▁icon ic ▁foss il ▁stone ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁V ish nu ) ▁is ▁b athed ▁( ab his he ka ) ▁with ▁Pan ch am rita , ▁a ▁mixture ▁of ▁five ▁food s : ▁milk , ▁cur d , ▁g he e ▁( clar ified ▁but ter ), ▁h oney ▁and ▁sugar . ▁It ▁is ▁then ▁was hed ▁with ▁water ▁and ▁then ▁dressed ▁in ▁royal ▁fin ery . ▁A ▁hand - fan ▁is ▁also ▁offered . ▁Flow ers , ▁inc ense , ▁water ▁and ▁ar ati ▁( lam ps ) ▁are ▁also ▁offered . ▁Dev ote es ▁med itate ▁on ▁the ▁image ▁of ▁God . ▁In ▁the ▁evening , ▁they ▁worship ▁V ish nu ▁with ▁dur va ▁grass ▁in ▁their ▁hands . ▁Dev ote es ▁remain ▁aw ake ▁the ▁whole ▁night ▁and ▁sing ▁pra ises ▁of ▁V ish nu ▁or ▁med itate ▁on ▁his ▁image . ▁ ▁Another ▁characteristic ▁of ▁ek ad ash is ▁is ▁char ity ▁to ▁Bra hm ins ▁( the ▁priest ▁class ). ▁Cl oth es , ▁food ▁gra ins , ▁um bre ll as , ▁hand - f ans , ▁pitch ers ▁filled ▁with ▁water , ▁gold ▁etc . ▁are ▁pres cribed ▁to ▁be ▁don ated ▁on ▁N ir j ala ▁Ek ad ashi . ▁ ▁Mer its ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Mark ande ya ▁Pur ana ▁and ▁the ▁V ish nu ▁Pur ana , ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁Ek ad ashi ▁is ▁itself ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁V ish nu . ▁The ▁vr ata ▁observed ▁on ▁this ▁day ▁is ▁said