Mokshada Ekadashi falls on the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi of Karthigai month. Mokshada Ekadashi 2017 date is November 29, Wednesday.

Vaishnava Mokshada Ekadashi 2017 falls on November 30, Thursday.

1 Gita Jayanthi

It is a significant one as it is also the day of Gita Jayanti - the day on which Lord Krishna recited Bhagavat Gita to Arjuna at the start of the Kurukshetra War.

Since Gita Jayanti is also celebrated on Mokshada Ekadashi, it is good to distribute copies of Bhagavad Gita to people on this day and seek the abundant Grace of Lord Krishna.

2 Mokshada Ekadashi Vrat Frees Your Forefathers Sinless!

The spiritual benefits and practice of Mokshada Ekadashi have been narrated by Lord Krishna to Yudhishtira in Brahmanda Purana.Sri Krishna narrates the benefits of Mokshada Ekadashi that the observer of this Ekadashi gets rid of all the sins committed by him and also those of his forefathers who have been suffering in hell due to the sins committed by them.

Mokshada Ekadashi observers benefit more than a person who indulges in horse sacrifice. Mokshada Ekadashi vrat relieves one from his sins, helps in absolving the sins of his forefathers and speeding up their journey to the celestial world.

3. The Legend behind observing Mokshada Ekadashi

In ancient times, there was a city called Champaka Nagar which was ruled by a benevolent king called Vaikhaanasa.Peace was there in his kingdom and everyone performed their duties properly. The brahmins were well versed in the Vedic knowledge and the king treated his subjects as his children.

One day, the king was disturbed by a terrible dream. In his dream, he saw his father being tormented by the Lord of Death, Yama and his father was undergoing terrible punishments. The King lost his peace of mind and wanted to know what could be the reason for the suffering of his father in the hell. He called all the brahmins of his country and enquired the reason for his father’s suffering. The brahmins advised him to visit the ashram of Parvata Muni who was a Thri Kala Gnaani (a sage who knows the present, past and future).

The king visited the ashram of the sage Parvata Muni and found him in the midst of many pandits who were reciting the four Vedas with excellence. The king paid respects to Parvata Muni who enquired about the well-being of the king and of his citizens. The king said,” Hey, Maharishi! Everything is fine in my kingdom. But, one thing has been eating my mind recently. I had a dream in which my father was suffering in the hell and he was undergoing the punishment from the hands of Yama. I don’t know what to do and how to solve this issue. I’ve come to you to know the reason for my father’s suffering.”

The Rishi knew from his foresight that the king’s father committed the sin of quarrelling with his wife and enjoying her forcibly during her menstrual cycle. So, he had been suffering in hell, undergoing punishments for his sin. The king wanted to know the remedy that could get his father out of the hell. The rishi advised him to observe Mokshada Ekadashi that comes in the Karthigai month. By doing so, the King would release his father from the effects of the sins committed by him and get him unto the celestial world.

After paying pranams to the Rishi, Vaikhaanasa went back to his kingdom and waited for Mokshada Ekadashi to come. His whole family, servants and citizens observed Mokshada Ekadashi and reaped the benefits of their vrat. These benefits reached the king’s father in the hell and he was released from the hell and taken to the celestial world. With the newly acquired spiritual merit, he prayed to Lord Vishnu in the celestial world and reached Vaikuntam soon.

One has to worship Lord Damodhara on this day. Observing Ekadashi vrat on this day brings wholesome benefits to the devotee.

The devotees have to worship Lord Damodhara with flower, fruits, Tulsi leaves and incense.

Thus, Mokshada Ekadashi, as the name implies, brings moksha not only to the observer of this Ekadashi but also to the forefathers, mother and relatives of the observer.