Coming Date Sharad Purnima2012
Sharad Purnima is Coming 29 October 2012.According to Gujarati Month Ashwin Sukla Paksh Day of Last called Sharad Purnima.It is Known as Kojagari Purnima and Ras Purnima.
Sharad Purnima Story
A moneylender had two daughters. On of them used to complete the fast in a systematic manner and the other used to observe the fast but leave it incomplete. As a result, child born to the 2nd daughter always used to die. Tensed by this situation, the second daughter asked Pandits the reason behind it. Pandits told her that all this was happening because she used to leave the fasts incomplete. They asked her to observe the fast of Sharad Purnima to keep her child alive.
She laid her dead child on a bed and covered him with a cloth. Then, she called her sister and asked her to sit. As the clothes of her elder sister touched the baby, he came back to life. The elder sister scolded her and said that if by chance she would have sat on the baby, he could have died. The 2nd daughter of the moneylender said, “the baby was already dead. He got his life back on getting touched by your clothes.” From that time, tradition of observing the fast of Sharad Purnima is carried on.
This fast is observed for longevity of child and receiving wealth. This day, idol of goddess Lakshami is established and worshipped with Shodashopachara. After fasting for the whole day, 100 lamps of gold, silver and mud are lighted when moon is emerged. Bhajans are sung in the Jagran, at night. Next day morning, idol of Mata Lakshami is handed over to an Acharya.
Sharad Purnima Pooja Fasts
This day, fast is observed and family God is worshipped. At night, Indra on Erawat elephant (white elephant) and Mahalakshmi are worshipped. Puja is performed by lighting lamps, incense sticks, flowers etc. This day, minimum of 100 lamps and maximum of 1 lakh lamps are lighted.
Next day lord Indra is worshiped. Brahmans are offered sugar mixed with ghee and Kheer. Additionally they are given Dhoti etc. clothes, lamps (if possible of gold) and donations. This fast is specially observed for getting Lakshmi (wealth). It is believed, lord Indra and Mata Lakshmi watch that who all are awake. Hence, person observing Jagran gets wealth.
This fast is chiefly observed by ladies. The ones observing fast, draw a Swastika on wooden stool and place an urn of water on it. A glass full of wheat and wheat is kept over it. 13 grains of wheat are taken in hand and the story of fast is heard.
The glass and money are given to the lady narrating the story by touching her feet. Ardhya of water is offered to the moon. After this, food is eaten. There is a tradition of gifting Kheer in temple, on this day. A watermelon is cut into two halves. also, any seasonal fruit and Kheer is kept in the moonlight.
Sharad Purnima Sms
Krisna nae gopio ko bulae liyeo re
Prem pariksa hetu swang racha liyeo re
Dedeyo unko Maha raas ka bulava,
GopiyaN khoi sudh budh jo Prabhu ka bulava paye liyeo re !
Sharad Purnima Pictures
Dudha-Pauva’ – parched rice soaked in milk – is offered to God. This prasad is then availed by devotees. The health attribute of this prasad is similar to that of Dashera’s; it corrects any disturbance in ‘pitta’.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha celebrates the festival with great fervor in all mandirs at night. Devotees sing kirtans and extol the glory of Aksharbrahman Gunatitanand Swami.Five artis are performed during the assembly. Pramukh Swami Maharaj usually celebrates Sharad Punam in the Gondal mandir – built on the sacred site of Gunatitanand Swami’s cremation.
It was Yogiji Maharaj who introduced this festival in Gondal along with the ritual of 5 artis. Usually one arti is performed at the time of birth – the Janma mahotsav arti – as for Shriji Maharaj on Chaitra sud 9 and for Shri Krishna on Janmashtami. When asked about the reason for the 4 artis preceding the birth arti, Yogiji Maharaj gleefully replied, ‘These 4 artis are in joyful preparation for Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami’s birth celebration!’ Such was the glory he attributed to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s choicest devotee.
Origin of Sharad Purnima
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.
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 manda.
Sharad Purnima Navratri Garba