Lunar Eclipse, Vaishakh Purnima this week: Check date, rituals to follow and more

The upcoming Friday will mark the last date of Vaishakh month. It is said that on this date, as per the Hindu calendar, Lord Vishnu's Kurma incarnation took place.

On this day, Hindus take blessings from Lord Vishnu as well as his incarnations - Lord Ram, Lord Krishna. This year, Vaishakh Purnima (May 5, 2023) is coinciding with the lunar eclipse.

Vaishakh Purnima: Rituals To Follow

To observe Vaishakh Purnima, people wake up early and perform certain rituals. They begin the day by taking a bath and offering water to the Sun God using a copper pot. At home, people perform Abhishek of Bal Gopal by offering butter-sugar candy and lighting incense lamps while chanting the mantra "Krishnaay Namah".

In addition, devotees visit mythological pilgrimages and take a holy dip in the river. After bathing, they offer Arghya to the Sun using water from the river and engage in acts of charity by donating clothes, shoes, slippers, grains, and money to those in need.

Apart from the aforementioned rituals, devotees donate puja materials such as kumkum, rice, ghee, oil, camphor, abir, gulal, garlands, flowers, and sweets to a nearby temple.

Additionally, they perform Abhishek of Lord Vishnu and Mahalakshmi by filling a Dakshinavarti conch with saffron-mixed milk and offering it to the deities. During this ritual devotees chant the mantra, “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya,” while adorning the deities with perfumes, clothes, and flowers.

People also worship the Moon God after the moon rises in the evening by offering arghya with milk from a silver pot. During the puja people also offer water, milk, and then water to the Shivling while chanting the mantra “Om Namah Shivay”.

Offer bel patra, datura, fig flowers, etc., and perform aarti by lighting a lamp in front of Hanuman while reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. Alternatively, reciting the Sunderkand is also recommended.

FAQs

1. Which month is Vaishaka, as per the Hindu calendar?
   It corresponds to the second month of the Hindu Calendar.
2. When is Vaishakha Panchami 2023?
   It is on May 5, 2023.