Vrata through a named narrative
Vrata & fasting
Read the cited source passages on this page →
Study Ambarīṣa’s vow in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, distinguish narrative from personal instructions, and check a local observance carefully.
A vow in a specific story
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.29–30 describes Ambarīṣa and his queen undertaking a vow to propitiate the Lord. In G. V. Tagare’s translation, the passage gives its duration and completion context. Read it as a particular narrative, not as a rule for every vrata.
Read the source
Source passages to read on this page
Read the selected passages in English below. Translation, commentary and handbook guidance are labeled separately; the adjacent links let you check the source.
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.29–30, 34–41
Read the competing obligations as part of the Ambarīṣa narrative, not as personal instructions or medical guidance.
Reference: G. V. Tagare; English translation on Wisdom Library. Check the cited passage or chapter →
English translation of the original verses shown · provisional handbook rendering
English source: Handbook editorial translation — provisional; Direct English rendering of the original verses printed here; the broader cited account is separately paraphrased from the identified Indian translation. Check the English source →
Provisional handbook translation from the identified original. It has not been independently reviewed by a Sanskrit specialist and is not attributed to a guru or scholar. Square brackets mark supplied context.
9.4.29. Desiring to worship Kṛṣṇa, the hero [Ambarīṣa], together with his queen of similar character, observed the Dvādaśī vow for a year.
9.4.30. At the completion of the vow, in the month of Kārttika, having fasted for three nights and bathed in the Kālindī, he worshipped Hari at Madhuvana.
9.4.38. When half a muhūrta of Dvādaśī remained for ending the fast, the knower of dharma considered this conflict of duties with the Brāhmaṇas.
9.4.41. Having thus sipped water, the royal sage, thinking of Acyuta in his mind, waited for the Brāhmaṇa’s return, O best of the Kurus.
English meaning · handbook paraphrase of the cited Indian translation
29–30: Ambarīṣa and his queen undertake a year-long vow devoted to Kṛṣṇa. At its completion in Kārttika, he fasts, bathes in the Yamunā, and worships Hari at Madhuvana.
34–37: After worship and gifts, the king prepares to end the fast. Durvāsas arrives; Ambarīṣa receives him respectfully and invites him to eat. The guest goes to the river for his prescribed observance.
38–39: The time for ending the fast is running out. Ambarīṣa asks advisers how to avoid both neglecting his invited guest and missing the required completion time.
40–41: He decides to sip water, treating that as ending the fast without taking a meal. He then waits for Durvāsas while contemplating the Lord.
Handbook paraphrase of Tagare’s translation. Selected ancient Sanskrit verses shown in VedaBase transliteration; the paraphrase is not a universal fasting rule.
Read the original Sanskrit
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.29 · Sanskrit in transliteration
ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
mahiṣyā tulya-śīlayā
yuktaḥ sāṁvatsaraṁ vīro
dadhāra dvādaśī-vratam
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.30 · Sanskrit in transliteration
vratānte kārtike māsi
tri-rātraṁ samupoṣitaḥ
snātaḥ kadācit kālindyāṁ
hariṁ madhuvane ’rcayat
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.38 · Sanskrit in transliteration
muhūrtārdhāvaśiṣṭāyāṁ
dvādaśyāṁ pāraṇaṁ prati
cintayām āsa dharma-jño
dvijais tad-dharma-saṅkaṭe
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.41 · Sanskrit in transliteration
ity apaḥ prāśya rājarṣiś
cintayan manasācyutam
pratyacaṣṭa kuru-śreṣṭha
dvijāgamanam eva saḥ
A conflict of responsibilities
Verses 34–41 describe the arrival of Durvāsas when Ambarīṣa is preparing to end his fast. The king faces a conflict between receiving his guest and ending the observance in time, and consults learned advisers. The passage provides an episode to examine through context and guidance.
Keep narrative and commentary separate
Start with verses 29–30, then continue through 34–41. The online edition also contains footnotes and commentary references. Mark whether an explanation comes from the translated verse, a note, or your own reflection before repeating it as a scriptural instruction.
Read the calendar carefully
Drik Panchang’s Ekādaśī timing FAQ distinguishes the beginning of a lunar tithi from the start of the fast. In its explanation, the observance follows local sunrise rather than simply the instant the tithi begins. It also explains pāraṇa as the time for ending the fast, which may be later than the next sunrise.
Before relying on a calendar entry, check its location and ask whether it follows your community’s convention. Confirm both the observance date and the ending time with your temple or teacher. This guide does not calculate dates or prescribe a fasting duration.
Questions before taking up an observance
Identify the exact vow and the community whose instructions you intend to follow. Record its purpose, prayers or readings, local calendar, and ending arrangements. Ask about adaptations before combining advice from different traditions.
- Which original text is the teacher drawing on?
- Is fasting part of this particular observance?
- Which location and calendar convention should I use?
- What marks the conclusion of the vow?
- What guidance applies to my individual circumstances?
Continue learning
The festival guides offer further source-linked reading. Explore japa and sevā as related learning paths. This guide supplies no food or fluid restriction, medication change, or personal fasting plan.
Sources & scope
Drik Panchang: About Ekadashi Timings — The calendar publisher’s own explanation of the timing convention in the retained calendar section.
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4 — G. V. Tagare translation on Wisdom Library — Selected verses 29–30 and 34–41 of the Ambarīṣa narrative. Translation, editorial notes, and a community’s present-day instructions must be distinguished.
Source consulted October 7, 2026. This handbook’s orientation is not a substitute for the source’s complete text and explanation.