🌼 Sharad Purnima 🌼

💐Significance Of  Sharad  Purnima💐

                               Worshiping the god Chandra is said to be particularly essential on the day of Sharad Purnima. While newlywed ladies take the vow and start their Purnima fasting on this day, single women fast in the hopes of finding a good partner. Hindu mythology holds that every human attribute is associated with a distinct Kala. According to the teachings, the perfect human personality is created by combining sixteen distinct Kala. It is stated that Lord Krishna has all sixteen Kalas at birth.  

 
                                   In the Brij region, Sharad Purnima is also known as Raas Purnima. It is thought that on this day, Lord Krishna performed the Maha-Raas, or holy love dance. It is also believed that Lord Krishna’s angelic dance with the Gopis of Vrindavan lasted one night of Lord Brahma, which is equivalent to billions of years in human time. Furthermore, it is thought that on the eve of Sharad Purnima, Goddess Lakshmi makes a worldly visit. Because of this, devotees also worship Goddess Lakshmi on the day of Sharad Purnima and obtain her blessings.  

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🍀Important Sharad Purnima Rituals🍀

• Traditionally, women prepare bhog to offer to the Goddess and fast during the day. While some people drink coconut water and consume fruits during the day, others fast (without drinking any water). 
  
  

• The bhog must have rice kheer. On Sharad Purnima, devotees leave rice kheer outside under the moonlight throughout the night in the belief that the moon’s rays have special healing qualities. 
  
  

• On the next day, the kheer is distributed among the friends and family as a Prasad. 
  
  

• Worshippers perform Jagran throughout Sharad Purnima’s whole night. To obtain blessings from Lord Indra and Maa Lakshmi, they also engage in spiritual awakening or other religious activities. 
  
  

• It is beneficial to help the poor with food and daily necessities. It is said that those who support others would always be supported by the Gods. 
  
  

• On the day of Sharad Purnima, devotees also take a holy dip in the River Ganga and other holy rivers. Then, they do meditation and worship Goddess Lakshmi. 

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🌻 Kojagiri Lakshmi Puja🌻 

                       Several regions of eastern India, including Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and eastern Bihar, celebrate Sharad Purnima or Kojagiri Purnima as occasions to worship Goddess Lakshmi, also known as Maa Lokkhi. The goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is also referred to as Maa Lokkhi in Bengali. She is characterized as chapala, or fickle-minded, and her devotion is done in order to win her love and favors. When people worship Goddess Lakshmi, it is thought that she comes to their homes at night to bestow blessings. Two phrases can be used to explain the significance of Kojagiri Purnima. The name Kojagiri comes from the Bengali phrase Ke Jago Re, which translates to “who is awake.” It is said that the goddess spends that night visiting homes where devotees gather to worship her.  

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🙏  Sharad Purnima Vrat Katha 🙏

                                Hindu mythology tells us that a peasant had three daughters, and on full moon days, all three of them would fast. Conversely, the youngest daughter used to fast for just a few hours each day. Her son passed away as a result of her crimes. She then contacted her older sister to share her anguish and turned to her for solace. When her older sister touched her and saw the boy, he started crying. “Your devotion has brought my son back,” said the youngest daughter, stunned by the enchantment. After that, people began to understand the significance of Kojagiri Purnima. 

  
                              Raas Purnima, the day of Sharad Purnima, is celebrated in the Brij area, where it is claimed that Lord Krishna performed Maha-Raas with his Gopis. On the eve of Sharad Purnima, the Gopis emerged from their dwellings upon hearing Krishna play the flute. Legend has it that Lord Krishna and the Gopis of Vrindavan danced all night. 

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🍀 Reason to Keep Kheer in Moonlight 🍀

                           On Sharad Purnima, people have a well-known custom of eating Kheer because it is thought that the moon’s light releases an elixir or nectar that has numerous medicinal benefits. Thus, rice kheer is made and left overnight to be energized by the moonlight. The following morning, the kheer is given as prasad to every member of the household. 

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🌞 Puja on Sharad Purnima 🌞

• Get up early in the morning, take a bath and take a vow to fast. 
  
  

• Clean the place of worship and install the idol of Maa Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. 
  
  

• Offer clothes, rice, seat, flowers, incense, lamp, naivedya, betel nut, and dakshina to the Lord. 
  
  

• Offer white- or yellow-colored sweets to the Lord. 
  
  

• Make kheer from cow’s milk at night and offer it to the Lord at midnight. 
  
  

• Keep the vessel filled with kheer in the moonlight and eat it the next day. 
  
  

• Distribute this kheer to everyone as prasad. 
  
  

• When the moon rises, light 100 earthen lamps or lamps according to your capacity with pure cow ghee. 
  
