Papankusha Ekadashi 2026 — Thursday 22 October
పాపాంకుశ ఏకాదశి 2026
Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi · Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi / Papankush Ekadashi · Ekadashi Tithi begins 21 Oct 14:11 IST · ends 22 Oct 14:47 IST · Parana (fast-break) 23 Oct 06:32 – 08:47 IST · Hari Vasara end 23 Oct 04:35 IST
Papankusha Ekadashi 2026 (also called Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi / Papankush Ekadashi) falls on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Papankusha Ekadashi (from "papa" = sin + "ankusha" = elephant-goad) is the vrat that pierces and destroys accumulated papa (sin) like an elephant-goad restrains a wild elephant. Dedicated to Padmanabha — Vishnu's reclining form on Adisesha. Krishna narrated this vrat to Yudhishthira in the Padma Purana: a hunter Krodhana, on the verge of death, was told by Angiras Rishi to observe this Ekadashi, and was liberated straight to Vaikuntha. Falls in Ashwin Shukla paksha, 3 days after Maha Navami, during the Devi Paksha closing. Primary observance: Dashami (previous day) sattvic single meal, Ekadashi 24-hour nirjala or phalahar fast, pre-dawn Padmanabha puja (yellow flowers + tulsi + panchamrit), Ekadashi Vrat Katha reading (Krishna-Yudhishthira samvad from Padma Purana), night jagaran with Vishnu Sahasranama + Bhagavatam parayana. Recommended muhurat: Ekadashi Tithi begins 21 Oct 14:11 IST · ends 22 Oct 14:47 IST · Parana (fast-break) 23 Oct 06:32 – 08:47 IST · Hari Vasara end 23 Oct 04:35 IST.
Papankusha Ekadashi 2026 — Date & Muhurat
| Festival Date | Thursday, 22 October 2026 |
| Telugu Masa & Tithi | Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi |
| Primary Muhurat | Ekadashi Tithi begins 21 Oct 14:11 IST · ends 22 Oct 14:47 IST · Parana (fast-break) 23 Oct 06:32 – 08:47 IST · Hari Vasara end 23 Oct 04:35 IST |
| Alternative Names | Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi / Papankush Ekadashi |
All timings computed using Lahiri Ayanamsa Swiss Ephemeris for Hyderabad (17.385°N, 78.486°E). For exact local timings in other cities use our Today's Panchangam tool.
Significance of Papankusha Ekadashi 2026
Papankusha Ekadashi (from "papa" = sin + "ankusha" = elephant-goad) is the vrat that pierces and destroys accumulated papa (sin) like an elephant-goad restrains a wild elephant. Dedicated to Padmanabha — Vishnu's reclining form on Adisesha. Krishna narrated this vrat to Yudhishthira in the Padma Purana: a hunter Krodhana, on the verge of death, was told by Angiras Rishi to observe this Ekadashi, and was liberated straight to Vaikuntha. Falls in Ashwin Shukla paksha, 3 days after Maha Navami, during the Devi Paksha closing.
Key Rituals on Papankusha Ekadashi 2026
Dashami (previous day) sattvic single meal, Ekadashi 24-hour nirjala or phalahar fast, pre-dawn Padmanabha puja (yellow flowers + tulsi + panchamrit), Ekadashi Vrat Katha reading (Krishna-Yudhishthira samvad from Padma Purana), night jagaran with Vishnu Sahasranama + Bhagavatam parayana. Parana at Dwadashi sunrise with Charanamrit + tulsi teerth.
Papankusha Ekadashi 2026 Puja Samagri Checklist (Shopping List)
Items to procure 1-2 days before Papankusha Ekadashi 2026:
| # | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Padmanabha/Vishnu picture |
| 2 | Yellow flowers + tulsi patra |
| 3 | Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) |
| 4 | Yellow rice (turmeric-tinted akshat) |
| 5 | Sandalwood + kesar tilak |
| 6 | Ghee lamp + camphor + agarbatti |
| 7 | Naivedyam (Ekadashi-compliant): sabudana kheer, sweet potato, fruits, dry fruits |
| 8 | Ekadashi Vrat Katha book |
| 9 | Peacock feather (Krishna symbol) |
| 10 | Coconut + betel + areca |
Regional Variations of Papankusha Ekadashi 2026
Andhra/Telangana: Papankusha Ekadashi Vratam — grihasthas do phalahar; SmartaSampradaya keeps Vasudeva/Padmanabha as the ishta. Tamil Nadu: Aippasi Ekadashi at divya-desam sannidhis; Srirangam has special Padmanabha alankar. ISKCON: One of 24 mandatory Ekadashis for all devotees — Sri Papankusha Ekadashi Katha class in every temple. Maharashtra: Padmanabha darshan at Pandharpur (Vitthal-Rukmini also observe). Bengal: Overlapped with Devi Paksha; observance quieter than in west/south. Kerala: Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple (Thiruvananthapuram) special abhishekam.