Yogini Ekadashi Vrat Katha · योगिनी एकादशी व्रत कथा

Krishna told Yudhishthira that the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight of Ashadha is called Yogini, that it destroys all sins, and told its story.

In the city of Alaka ruled Kubera, a great devotee of Shiva. His servant, the yaksha Hemamali, brought the flowers for his worship. Hemamali's wife, Vishalakshi, was very beautiful, and he was deeply attached to her.

One day, lost in his wife's company, Hemamali did not bring the flowers, and Kubera waited and waited to begin his worship of Shiva. When he learned the reason, he was furious and cursed Hemamali: he would be parted from his wife, fall to the world of mortals and suffer from leprosy.

So it happened. Suffering on earth, Hemamali at last came to the ashram of the sage Markandeya, bowed before him and told him everything, asking how he could be freed. The sage told him to keep the fast of Yogini Ekadashi in the dark fortnight of Ashadha.

Hemamali kept the fast as the sage directed. By its power he was cured, regained his former form, and was happily reunited with his wife.

Krishna said that the fruit of this fast equals that of feeding a great many brahmins, and that it destroys all sins.

Yogini Ekadashi is the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of Ashadha in the purnimanta calendar (the dark fortnight of Jyeshtha in the amanta calendar used in western and southern India). Its story belongs to the series in which each Ekadashi's glory is told, often as Krishna's answer to the Pandavas.

The published versions are in Hindi prose and differ in wording and in some names and details. The retelling above keeps only what at least two of the versions linked below agree on. For this year's date, see Ekadashi.

The katha is read or heard on Yogini Ekadashi as part of the worship of Vishnu. Customs vary by family and region.