Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Date 2027: Vrat Katha, Puja Vidhi, Parana and Pavitra Ekadashi

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi is the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of Shravan (Sawan), a sacred fast for Lord Vishnu that is traditionally kept with the prayer for children. It is also called Sawan Putrada Ekadashi, Pavitra Ekadashi and Pavitropana Ekadashi. “Putrada” means “the giver of children”.

By tradition, couples waiting for a child keep this fast with faith, and parents keep it for the health and good future of the children they already have. In Vaishnava temples the same day is marked by offering Lord Vishnu or Krishna a “pavitra” — a garland of silk or cotton threads — and in many places the Jhulan (swing) festival begins.

Below you will find the next date and parana time, the vrat katha of King Mahijit and Sage Lomasha, the step-by-step puja vidhi, the Santan Gopal mantra, the pavitra offering tradition and how this Ekadashi differs from Pausha Putrada.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Date 2027, Tithi and Parana Time

Quick answer: Shravana Putrada Ekadashi 2026 (23 August) has passed. The next Shravana Putrada Ekadashi fast is on Thursday, 12 August 2027. As per the New Delhi panchang, Ekadashi tithi runs from 12:58 AM on 12 August to 2:59 AM on 13 August, and parana is on 13 August, roughly between 1:45 PM and 4:24 PM.

The table above updates automatically and shows this year’s and the next three years’ dates and parana times for your city. Sunrise differs from city to city, so always check the parana time for your own location.

Smarta and Vaishnava: Householders (Smarta) follow the tithi at sunrise, while Vaishnavas (ISKCON and others) skip an Ekadashi touched by Dashami and fast on the next day. When the two dates differ, follow your family or sampradaya tradition.

Meaning of Shravana Putrada Ekadashi and Its Other Names

“Putrada” combines “putra” (child, traditionally son) and “da” (one who gives). In the vrat katha, King Mahijit was blessed with a child through the merit of this fast, so the Ekadashi came to be called Putrada. Today the word is best understood as “child” — son or daughter alike.

Other names

• Sawan Putrada Ekadashi — the common name in North India.
• Pavitra Ekadashi — after the custom of offering a pavitra (thread garland) to the Lord.
• Pavitropana / Pavitraropana Ekadashi — “the day of placing the pavitra”; the name used in ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnava calendars.
• Shravana Shukla Ekadashi — the tithi name in the panchang.

Which month? (Purnimanta and Amanta)

Because this is a Shukla Paksha Ekadashi, its month has the same name in both the Purnimanta (North Indian) and Amanta (South and West Indian) calendars: Shravana Shukla Ekadashi everywhere. In the Gregorian calendar it usually falls between late July and August.

The Ekadashi just before it, Kamika Ekadashi, is a Krishna Paksha Ekadashi, so its month is named differently — Shravana Krishna in the North and Ashadha Krishna in Amanta calendars. Shravana Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) follows a few days after Putrada.

Two Putrada Ekadashis in a year

There are two Putrada Ekadashis each year — one in Shravana Shukla Paksha and one in Pausha Shukla Paksha. The Pausha one is better known in North India, while the Shravana one is more widely observed outside the North and in Vaishnava traditions. A comparison table appears further below.

Significance of Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

The whole month of Sawan is devoted to bhakti. Alongside the worship of Lord Shiva, the Ekadashis of this month hold a special place for Vishnu devotees. These days fall within Chaturmas, when Lord Vishnu is believed to be in yoga-nidra, and devotees turn to fasting, japa and service.

Religious significance

By tradition, the fast is kept for the blessing of children, the well-being of the family and freedom from past wrongs. The katha says that simply hearing the glory of this Ekadashi cleanses the mind and brings happiness in this life and a good destination after it. Many parents also keep it for their children’s health and character.

Spiritual message

The deepest lesson of this katha is compassion. King Mahijit’s sorrow is traced to a past life in which he pushed a thirsty cow away from water. Even a small cruelty to a living being can weigh on the heart, and shared prayer and service can lighten it.

The second lesson is praying for others. The king’s ministers and subjects kept the fast together and offered their merit to him. Family and community, standing together, can carry each other through deep sorrow.

