family, neighbours and people in need. The feeling behind the offering matters more than its price — that is the whole point of this Ekadashi’s story.

Deepdaan on Saphala Ekadashi

The rites of Saphala Ekadashi describe lamp offering (deepdaan) as especially meritorious. In the long, cold nights of Pausha, a lamp stands for light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

How to do deepdaan

• At sunset, light a cow-ghee lamp before Lord Vishnu.
• Place a lamp near the tulsi plant and sing Tulsi Mata Ki Aarti.
• Because the katha is set under a peepal tree, many North Indian families light a sesame-oil or ghee lamp under a peepal.
• If you can, offer a lamp at a Vishnu or Krishna temple.
• Chant “Om Namo Narayanaya” or “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” while lighting the lamp.

Keep safety in mind — place lamps away from curtains, clothes, dry leaves and the reach of children.

Saphala Ekadashi as the First Fast of the New Year

Saphala Ekadashi usually falls in the last week of December or the first week of January. When it falls in January, as in 2027, it is the first Ekadashi of the Gregorian year; when it falls in December, it is called the last Ekadashi of the year.

Ways to observe it at the start of the year

• Along with your fasting sankalp, write down one or two good resolutions for the year — daily reading, giving up a bad habit.
• Listen to the katha with your family and share Lumpaka’s story with children.
• Donate blankets, warm clothes or food to people facing the cold.

Saphala Ekadashi Dos and Don’ts

Do

• Bathe in the morning and take the sankalp.
• Offer seasonal fruits, tulsi leaves and yellow flowers to Lord Narayana.
• Light a ghee lamp and offer deepdaan in the evening.
• Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” and recite the Vishnu Sahasranama or Gita.
• Keep a night vigil with bhajans as far as you are able.
• Donate food, blankets or warm clothing.
• Break the fast on Dwadashi within the correct window.

Don’t

• Eat rice, grains, lentils, onion, garlic or tamasic food.
• Pluck tulsi leaves on Ekadashi.
• Sleep during the day.
• Give in to anger, lies, gossip, harsh words or quarrels.
• Consume meat, alcohol, tobacco or intoxicants.
• Insult anyone — that was Lumpaka’s greatest mistake.
• Break the fast during Harivasar or after Dwadashi has ended.
• Insist on a nirjala fast if your health does not allow it.

Saphala Ekadashi Myths vs Reality

Myth: Fasting on Saphala Ekadashi makes every task succeed automatically.

Reality: Tradition regards this fast as success-giving, but that belief does not replace effort. Even in the story, Lumpaka’s life changed because his nature changed. Keep the fast for inner clarity and direction, and keep working hard.

Myth: Only a nirjala fast counts.

Reality: Scripture and tradition allow phalahar and one-meal fasts as well. A fast is valued for its devotion and restraint, not for how hungry or thirsty you get. Choosing a fast that suits your health is the right way.

Myth: Breaking the fast by mistake brings great sin.

Reality: If the fast breaks by accident or for health reasons, pray for forgiveness, chant the Lord’s name and fast again with faith on the next Ekadashi. Tradition is meant to guide, not frighten — and this katha itself is about the Lord’s compassion.

Myth: The sick, pregnant or elderly gain nothing unless they fast strictly.

Reality: Tradition exempts the ill, the very old, children and pregnant women from strict fasting. People with diabetes, blood pressure or on regular medicines should fast only on a doctor’s advice. They can still honour the day through puja, katha, japa and charity.

Myth: Only expensive fruits please the Lord on Saphala Ekadashi.

Reality: Lumpaka offered only wild fruit he picked up from the ground. The message of the tradition is clear — the Lord sees the heart, not the price tag. Offer with love whatever fruit is easy to find.

Myth: Staying awake all night is compulsory, or the fast is incomplete.

Reality: Jagran is given special importance on Saphala Ekadashi, but those who cannot stay up all night because of health or work can honour it with a few hours of bhajan. Your health and next-day responsibilities matter too.

Benefits of Saphala Ekadashi (Religious Beliefs)

The benefits below are religious beliefs described in scripture and tradition. Approach them with faith, not as guarantees.

• Success in endeavours: The fast is believed to ease obstacles in stalled work and support one’s efforts.
• Freedom from sin: According to the katha, a fast kept with faith and remorse is believed to lessen the effects of past wrongs.
• Liberation: The mahatmya says the devotee becomes worthy of the Lord’s abode at the end of life.
• Merit like a yajna: By tradition, even reading or hearing the katha brings merit comparable to a great yajna.
• Family harmony: In the story, Lumpaka’s whole family turned to devotion; the fast is believed to foster harmony and dharma at home.
• Calm and discipline: A day of restraint, chanting and vigil quiets the mind and builds self-discipline.

Related Ekadashis and Readings

Saphala Ekadashi is preceded by Mokshada Ekadashi, the day Gita Jayanti is also celebrated, and followed by Pausha Putrada Ekadashi, kept with prayers for children. See the full list of all 24 Ekadashis and their dates on our Ekadashi Kab Hai page.

During the puja, sing Om Jai Jagdish Hare and Ekadashi Mata Ki Aarti. Download our Aarti Sangrah PDF for all the aartis in one place, and check the Daily Panchang for the day’s tithi, nakshatra and auspicious timings.

Saphala Ekadashi reminds us that no matter how many mistakes we have made, one sincere step towards the Lord can change the road ahead. On this Ekadashi, offer whatever fruit you have to Lord Narayana with love, light a lamp, and pray for success in your efforts. May Lord Narayana bless every good endeavour of yours. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

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