શરદ પૂર્ણિમા
વિક્રમ સંવત નાં આસો સુદ પૂનમને શરદ પૂર્ણિમા અથવા શરદ પૂનમ તરીકે ઓળખવામાં આવે છે.
આ દિવસે ચંદ્ર પુર્ણકળાએ ખીલેલ હોય છે. જે એક માણવાલાયક ક્ષણ હોય છે.
આ દિવસે અનેક જગ્યાઓએ શરદોત્સવ મનાવવામાં આવે છે. જેમાં ચોખાના પૌવા, સાકરને દૂધ સાથે આરોગવાનો રીવાજ છે.
તેમ જ ચંદ્રના અજવાળામાં મોડી રાત સુધી રાસ લેવામાં આવે છે.
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शरद पूर्णिमा
शरद पूर्णिमा, जिसे कोजागरी पूर्णिमा या रास पूर्णिमा भी कहते हैं; हिन्दू पंचांग के अनुसार आश्विन मास की पूर्णिमा को कहते हैं।
ज्योतिष के अनुसार, पूरे साल में केवल इसी दिन चंद्रमा सोलह कलाओं से परिपूर्ण होता है।[1]
हिन्दी धर्म में इस दिन कोजागर व्रत माना गया है। इसी को कौमुदी व्रत भी कहते हैं। इसी दिन श्रीकृष्ण ने महारास रचा था।
मान्यता है इस रात्रि को चंद्रमा की किरणों से अमृत झड़ता है। तभी इस दिन उत्तर भारत में खीर बनाकर रात भर चांदनी में रखने का विधान है।
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कथा
एक साहुकार के दो पुत्रियाँ थी।[1] दोनो पुत्रियाँ पुर्णिमा का व्रत रखती थी। परन्तु बडी पुत्री पूरा व्रत करती थी और छोटी पुत्री अधुरा व्रत करती थी।
परिणाम यह हुआ कि छोटी पुत्री की सन्तान पैदा ही मर जाती थी।
उसने पंडितो से इसका कारण पूछा तो उन्होने बताया की तुम पूर्णिमा का अधूरा व्रत करती थी जिसके
कारण तुम्हारी सन्तान पैदा होते ही मर जाती है। पूर्णिमा का पुरा विधिपुर्वक करने से तुम्हारी सन्तान जीवित रह सकती है।
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विधान
इस दिन मनुष्य विधिपूर्वक स्नान करके उपवास रखे और जितेन्द्रिय भाव से रहे।[2] धनवान व्यक्ति ताँबे अथवा मिट्टी के कलश
पर वस्त्र से ढँकी हुई स्वर्णमयी लक्ष्मी की प्रतिमा को स्थापित करके भिन्न-भिन्न उपचारों से उनकी पूजा करें, तदनंतर सायंकाल में
चन्द्रोदय होने पर सोने, चाँदी अथवा मिट्टी के घी से भरे हुए १०० दीपक जलाए।इसके बाद घी मिश्रित खीर तैयार करे और बहुत-से
पात्रों में डालकर उसे चन्द्रमा की चाँदनी में रखें। जब एक प्रहर (३ घंटे) बीत जाएँ, तब लक्ष्मीजी को सारी खीर अर्पण करें।
तत्पश्चात भक्तिपूर्वक सात्विक ब्राह्मणों को इस प्रसाद रूपी खीर का भोजन कराएँ और उनके साथ ही मांगलिक गीत गाकर तथा
मंगलमय कार्य करते हुए रात्रि जागरण करें।तदनंतर अरुणोदय काल में स्नान करके लक्ष्मीजी की वह स्वर्णमयी प्रतिमा आचार्य को
अर्पित करें।इस रात्रि की मध्यरात्रि में देवी महालक्ष्मी अपने कर-कमलों में वर और अभय लिए संसार में विचरती हैं और मन ही
मन संकल्प करती हैं कि इस समय भूतल पर कौन जाग रहा है? जागकर मेरी पूजा में लगे हुए उस मनुष्य को मैं आज धन दूँगी।
इस प्रकार प्रतिवर्ष किया जाने वाला यह कोजागर व्रत लक्ष्मीजी को संतुष्ट करने वाला है।
इससे प्रसन्न हुईं माँ लक्ष्मी इस लोक में तो समृद्धि देती ही हैं और शरीर का अंत होने पर परलोक में भी सद्गति प्रदान करती हैं।
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Official name Lakshmi Puja
Also called Kojagiri Purnima
Observed by Hindus
Type Hindu, Indian
Begins Full moon day of month Ashvin
2013 date 18 October, Friday [1]
Related to Lakshmi
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Sharad Purnima
The Sharad Purnima or Kojaagari Purnima or Kumar Purnima is a harvest festival
celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin (September–October).
It marks the end of monsoon. There is a traditional celebration of the moon and is also
called the 'Kaumudi celebration', Kaumudi meaning moonlight.[2]
At night, goddess Lakshmi is worshiped and night vigil is observed.
According to a folk-tale, once a king fell on evil days, and was in great financial
straits, but then his queen observed this fast and night vigil, and worshiped the
goddess of wealth, Laxmi. Consequently, they were blessed by the goddess and
they regained their prosperity.
