January 14: When Shattila Ekadashi and Makar Sankranti Unite to Form a Rare Sacred Day

Looking for an extremely auspicious Hindu date? Learn why the rare Shattila Ekadashi–Makar Sankranti union makes January 14 so powerful.

January 14, 2026, marks a spiritually extraordinary moment when Shattila Ekadashi and Makar Sankranti fall on the same day. The pairing of Vishnu-bhakti with Surya-tattva is special and powerful, creating a spiritual path for dedicated practitioners. As well, when devotees perform rituals with devotion, the results will be greater than performing the same ritual without that devotion, according to Sanatana shashtras and Sanatangyan.

A Rare Cosmic Alignment Rooted in Sanatangyan

Astrologers and Sanatana gurus say that 2026 will be filled with spiritual energy, but January 14 has a special place. On this auspicious day, on which the Sun enters Capricorn (Makara Rashi) and thus marks Makar Sankranti (the beginning of the Sun's northward movement, or Uttarayana), we also observe Shattila Ekadashi, which is associated with worshiping Lord Vishnu.

According to Sanatangyan, solar and lunar energies function harmoniously together, producing two times the results of devotional practices such as sadhana, or vrat, or daan (charitable giving). In ancient shashtras we find that it is unusual to have the Sankranti-associated Ekadashi; thus it has a strong connection to the purification of accumulated karma and future blessings.

The Bhagavad Gita declares that if we observe sacred time, we have the potential to do amazing things with our devotion.

संयोगः कर्मणां सिद्धिः कालेन महता भवेत्।

“When actions are performed at the right time, their results become greatly magnified.”

Shattila Ekadashi and the Sacred Role of Sesame Seeds

Shattila Ekadashi refers to the term “til” (sesame seeds), which according to Sanatana practices have extremely purifying qualities. According to the Padma Purana, Lord Vishnu will take a very kind view of devotees who dedicate sesame seeds to Him on the day of Shattila Ekadashi.

On Shattila Ekadashi, devotees may utilize sesame seeds in the following six ways:

• Snana (Bath)

• Ubtan (Body paste)

• Homa (Fire ritual)

• Daan (Charity)

• Bhojan (Food)

• Jala Arpan (Water offering)

These practices are not merely symbolic; they are rooted in sanatangyan, which teaches harmony between body, mind, and cosmic forces. Also, the ceremonies that arise out of the solar transition of Makar Sankranti enhance the potency of these ceremonies.

Garuda Purana states:

तिलदानं तिलहोमं तिलस्नानं विशेषतः।

तिलभुक् तिलदं दत्वा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति॥

“One who bathes with sesame, offers sesame in charity and fire rituals, and consumes it with devotion attains the abode of Lord Vishnu.”

Puja Vidhi for This Rare Sacred Day

Devotees celebrating this excellent day are suggested to rise before dawn (during Brahma Muhurta), and to have a holy bath by using water mixed with sesame seeds. It is beneficial for them to wear either clean or yellow-colored clothing. Worship of Lord Vishnu should be performed using tulsi leaves, flowers, incense, sesame seeds, and a lit diya.

It is good to read the Vishnu Sahasranama and/or to chant mantras which pertain to Lord Vishnu. According to the teachings of spiritual instructors, on this sacred day, prayers offered with sincere thought resonate strongly in cosmic energies.

According to the Vishnu Purana:

एकादश्यां न भुञ्जीत भक्त्या विष्णुं स्मरेन्नरः।

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति॥

“One who observes Ekadashi with devotion and remembers Lord Vishnu becomes free from all sins and attains divine realms.”

Night-Time Remedies and Karmic Healing

Remedy for Pitru Dosha

On the night of January 14th, an oil lamp made from clay and filled with sesame oil and black sesame seeds should be placed in the southern direction. This act is based on the wisdom of our forefathers and the guidance of the shastras, and it serves to pacify Pitru Dosha and seek the blessings of one's ancestors.

Remedy for Health and Planetary Afflictions

Black sesame seeds can be mixed with water from the Ganges River, or Ganga Jal, prior to bathing the following day to help neutralize the unfavourable effects created by by Rahu, Kethu and Shani. Many sadhus regard this as a simple yet powerful act of spiritual detoxification.

General Remedies for Prosperity

Donations made on this day—sesame seeds, jaggery, warm clothes, or food—are believed to remove financial blockages and karmic burdens. Feeding cows, birds, and the needy further amplifies punya and aligns one with dharma.

The Skanda Purana expresses this same idea of giving and charity:

दानं धर्मः तपो यज्ञः स्वाध्यायः संयमः शमः।

एतैः पुण्यं समाप्नोति मानवः नात्र संशयः॥

Charity, righteousness, austerity, sacrifice, self-study, restraint, and peace surely lead humans to merit.

January 14, 2026, is a rare and powerful day when Shattila Ekadashi and Makar Sankranti unite, offering a unique opportunity for spiritual purification, karmic healing, and amplified blessings through devotion, rituals, and charity as guided by ancient shashtra and sanatangyan.