The most sacred Ekadashi of the year, when the ‘Gate of Vaikuntha’ (Vishnu’s supreme abode) is believed to open for devotees who fast and pray. This day also marks Gita Jayanti, the anniversary of Krishna speaking the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The convergence of these two observances makes this one of the most powerful days for Vaishnava spiritual practice, when recitation of the Gita’s 700 verses is believed to grant liberation (Moksha).