Purnima Vrat

About

Purnima (= full) is the 15th tithi of the waxing (Shukla) fortnight, the night of the full moon. Many families keep a vrat, a fast with prayer, on this day every month. It is one of the most widely observed monthly vrats, and the moon plays a central role in it.

The most common home worship on Purnima is the Satyanarayan puja and katha, dedicated to Vishnu in his form as the Lord of truth.

Significance and stories

Purnima is considered a day of fullness and gratitude. The Satyanarayan katha tells of people who made a vow to Satyanarayan, forgot it, faced hardship and found peace again after fulfilling it. The message is simple: keep your word and be thankful.

Holy bathing (snan) and charity (daan) on Purnima are praised in the Puranas, especially in months like Kartik, Magha and Vaishakha.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Wake early, bathe, and make a sankalpa to keep the Purnima vrat.
2. Set up a picture of Satyanarayan or Vishnu on a clean seat. Light a lamp.
3. Do the puja with flowers, tulsi, fruit and the special prasad (see below).
4. Read or hear the Satyanarayan katha, in its chapters, and do the aarti.
5. Spend the day in japa and quiet living.
6. In the evening, when the moon rises, offer water or milk to the moon and say a short prayer of thanks.
7. Share the prasad with family and friends, then take a light meal.

Puja items (samagri)

• Picture or murti of Satyanarayan or Vishnu
• Tulsi leaves, flowers, incense, lamp
• Prasad of sapatha (= semolina, ghee, sugar and banana, cooked into a halwa)
• Fruit, betel leaf and nut, coconut
• Panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, ghee and sugar)
• A kalash of water and mango leaves

Fasting and food

Many people keep a fast on fruit and milk through the day and eat after the evening puja. Others take one grain-free meal. Choose what you can keep with comfort.

People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast.

Snan and daan

Taking a bath in a holy river or tank is traditional on Purnima. Where this is not possible, adding a few drops of Ganga water to your bath, or bathing with a prayer to the holy rivers, is accepted. Daan (= giving) of food, clothes or money to those in need is part of the day.

Special Purnimas

Each Purnima has its own name and flavour. Names vary by region, so treat this as a common guide.

Regional customs

In Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bengal, monthly Purnima is observed with Satyanarayan puja, and in the South many keep it as a Lakshmi or Chandra puja. Odisha has the Kumar Purnima in the Ashwin month. Traditions vary; follow your family's custom or your priest's guidance.

Celebrating in the USA

The full moon rises in the evening, so you can do the puja after work and end with the moon offering. Check the Purnima tithi timing for your city on the site, because the tithi may begin or end at an awkward hour. Sapatha prasad is easy to prepare at home. Many temples and community groups hold Satyanarayan puja on the weekend nearest Purnima.