  

• Offering arghya to the moon liberates one from sins. 
  
  

• Help the needy people on this day. 
  
  

• Sing bhajans and bhajans of Lord Vishnu till the end of the second prahar of the night. 
  
  

• In the morning, before sunrise, consume that prasad in the form of kheer. 

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🌎 Different Sharad Purnima Celebrations Around the World 🌎

West Bengal: 

 
                                    In West Bengal, the whole moon night, known as Sharad Purnima or Kojagori Purnima, is a time for Bengalis to worship Goddess Lakshmi to seek prosperity after the divine victory over evil during Durga Puja. Here are some common rituals and offerings associated with the worship of Ma Lokkhi: 

• The revered Ma Lokkhi is worshipped in households with offerings of homemade sweets, flowers, and devotion to her idol. 
  
  
• Each household decorates the floor from entrance to interiors with alpana.  
  
  
• Naryel ladu, a festive dessert made from fine coconut gratings mixed with milk, sugar, dry fruits, and ghee, is a special offering to Ma Lokkhi. 
  
  
• On the evening of Kojagori Purnima, special porridge is cooked in Bengali kitchens. 

Orrisa: 

  
                         Sharad Purnima is celebrated in two different ways in the Indian state of Odisha. Some communities worship the Sun and the Moon, while others worship Goddess Lakshmi. In addition, it is also celebrated as Kumar Purnima in honour of Kartikeya, the God of war in Hindu mythology. Here are some of the ways it is celebrated in Odisha: 

• Young girls start their day with a cleansing bath and offer various foods to the Sun God. 
  
  
• They adorn their necks with fresh garlands during the worship ceremony and fast for the entire day. The fast is broken after the moon’s evening worship, and the day’s first meal is consumed.
   
• To celebrate the occasion, they sing, dance and play a unique game called Puchi. 
  
  
• In Odisha, people commemorate Sharad Purnima as the birthday of Lakshmi. They keep themselves awake throughout the night by playing indoor games like dice. This helps them to rejoice in the festival spirit. 

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🍀Mantras of  Sharad Purnima:🍀

 
Maa Lakshmi: 

  
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये
प्रसीद प्रसीद श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥

ॐ श्रीं क्लीं महालक्ष्मि महालक्ष्मि
एह्येहि सर्वसौभाग्यं देहि मे स्वाहा॥

ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं क्लीं श्रीं लक्ष्मि
मम गृहे धनं पूरये पूरये,
चिन्तां दूरये दूरये स्वाहा॥

Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamle Kamlalaye

Prasidh Prasidh Shreem Hreem Shreem Om Mahalakshmi Namah॥

Om Shreem Lkeem Mahalakshmi Mahalakshmi

Ahyehi Sarva Saubhagyam Dehi Me Swaha॥

Om Hreem Shreem krim Kleem Shree Lakshmi

Mam Grihe Dhan Purye, Dhan Purye,

Chintaye Dooraye – Dooraye Swaha॥

  Moon God: 

ॐ चं चंद्रमस्यै नम: दधिशंखतुषाराभं क्षीरोदार्णव सम्भवम ।

नमामि शशिनं सोमं शंभोर्मुकुट भूषणं ॥ 

Om Chan Chandramasyai Namah Dadhisankhatusharabham Kshirodarnava Sambhavam।

Namami Shashinam Soman Shambhormukut Bhushanam ॥  

 Kuber: 

  
ॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धन-धान्याधिपतये नमः।
धन-धान्य-समृद्धिं मे देहि दापय दापय स्वाहा ॥

Om Yakshay Kuberaya Vaishravanaya Dhan Dhanyadhipataye Namah।

Dhan Dhanya Samridhim Me Dehi Dapay Dapay Swaha ॥ 

 Lord Shiva: 

  
पंचवक्त्र: कराग्रै: स्वैर्दशभिश्चैव धारयन्।

अभयं प्रसादं शक्तिं शूलं खट्वाङ्गमीश्वर॥

Panchavaktra Karagrai: Swardashbhishchaiva Dharayan ।

Abhayam Prasadam Shaktim Shulan Khatwangmishwar ॥

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💐Conclusion 💐
              

                                      Sharad Purnima provides a unique opportunity to increase our devotion to the divine. This auspicious night celebrates the divine love of Shree Radha Krishna. Shree Krishna engaged in the Divine Dance with the Gopis, an event so significant that Sharad Purnima is also referred to as “Raas Purnima” in honor of the joyous Rasa Lila that took place. There are various rituals and customs performed by Hindu families on the auspicious day to attract success and prosperity. It stretches from offering Kheer to the moon, fasting, meditation, and many more. 

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