Nirjala Ekadashi falls on Jeth Sud 11. The vratt of Nirjala Ekadashi is described and illustrated in the Mahabharat and Padma Puran. Nirjala Ekadashi falls on Jeth Sud 11. The vratt of Nirjala Ekadashi is described and illustrated in the Mahabharat and Padma Puran. 

Once Bhim inquired to Vyasji, “O Muni, My mother Kunti, all my brothers, Draupadi and all members of the family follow and keep the vratt of Ekadashi by having a full fast and abstaining from food and water on the days of Ekadashi. But O Muniraj, I cannot do such kinds of vratt because I cannot bear the pain of hunger even for a split second. O Muni, to leave alone abstaining from food the whole day is one thing, I cannot even tolerate not eating once a day. O Vyasji, please show me a way out so that I can observe the vratt of Ekadashi and could eat at the same time.” 

The great Acharya Vyasji replied, “O Bhim, on the day of Nirjala Ekadashi one has to go without food and water totally to keep the vratt and attain its fruits. One should not even take any kind of fruits, nuts or any kind of vegetation on this day. The vratt should commence from sunrise of this day until the sunrise of the next day. One must perform continuous devotion to God Almighty the full day and carry on to the night for jaagran. On the following day, the vratt should be completed by a morning bath and donating gold, food and water to the Brahmins. 

O Bhim, pursuing the vratt of Nirjala Ekadashi gives a soul great benefit. It equates the fruits to visiting great holy pilgrims; removes the fear of Yamdutts; gives ultimate salvation. O Bhim, one must go through the pain of hunger on this vratt and control all the bodily senses and unite them with devotion to God.” 

After the explanation of Nirjala Ekadashi, Bhim and the rest of the Pandava’s kept the vratt of Nirjala Ekadashi, with full devotion to God Almighty.