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Maharashtra, West Bengal, Mithila
Some people believe[who?] that on this night Laxmi goes around from place to place asking,
"Who is awake?" ("Kojagarti?") and shows her pleasure on those she finds awake. Hence,
the night is spent in festivity and various games of amusement, in honour of the goddess.
So people sit in the moonlight singing songs, or keep themselves entertained in some other
way. They fast from solid food and take only fluids like coconut water or milk. Milk is boiled
until it thickens, and milk masala (called kheer, a readymade combination of dry fruits)
is added to it and drunk. There is also a tradition to have cool milk and rice flakes on this
night. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated throughout the country, particularly by
Maharashtrians i.e. by people residing in Maharashtra India & is similarly celebrated by
other marathi's (People with Marathi mother tongue) in India & Abroad . The eldest child
of the family is also honored on this day.
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In Odisha
Time For The Festivity
Sharad Purnima is known as Kumar Purnima or Lakshmi Puja in Odisha,
an eastern state of India. Kumar Purnima is the full-moon day in the month of Ashvin in October.
This autumn festival is one of the most popular and important festivals of Odisha. 'Kumar'
or Kartikeya, the handsome son of Shiva was born on this day. He also became the God of War.
As young girls always wish for a handsome husband, they propitiate Kumar who was most
handsome among the Gods. But, peculiarly enough there is no ritual for the God, instead
the Sun and the Moon are worshiped.
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Main Ritual
In the early morning the girls after their purificatory bath wear new garments and make
food-offerings to the sun. They observe fasting for the day. In the evening when the
moon rises they again make food offerings of a special variety and take it after the
rituals are over. It is a festival of rejoicing for the girls. All of them sing and dance.
The songs are of special nature. They also play a kind of game known as Puchi.
They also indulge in other varieties of country-games.
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Gaja Lakshmi
This day is also observed as the birthday of Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth.
Therefore, many people worship the Goddess at their homes and keep themselves
awake by playing 'Pasha' (Dice) (especially in parts of southern Odisha) and other
indoor games. Significantly it suggests that those who wish to acquire wealth should
always be vigilant at night. It is for this reason that the owl, a bird that sleeps in the
day and comes out only at night is worshipped. Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped by
devotees in different pandals and household in and across the state of Odisha,
especially in Kendrapara and Dhenkanal. The pandals are decorated with beautiful decorations.
In the western state of Gujarat, the night is known as Sharad Poonam.
In Gujarat people celebrate it by doing Garba and Raas.
The Bengali people call it Lokkhi Pujo and arrange several bhog and upachar
for mother goddess Lakshmi.
In the Mithila region, the puja is known by the name of Kojagaraha. It is celebrated in
all Maithil households. All the household gods are cleaned and put out in the "AANGAN".
Prior to the putting out of idols, the "aangan" is cleaned and decorated with rice flour
paste "ARIPAN" OR "ALPANA".They are prayed to and an offering of
"PAAN, MAKHAAN, BATASHA" and "KHEER OR PAYAS" is made. They are kept
out there overnight so that they are bathed in the pious "Sharad Purnima"
moonlight also known as "Amrit Barkha". It is generally a big celebration for the
newly wed couple too. The new bride decorates the house with a rice paste and
makes "ALPANA" OR "ARIPAN". The bride, groom and the brother-in-laws play
games the whole night. Paan, Makhaan and Sweets are distributed. A big basket having
"DHAAN-Rice", "DOOB" grass, Makhaan, "PAAN", coconut, banana, whole nuts,
yagyopavit/janeu threads, cloves, cardamom, silver pennies or fishes or turtles
made up of silver, yogurt, sweets and Mithila Paintings arrives from the brides
home. New clothes are also sent to the in-laws.
A Maithili Legend states that-Lachchmi and Alachchhmi are twin sisters.
Lachchmi loves sweet dishes and brings good luck whereas Alachchmi loves spicy
food and brings Bad Luck. Thus spicy food is kept out-of-doors so that Alachchmi
has her fill and goes away and Sweet dishes are kept in small amounts outside and a
second larger helping is kept inside so that Lachchhmi comes inside the house and stays there.
In some regions of the Mithila area, Goddess Kali is also prayed. The Kali puja begins on
this day and continues for a fortnight and ends on the night of Diwali with Nisha Puja.
Currently, this full moon comes during Sharad ritu (season ) of the year and hence it is
called Sharad Purnima or Sharad Poonam. (Purnima or Poonam = full moon).
There is an Ayurvedic reason behind consuming rice flakes with cool milk on this night.
Sharad ritu (season) consists of two months of overlapping seasons when the summer
is about to end and the winter slowly starts. During Sharad the days are warm and
nights start to become cooler. This is perfect season for Pitta prakop when pitta vitiates
along with other two doshas. Consuming rice flakes with milk during night time is good
remedy to pacify pitta. Also known as 'Kojaagari Punam,' the festival is celebrated on
Aso sud 15 - Purnima. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth moves around in the night sky,
asking `Ko jaagarti' searching for people below who are awake. In Sanskrit,
`Ko jaagarti' means, ' Who is awake?' And to those who are awake she gifts wealth.