Mention in the Puranas

According to tradition, the story of Shravana Putrada Ekadashi comes from the Bhavishya Purana (Bhavishyottara Purana), where Lord Krishna describes the glories of each Ekadashi to Yudhishthira. Popular Ekadashi Mahatmya collections retell it in the same form. A few versions have Arjuna as the listener.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Vrat Katha

Yudhishthira asked Lord Krishna, “O Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that falls in the bright fortnight of Shravana? How is it observed, and what is its merit?”

Lord Krishna replied, “O King, this Ekadashi is called Putrada. Merely hearing its story removes sins. Listen carefully.”

The sorrow of King Mahijit

At the dawn of the Dvapara Yuga there was a beautiful city called Mahishmati, ruled by King Mahijit. He was righteous, cared for his people like his own children and lacked nothing — except one thing. He had no child, and that sorrow quietly ate away at him.

Years passed and even his wealth and kingdom began to feel empty. One day he called his ministers, Brahmins and representatives of the people and said, “I have never taken wealth unjustly, never seized anyone’s rights, and I have treated my subjects as my own children. Why, then, have I not been blessed with a child? Please find the reason.”

Meeting Sage Lomasha

Moved by his grief, the ministers and citizens went into the forest in search of an answer and visited many hermitages. At last they met the great ascetic Lomasha Rishi, a sage of immense lifespan who knew the Vedas and could see past, present and future. It is said that one hair (loma) falls from his body only at the end of each kalpa, which is why he is called Lomasha.

They bowed to him and explained, “O great sage, our King Mahijit is righteous but childless, and the whole kingdom shares his sorrow. Please tell us how he may be blessed with a child.”

The secret of a past life

Lomasha closed his eyes in meditation and saw the king’s previous birth. He said, “In his last life this king was a poor merchant who wandered from village to village for trade, and out of need he sometimes did wrong. Once, in the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha, he went two days without food or water.”

“At midday, in the fierce heat, he reached a pond to drink. A cow that had just given birth was there, desperately thirsty and drinking. The merchant drove her away and drank the water himself. Because he kept a thirsty cow from water, he now suffers the sorrow of having no child.”

“Yet, without knowing it, he had fasted on Ekadashi during those two days. By that merit he was born a king in this life.”

The remedy

The people asked, “O sage, please tell us how this fault can be removed.” Lomasha said, “The Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Shravana is called Putrada. All of you should observe it properly, stay awake through the night singing the glories of Lord Vishnu, and on Dwadashi offer the merit of your fast to your king. His fault will be removed and he will be blessed with a child.”

Joyfully, they returned and told the king everything. When Shravana Shukla Ekadashi came, the ministers and citizens fasted with full faith, kept vigil through the night and, on Dwadashi, formally offered their merit to the king.

The fruit of the fast

By the power of that merit, the queen conceived and in due time gave birth to a radiant son. The king’s sorrow ended, and all of Mahishmati rejoiced.

Lord Krishna concluded, “That is why this Ekadashi is called Putrada. Whoever keeps this fast with faith finds happiness in this world and a good destination hereafter. Whoever reads or hears this story gains merit equal to a great yajna.”

Variations in the story

• Most versions have Yudhishthira as the listener; some have Arjuna.
• The king appears as Mahijit (sometimes Mahajita) and the sage as Lomasha (sometimes Lomesh).
• Some versions place the past-life incident on Jyeshtha Shukla Dwadashi, others on Ekadashi; some mention only the cow, others the cow and her calf.
• In most versions the ministers and citizens kept the fast; some modern retellings say the king and queen fasted too.
• The merit of hearing the story is compared to the Vajapeya yajna in some texts and the Ashvamedha in others.

The Wish for Children and Shravana Putrada Ekadashi: A Matter of Faith

Because the name itself is linked with children, many couples keep this fast with great hope. It is entirely a matter of faith, prayer and surrender to the Lord. It should not be treated as a medical treatment or a guaranteed result.

• Do not treat the fast as a “deal” with God; see it as a way to find peace, patience and prayer.
• Husband and wife can take the sankalp, do the puja and hear the katha together.
• Pray for a healthy, good-natured child — son or daughter alike.
• Parents, grandparents or any family member can keep the fast for a loved one, just as the people kept it for their king.

If having a child is taking time, consulting a qualified gynaecologist or fertility specialist is just as important as prayer. Faith and modern medicine are not opposites, and many families rely on both. Women undergoing treatment, pregnant women and anyone on medication should avoid strict or waterless fasting; a fruit fast, milk, or simply puja and japa fulfil the spirit of the vrat. Please check with your doctor.

