Sri
Gauranga
Ashram

Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj ki Jai !!

The night of Sharad Purnima or the autumnal full moon, holds its own significance among full moons, which are all considered beneficial for spiritual practitioners of all hues.

It is believed that on this night the Moon showers on the earth, the cooling nectar of healing and nourishing energy. It renders the mind peaceful and receptive to subtle influences and reduces the effect of pitt, or bile. One should be sure acquire this nourishing moonlight on this night.

Maharishi Ved Vyas in Shrimad Bhagawatam, 10th canto, has described the night of Sharad Purnima as the night of the Raasotsav of the Supreme Purusha Lord Krishna on earth, because like the moon showering its cool nectar Lord Krishna too showered Bhakti Ras, or the mellows of divine love, on the earth.

Thousands of fortunate Gopis, the aspects of Prakriti, were enthralled by enjoying the highest bhakti ras in the close company of Yogeshwar Sri Krishna. The memory alone of this event fills the hearts of devotees with love for the Lord.

The day of Sharad Purnima is celebrated with full enthusiasm in Vraja. On this day a sweet dish made of milk and poha is prepared and left in the moonlight and then consumed. Gold ornaments are also placed in the vessel used to cook this kheer. This kheer is kept in the moonlight between 9pm and 12pm.

The prasad thus prepared should be taken after performing pooja, japa dhyaan with the consciousness of gaining good health, energy, prosperity and realization. This festival is also called ‘Dhawal Utsav’ because white puffed rice, white milk, white sugar and also the moonlight being white in colour are used.  All the deities are also dressed in white.

The moon is very close to the earth on this day and its bright rays have unique curative properties. When the rays fall on food or drink they facilitate in curing the disorder of Pitt and many other ailments of the mind and body.

As the Lord says: Pushnaami Chausadhi : Sarvaa Somo Bhootvaa Rasatmak
I provide healing potency to all medicines in the form of the Moon.

Sharad Purnima is also known as Kojaagari Punam. The festival is celebrated on Ashwin Purnima. Sri Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth moves around in the night sky, asking “Ko jaagarti?” searching for people who are awake. In Sanskrit, `ko jaagarti’ means, ‘who is awake’.  And to those who are awake She gifts wealth.

The Story

The Sanatkumar Samhita relates the story of Kojaagari Purnima. In the Samhita Vaalkhil rishi narrates that in ancient times, a poor Brahmin named Valit lived in Magadhdesh. While he was a learned and virtuous man, his wife was a quarrelsome and bitter woman, behaving totally contrary to his nature. They were extremely poor and used to starve almost every day.

Once on his father’s ‘shraddh’ day of paying homage to the deceased- she flung the pind, ball of wheat-flour offering, in a gutter, rather than in the sacred Ganga, as custom required.

This infuriated Valit. There and then he walked out saying he would only return when he had acquired a lot of wealth. While wandering through the forest, he chanced upon some Naagakanyas, young Naaga maidens. These Naagakanyas had performed the Kojaagari Vrat staying awake on Ashwin Purnima.

They asked Valit to join them in a game of dice to pass the time. The night happened to be Ashwin Purnima. Valit lost everything. At that moment, Lord Vishnu and Sri Lakshmi happened to pass by. Since Valit had incidentally observed the Kojaagari vrat, Lakshmi devi graced him with handsomeness similar to that of Kamadeva, the God 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 happily. After this episode, the Samhita declared that those who remain awake on this Purnima will be blessed with wealth.

Maha Raas

On this night, Lord Krishna invited his most beloved devotees, the Gopis of Vrindavan, to join in the Maha Raas with him. They had earned His special grace by totally surrendering everything, including societal propriety, (`loklaaj), to offer him their unalloyed devotion.

When they left their homes in Vraja and arrived in the forest, Shri Krishna welcomed them. Yet to further test their love for him, he said, “Women of good character such as you should not leave home in the middle of the night to meet another man!”

These words seared the Gopis’ hearts. Struck with grief they uttered: “Return!? We’ve left everything – family, home, honour and dignity – to run to You. So how can we return to Vraja? There is nothing there for us anymore!”

Pleased with such immutable love for him, Shri Krishna laughed heartily, appeased the Gopis and initiated the Maha Raas, by assuming as many forms as there were Gopis. Each gopi thought that Krishna was dancing with her alone.

The night of the Maha Raas is said to have lasted a whole night of Brahma, i.e., 12 million years! And yet for the Gopis, it seemed to be over in the blinking of an eye!

Sharad Raasotsav ki Jai !!

Jai Sri Radhey !!

Jai Gurudeva !