It is the only night when the moon radiates all sixteen Kalas, symbolizing divine completeness.
Rice kheer is kept under moonlight, believed to absorb celestial nectar with healing powers.
The night marks Lord Krishna's Maha-Raas, where He danced with each Gopi individually.
In Bengal, Odisha, and Assam, it's observed as Kojagara Purnima with worship of Goddess Lakshmi.
Devotees perform meditation, fasting, and jagarana to harness the moon’s spiritual energy.
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Sharad Purnima, celebrated on October 6, 2025, is one of the most auspicious full moon nights in the Hindu calendar, falling in the month of Ashwin. It is believed to be the only night when the moon shines with all its sixteen Kalas (phases), symbolizing perfection and divine completeness. The moonlight on this night is said to carry medicinal and spiritual benefits, as it is believed to drip Amrit (nectar) that nourishes both the body and soul. In many households, devotees prepare rice kheer using cow milk, sugar, and rice, and place it under the open sky overnight to absorb this divine moonlight. The enriched kheer is consumed the next morning as prasad and is shared with family and neighbors.
The festival holds diverse cultural and spiritual significance across India. In the Brij region, it is known as Raas Purnima, the night when Lord Krishna performed the Maha-Raas with the Gopis. According to legends, Krishna multiplied Himself to dance with each Gopi individually and stretched the night to the length of a night of Lord Brahma. In states like West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam, it is celebrated as Kojagara Purnima, where devotees stay awake the entire night worshipping Goddess Lakshmi in a ritual called Jagarana, seeking wealth and blessings. Spiritually, the night is ideal for fasting, chanting, and meditation to absorb the divine lunar energy for mental and spiritual upliftment. Sharad Purnima, thus, blends devotion, mythology, and natural healing into one sacred observance.
