Ashwin Purnima 2023: Date, Time, Rituals and Significance
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During the Hindu lunar month of Ashwin, Ashwin Purnima occurs on the day of the Full Moon. It is a harvest festival that also commemorates the conclusion of the rainy season. In the evenings, people worship the goddess Lakshmi. Sharad Purnima, Kojagari Purnima, and Kuanr Purnima are additional names for Ashwin Purnima. The event is enthusiastically observed in Vrindawan, Braj, and Nathdwara.
Ashwin Purnima Date 2023
Saturday, 28 October, 2023 (Ashwin)
Rituals Performed On Ashwin Purnima
A number of unique rituals are carried out on the occasion of Sharad Purnima. Here is a brief look at them.
- Get up early and take a bath in a lake, pond, or river that is considered sacred.
- Visit neighbouring temples or pray at home on Purnima Vrat, and dress the idols of Lord Krishna and Goddess Lakshami in lovely clothing and jewellery.
- Then, worship the deity by making special offerings, or Dakshina, such as lamps or Diyas, betel or paan, naivedyam, flowers, grains, clothing, and perfume.
- Make a cow’s milk Kheer and add some Ghee and sugar to it. On the Sharad Purnima night, present the Lord with this Kheer.
- Rice should be placed on a plate made of leaves, wheat grains in a glass, and water in a copper pot. The pot should then be worshipped and Dakshina offered. After that, hear the Ashwin Purnima tale and ask the Lord for his blessings.
- Worship Lord Chandra and offer Kheer as Naivedyam when the moon is in the centre of the sky and shining brightly with its full moonlight.
- Keep the kheer in the moonlight all night, then consume it as prasad the following day. It is thought to be healthy to consume this Kheer and share it with others.
- It is considered extremely lucky to worship God Kartikeya, Goddess Parvati, and Lord Shiva.
Significance of Ashwin Purnima
It is on this day, known as Ashwin Purnima or Sharad Purnima, when the Moon is closest to the earth. The moon is at its brightest on this day, and its light has a calming, healing quality. The weather is still fairly pleasant and there isn’t much dust or soot in the sky. According to popular belief, the Sharad Purnima is the only full moon day during which all 16 of the moon’s virtues are present.
On this day, the moon pours Amrit, the nectar of eternity, and the moonlight has the potential to nourish both the body and the spirit. Therefore, on the occasion of Sharad Purnima, people keep water in a copper vessel or place rice pudding outside in the moonlight for the entire night. They share it with their family and friends and eat it the following morning.
Sharad Purnima is celebrated in various parts of India in honour of Lord Krishna, who is reputed to have sixteen different personality kalas at birth. The day that Lord Krishna dances the Maha Raas, or holy dance of love, with Goddess Radha and the other Gopis, is known as Raas Purnima in the Braj language.
According to Hindu scriptures, Ashwin Purnima, or Sharad Purnima, is the day on which Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, was born. According to legend, Goddess Lakshmi makes nighttime circuits of the earth on the full Moon of Ashwin and observes every human’s behaviour.
The name Kojagari Purnima, which translates to “who wakes up all night,” is another name for Sharad Purnima. Even if they don’t have any Dhan Yoga in their birth chart, it is stated that individuals who remain awake the entire Sharad Purnima night and worship Goddess Lakshmi reap great benefits and wealth.
Sharad Purnima is known as Kumar Purnima in Odisha. The local girls fast on this day and worship Lord Kartikeya in hopes of finding a suitable life partner. After worshipping the moon, they break their fast in the evening.