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The story behind Nirjala Ekadashi: where Bhima's impossible hunger led to the toughest, yet most rewarding, fast.
Characters in the story:
Bhima: Bhima, also known as Bhimasena, is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in Mahabharata. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu which bestowed upon him superhuman strength from birth.
Lord Vishnu: Lord Vishnu is one of the three major deities in Hinduism, known as the preserver of the universe and the protector of dharma (righteousness). He is often depicted with four arms holding a conch shell, a discus, a mace, and a lotus flower.
Maharishi Veda Vyasa: Maharishi Veda Vyasa is a revered sage and author of many ancient Hindu scriptures, including the Mahabharata and the Vedas. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in Hinduism and a key contributor to its philosophical and spiritual traditions.
Long ago, during the era of the great epic Mahabharata, there lived Bhima—the mightiest of the five Pandava brothers, renowned for his unmatched strength… and his equally legendary appetite.
Bhima loved to eat. He needed to eat – his huge body and mighty deeds demanded it!
Every month, on the sacred day called Ekadashi (the 11th day after the new and full moons), his brothers – Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva – and his wife Draupadi would faithfully observe a strict fast. They would eat no grains or beans, focusing only on prayer and devotion to Lord Vishnu.
But Bhima struggled terribly. “Brothers, Draupadi,” he’d groan, “my stomach roars like a lion! My limbs feel weak. How can I fight, how can I protect us, if I cannot eat? Fasting twice a month is impossible for me!” He felt guilty watching his family follow this holy practice while he couldn’t.
One day, his guilt became too much. He went to his wise grandfather, the great sage Maharishi Veda Vyasa – the man who composed the Mahabharata itself.
“Grandfather Vyasa,” Bhima said, bowing low, “I come to you with a heavy heart. I wish to please Lord Vishnu and gain the merit of observing Ekadashi like my family. But my hunger… it’s a monster I cannot control. Even one Ekadashi fast leaves me faint. What can I do? Is there no hope for someone like me?”
Sage Vyasa looked kindly upon his powerful but troubled grandson. He understood Bhima’s nature – a warrior whose body truly needed fuel. Vyasa thought deeply.
“Bhima,” Vyasa finally said, his voice gentle but firm, “your devotion is sincere, and your struggle is real. The path of regular fasting may not be yours. But the Lord is merciful. He offers a special boon.”
Bhima’s eyes widened with hope. “A boon, Grandfather?”
“Yes,” Vyasa continued. “There is one Ekadashi, the brightest jewel among them all. It falls in the hot month of Jyeshtha (May-June), during the waxing moon. If you observe this single Ekadashi with perfect devotion… it will grant you the same immense merit as observing all twenty-four Ekadashis in the entire year!”
Bhima was amazed. “Truly? That sounds like a blessing! What must I do?”
Vyasa’s expression grew serious. “The blessing is great, Bhima, but the test is severe. This Ekadashi is called Nirjala – meaning ‘without water’.”
Bhima gasped. “Without… water?”
“Yes,” Vyasa confirmed. “From sunrise on Ekadashi day until sunrise the next day, Dwadashi, you must take nothing into your body. No food. No grain. No fruit. Not a single drop of water. You must spend the entire day and night in prayer, chanting Lord Vishnu’s names, listening to his stories, and thinking only of him. If you can do this, with true devotion and determination, the merit will be yours in full.”
Bhima felt a flicker of fear. No food was hard enough. No water, in the scorching heat of Jyeshtha? It seemed impossible. But then he thought of the reward – the merit of all Ekadashis! He thought of his desire to please Lord Vishnu. A fierce determination set in his heart, the same determination he used in battle.
“Grandfather,” Bhima declared, clenching his fists, “I accept this challenge. For Lord Vishnu, I will observe the Nirjala Ekadashi!“
The Day of Trial
When the day arrived, the sun blazed fiercely. Bhima stood firm. While others might sip water or eat fruit on other Ekadashis, Bhima took nothing. Not a bite. Not a sip. His throat grew parched, his stomach empty. The heat was punishing. But Bhima didn’t waver.
He spent the entire day and night immersed in devotion. He chanted. He prayed. He remembered Lord Vishnu’s greatness. He used every ounce of his legendary willpower, not for battle, but for this sacred vow.
As the first light of Dwadashi dawned, Bhima, weary but triumphant, broke his fast with water and food offered to Lord Vishnu. He had done it! He had conquered his greatest inner enemy – his own hunger and thirst – for the sake of devotion.
The Reward and the Legacy
Lord Vishnu was immensely pleased by Bhima’s extraordinary sacrifice and unwavering devotion. He granted Bhima the full merit of observing all twenty-four Ekadashis for the year, just as Sage Vyasa had promised. Bhima’s sins were washed away, and his path to spiritual liberation was secured.
Because Bhima was the first to undertake this incredibly difficult vow of the waterless fast on this specific Ekadashi, it became known as Bhima Ekadashi or Pandava Ekadashi. But for everyone else, it is most famously called Nirjala Ekadashi – the Ekadashi observed without water.
And so, the story of Bhima teaches us: Even if the regular path seems too steep, sincere devotion and a single act of true, profound sacrifice can open the doors to immense spiritual blessings.
Nirjala Ekadashi remains the most austere but also the most rewarding of all Ekadashi fasts, followed by millions to this day.
