Vaikunta Ekadashi (Mukkoti Ekadashi)
Vishnu (Vaikuntha Dwara — the heavenly gate)
SmarthaGet a reminder before the next Vaikunta Ekadashi (Mukkoti Ekadashi)
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Vaikunta Ekadashi / Mukkoti Ekadashi — the most sacred Ekadashi of the Telugu year, Margashirsha Shukla. The Vaikuntha Dwaram (north gate) is opened at every Vishnu temple at dawn for darshan, taken as a direct passage to Vaikuntha. Strict day-fast, Vishnu Sahasranama, night-jagran, Dwadashi parana.
Dates 2026–2027
Mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय। ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय।
Om Namah Shivaya · Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namah Shivaya. Salutations to the Lord Vasudeva — Smartha invokes Shiva and Vishnu equally on this day.
How to recite
Vaikunta Ekadashi (also Mukkoti Ekadashi — 'the Ekadashi of three crore devas') falls on the Shukla Ekadashi of Margashirsha / Pushya (Dhanurmasa). This is the most sacred Ekadashi of the Telugu year — Vaishnava-flavour but kept equally by Smarthas. Tradition holds that the Vaikuntha Dwaram (north gate at every Vishnu temple) is opened only on this day at dawn (vaikunta ekadasi dwara darshanam); the principal observance is the pre-dawn queue through the Uttara Dwaram at Tirumala, Bhadrachalam, and Srirangam (Tamil). Smarthas observe a strict day-fast (water-only or phalahar), Vishnu Sahasranama parayana, and night-jagran with Krishna katha, breaking the fast at the next morning's parana after Dwadashi darshan.
Benefits
Tradition holds that one who passes through the Vaikuntha Dwaram on this day attains direct entry to Vaikuntha after death; the Ekadashi vrat is held to wipe accumulated sins of the year.
✦ Special Note
Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi (Dhanurmasa) per Drik Panchang. 2026: Dec 30. 2027: Dec 19. The Uttara Dwaram is opened pre-dawn at Tirumala, Bhadrachalam, Srirangam.
Foods Allowed
Foods to Avoid
Meal Idea
Strict nirjala or phalahar with sabudana / sweet potato through the day; after dawn parana on Dwadashi, take pongali, pulihora, and payasam as Tirumala-style prasadam.
🪔 Aarti
Om Jai Jagdish Hare
ॐ जय जगदीश हरे, स्वामी जय जगदीश हरे । भक्त जनों के संकट, दास जनों के संकट, क्षण में दूर करे ॥ जो ध्यावे फल पावे, दुःख बिनसे मन का । सुख सम्पत्ति घर आवे, कष्ट मिटे तन का ॥ मात-पिता तुम मेरे, शरण गहूं मैं किसकी । तुम बिन और न दूजा, आस करूं मैं जिसकी ॥ तुम पूरन परमात्मा, तुम अंतर्यामी । पारब्रह्म परमेश्वर, तुम सबके स्वामी ॥ तुम करुणा के सागर, तुम पालनकर्ता । मैं सेवक तुम स्वामी, कृपा करो भर्ता ॥ तुम हो एक अगोचर, सबके प्राणपति । किस विधि मिलूं दयामय, तुमको मैं कुमति ॥ दीनबंधु दुःखहर्ता, ठाकुर तुम मेरे । अपने हाथ उठाओ, अपनी शरण में लाओ ॥ विषय विकार मिटाओ, पाप हरो देवा । श्रद्धा भक्ति बढ़ाओ, संतन की सेवा ॥
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