Sharad Poornima


Time: Aso Sud Purnima (Full moon in the month of Ashwin)
Festival description:
Pichvai: Raas
Vastra (Clothing): White with silver/golden threads i.e. zari
Abhran: Diamonds (Shringar should be white)

Utsav is in the evening. Shringar of Shri Thakorji are not changed till evening. Clean & decorate the place where there be moonlight with white cloth. Then place respectfully the seat (singhasan) on that cloth. Make bhog preparation as per Rajbhog. Respectfully seat Shri Thakorji on that & offer garland (malaji). After Rajbhog place Chopat game before Shri Thakorji.

Pushti Elucidation:

Utsav is of Shri Krshna leela only. Here there is expression (prakatya) of madhurya bhav. This is the utsav of sentiment (bhav) of Gopijana who are void of any efforts (sadhan) & of Shri Krshnas characteristics of reward giving (phal) without consideration of efforts (sadhana).

How can this Utsav be for us if the manifestation of Thakorji is for Swaminiji only?

Here Shri Gusaiji explains that when Swaminiji bestows us with her grace then all our obstacles on the path of Pushtibhakti are removed.

Sharad Purnima has another facet too. Person (swaroop) of Parmatma is next to that of Bramha. We, Jivatmas are his parts. Parmatma in Jivatma’s atma. Utsav of Raas is of the enjoyment (Raman) in between Atma & Parmatma. This is the basic sentiment. Shringar (madhurya) is just the language-expression of this.

Raasleela is the demonstration of Atmarati. This has been elaborately expressed in dasham skandh of Shri Bhagwat.

Parmatma dwells in the atma of all-total bodies. Every atma is different but Parmatma is only one just as one jivatma resides (vyapta) in the whole body. Hence whether Prabhu performs Raas or not Raas is always there in the form of Atmaraman. On SharadPunam day Prabhu exhibits his Parmatma form.

Prabhu though manifested himself in single form in Yashodajis house in Raas He takes plural forms, one with each gopi. This is the demonstration of transforming one in many.

The deepest sentiment of Pushtimarg is the sentiment of Atmarati (love for atma). We can celebrate that on Sharad Purnima day.

The same Prabhu who manifested in Nandrai’s house, in Raas has manifested in our house. That is why Shri Gusaiji expresses Shri Mahaprabhuji with the name “Raasleelaik Tatparya”.

To relate dancing with Raasleela is only in broad sense the real sense in one becoming many i.e. Thakorji can play Raasleela with each of us. But the necessary condition is that we put our hands on his shoulders & are prepared to go with him. This is the sort of an absorption in Raas. Complete absorption & getting lost in Shri Krshna in Raas. Therefore this is called Raaspunam. Pushtiprabhu shines fully in the moonlight on this day.

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