Ekadashi (from Sanskrit. «eka» — one, «dasha» — ten) occurs three lunar days before the new moon and the full moon. The oldest Vedic tradition says: «Ekadashi — is the mother of devotion», since it is on this day that everyone gets the opportunity to focus on their relationship with God.
The celebration of Utpanna Ekadashi is strictly regulated, starting from the previous day, on which it is recommended to brush your teeth thoroughly and have dinner. On the day of Utpanna Ekadashi, fasting must be observed. The elders (parents or priests) usually recommend to everyone personally, in accordance with their level of spiritual development, a favorable option for fasting: either eat only once at noon, avoiding grains and beans; or eat only once in the evening, avoiding grains and beans; or fast completely.
At noon, everyone usually goes to the river to perform a ritual ablution, accompanied by prayers to Mother Earth and eliminating all sins accumulated over past lives. It is believed that performing such a ritual allows one to enter the sacred abode of the Almighty Lord. On this day, everyone must respectfully offer Lord Govinda (the name of God meaning «He who enjoys the senses, the Earth and cows») the best food, flowers and similar items. In their home, everyone must offer the Lord a lamp in the pure consciousness of devotion.
On the day of fasting, it is not recommended to talk with those who do not fulfill their religious duties, as well as with those who have fallen, thieves, hypocrites, gossips and offenders of shrines and saints, with other immoral people who sleep with a forbidden woman, with robbers and robbers of churches. It is said that after talking with any of them or even looking at them during Ekadashi, you need to cleanse yourself by looking directly at the sun. On this day, you need to avoid daytime sleep and completely abstain from sex.
Deeply devoted to God, people stay awake all night in pure consciousness, and the next day in the morning they give alms to the Brahmin priests and offer them humble respect, begging them to forgive the insults. In addition, there are many small tips that remind every person of humanity. Thus, a person who feeds one Brahmachari disciple is rewarded ten times more than one who feeds ten good Brahmin priests in his house.
But he who grants land to a needy and pious Brahmin achieves a thousand times more than he who feeds the Brahmachari, and a thousand times more of this benefit from the marriage of a pure girl to a young, educated and decent man. Ten times more favorable is the proper upbringing of children on the spiritual path without expecting any reward. However, it is ten times better than this to give bread to the hungry.