The glories of Utthana or Prabodhini, Ekadasi are described in the Skanda Purana in the conversation between Lord Brahma and Narada Muni.

Once Lord Brahma said to Narada Muni, “O best of the sages! Please hear about the glories of Utthana Ekadasi, which destroys all one’s sinful reactions, increases one’s piety and awards libearation. O best among the brahmanas! The supremacy of the Ganges was intact as long as Utthana Ekadasi, which occurs during the waxing moon in the month of October/November and which burns all one’s sins into ashes, did not manifest in this world. The influence of the ocean’s and lake’s piety was matchless as long as Utthana Ekadasi did not manifest. The result one obtains by performing one thousand horse sacrifices and one hundred Rajasuya sacrifices can easily be obtained by observing this Ekadasi.

After hearing these words of Lord Brahma, Narada Muni said, “O dear father! Please tell me what the merit is for one who eats only once a day, or by taking supper in the evening or by completely fasting?”

Lord Brahma replied, “If one eats only once a day then all the sinful reactions of his one lifetimes are destroyed. If one eats only supper then the sinful reactions of his two lifetime are destroyed, and by fasting completely one can destroy the sinful reactions of his seven lifetimes.

“O dear son! This Utthana Ekadasi awards everything that is unseen, undesired and rare within the three worlds. This Ekadasi burns to ashes grave sins which are as big as Mandara Mountain. O lion among sages, if a person accumulates any piety on this day of Ekadasi then he obtains results equal to Sumeru Hill. In the body of those who do not pray to the Lord, who are fallen from their vows, who are atheistic, who blaspheme the Vedas, who pollute the religious scriptures, who enjoy another’s wife and who are foolish, the religious principles cannot remain. One should not indulge in sinful activities, rather he should engage in pious activities. If one is inclined towards pious activities, his religious principles are not destroyed. For one who confidently follows the vow of Utthana Ekadasi, the sinful reactions of his one hundred lifetimes are vanquished. If one remains awake on the night of Utthana Ekadasi then his past, present and future generations return to the abode of Visnu.

“O Narada! A person, who does not observe the vow of Ekadasi in the month of Karthika and does not worship Lord Visnu, has all his accumulated piety totally destroyed. O best of the brahmanas! One should certainly worship Lord Visnu in the month of Kartika. If one eats foodstuff cooked by himself in the month of Kartika, he obtains the result of Candrayana vrata. If one engages in hearing and chanting the topics of Lord Visnu in the month of Kartika attains the result of donating one hundred cows. By regularly studying the scriptures one achieves the result of performing one thousand sacrificies. A person who hears the topics of the Lord and then gives daksina to the speaker according to his capacity goes to the eternal abode of the Lord.

Narada Muni said, “O Lord! Kindly explain to me the procedure for observing Ekadasi.” Grandfather Brahma replied, “O best of the twice-born, one should rise early in the morning during Brahma Muthurtha and after washing his mouth and taking bath he should worship Lord Kesava. Then he should take a vow while chanting a mantra as follows, ‘I will fast on the day of Ekadasi and I will only eat on the day of Dvadasi. O Pundarikaksa! O Acyuta! I surrender unto You. Please protect me.’

“One should gladly observe the vow of Ekadasi with devotion and at night one should remain awake near Lord Visnu. While remaining awake at night one should hear and chant the transacendental qualities of the Lord. One should give up all kinds of greediness on the day of Ekadasi. Any pious person who follows these instructions attains the supreme destination.

Lord Brahma continued, “If one worships Lord Janardana with kadamba flowers, he does not go the abode of Yamaraja. If one worships Lord Garudadvja or Lord Visnu with rose flowers in the month of Kartika he certainly gets liberation. If one worships the Lord with bakula and ashoka flowers then he becomes freed from lamentaion for as long as the sun and moon rise in the sky. If one worships the Lord with sami leaves he escapes the punishment of Yamaraja. If one worships Lord Visnu, Who is the controller of the demigods with campaka flowers during the rainy season then he will not have to take birth again within the material world. If one offers yellow colored ketaki flowers to Lord Visnu then all his sinful reactions accumulated from millions of lifetimes are destroyed. If one offers red colored fragrant hundred-petaled lotus flowers to Lord Jagannatha then he returns to the abode of the Lord known as Svetadvipa.

“O best of the brahmanas! One should remain awake on the night of Ekadasi. On the day of Dvadasi one should worship Lord Visnu and complete his vow by feeding the brahmanas.”

According to one’s ability if one worships his spiritual master and gives him charity then the Supreme Lord becomes pleased with him.