Tomorrow, we will witness a full moon shining in our skies, bringing a close to the holy month of Magha. It is a very auspicious time to take a bath in the Ganga, or a holy river in your vicinity, and perform deeds of charity to the needy on this day. Lord Vishnu and Mata Lakshmi are worshipped on this day.
A very prominent saint of the Bhakti movement, Guru Ravidas was born on Magha Poornima in Varanasi over 600 years ago. Born into what was then regarded as a lower caste community of leather tanners, he had a deep sense of devotion since early childhood. It is believed that whilst he was born in a business family, his lack of interest in the family business resulted in him leading a life of austerity, mending shoes for a living. He preached equality, and championed the cause of equal rights for all humans irrespective of their caste, gender or religious background.
Despite his seemingly ordinary occupation, he was a spiritual giant, writing many famous verses, some of which are also found in the Guru Granth Sahib. He is said to have met Guru Nanak and left a deep impression on the founder of the Sikh faith. His verses reflect his intimate proximity to the divine, one of them reads “You are me, and I am You — what is the difference between us? We are like gold and the bracelet, or water and the waves.” He also deeply influenced another famous saint of the Bhakti tradition, Mirabai, who considered him to be her guru.
This day is also celebrated as Thaipoosam in South India, mainly Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in addition to countries like Malaysia, where Muruga or Karthikeya is worshipped. It is believed that on this day, Mata Parvati granted the spear to her son Karthikeya to vanquish the demon Soorapadman, believed to have similar origins to the demon Tarakasura.
The Moon will be in the zodiac sign of Cancer and in the nakshatra of Pushya on this day and being a Sunday, this also forms the highly auspicious Ravi Pushya Yoga, which only occurs a few times in a year. It is a very opportune time to begin new things, or buy new things such as a car, jewellery or even electronic goods in the modern time.
This rather special combination of events is quite conveniently occurring on a weekend, which makes it easier to celebrate the occasion that is most special to you. So whether it's visiting the temple to mark Thaipoosam, venerating the memory of Guru Ravidas, or that important purchase that you were looking forward to make, this Magha Poornima has you covered. Just make sure you also share some of your good fortune with those in need, and spread the cheer!
