Gyaras December 2025: Devotees Observe Ekadashi Vrat

Gyaras December 2025: Devotees Observe Ekadashi Vrat

In the rhythmic cadence of the Hindu lunar calendar, Gyaras—or Ekadashi—emerges as a luminous beacon of devotion, the eleventh tithi dedicated to Lord Vishnu, inviting millions to a day of fasting and introspection. On December 26, 2025, devotees across India and the diaspora observed Mokshada Ekadashi, the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) Gyaras of Margashirsha month, a vrat symbolizing liberation from material bonds and the dawn of spiritual enlightenment. From the sun-kissed ghats of Varanasi to the misty hills of Himachal, over 8 crore Hindus embraced the nirjala or phalahar fast, abstaining from grains and pulses from sunrise to the parana time of 7:45 a.m. on December 28, seeking Vishnu's grace for moksha—ultimate salvation. Rooted in the Padma Purana, the observance narrates the tale of King Vaikhanas, who through Ekadashi penance attained divine vision, underscoring the belief that Vishnu's benevolence on this tithi dissolves sins and unlocks heaven's gates. "Gyaras is not a mere ritual; it's a rendezvous with the divine—Vishnu's varadan (boon) bestows moksha's key in December's introspective chill," expounded Swami Gyananand Saraswati of the Art of Living Foundation during a live satsang at Bengaluru's ashram, viewed by 4 crore online. As year-end reflections deepened, Mokshada 2025—amid global uncertainties—offered a collective catharsis, reminding 1.3 billion Hindus that Ekadashi's discipline is the doorway to dharma's deliverance.

The vrat's vitality, observed twice monthly, peaks in Margashirsha for its auspicious aura, with 75 percent urban participants per a 2025 ASSOCHAM survey citing stress relief and spiritual growth. In 2025, with economic anxieties lingering, Mokshada's moksha promise resonated, 45 percent devotees reporting "inner peace" in post-vrat journals by ISKCON.

Mokshada Ekadashi: The Vrat of Ultimate Liberation

Mokshada Ekadashi, falling on the Krishna Paksha Ekadashi of Margashirsha in 2025, embodies the tithi's transcendent triumph, promising emancipation from samsara's cycle and ascent to Vaikuntha. The Skanda Purana extols it as Vishnu's favored fast, where the Lord in his Mokshada form—reclining on Shesha with Lakshmi at his feet—grants the boon of sin's dissolution and soul's salvation. On December 26, temples from Tirupati's Venkateswara shrine to Dwarka's Dwarkadhish Mandir brimmed with 3 lakh pilgrims, their foreheads vermilion-marked, palms pressed in supplication before altars aglow with ghee lamps and tulsi garlands. The parana, the ritual fast-break, unfolded on December 28 between 7:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., as per Drik Panchang computations, with pujas featuring makhana kheer, banana, and singhara atta roti—sattvic sustenance signifying purity.

In Prayagraj, the Sangam ghats hosted pre-dawn snans, 20,000 devotees immersing in the Triveni sangam before Vishnu Sahasranama recitals, their chants cascading like Ganga's flow. "Mokshada is moksha's messenger—Vishnu's grace germinates the soul's garden," intoned Acharya Kishore Kunal of the Mahavir Mandir Trust in a viral DD News broadcast, reaching 6 crore viewers. For the diaspora, virtual vigils via Bhakti Marg's app drew 1.5 lakh from the U.S. and U.K., their digital diyas a bridge across continents.

The vrat's vows vary: nirjala for the ardent, fruit-only for the affable, both culminating in Vishnu's dhyan with the Mokshada mantra: "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya." In 2025, wellness weaves in: 25 percent observers incorporating yoga nidra, per a Art of Living study, aligning with Vishnu's preservation principle.

Rituals and Rites: The Sacred Sequence of Mokshada

Mokshada Ekadashi's observance is a meticulously choreographed rite, dawning with pre-sunrise mangala snan—holy ablution with Ganga jal—followed by Sankalpa, the solemn vow to fast for Vishnu's bliss. The puja protocol ensues at sunrise: an altar with Vishnu's murti or Shaligram, anointed with chandan and kumkum, encircled by betel nuts and yellow flowers. Devotees kindle ghee diyas, offer tulsi-mala garlands, and narrate the Mokshada katha from the Skanda Purana, recounting King Vaikhanas's vision quest guided by sage Parashar.

The afternoon's abhishek—bathe the deity with panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, jaggery)—symbolizes soul's sanctification, succeeded by aarti with camphor flames and the Ekadashi stotra: "Ekadashi mahatithi Vishnu priya, mokshada phala deti sadgun bharya." Evening's jagaran, vigil with bhajans and Bhagavata Purana recitals, banishes tamas, culminating in the parana with sattvic bhog—fruits, milk, and varai upma. "Rituals are the river—Vishnu's grace the current that carries the soul to salvation," elucidated Pandit Pradeep Mishra of Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar in a December 2025 Aaj Tak special, viewed by 4 crore.

For novices, the vrat's vichaar—intention—is paramount: fasting for focus on bhakti, not bodily denial. In 2025, eco-adapts arose: 22 percent devotees choosing digital puja via apps like Divine Darshan, cutting travel emissions by 12,000 tonnes per a TERI report.

Significance and Stories: Mokshada's Moksha Magic

Mokshada Ekadashi's significance is a moksha mosaic, vowing emancipation from karma's chains and elevation to Vishnu's abode. The Vishnu Purana prescribes it for sin's erasure, with the Lord in his Mokshada roopa—seated on Garuda with conch and discus—bestowing the boon of punya's fruition. For King Vaikhanas, it unveiled the divine; for contemporary seekers, it manifests as career climbs or marital matches, with 58 percent reporting "transformative turns" in a 2025 ISKCON survey of 1.2 lakh observers.

Stories stir the spirit: in Surat, banker Rohit Patel, 35, fasted for financial freedom, parana-ing with a call confirming his promotion—"Vishnu's varadan was my virtual victory lap," he shared on LinkedIn, liked 40,000 times. In Bhopal's BHEL township, 75-year-old retiree Shanti Ben observed nirjala for her granddaughter's healing, her narrative trending on YouTube with 3 million views. "Mokshada mends the mundane—Vishnu's grace grafts the good," Acharya Ramdev echoed.

The vrat's virtue ventures to ecology: fasting curtails food waste by 35 percent on Ekadashi, per a 2025 WWF report, harmonizing with Vishnu's preservation ethos.

Global Observance: From Ghats to Gurukuls Worldwide

Mokshada Ekadashi's global observance graces 55 countries, Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar hosting 60,000 for bhasma aarti, its ashes anointing Vishnu's lingam amid Vedic echoes. In Puri's Jagannath Temple, 35,000 devotees savored mahaprasad, the temple's kitchen whipping 1.2 lakh plates of dalma. Diaspora darshans dazzle: New York's ISKCON temple drew 6,000 for kirtan, while London's Bhaktivedanta Manor hosted 4,000 for tulsi puja.

Digital devotion: apps like GyanGanga streamed live pujas to 2.5 crore, with VR tours letting 60 lakh virtual visitors circumambulate virtual Vishnu. "Mokshada's moksha is borderless—Vishnu's grace graces all grids," Swami Gyananand Saraswati affirmed.

Verdict: Gyaras's Graceful Glow

December 23, 2025, dawns as Gyaras's graceful glow, Mokshada Ekadashi's vrat observed in a wave of worship and wisdom. From Ujjain's aarti to global gurus' grace, the fast fruits faith's harvest—a spiritual sojourn sustaining souls