Removes sins. Grants heaven.
The name Papankusha comes from "Papa" (sin) and "Ankusha" (a goad, the hook used to guide an elephant). Just as the goad controls a mighty elephant, this Ekadashi is believed to hold back and destroy the sins of a devotee. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his form as Padmanabha, and the scriptures say that keeping it with devotion grants the same merit as severe penance and many pilgrimages.
Coming soon after Navratri and Dussehra, Papankusha Ekadashi is a day to wash away wrongdoing and turn the mind back to the divine. Devotees fast, worship Lord Vishnu with tulsi, recite his names, keep a night vigil where they can, and give food and charity. It is believed to bring health, prosperity and, for the sincere devotee, the path to liberation.
Papankusha Ekadashi 2026 is on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Parana is on Friday, 23 October 2026 after sunrise.
The name means "a goad against sin". Like the goad that controls an elephant, this Vishnu vrat is believed to hold back and destroy sins and grant the merit of great penance.