Sarva PanchangSarva Panchang
Dwadashi

Dwadashi Parana

Also called: Ekadashi Fast Breaking, Parana Vidhi

Dwadashi Parana is the precise ritual act of breaking the 24-hour Ekadashi fast. Religious treatises (such as the Nirnayasindhu and Dharmasindhu) specify that fasting merit is actualized only when the fast is concluded properly within the prescribed Dwadashi tithi window and after sunrise.

Key facts

Paksha
Both Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha
Lunar month
Occurs on every Dwadashi following an Ekadashi
Deities
Lord Vishnu, Sudarshana Chakra

The story

The Bhagavata Purana recounts that King Ambarisha had completed his year-long Ekadashi vow. Sage Durvasa arrived as a guest and went to the Yamuna to bathe, delaying his return as the Dwadashi window closed. To honor both the guest and the strict tithi rule, Ambarisha sipped a few drops of water on the advice of sages. An enraged Durvasa created a demon to destroy him, but Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra intervened, protecting the humble king.

Practices

  • Bathing after sunrise and performing morning Vishnu puja
  • Offering food, water, and dakshina to Brahmins, seekers, or cows
  • Breaking the fast with tulsi water, fruit, or light sattvic food before Dwadashi expires
  • Avoiding breaking the fast during Hari Vasara

Common questions

What should I do if Dwadashi ends before sunrise?
In rare astronomical conjunctions, standard Panchang rules advise breaking the fast immediately after sunrise, prior to any heavy meal.

Types of Dwadashi