Origin 1. The Sanatkumar Samhita cites the story of 'Kojaagari Punam.' In the Samhita
Vaalkhil rishi narrates that in ancient times, a poor Brahmin named Valit lived in Magadhdesh
- Bengal. While he was a learned and virtuous man, his wife revelled in quarelling, behaving
totally opposite to his wishes. Once on his father's `Shraddh' - day of paying homage to the
deceased- she flung the 'pind' - ball of wheatflour - in a sewage pit, rather than the sacred
Ganga, as custom required. This infuriated Valit. Therefore he renounced home to search for
wealth. In the forests, he met 'Naagkanyas' - girls of Kaliya Naag's ancestry. These Naagkanyas
had performed the 'Kojaagari Vrat' - staying awake on Aso sud Punam. They then sat gambling
with Valit. The night happened to be Aso sud Punam. Valit lost everything. At that moment,
Lord Vishnu and consort Lakshmi, happened to pass by. Since Valit had incidentally observed
the 'Kojaagari vrat', Lakshmi graced him handsomeness similar to that of 'Kamdeva'
- the deity of love. Now attracted to him, the Naagkanyas married Valit and gifted him
their riches. He then returned home with the riches, whence his wife received him warmly.
After this episode, the Samhita declared that those who remain awake on this Punam will
be graced with wealth.
2. On this night, Lord Krishna invited His faithful devotees, the Gopis of Vrundavan, to play
the Maha Raas (traditional folk-dance) with Him. They had earned His grace by overlooking
society's disdain on them (`loklaaj'), to offer Him unalloyed devotion. When They left Their
homes in Vraj and arrived in Vrundavan, Shri Krishna welcomed Them. Yet to further test
Their love for him, He averred: 'Women of character such as you, should not leave home to
meet another man in the middle of the night!' These words seared the Gopis' hearts. In
extreme grief, They uttered: 'Our feet will not budge the slightest from Your lotus-feet.
So how can we return to Vraj?' Pleased with such immutable love for Him, Shri Krishna
initiated the Maha Raas, by assuming as many forms as there were Gopis. At this point,
They beamed with pride that, 'Nobody's devotion can excel ours, by which the Lord favored
us.' Instead of accepting the Maha Raas as the Lord's grace, ego marred Their devotion.
Therefore He instantly vanished from the Raas mandal! Now filled with remorse, the Gopis
repented. Recalling Shri Krishna's divine episodes - 'lila', They lamented the separation and
sang kirtans known as 'viraha geet': 'Jayati te-dhikam janmanaa vrajaha …..
(Shrimad Bhagvat 10/31/1) Describing the 'lila' in the Bhagvat (10/30/25), Shukdevji narrates
to king Parikshit: 'O Parikshit! Of all nights, that night of Sharad Punam became the most
resplendent. With the Gopis, Shri Krishna roamed the banks of the Yamuna, as if imprisoning
everyone in His lila!'
3 Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami, the choicest devotee of Bhagwan Swaminarayan was
born on Sharad Punam, Samvat 1841. He granted 'wealth' by blessing spiritually 'awake'
devotees with God-realization.
Sentiments The spiritual import of 'Jaagrati' (awake) is to remain vigilant. In Vachanamrut
Gadhada III-9, Bhagwan Swaminarayan elaborates on this vigilance. He says that the vigilance
in one's heart is the gateway to the Lord's divine abode. Devotees should not let mundane
desires, of wealth, lust and so forth, enter their hearts. When faced with obstacles such as:
success and failure, happiness and misery, honor and insult, the devotees should remain
unflinching in their devotion to God. In this manner, they should remain vigilant at the
gateway to God, not letting any mundane objects through. Therefore, every moment in
our lives requires vigilance and this in itself becomes a subtle form of 'tapas' - austerity.
Those who performed severe austerities without vigilance, succumbed to Maya.
Vishwamitra performed austerities for 60,000 years, but lost 'Jaagruti' - vigilance -
in Menka's company. Similarly, lack of vigilance toppled Saubhari rishi, Ekalshrungi,
Parashar and others.
Symbolic Import Just as the night sky of Sharad Punam is clear and suffused with lunar
resplendence, the aspirant should similarly endeavor to purify his 'antahkaran.' For this
he has to eradicate body-consciousness and mundane desires and imbibe Brahma-consciousness,
in order to incessantly experience Parabrahma. (Gita 18/54, Shikshapatri 116).
For this the aspirant needs to seek the Gunatit Sadhu, who is the gateway to moksha
(the Lord), as proclaimed in the Bhagvat (3/29/20): Prasangamajaram paashamaatmanaha
kavayo viduhu, Sa eva sadhushu kruto mokshadwaaram apaavrutam. i.e. the sages decree
that if a jiva who is deeply attached to his body and bodily relatives, similarly attaches himself
to the Gunatit Sadhu, the doors of moksha will be opened for him.
It is also believed that on this day as moon and the earth are very close to each other,
the moon rays have certain healing properties of nourishing the body and the soul.
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