Quick answer: If you read one adhyaya a day from 10 November, Karthika Puranam Adhyaya 24 falls on Thursday, 3 December 2026 in India. If you follow the tithi-based table on our 30-adhyaya guide, read it on Wednesday, 2 December (Krishna Navami). In the USA, UK and Canada the month began a day earlier (Monday 9 November), so readers there going one a day reach it on Wednesday, 2 December; check your local panchang. Atri explains Haribodhini, the Shukla Dwadashi of Karthika, and why the Ekadashi fast should be broken before Dwadashi ends. The story of King Ambarisha begins here.

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The frame

After Chapter 23 on devotion in the Kali age, the sage Atri turns to a rule of the Ekadashi fast. Our 30-adhyaya guide treats adhyayas 24 to 29 as one story: King Ambarisha and the sage Durvasa.

Haribodhini Dwadashi and parana

According to our guide, Atri explains the Shukla Dwadashi of Karthika, called Haribodhini, and why the Ekadashi fast should be broken (parana) before Dwadashi ends.

The name fits what the Puranam said earlier. In Chapter 12, Karthika Shukla Dwadashi is the day Sriman Narayana rises from his serpent bed, and so a day dear to Vishnu. In 2026 Karthika Shukla Ekadashi (Devutthana) fell on 20 November and that Dwadashi, Ksheerabdi Dwadashi, on 21 November in India.

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Our sources name Atri's full explanation but do not retell it, so we do not retell it here. For the full chapter, read the adhyaya in a Telugu edition your family trusts, or in the freely available Telugu Wikisource text that our 30-adhyaya guide links to. Note that the Wikisource text arranges the month differently (two Skanda Purana adhyayas a day up to Karthika Pournami, then the Padma Purana's Karthika Mahatmyam), so look this adhyaya up by its number, not by the day of the month.

Why the timing matters

The rule that the fast must be broken within Dwadashi is the hinge of the story that follows. King Ambarisha will face it in Chapter 25, when his guest is late and Dwadashi is running out.

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If you fast on Utpanna Ekadashi on Friday 4 December, the next Ekadashi in India, check your local panchang for the parana window on Saturday 5 December.

What this chapter teaches

  • A fast has a proper close: breaking it on time is part of the vow.
  • Dwadashi belongs to Vishnu: the day of his waking is named Haribodhini.

How to read it today

  • Pick one time: after the morning bath, or in the evening after lighting the Karthika lamp. Keep the same time each day if you can.
  • Light a small lamp: ghee or sesame oil before your home shrine or tulasi. Never leave a flame unattended; in apartments keep it clear of curtains and smoke detectors.
  • Read or listen: say that you are reading adhyaya 24, then read it aloud from a Telugu edition your family trusts (about 15 to 30 minutes). One person can read while the family listens; the text praises listening as much as reading.
  • Today's small practice: if you keep Ekadashi, note the parana time for the coming Dwadashi now, so that you break the fast on time.
  • Close simply: offer a flower or a little prasadam, bow and say a short prayer.
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Printed editions do not always break the chapters at the same place, so a story may begin an adhyaya earlier or later in your book. If your book differs, follow your book. Our summary is a guide to the day's reading, not the text itself.

Related: Karthika (Prabodhini) Ekadashi 2026 and Ksheerabdi Dwadashi and Tulasi Vivah 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Karthika Puranam Chapter 24 about?

Atri explains the Shukla Dwadashi of Karthika, called Haribodhini, and why the Ekadashi fast should be broken (parana) before Dwadashi ends. It opens the story of King Ambarisha.

What is Haribodhini Dwadashi?

The Shukla Dwadashi of Karthika. In Chapter 12 of the Puranam it is the day Sriman Narayana rises from his serpent bed. In 2026 it fell on Saturday 21 November in India, Ksheerabdi Dwadashi.

What is parana?

Breaking the Ekadashi fast. The chapter teaches that it should be done before Dwadashi ends. For exact parana times, use your local panchang or our Ekadashi pages.

When is Karthika Puranam Chapter 24 read in 2026?

Reading one adhyaya a day from 10 November, on Thursday, 3 December in India. On the tithi-based table, on Wednesday, 2 December (Krishna Navami). In the USA, UK and Canada, one-a-day readers reach it on Wednesday, 2 December; check your local panchang.

Karthika Puranam chapters and Karthika Masam 2026 guides