Sharad Purnima:

Sharad Purnima which is also called Guru Purnima, is the full moon day dedicated to loyalty and merriment and has lots of significance in Hinduism. “Purnima ” means full moon and when ‘Sharad’ is added to it, purnima translates to ‘Full Moon of Autumn Season’. In Hinduism, it is considered a remarkable and fortunate occasion, especially for devotees of Lord Krishna and Goddess Lakshmi. 

This festival is celebrated to pay tribute to gurus and show appreciation for their guidance. Sharad Purnima celebrates on the full moon day of Ashadha. Some celebrate the full moon festival as the start of the Indian winter and honor Goddess Laxmi; others refer to it as Raas Purnima and honor the captivating raas of Krishna and Radha. There is a lot of myth and beliefs attached with sharad purnima because according to scientific research in India it is said that moon light has a curing effect on the human body. 

Sharad Purnima 2024 Mahurat: 

Sharad Purnima in 2024 will occur on a Wednesday In 2024, the Sharad full-moon day will be the 16th of October at 8:40 p. m. The Purnima Tithi will last till October 17, 2024 at around 4:55 PM. Today, the moon is expected to rise at 5:05 PM.

Significance of Sharad Purnima

Harvest Festival

Sharad Purnima is also known as a harvest festival across most parts of the country. This takes place in the September when the field is full of rich produce. It is a period when farmers have to share a harvest festival and pay tribute to gods for the fruitful yields. Did you know that the “Kojagiri festival” is another name for this harvest celebration? The Bengali language gave rise to the word “Kojagiri,” which translates to “who is awake.” Therefore, according to mythology, Goddess Lakshmi bestows blessings only upon those who stay awake on the night of Sharad Purnima.

Hindus regard Sharad Purnima’s full moon as the year’s most beautiful and brilliant. They believe this is the one day when the moon rises with all sixteen Kalas, each connected to a particular human attribute. This combination of sixteen distinct Kalas is said to produce the ideal human character and personality. People stay up late to enjoy the moon’s brightness, thinking it will improve their health and wellbeing and seek Lord Chandra’s blessings. They also claim that Lord Krishna, the full incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born with heavenly perfection and embodied all sixteen Kalas.

Furthermore, people state that Lord Krishna was born with this holy perfection and was the full avatar of Lord Vishnu, embodying all sixteen Kalas.

In Vedic Astrology

According to Vedic astrology, the moon controls the two most significant elements of life: mind and water. On this day, the moon is full, and its brightness naturally affects the tide. This particular effect of the moon causes the variability of tidal waves in the water. In addition to the sea, the beneficial energy of the moon also touches our body’s watery regions, impacting each person uniquely. According to Vedic astrology, executing specific remedies on this day, such as Vedic Chandra Puja and presenting milk and water to the Shivling, would have a favorable impact on your life.

Story of Lord Krishna:

In the Brij region, they connect Sharad Purnima to romantic mythology, believing that on this night, Lord Krishna plays the heavenly flute and attracts the gopis (milkmaids) to dance with him. In this regard, Sharad Purnima is also known as Raas Purnima. According to legend, Lord Krishna performed the Maha-Raas, a divine dance of heavenly love, on Sharad Purnima. Overwhelmed by the sound of Krishna’s flute that night, the Gopis of Vrindavan secretly escaped from their houses and families to spend the entire night dancing with Krishna in the jungle.

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Traditions performed on Sharad Purnima: 

Commonly, women keep fasts on Sharad Purnima and this is especially a tradition for women who are married and in their first year of marriage/Sharad Purnima. Thus, the Sharad Purnima vrat is the first day of the ‘Purnimasi Fasting’ if one decides to follow the fasting regime. It is believed that if a person  fasts on this fortunate day then he/she will receive wealth, health and happiness.

It is said that on Sharad Purnima, people must pray to Goddess Lakshmi to help them get divine beliefs. On this night, people prefer to be up late because according to the mythology, Goddess Lakshmi tours the earth and showers fortunes on everyone she meets, the wakeful. People also pay respects to the god of moon and lord Krishna. People make poha, kheer, puffed rice and various other sweet items for others and spread it out for the moon to shine upon it. They think that these food items soak  the healing powers of the moon beams and consume them. Different religions have their rituals, and there are many temples in Vrindavan of Krishna, which hold special ceremonies that many people attend.

Vrat Katha Sharad Purnima

Thus, there are many Vrat Kathas depending on the region or community, and one among them is that of Lord Krishna and Satyabhama. Thus Satyabhama wanted to fast so as to attain the blessings and eternal love of Krishna appealed to him. Sthayabhama did not eat any food on the Sharad Purnima and she bathed thinking of fasting and devoted the whole day to prayers and meditations to Lord Krishna. She becomes dizzy later in the day because of fasting. Lord Krishna chose to put her devotion to the test out of concern for her wellbeing. He claimed to be a guru in order to raise money. Satyabhama respected the guru as well as loved him irrespective of the throes of her plight and offered the service of feeding him food and water.

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As she was devoted to the Lord, he was pleased with her and so appeared to her. He blessed Satyabhama with the worth of more affection, riches and health as long as she particularly wanted; then he expressed his satisfaction with her devotion and energy. Sharad Purnima Vrat Katha emphasizes on the belief and faith of the god worshiping particularly lord Krishna. It also empowers the devotees on how to fasting sincerely, compassionately, and devotedly so as to be able to get his divine favor and blessings.

The Rice Kheer Custom on Sharad Purnima

Even the method of offering kheer to Lord Shanker under the moon on this day is somewhat cultural and religious. The moon is believed to have properties to cool things and increase nutrient content in foods. But, kheer gets additional nourishing values as soon as it is placed under the moon. Consuming this moon-blessed kheer ensures the family’s well-being and such positive energies. Rice kheer is prepared and offered to Ladu Gopal on the day of Sharad Purnima since the festival is associated with Lord Krishna and his divine dance. Kheer is truly very effective or fruitful, because it has the power of the moon , milk and rice, and dry fruits. This way, it builds up our resistance and the milk and sugar in the kheer give a quick boost to the energy level.

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