Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.1362

c5.1362

Those who observe the Ekādaśī vrata should be on a regulated diet excluding meat and avoid sexual acts on the Daśamī day, the day preceding Ekādaśī. On both the Ekādaśī days in a month one should not take any food at all. The period which combines Ekādaśī with Dvādaśī (the twelfth day) is called Harivāsara because of the presence of Viṣṇu at that time. That is a good time for doing sacred yajñas. That day where there is only a small portion of Ekādaśī and the rest Dvādaśī is the best day for yajñas. Trayodaśī (the thirteenth day) is good for breaking the fast. The day which merges Dvādaśī into Trayodaśī is the best day for breaking the fast. Do not observe the Vrata on a day which combines Daśamī with Ekādaśī. Hell is the result if one does so.