Parivartini Ekadashi falls in the bright half of Bhadrapada, at the middle of Chaturmas. The tradition says that on this day Vishnu, who has been sleeping since Devshayani, turns over on his other side, which is why it is called Parivartini, the turning one, and Parsva, the side. It is also linked with Vamana, the dwarf avatar, whose Dwadashi follows the next day.
Parivartini Ekadashi falls in the Shukla paksha, the waxing fortnight, of Bhadrapada. Both the amanta and the purnimanta reckoning give the bright half the same month name, so Parivartini Ekadashi has one label wherever you live.
The katha
The katha of Parivartini Ekadashi is attributed by the tradition to the Padma Purana and the Bhavishyottara Purana; regional and printed tellings agree on the shape of the story and differ in its details. The katha is the story of Vamana and Bali, told in connection with the turn of the god.
Bali, grandson of Prahlada, was a powerful and generous king of the asuras. He conquered the three worlds and the gods, pushed out of heaven, appealed to Vishnu. Vishnu came to Bali’s sacrifice in the form of Vamana, a small Brahmin boy, and asked for the land he could cover in three steps.
Bali, though warned by his teacher Shukracharya, honoured the promise. Vamana then grew until one step covered the earth and the second the heavens, and for the third Bali offered his own head. Vamana placed his foot there and sent Bali to the nether world of Sutala, giving him the promise of long life and of a place there.
In the telling attached to this Ekadashi, Vishnu, pleased by Bali’s devotion, promised to remain close to him, and the tradition says that part of Vishnu is therefore present there while he sleeps, and that he turns over on this day. The story is read as one of humility toppling pride, and of a ruler whose generosity was honoured even in loss.
How the fast is kept
Vishnu is worshipped, often in the Vamana form, and many families place the image on a cot and turn it gently to the other side, to mark the turning of the god. A fast from grain is kept in the usual way.
In Rajasthan the Ekadashi is celebrated as Jal Jhilni Ekadashi, with processions in which the idol of Krishna or Vishnu is carried in a palanquin to a lake or pond for a ceremonial bath. Giving curd, rice, silver and clothes to a Brahmin is also described in the tradition for the day.
For Parivartini Ekadashi the dates here follow the Smarta reckoning, which takes the day on which the eleventh tithi is present at local sunrise. A Vaishnava family may observe Parivartini Ekadashi on the following day when Dashami touches the dawn of the first one, so ask your family or temple which calendar they trust. Break the fast on the following morning inside the Timing window, after sunrise and while Dwadashi lasts, avoiding the first quarter of Dwadashi. A fast for Parivartini Ekadashi should never leave you unwell. People with long-term conditions, expectant and nursing mothers and older family members can keep a lighter version, and should take their doctor’s advice first.
Where it sits in the year
In the round of the year, Aja Ekadashi comes before Parivartini Ekadashi and Indira Ekadashi after it. To see the whole round, open the Ekadashi page. The Ekadashi vrat vidhi gives the order of worship for Parivartini Ekadashi, and the Ekadashi tithi page explains the tithi.