Pavitra Ekadashi: The Tradition of Offering the Pavitra

This Ekadashi is called Pavitra or Pavitropana Ekadashi because devotees offer the Lord a pavitra — a garland of silk or cotton threads, tied with knots and sometimes woven with small flowers or tassels.

What pavitraropana means

In the Agama tradition, pavitraropana is a rite for seeking forgiveness for lapses in the year’s worship — a mispronounced mantra, a missed step, a wandering mind — and for making that worship whole again. In effect, the devotee says, “Please accept my service despite its shortcomings.”

In temples and sampradayas

• ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnava temples offer sanctified threads and garlands to the Lord on this day, and the Jhulan Yatra begins, continuing until Shravana Purnima.
• In Pushtimarg (the Vallabha sampradaya), Pavitra Ekadashi is among the biggest festivals. By tradition, Shri Vallabhacharya received initiation from Lord Krishna on this tithi, and devotees offer pavitras to Thakurji in its memory, followed by hindola (swing) darshan.
• In some regions the day of pavitraropana varies by deity and local custom — Ekadashi, Dwadashi or Purnima.

At home, you can make a small garland of clean yellow or red cotton or silk threads, tie a few knots with devotion and place it on Lord Vishnu, Krishna or Bal Gopal. In some regions cotton wicks dipped in ghee or panchamrit are offered as pavitra. Gently rocking Bal Gopal in a small swing is also considered auspicious on this day.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Puja Vidhi (Step by Step)

1. Dashami preparation: On the day before, eat a simple sattvic meal before sunset. Avoid rice, onion, garlic, meat and alcohol. Observe celibacy and resolve in your mind to keep the fast.
2. Morning bath: On Ekadashi, rise before sunrise, bathe and wear clean clothes; yellow is considered auspicious for Vishnu puja.
3. Prepare the altar: Clean the puja area, sprinkle Gangajal and place an image of Lord Vishnu, Krishna or Bal Gopal on a stool covered with yellow cloth.
4. Sankalp: Holding water, akshat and a flower, state your name, gotra and wish, and resolve: “I will keep Shravana Putrada Ekadashi for the pleasure of Lord Vishnu.” Couples may take the sankalp together.
5. Kalash and lamp: Fill a kalash with water, place mango leaves and a coconut on it, and light a ghee lamp and incense.
6. Worship: Bathe the murti with water or panchamrit if you have one, then offer sandalwood, yellow flowers, tulsi leaves, akshat and cloth. Pick tulsi the day before, as plucking it on Ekadashi is avoided.
7. Pavitra offering: If it is part of your tradition, place the thread pavitra on the Lord and ask forgiveness for lapses in worship.
8. Bhog: Offer seasonal fruit, banana, coconut, panchamrit, makhana kheer or makhan-mishri, always with a tulsi leaf.
9. Japa and katha: Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” or the Santan Gopal mantra, then read or listen to the vrat katha. Hearing the katha is considered an essential part of the fast.
10. Aarti: Finish with Om Jai Jagdish Hare and the Ekadashi Mata Ki Aarti. You may also light a lamp near tulsi and sing the Tulsi Mata Ki Aarti.
11. Through the day: Avoid daytime sleep; spend time in bhajan, Vishnu Sahasranama or Gita reading. Putting out water for animals and birds, or feeding a cow, beautifully reflects the message of this katha.
12. Evening and night: Repeat the aarti at dusk and offer a lamp at the tulsi. In the katha the people kept an all-night vigil, so jagran is especially valued on this Ekadashi; do as much as your health allows.
13. Dwadashi and parana: Next day, bathe, worship, give food, grain or clothes to a Brahmin or someone in need, and break the fast in the parana window shown in the table above. In the spirit of the katha, you may offer your merit for a loved one’s well-being before parana.

