Nirjala Ekadashi is also known as Pandava Bhima Ekadashi, based on the legend of Bhima, the second and strongest of the five Pandava brothers.
Based on the story from Brahma Vaivarta Purana, it is said that Bhima wanted to keep all ekadashi fasts, but being a lover of food, he could control his hunger. His entire family of four brothers, Yudhishthir, Arjuna, Nakul and Shahdeva, along with their wife Draupadi and mother Kunti, used to observe the Ekadashi fast without fail. He was scared of dishonoring Lord Vishnu, for whom the fast is observed, hence, he approached sage Vyasa for a solution. Sage Vyasa advised Bhima to observe Nirjala Ekadashi, once a year, and this way he can attain the virtue of all 24 ekadashis.
As per this Nirjala ekadasi story, one is able to get the benefits of all Ekadasis by observing one Nirjala Ekadasi.
Things To Do on Nirjala ekadasi:
Offer prayers to Lord Vishnu early in the morning.
Perform a simple puja to Lord Vishnu at home by lighting a lamp and offering fruits and Tulsi leaves.
Visit a Vishnu temple, and witness and participate in the morning pujas and rituals.
Observe a waterless fast.
Donate clothes, food grains, umbrellas, hand-fans, pitchers filled with water, gold etc. to Brahmins. Sleeping in night is prohibited, hence people perform Jagratas to perform night vigil.
Next morning, after bath, donate food, clothes, fruits, milk etc. then person can break fast by drinking water.
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