According to the Hindu calendar, Sharad Purnima or Kojagari Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Ashwin. On this day, the moonlight is like nectar on the earth and the moon comes very close to the earth, due to which the size of the moon appears larger than the usual.
10 facts about this day:
1. According to the Narada Purana, on Sharad Purnima's night, Goddess Lakshmi rides on her vehicle 'owl' and travels around the earth in 'Nishith Kaal' with her lotus flowers.
2. Goddess Laxmi enters everyone's house. People who chant mantras of God Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi are blessed with prosperity by the Goddess. That's why, Goddess Laxmi is worshipped on Sharad Purnima.
3. Another reason to worship Goddess Laxmi according to mythological beliefs is that the Goddess was born on the day of Sharad Purnima.
4. There is a tradition of keeping kheer under the open sky in the moonlight on this day. What is the reason behind this?
It is believed that on the night of Sharad Purnima, the moonlight has medicinal properties and when it falls on the kheer (sweet rice pudding), it makes the milk medicated.
5. When the moonlight falls on kheer for 3-4 hours, it is believed that this kheer becomes like nectar. The consumption of this medicated kheer keeps a person healthy throughout the year.
6. Sharad Purnima is also known as 'Kumar Purnima'. According to a belief, on this day, Lord Krishna performs Maharas Leela in Vrindavan with all Gopis. Therefore, special events are held in Vrindavan and Mathura on Sharad Purnima. Therefore, the importance of the full moon of this month is even more.
7. On this Purnima, the moon spreads all over the sky with all its 16 forms and it appears brightest and bigger than all the full moons.
8. Offering Goddess Laxmi her favorite things is considered auspicious on this day.
9. Apart from worshiping Goddess Laxmi, Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman and Chandradev are also worshipped and their mantras are chanted. Kheer is offered to the moon by offering arghya (libation of water) to the moon.
10. It is believed that sitting and looking at the moon in a moonlit night and meditating with open eyes on Sharad Purnima has calming effects on the body.
Now since you are aware of these facts about Sharad Purnima, you can follow these rituals for a blissful life.
