Out of the 24 Ekadashis that are celebrated every year, Papmochani Ekadashi is easily identifiable as it is the last Ekadashi as per the Hindu calendar and typically falls between the events of Holika Dahan and Chaitra Navratri. Devotees of Lord Vishnu observe fast on this day with the intention of getting rid of their past sins and attaining a peaceful future. Let's find out the date on which this auspicious day will fall this year as well as Papmochani Ekadashi's significance today. Papmochani Ekadashi 2021 Date According to Drikpanchang, Papmochani Ekadashi 2021 date will be Wednesday, April 7. As for the tithi, this day begins at 02:09 AM on the former day and ends at 02:28 AM on Apr 8, 2021. As per tithi, the fast should be broken between the Parana time from 13:39 PM to 16:11 PM on April 8. Rituals for the Papmochani Ekadashi include taking a sacred bath early morning, observing a vrat the entire day or consuming simple food and offering sacred items like flowers, sandalwood paste, incense sticks, and Bhog (sacred feast) to Lord Vishnu while chanting special mantras meant for Ekadashi. The mantra is as follows: ॐ अं वासुदेवाय नम: ॐ आं संकर्षणाय नम: ॐ अं प्रद्युम्नाय नम: ॐ अ: अनिरुद्धाय नम: ॐ नारायणाय नम: ॐ ह्रीं कार्तविर्यार्जुनो नाम राजा बाहु सहस्त्रवान। यस्य स्मरेण मात्रेण ह्रतं नष्‍टं च लभ्यते।। Papmochani Ekadashi Vrat Katha and Significance The word Papmochani is derived from two Sanskrit words, Paap and Mochana. While Paap means sins in the language, Mochana signifies the act of removal. As per the legend, Sage Medhavi, a staunch follower of Lord Shiva would often be seen meditating in the woods of the forest Chaitrarath. One day, Kama Deva, the adversary of Lord Shiva, decided to test the devotion of Sage Medhavi by sending an Apsara named Manju Ghosha to the woods so that she can lure him by her beauty and eventually disrupt his intense penance. After days of performing dance and music in the name of Medhavi, she successfully disrupted his Tapasya and made him marry her. A few years later, she expressed the wish of ascending back to Heaven and had no option but to confront the Sage with the truth to do so. After realising her intentions, Sage Medhavi cursed her by stating that she would become a ghost and lose her beauty altogether, in a fit of anger. He stated that she would have to go observe the Papmochani Ekadashi fast in order to break the curse. Eventually, Sage Medhavi himself would have to observe the vrat after being cursed by his father, the great Chyawan Rishi, who realised his son's conduct. Image Source: Shutterstock
