Why does one have to break Ekadashi at a specific time?

Brief explanation of the timing by H G Bhaktarupa Pr: The basic rule is that one should wait until after sunrise to break the fast. Sunrise times change from day to day, thus the beginning of the parana time varies. And one should not wait forever on the next day to break. The tradition is that under normal circumstances one should break ekadasi during the first one-third of the daylight hours on that day. Thus the ending of the parana time varies. Then there are sometimes exceptions. The ekadasi tithi plus 25% of the dvadasi tithi is called Hari Vasara. One should not break fast until after that period is over, but before the end of the dvadasi tithi. Thus sometimes one has to wait until some time after sunrise to break, and sometimes one has to break quickly after sunrise. There are other exceptions also. Like we just had a Vyanjuli Mahadvadasi. After this mahadvadasi the break fast time period is always short because the dvadasi tithi ends soon after sunrise.

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

Question, this has been asked by several devotees. What is the significance of the Ekadashi Parna time? Why does the Ekadashi have to be broken at that particular time itself? I'm posting a brief summary of the explanation that His Grace Bhaktarupa Prabhu, the senior Esconde Vodhi scholar gave me when I asked him for some clarifications and I'm grateful to him for the answer. I will explain the answer in the audio over here.

So basically the broad rule is that the fast has to be broken when the next sunrise starts. We cannot break before that. So starting time is determined by the sunrise and the ending time generally is one-third of the full day.

That means it will roughly be around several hours into the morning that comprise say one-third of the day, the daylight time basically. Now this is the broad framework but within this there are variations. The starting time may vary because the sunrise time when vary from place to place and not just from place to place but even from day to day at the same place especially from month to month and season to season.

So generally the starting time is determined by the sunrise. Now after that there are certain exceptions and these exceptions are quite a few. That's why there is further change that happens.

So I'll give an example of two exceptions over here. The Ekashi Tithi plus 25% of the Dwadashi Tithi. A Tithi is a lunar day.

A lunar day means that the time we have 360 degrees revolution depending on whichever system of reference we are using, geocentric, the earth, say the moon is going around the earth, so 360 degrees. Within that actually the lunar Tithi is 12 degrees each. So corresponding to each day there are 12 degrees.

So 0-12 degrees is Pratipa Tithi. Then 12-24 is Kutiya Tithi. 168-180 will be Purnima Tithi and 340-360 degrees will be Amavasya Tithi.

So now there is as you know the lunar calendar and the solar calendar. The days can be measured differently depending on which calendar system we are referring to. So now the Tithis in the Vedic calendar especially Ekadashi Tithi and other Tithis are measured based on the lunar calendar.

So now sometimes during exceptions when there is a period called Harivasara, so the period of Lord Hari, at that time we have to, the Ekadashi Tithi gets extended into the Dvadashi Tithi. So that means that Ekadashi plus 25% of the Dvadashi Tithi, that much time has to get over before we can break the fast. So now at the same time we also have the other thing that the fast has to be broken before the one third of the time that is over in terms of the day of the Dvadashi Tithi.

So now this can create a little bit of a tight schedule because between 25% of the Dvadashi and 33% of the Dvadashi, which is one third, which is roughly one third of the daytime hours actually, not just the Dvadashi, but one third of the daytime hours, then there can be a very narrow time limit. So that's why in some Ekadashis we have only 10 minutes, 15 minutes, sometimes 5 minutes, 8 minutes to break the fast. So this happens on these exceptional situations.

Then after that there are other exceptions like the Ganjali Ekadashi, Manjuli Mahadashi. Now because the Dvadashi Tithi ends soon after sunrise, so this is, it is getting too technical. The broad principle over here is that we generally have to break the fast after the sunrise and before one third of the day of the Dvadashi and there are exceptions which can cause variations.

So now we may wonder what is the reason for specific timings. In the Vedic culture, it is understood that transcendence is not just transcendental, but it is also accessible through certain material manifestations like certain times, certain places, certain sounds. So that's how we have holy places, we have holy names, we have holy days.

So basically these are days which are, these are timings during which transcendence becomes more accessible to us. So just as we can have a holy place, similarly Krishna who is transcendental can manifest not just in a holy place but also in a holy time. So then, during those holy times, when certain extra benefits are available for us for the practice of spirituality, then when those holy periods are ending, then there is a cut-off point and at that time when we follow that rule of breaking the fast at a particular time, we get the full benefit of that.

So the idea is that there are, there are material factors which at different times affect our consciousness in different ways. So in a sense, our consciousness, at least purely, is transcendental. In certain, in our present conditions, it becomes materially contaminated, but Krishna is always transcendental and then the connection between Krishna and our consciousness can be established by our effort through devotional service at all times.

But at certain times, at certain places, through certain sounds, this manifests, this connection can become more vivid. So just as we can pray to Krishna by our own words and we can pray by chanting the mantras, now both are prayers, both are means to connect with Krishna, but certain means are more powerful. So the holy name is much much more powerful because it is a manifestation which Krishna has himself made, made his presence declared in the scriptures over here.

So the same applies to the sacred timings like Ekadashi. Now just as we have, when we start, when we enter a holy place, we offer obeisances. Similarly, when we enter a holy time and we depart from a holy time, there are certain activities which are done at that particular timing.

So that's how this precise timing is there. Now I'm explaining this from the transcendental perspective. There is also a non-transcendental or material perspective based on Karmakanda understanding.

Karmakanda bases itself on doing good things, punya, to get good results. Now this is involving higher powers and higher agencies. There are devatas and there are higher factors which determine the results that we get in our day-to-day life and those results are dependent on certain precise factors.

Just like in science, if we have to do a particular experiment, we have to do certain things at certain times. If I have to mix two compound, two elements, then I may have to mix this much at this time and then as the heat is going on further, then I mix another element. So there are processes involved over there.

So similarly, from material perspective, there are three modes are constantly there and there are certain subtle factors which determine certain results. So the alignment of the planets and the position especially of the Sun, the Moon and the Sky have effects on how certain material factors turn out. So this whole then goes into the area of Jyotish.

So astrology itself is a precise science but it is much more subtle than what we understand and its basic principle is that the alignment of planets, it affects our consciousness internally and it affects the events that happen to us externally. How does this happen? Because those planets and their positions are not determined just by impersonal, insentient laws but they are also determined by the action of conscious individuals who are administrators in the universal government and by whose will those planets are following certain laws in their motion and in their specific position. So basically, these are agencies by which we get the results of our karma.

The karma can be what we had in the past, it can be the Punya that we are doing now. So that's from the Karmakandya point of view. But as devotees, we don't bother too much about the transcendent of the material Karmakandya aspect.

We focus more on how we can best connect with Krishna and that's why we observe the Vaikadashi fast and break it at a particular time because that enables us to refine and intensify our connection with Krishna, taking shelter of that specific period which is sacred. Thank you.