Puja Samagri List

• Image or murti of Lord Vishnu, Krishna or Bal Gopal
• Wooden stool (chowki) and yellow cloth
• Kalash, mango leaves, coconut
• Gangajal and clean water
• Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar)
• Sandalwood, roli, turmeric, akshat (whole rice, for puja only)
• Yellow flowers and a flower garland
• Tulsi leaves (picked a day earlier)
• Pavitra — a garland of silk or cotton threads (if your tradition has it)
• Ghee lamp, cotton wicks, incense, camphor
• Seasonal fruit, dry fruit, mishri, makhan
• Betel leaves, supari, cloves, cardamom
• A small swing for Bal Gopal (optional)
• Vrat katha book or text
• Grain, clothes or dakshina for daan

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Mantras

Chant with clear pronunciation and a calm mind; 108 repetitions is the common practice, but faith matters more than the count.

1. Dvadashakshara mantra

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय॥ (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya)

Meaning: I bow to Lord Vasudeva (Krishna / Vishnu). This twelve-syllable mantra is chanted on every Ekadashi.

2. Santan Gopal mantra

ॐ देवकीसुत गोविन्द वासुदेव जगत्पते। देहि मे तनयं कृष्ण त्वामहं शरणं गतः॥ (Om Devakisuta Govinda Vasudeva Jagatpate, Dehi Me Tanayam Krishna Tvamaham Sharanam Gatah)

Meaning: O son of Devaki, O Govinda, O Vasudeva, Lord of the universe, O Krishna — I take refuge in You; bless me with a child. This verse also appears in the Santan Gopal Stotra. Learn its bija-mantra forms only from a guru or priest.

3. Ashtakshara mantra

ॐ नमो नारायणाय॥ (Om Namo Narayanaya)

Meaning: I bow to Lord Narayana. It is short enough to repeat silently through the day.

4. Vishnu Gayatri

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 that Vishnu guide our understanding.

Difference Between the Two Putrada Ekadashis (Shravana and Pausha)

Many people confuse the two Putrada Ekadashis. Their name and purpose are similar, but their month, story and customs differ. To read about the other one, see our Pausha Putrada Ekadashi article.

Point	Shravana Putrada Ekadashi	Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
Tithi	Shravana Shukla Ekadashi	Pausha Shukla Ekadashi
Approx. month	July – August	December – January
Characters in the katha	King Mahijit, Mahishmati, Sage Lomasha	King Suketuman, Queen Shaibya, Bhadravati, the Vishvadevas
Cause of childlessness (in the katha)	Keeping a thirsty cow from water in a past life	Not stated; the sages simply prescribe the fast
Who fasted (in the katha)	The ministers and people, who offered the merit to the king	The king himself
Other names	Pavitra / Pavitropana Ekadashi	Vaikuntha / Mukkoti Ekadashi (when in Dhanurmasa)
Where more popular	Outside North India and in Vaishnava traditions	North India

The heart of both is the same — praying to Lord Vishnu for children and the family’s welfare — and couples with this wish traditionally keep both.

What to Eat and Avoid on Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

The basic rule of every Ekadashi is giving up grains. Sawan is the monsoon month, when digestion is weaker and food- and water-borne infections rise, so keep your phalahar light, fresh and clean.

• Allowed: seasonal fruit (washed well), potato, sweet potato, arbi, pumpkin, bottle gourd; kuttu, singhara and rajgira flour; sabudana and sama rice; milk, curd, paneer, buttermilk, ghee; makhana, peanuts, nuts, dates; coconut water; sendha namak, black pepper, cumin.
• Avoid: rice and anything made from it; wheat, barley, maize, millet; dals and legumes; onion, garlic, meat, fish, eggs, alcohol and tobacco; ordinary iodised salt; stale or street-fried food.

Nirjala fast

A nirjala fast means no food and no water. It is the strictest form and only for people in good health. When parana falls in the afternoon of the next day (as in 2027), the fast runs longer than usual, so decide carefully.

Phalahar fast

Most householders keep a fruit fast, taking fruit, milk and the foods listed above. Drinking water is not considered a fault. In humid weather, make sure you stay hydrated.

One meal (Ekabhukta)

Those who cannot fast fully eat one phalahari meal in the day — a good option for the elderly, the unwell and the frail. People with diabetes, heart conditions, pregnancy, breastfeeding or regular medication should consult their doctor before any strict fast.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi Parana: When and How

Parana means breaking the fast. Tradition holds that the fast is complete only when parana is done at the right time. Check your city’s time in the table above.

