Hello,

I am interested in learning more about Ekadasi and the Vaishnava calendar, and have gone to various web sites on this topic. It seems to be a very complicated task to calculate the proper dates and times for observing Ekadasi and when to break the fast etc. Fortuantely, I have located what appears to be a standard calendar generation software:Vcal401.exe.

The sites that I have seen describe what not to eat, and what to eat when one is breaking the fast (depending on what one ate during the fast). However, due to my ignorance, I do not know "when" the fast starts.

For instance:

12 Feb 2003 Wed Fasting for Bhaimi Ekadasi

When does one start fasting for this Ekadasi? At midnight of the 12th? At sundown on the 11th? When in general does one start Ekadasi fasting?

Also, when does one stop fasting? In my example:

13 Feb 2003 Thurs Break fast 06:44 - 10:14

MUST one break the fast between these times?

And what happens in THIS case:

13 Feb 2003 Thurs Break fast 06:44 - 10:14
Varaha Dvadasi: Appearance of Lord
Varahadeva
(The fast is observed till noon on
the Ekadasi.)
(Feasting is done today.)

One can not break the fast at the noted time... because of the fast till noon instruction? This is then followed by a feast day?

And what happens when Ekadasi FOLLOWS a feast day: when does the feasting time stop and the fasting time start?

As you can see, I know so very little about Ekadasi and the Vaishnava calendar. Any VERY basic help, instructions, suggestions, etc. would be very much appreciated. All the Internet sites I have gone to don't really address these most basic questions.

Many thanks for any help!