fasts and vrats
What is Bhaimi Ekadashi and why is it said to free souls from ghosthood?
When it falls and what it is
Bhaimi Ekadashi falls on the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Magha in the Hindu lunar calendar. Ekadashi means the eleventh day, and it is a day of fasting observed by many Hindus. This particular Ekadashi is also called Jaya Ekadashi, meaning the victorious eleventh. In some traditions it is linked to Bhishma Pitamah, the great elder of the Mahabharata, and is sometimes called Bhishma Ekadashi.
The story of the two spirits
The Puranic tradition tells a story about why this Ekadashi is believed to free souls from ghosthood. Two Gandharvas, celestial beings, named Malyavan and Pushpavati were cursed to become ghosts, or pretas. A preta in Hindu belief is a soul trapped between worlds, unable to move forward. According to the story, these two were freed from their ghostly state by observing or having others observe this Ekadashi on their behalf. This is why the fast is said to have the power to release souls caught in that condition.
The belief in preta-mukti
The tradition holds that some souls, after death, become trapped as ghosts due to unfulfilled desires, sudden death, or other causes. This state is called preta-yoni. The belief is that certain acts, including fasting on specific Ekadashis like this one, can help free those souls and allow them to move forward in their journey. Many families observe this fast with the intention of helping ancestors or other souls they believe may be in this state. The fast is seen as a compassionate act that benefits not only the living but also the departed.
How it is observed today
Today, people observe Bhaimi Ekadashi by fasting, eating only once or eating simple vegetarian food, and sometimes chanting or praying. Some do it for their own spiritual practice. Others do it specifically with the intention of freeing a departed loved one or an unknown soul they believe may need help. The observance varies by family and region. In the diaspora, many Hindus mark the date even when far from their home community, keeping the custom alive through their own practice.