This Ekadasi occurs during the waning moon in the month of January/February. The glories of Sat-tila Ekadasi are described in the Bhavisyottara Purana. Once the sage Dalbhya asked sage Pulastya, “O respected brahmana, people are engaged in various sinful activities such as killing brahmanas and in sense gratification in this mortal world. Please explain to me how can they be delivered from this hellish condition which comes as a result of their sinful activities. “ Sage Pulastya replied, “O most fortunate one! One should worship the Supreme Lord in a pure state of mind on the day of Ekadasi which occurs during the waning moon in the month of January/February.

“At the time of worship one should pray as follows. O Lord Janardana! O most merciful Sri Krsna! You are the deliverer of the sinful people. Please be merciful to those who are drowning in the ocean of material existence. O Supreme Brahman! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Lord of the universe! Please accept my worship with your consort Srimati Laskmidevi. Thereafter one should worship the brahmanas by giving in charity to them umbrellas, cloth, shoes and a pitcher filled with water. According to one’s capacity one should also give black cow and sesame seeds in charity to the best of the brahmanas. By giving sesame seeds in charity one can live in the heavenly planets for many, many years.

“One should bath in water mixed with sesame seeds, smear sesame seed paste on his body, perform fire sacrifice with sesame seeds, offer oblations to the forefathers with water mixed with sesame seeds, eat sesame seeds and give sesame seeds in charity on this Ekadasi. Thus the name of this Ekadasi is Sat-tila Ekadasi.

Lord Krsna narrated the following story of Narada Muni when he approached Krsna to hear the glories and resuls of observing Sat-tila Ekadasi. In the ancient times there lived a female brahmani. She strictly followed the vow of celibacy and engaged in worshipping the Lord. By constantly observing various vows in the course of her worship she gradually became weak and skinny. Although she gave charity to the poor brahmanas and unmarried girls, she never pleased the brahmanas and demigods by giving food grains in charity. So I considered that although the body of the brahmani became weak from performing many severe vows, still she was a purified soul. Moreover she had not given any food grains in charity to the hungry people. O best of the brahmanas! In order to test this brahmani I took the form of a mendicant and personally appeared in this mortal world. I took a begging pot in My hands and approached the house of that brahmani to beg alms.

“The brahmani said, ‘O brahmana! Please tell me the truth, Where have you come from?’ I pretended to not have heared anything and begged for the alms again. She became angry at this and took a handful of clay and put it in My begging pot. Thereafter I returned to My abode. That ascetic brahmani, as a result of observing severe vows, also returned to My abode. She got a beautiful house, but due to offering Me clay in charity she had no food grains or wealth in her house. O brahmana! When she entered that house she did not find anything and gradually due to lack of wealth she became restless. Thereafter she approached Me in an angry mood and said, ‘O Janardana! I have undergone severe austerities, vows and worshiped Lord Visnu adequately. Why am I bereft of food grains and wealth?’

“Then I said, ‘O Brahmani! You have come here from the material world, now please go back to your house. Out of curiosity the wives of the demigods will come to your house for darsana and then you should inquire from them about the glories of Sat-tila Ekadasi. Do not open the door until they finish the narration.’ After hearing My statement the brahmani returned home.

“One day when the brahmani was sitting in her room with the door closed from inside some wives of the demigods came there and said, ‘O beautiful one! We have come here for darsana. Please open the door.’ The brahmani replied, ‘If you want to see me then please explain to me the importance, piety and glories of Sat-tila Ekadasi before I open the door.’ Then one of the wives of the demigods narrated the glories of this Ekadasi. After hearing the narration, the brahmani became satisfied and opened the door and the wives of the demigods became pleased by seeing her.

“Under the instruction of these demigods the brahmani observed the vow of Sat-tila Ekadasi. Thereafter she became beautiful, effulgent and became the proprietor of sufficient food grains, wealth and gold. However no one should observe this Ekadasi being controlled by greed. By following this Ekadasi one’s misfortune and poverty are destroyed. If one donates sesame seeds on this day then all his sinful reactions are vanquished.”