Aja Ekadashi 2022: Shubh muhurat, puja vidhi, vrat rules to worship Lord Vishnu

According to Hindu scriptures, Ekadashi vrat is considered to be an auspicious fast. Devotees of Lord Vishnu observe the Aja Ekadashi vrat with dedication. The vrat is kept on the Ekadashi tithi which comes on the Krishna Paksha on Bhadrapada month of the Purnimant calendar.

Devotees who follow the Amavasyant calendar celebrate the Aja Ekadashi vrat in the month of Shravana. While the names of the months are different, they fall upon the same date.

READ | Aja Ekadashi 2022: Is Ekadashi fast on August 22 or August 23? Know here

Aja Ekadashi is also known as the Annada Ekadashi. This year, the devotees will observe fasting on August 23.

Here are some vrat rules for Aja Ekadashi 2022

• Make sure you are medically fit to observe the vrat. You can consult a doctor to know if your health allows you to fast for long hours without adversely affecting your body. If you are going through some medical issues, make sure to discuss those with your doctor.
• Wake up early on the day of Ekadashi and take a bath.
• Wear fresh clothes
• Practice meditation (dhyana) and then take a pledge (sankalpa) that you will do the vrat sincerely.
• Practice celibacy during the vrat.
• Do not eat onion, garlic, meat, rice, wheat, lentils, and legumes.
• Consume fruits, milk and vrat recipes, including sabudana khichdi, vada, singhare ki puri etc. if you feel hungry.
• Do not consume alcohol and tobacco.
• Chant the 'OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' mantra

Here is the puja vidhi for Aja Ekadashi 2022

• At the time of bathing, add few drops of Ganga jal to your water.
• Wear clean clothes when you sit for the puja.
• Light an earthen or brass lamp with sesame oil or mustard oil, or cow ghee and place it on the altar.
• Worship Lord Ganesha and pray to get his blessings. Next, try to invoke Lord Vishnu's Hrishikesha form.
• Chant 'OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' while offering Jal (water), Pushpam (flowers), Gandham (natural perfume), Deep (oil lamp), Dhoop (incense) and Naivedhya (any fruit or cooked food) to Lord Vishnu.
• Prepare payasam or any other vegetarian dessert. You may even offer fruits.
• Offer Tamboolam consisting of Paan, Supari, a brown coconut broken into two, bananas and/or other fruits, Chandan, Kumkum, Haldi, Akshat and Dakshina.
• Read the Aja Ekadashi Vrat Katha and do naam jaap.
• In the evening, light an oil lamp, some incense sticks and pray to Lord Vishnu. Offer flowers (optional) water, and bhog (any sweet preparation) or fruits/dry fruits.
• Finish the puja by doing the aarti.

Shubh Muhurat of Aja Ekadashi 2022

Aja Ekadashi will start at 3:35 am on August 22 and will end at 6:06 am on August 23.

Ekadashi fast should be opened on August 24.