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Papankusha Ekadashi 2026

Pāśāṅkuśā (popularly Pāpāṅkuśā): its date in 2026, when the Ekadashi tithi begins and ends, and the Smārta and Vaiṣṇava fast days, for Delhi and 15 other cities.

Ashwin, Shukla

Pāśāṅkuśā (popularly Pāpāṅkuśā)

Thursday, 22 October 2026

In Delhi, in 4 days. Smārtas and Vaiṣṇavas keep the same day.

Ekadashi beginsWed 21 Oct
14:12
Ekadashi endsThu 22 Oct
14:48
Pāraṇa, breaking the fast Fri 23 Oct, 06:27 – 08:42

The first three muhūrtas after sunrise, before Dvādaśī ends at 14:36. Dharmasindhu p. 19

Name: Ekādaśī-māhātmya (1934), f. 128b

Pasankusa in every year shown

Delhi time
  • 22Oct Thursday, 22 October 2026 Ashwin, Shukla Next
  • 11Oct Monday, 11 October 2027 Ashwin, Shukla Later
  • 29Sep Friday, 29 September 2028 Ashwin, Shukla Later

How Thursday, 22 October is chosen

Ashwin, Shukla

Ekadashi from Wed 21 Oct, 14:12 to Thu 22 Oct, 14:48, Delhi time. Both traditions keep Thursday, 22 October.

Smārta: Ekādaśī at sunrise: that day Nirnaya-sindhu p. 58. Vaiṣṇava (Nirṇaya-sindhu): No Daśamī in the 96 minutes before sunrise: that day Nirnaya-sindhu p. 53.

Name: Ekādaśī-māhātmya (1934), f. 128b

Questions

Rules from the Nirṇaya-sindhu, with the page for each.

When is Papankusha Ekadashi in 2026?

In Delhi, on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The Ekadashi tithi runs from Wed 21 Oct, 14:12 to Thu 22 Oct, 14:48, IST.

What is Papankusha Ekadashi also called?

The Ekādaśī-māhātmya (Banaras, 1934) names it Pāśāṅkuśā. Today it is popularly called Pāpāṅkuśā. Ekādaśī-māhātmya (1934), f. 128b

Which month is Papankusha Ekadashi in?

It is the Shukla Ekadashi of Ashwin, the same in both month systems.

When do I break the Papankusha Ekadashi fast?

In Delhi, Fri 23 Oct, 06:27 – 08:42: the first three muhūrtas after sunrise, before Dvādaśī ends at 14:36. Dharmasindhu p. 19

Why are there two dates for some Ekadashis?

The texts test the Ekadashi day for Dashami, the tithi before it. Smārtas test at sunrise; Vaiṣṇavas test the 96 minutes before sunrise, called aruṇodaya. When Ekadashi or Dvadashi runs long, or Ekadashi touches no sunrise, each tradition keeps its own day. Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 53⁠–⁠63

How the days are found

Read the methodology
Sunrise
At the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction, for the chosen city. Every date is that city’s own.
The Dashami tests
Smārta: Dashami at sunrise. Vaiṣṇava (Nirṇaya-sindhu): Dashami at any moment in the 96 minutes before sunrise.
Running long
A tithi runs long when it is still current at the sunrise after its own day: Ekādaśī at the second day's sunrise, Dvādaśī at the third's, counting from the first Ekādaśī day (our reading of Nirnaya-sindhu pp. 59-62).
Pāraṇa
The first three muhūrtas after sunrise, once Hari-vāsara (Dvādaśī’s first quarter) is over and before Dvādaśī ends; else the afternoon, never midday; on Trayodaśī if no Dvādaśī is left. Dharmasindhu p. 19; Nirṇaya-sindhu pp. 70⁠–⁠71.
Sources
Kamalākara Bhaṭṭa, Nirṇaya-sindhu, 1898 printing, pp. 49⁠–⁠63 and 70⁠–⁠71; Dharmasindhu, 1888, p. 19. Names from the Ekādaśī-māhātmya, Banaras, 1934.

Sunrise at the centre of the Sun’s disc, with refraction · Lahiri ayanamsa for month names · each city’s own time · Swiss Ephemeris · Method