• Parana is done on the next day, within Dwadashi tithi; breaking the fast after Dwadashi ends is not considered proper.
• Avoid Hari Vasara, the first quarter of Dwadashi tithi; wait for it to end.
• Early morning (pratahkal) is the best time. Midday (madhyahna) is avoided; if Hari Vasara rules out the morning, parana is done after midday.
• When Smarta and Vaishnava dates differ, their parana days differ too; follow the row for your tradition.

Why is the 2027 parana in the afternoon?

In 2027 the Ekadashi tithi begins after midnight and ends the following night, so Hari Vasara extends into the next morning. By the time it ends, pratahkal is over, and because midday is avoided, panchangs give an afternoon parana window. Use the time in the quick answer above rather than breaking the fast early in the morning.

How to do parana

1. On Dwadashi, bathe, worship Lord Vishnu and offer tulsi.
2. Give grain, fruit or dakshina to a Brahmin, someone in need or a gaushala.
3. Break the fast with prasad or water with a tulsi leaf.
4. Keep the first meal light and sattvic. Rice may be eaten at parana; the restriction is only for Ekadashi.

Do’s and Don’ts on Shravana Putrada Ekadashi

Do

• Rise before sunrise, bathe and take the sankalp.
• Offer tulsi, yellow flowers and fruit to Lord Vishnu or Bal Gopal.
• Read or listen to the vrat katha with your family.
• Chant “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” or the Santan Gopal mantra.
• Feed a cow and put out water for animals and birds — the heart of this katha.
• Keep vigil with bhajans at night as far as you can.
• Give daan on Dwadashi and break the fast on time.

Don’t

• Eat rice, grains, dals, onion-garlic or tamasic food.
• Pluck tulsi leaves on Ekadashi.
• Harm any creature or refuse water to the thirsty.
• Give in to anger, lies, gossip or harsh words.
• Speak of sons as better than daughters.
• Break the fast during Hari Vasara or after Dwadashi ends.
• Force a strict fast when your health does not allow it.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi: Myth vs Reality

Myth: Keeping this fast guarantees a child.

Reality: Tradition sees this fast as a prayer linked with the wish for children, not a guarantee. It is a path of faith and inner peace. For any fertility concern, a qualified doctor’s advice is essential — prayer and treatment can go hand in hand.

Myth: Putrada Ekadashi is only for a son.

Reality: Older texts use the word “putra” because that was the language of the time. The core spirit is the blessing of children and the family’s welfare, and today the prayer is made equally for sons and daughters.

Myth: Only childless couples can keep this fast.

Reality: Any devotee can keep it. Parents keep it for their children, and elders for a loved one. In the katha itself, an entire kingdom fasted for its king.

Myth: Only a nirjala fast brings merit.

Reality: Nirjala, phalahar and one-meal fasts are all recognised. Fasting within your capacity is what is proper. Pregnant women, the elderly, people with diabetes and those on medication can, with their doctor’s advice, keep a light fast or simply do puja and japa.

Myth: Only temple priests can offer a pavitra.

Reality: Temples follow an elaborate pavitraropana rite, but devotees at home can lovingly offer a simple thread garland. Its spirit is asking forgiveness for lapses in worship, not following a complex rule.

Benefits of Shravana Putrada Ekadashi (Religious Belief)

The benefits below are based on tradition and faith; please read them as religious belief, not guaranteed results.

• It is believed to carry the prayer for children to Lord Vishnu.
• It is considered auspicious for children’s health, values and progress.
• According to the katha, hearing its glory lessens the effect of past wrongs.
• Offering the pavitra is seen as atonement for lapses in the year’s worship.
• Fasting, japa and vigil build self-control, patience and calm.
• Serving animals and giving daan deepen compassion.
• Worshipping together strengthens love and trust in the family.

Related Ekadashis and Readings

Just before Shravana Putrada comes Kamika Ekadashi, the first Ekadashi of Sawan, known for tulsi worship. After it comes Aja Ekadashi of Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha, whose story is linked with King Harishchandra. For the year’s other Putrada Ekadashi, read Pausha Putrada Ekadashi.

For all Ekadashi dates, visit our Ekadashi Kab Hai page. The Daily Panchang and the Aarti Sangrah PDF are also helpful.

Shravana Putrada Ekadashi teaches that compassion, service and shared prayer can lighten even the deepest sorrow. Keep the fast with faith, give water to a thirsty creature, follow the rules within your capacity and pray equally for sons and daughters. May Shri Hari bless your family. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

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