Strictest Ekadashi of the year. Observed without food or water. Equals all 24 Ekadashi fasts combined.
The story of Nirjala Ekadashi comes to us from the Mahabharata. Bhima, the mighty second of the five Pandava brothers, loved his food deeply and simply could not keep the monthly Ekadashi fasts that his brothers observed so faithfully. Worried that he was missing out on the great blessings of this vrat, he went to Sage Ved Vyas for guidance. The sage gave him a beautiful answer: keep just one Ekadashi a year, the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Jyeshtha month, but observe it completely without food and without even a sip of water. This single, demanding fast would earn the same punya as keeping all twenty four Ekadashis of the year combined.
The name itself tells the story. "Nirjala" comes from Sanskrit, where "Nir" means "without" and "Jala" means "water". In Gujarati homes this same vrat is lovingly known as "Bhim Agiyaras" or "Bhim Ekadashi", after the very Pandava who first kept it. Of all the twenty four Ekadashis in a year, this one is the strictest. Jyeshtha falls in the hottest part of Indian summer, when temperatures soar and the body craves water more than ever. That is exactly why staying away from water on this day carries such tremendous spiritual weight.
The Padma Purana praises this vrat very highly. A devotee who keeps Nirjala Ekadashi with full faith earns the same punya as someone who has observed every single Ekadashi of the year. The day is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and people fast hoping for moksha, good health, and the prosperity of their family. From early morning, Vishnu temples across Gujarat come alive with Vishnu Sahasranama recitations and bhajans that continue until evening. There is also a beautiful tradition of jal daan, the giving of water, on this day. Families donate clay water pots, hand fans, slippers, and other summer essentials to brahmins and to anyone in need. This practice grew naturally out of the vrat itself, because the person who feels the thirst most deeply also understands best what relief truly means.
For Gujaratis, Bhim Agiyaras is not just a date on the calendar but a family tradition that brings generations together. The fast is usually planned a day in advance. On Dasham, the day before, the family eats a single light meal, mostly fruits or simple cooked food. The next morning, Ekadashi begins with the resolve to take neither food nor water until the next sunrise. The vrat is broken at Parana on the morning of Baras, after prayers and offerings to Lord Vishnu. Vaishnava families wake up early to perform abhishek of the Lord with milk and tulsi jal, followed by recitation of the Vishnu Sahasranama. Younger children, who are too small to keep the full fast, are often given a small symbolic role: drinking less water than usual, or skipping one meal of their own choice. In this gentle way, even the youngest in the home learn the meaning of discipline and devotion.
Because this vrat falls in the middle of the Indian summer, a little preparation goes a long way. In the days before Ekadashi, drink plenty of water so the body is well stocked. On Dasham evening, choose cooling foods such as watermelon, coconut water, buttermilk, and chilled fruits. Anyone with diabetes, low blood pressure, heart conditions, or any chronic illness should speak to their doctor first. The same advice applies to pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly, and young children. Hindu tradition itself permits a softer form of the vrat when health is at risk; what truly matters is the intention, not the rigour. On the day of the fast, stay indoors as much as possible, rest, and use the time for prayer, reading the Vishnu Sahasranama, or quiet reflection. When Baras arrives, do not rush. Begin Parana with a small sip of water, then ease into something light such as fresh fruit, sabudana khichdi, or plain khichdi with a little ghee.
Nirjala Ekadashi is the strictest of all 24 Ekadashi fasts. It falls on Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Jyeshtha month. The fast involves no food and no water. Also called Bhim Ekadashi or Bhim Agiyaras in Gujarati tradition, originating from the story of Pandava Bhima in the Mahabharata.
Bhim Agiyaras 2026 (Nirjala Ekadashi) is on Thursday, 25 June 2026, the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Jyeshtha month (G.S. 2082). Parana (fast breaking) is on Friday, 26 June 2026 after sunrise.
No. Nirjala means "without water" in Sanskrit. The fast strictly prohibits consuming even water. Only Tulsi leaves are traditionally permitted. This is what makes Nirjala Ekadashi the most rigorous of all Ekadashi fasts.
According to the Padma Purana, Sage Vyasa told Bhima that observing Nirjala Ekadashi with complete devotion, without food or water, earns merit equivalent to all 24 Ekadashi fasts of the year combined. This is why it holds exceptional importance in Vaishnava tradition.
Parana for Nirjala Ekadashi 2026 is on Friday, 26 June 2026. Fast must be broken after sunrise and before Dwadashi Tithi ends. Check the 26 June Panchang for the exact Dwadashi end time for your city.
Regular Ekadashi fasts typically allow fruits, milk and specific foods (phalahar). Nirjala Ekadashi uniquely prohibits even water. While other Ekadashis are observed every month, Nirjala Ekadashi falls only once a year in Jyeshtha, and is said to grant the combined merit of all of them.