The scriptures dictate that Shraddha should not be performed on the day of Ekadashi. In the Pushkar Khand, Lord Shankar has clearly told Parvati ji that those who perform Shraddha on the day of Ekadashi, the one who eats the Shraddha, the one who feeds the Shraddha and the ancestors for whom the Shraddha is being performed, all three go to hell. It would be better for him to perform Shraddha on Dwadashi for that day. So our great men say that if he does not perform Shraddha on Dwadashi and wants to perform it on Ekadashi, then after worshiping his ancestors, he should offer only fruits to the Brahmin. Even if that Brahmin performs Ekadashi or not.
But we should make him eat only fruits on that day and we should also observe fast on Ekadashi.
Although it is written in the Puranas that one should not fast on the day of Shraddha.
Shraddha janma dene chaiva sankrantiam rahusutke.
Upvasam na kurvit yadicchhechhreyamatmanah.
Still, if there is Ekadashi on that day, then one must fast because Shraddha is an occasional event or deed.
Upvaso yada nityah, shraddha naimittikam bhavet.
Fasting is always Kuryadaghray Pitresevitam Ha, on that day one should smell the food offered to the ancestors or the kitchen.
The scriptures describing the symptoms of fasting say
upavruttasya papebhyoh yastu vaso gunaissah .
upvasasya vignyeyo sarvabhogavivarjitah ..
Staying away from sins and thinking about the good qualities of Lord Shriman Narayan in one’s mind and abstaining not only from food but from all the pleasures of the world is fasting.
Naradiya Purana says
Tasyaivam creedmanasya mohinya sa parthiva.
Rukmangadsya Shrotrabhyam Patahdhvaniragatah.
mattebhakumbhasansthastu dharmangadamate sthitah .
pratarharidinam lokaastishtadhvam chaikabhojana.
aksharalavanaassarvai havishyannanishevanah .
avanitalpashayanah priyasangavivarjitah .
smaradhvam devmishanam puranam purushottamam .
sakrud bhojanasanyuktaasch upvase bhavishyath ..
At first, not fasting on Ekadashi was a punishable offense for beings from eight to eighty years of age
ashtavarshaadhiko martyo hyashitirn hi puryate .
yo bhukte maamke rashtre vishnorahani papakrut ..
sa me badhyasch dandyasch nirvasyo vishayadbahih .
Dashamyamekabhuktastu meat sex prohibited.
Ekadshyamupavaset pakshayorayorpi.
bramacharyam tatha shaucham satyamaamishavarjanam .
brateshvetani chatvari varishthaniti nischayah ..
strinam tu prekshanat sparshat tabhisankathanadapi .
nishyandate bramacharyam na dareshvrutusangamat ..
Do not consume water or drinks, milk, tea etc. frequently. Avoid gutkha and pan masala.
asakrijjalpanach sakruttambulacharbanat .
upvaso vinashyet divasvapach mathunat ..
Vyas Ji also supports this
puspalankaravastrani gandhadhupanulepanam .
upvase na dushyet dantadhavanamanjanam ..
upvase tatha shraddhe na khaadeddantadhavanam .
dantanam kashthasanyogah hanti saptakulanyapi ..
Vishnusmriti says
patitapashandsambhashananrutasteyaadikam varjayet .
Kurmapuran says
On Ekadashi, one should never eat food from someone else’s house, even if one is away from home. Avoid vegetables like cucumber, tomato, cucumber, potato, sugar tuber etc. during the fast. The most important thing is not to speak untruth on that day.
kansyam mansam masuram ch chanakam kodramashakan .
shakam madhu parannam ch tyajedupavasanam striyam ..
asatyabhashanam dyutam divasvapam ch mathunam .
ekaadashyam na kurvit upvasaparo narah ..
Universe Purana says
kansyam mansam suram kshaudram tailam vitath bhashanam .
vyavayam ch pravasam ch divasvapamathanjanam ..
tilapishtam masuram ch dvadashaitani vaishnavah ..
dvadashyah varjayennityam sarvapapaih pramuchyate ..
I have seen people fasting on Ekadashi eating sesame laddus, tilkuta, sesame gajak, tilpatti, shiamak’s khichdi made in sesame oil and roti, whereas the scriptures forbid eating vegetables or even chewing neem or acacia leaves. One who is fasting should not sleep during the day and should do Bhagwat Kirtan, should not chew betel leaf and gutkha which is seen in abundance.
Jupiter says
divanidram parannam ch punarbhojanamaithune.
kshaudram kansyamisham tailam dvadashyamasht varjayet ..
Angira says
sayamadyantayorahnossayam pratasch madhyame .
upvasaphalprepsurjahyadbhaktachatushtayam ..
ya iched vishnu sayujyam shriyam santatimev ch .
ekaadashyam na bhunjit pakshayorubhayorapi ..
Deval says
grihitvaudumbaram patram varipurnamudammukhah .
upvasam tu gruniyat yadva sankalpayedbudhah ..
Fill a copper vessel with water and face north and make a fasting resolution
ekaadashyam niraharo bhutvashamapareshani.
bhokshyami pundarikaksh gatirmam bhavachyut..
I will fast on Ekadashi, I will take food only once on Dwadashi. O Pundarikaksha Shrimannarayan! O Achyut! grant me salvation.
Vishnu Smriti also says to pronounce the same Sankalp Mantra with some manipulation of words.
ekaadashyam niraharah sthitvashamapareshani .
bhokshyami pundarikaksh sharanam me bhavachyut ..
Na.Ex.23/15
I am dependent only on you. O lotus-eyed one! You are my speed. I will remain fasting on Ekadashi and pass Dwadashi only.
