Re: Bhima nirjala ekadashi question

Nityaananda! Gauraanga! Hare Krishna! The most ideal but the most difficult is to start this fasting from the sunset of Dashami tithi (or the previous day). In the Puranas, the hardest and most ideal Ekadashi fasting, implies one eats only once at noon on Dashami, brushing one's teeth carefully before sunset on Dashami to remove any sticky grain particles, not to eat any cooked (even non-grain) food on Ekadashi (IMP), not to sleep on the full Ekadashi night (IMP), break the fast on Dvadashi sunrise, eat only one full meal at noon on Dvadashi too, and sleep only after sunset on Dvadashi. This ideal level of Ekadashi fasting seems almost impossible for most in theese present circumstances of Kali Yuga but I have stated it here for the sake of our knowledge.

Midnight has no relevance. But if the above cannot be followed, the second alternative which may not technically break the main fast, is that one can drink water right upto 3 am or so on the Dashami night (before the Ekadashi day) before sunrise. The main Ekadashi tithi begins with sunrise. So drinking of water etc. should be done well before the Tithi begins before sunrise. Sunrise is at different times in different timezones, so I would recommend not later than 3 am. on the safer side for this alternative solution.

Daaso'smi, Swami Gaurangapada.

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