Full moon & Vishnu-Lakshmi devotion
Purnima — Dates, Satyanarayan Vrat & Puja Vidhi
Purnima dates 2026 & 2027
| Purnima | Date | Hindu month |
|---|---|---|
| Pausha Purnima / Shakambhari(पौष पूर्णिमा) | Saturday, 3 January 2026 | पौष |
| Magha Purnima(माघ पूर्णिमा) | Sunday, 1 February 2026 | माघ |
| Phalguna Purnima / Holika Dahan(फाल्गुन पूर्णिमा) | Tuesday, 3 March 2026 | फाल्गुन |
| Chaitra Purnima / Hanuman Jayanti(चैत्र पूर्णिमा) | Thursday, 2 April 2026 | चैत्र |
| Adhik Maas Purnima(अधिक मास पूर्णिमा) | Friday, 1 May 2026 | अधिक मास |
| Buddha Purnima / Vaisakha Purnima(वैशाख पूर्णिमा) | Saturday, 30 May 2026 | वैशाख |
| Jyeshtha Purnima / Vat Purnima(ज्येष्ठ पूर्णिमा)Next | Sunday, 28 June 2026 | ज्येष्ठ |
| Guru Purnima(गुरु पूर्णिमा) | Wednesday, 29 July 2026 | आषाढ़ |
| Shravana Purnima / Raksha Bandhan(श्रावण पूर्णिमा) | Friday, 28 August 2026 | श्रावण |
| Bhadrapada Purnima(भाद्रपद पूर्णिमा) | Saturday, 26 September 2026 | भाद्रपद |
| Sharad Purnima / Kojagiri(शरद पूर्णिमा) | Monday, 26 October 2026 | आश्विन |
| Kartik Purnima / Dev Diwali(कार्तिक पूर्णिमा) | Tuesday, 24 November 2026 | कार्तिक |
| Margashirsha Purnima(मार्गशीर्ष पूर्णिमा) | Wednesday, 23 December 2026 | मार्गशीर्ष |
All Purnima dates are computed from real planetary positions using the Swiss Ephemeris engine with Lahiri Ayanamsa — the tithi boundary, not a fixed calendar.
What is Purnima?
Purnima (पूर्णिमा) means “fullness” — it is the full-moon tithi, the day the Moon is completely illuminated because it stands directly opposite the Sun. It is the fifteenth and final day of the Shukla Paksha, the waxing fortnight, and one of the most auspicious days of every lunar month. Because each lunar month carries one Purnima, there are twelve in a normal year and thirteen when an Adhik Maas (extra month) is added.
Each Purnima has its own name, festival and merit — Guru Purnima, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima, Buddha Purnima and more — and all of them are dedicated most often to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. The full moon is when the Moon, which rules the mind in Jyotish, is at peak strength, so the day is kept for worship, charity and steadying the mind. The date is never picked from the English calendar; it is fixed by the exact moment the Moon-Sun separation reaches the full moon, which is why every date above is computed from real planetary positions using the Swiss Ephemeris engine.
The Satyanarayan vrat on Purnima
The most widely kept Purnima observance is the Satyanarayan vrat — the worship of Lord Vishnu in his form as Satyanarayan, the lord of truth. Devotees fast through the day, set up the puja in the evening with tulsi, yellow flowers and the sheera (semolina) prasad, and read the Satyanarayan Katha in its five chapters before the aarti. It is performed for thanksgiving, for the fulfilment of a wish, and on milestones such as a new home, a child's naming or the start of a venture — and the full moon, the day of fullness, is the natural day for it.
The great Purnimas each add their own rite: Guru Purnima honours the guru and Sage Vyasa; Sharad Purnima is the Kojagiri night when kheer is left under the moonlight and Lakshmi is said to bless those who stay awake; Kartik Purnima is Dev Diwali and the holy bath; and Buddha Purnima marks the Buddha's birth. Each is listed in the table above with its Hindu month and engine-computed date.
Purnima vrat (fasting) rules
The Purnima vrat is kept by fasting from sunrise and breaking it only after seeing and worshipping the full moon at night. Through the day devotees take fruit, milk and permitted vrat foods, bathe early, wear clean clothes, and worship Vishnu and Lakshmi — and Chandra, the Moon, who is honoured with Arghya (an offering of water) at moonrise. Donating white items such as rice, milk, sugar or a white cloth is traditional, as is chanting the Vishnu or Lakshmi mantra.
A complete Purnima vrat is as much about the mind as the diet. Speech is kept truthful, anger and gossip are set aside, and the day is spent in japa, the katha and seva. The full moon's brightness is said to heighten both clarity and restlessness, so the vrat is a way to channel that energy toward devotion. For the exact moonrise, tithi window and Shubh timing in your city, use the daily Panchang.
Purnima puja vidhi
- Take the sankalp at sunrise. Rise before sunrise, bathe, wear clean clothes, and resolve to keep the Purnima vrat. From this point take only fruit, milk and permitted vrat food until the fast is broken at moonrise.
- Set up the Satyanarayan puja in the evening. Place an idol or image of Lord Vishnu (Satyanarayan) with Goddess Lakshmi, light a ghee diya, and offer tulsi, yellow flowers, fruit, panchamrit and the sheera (semolina) prasad with banana and panjiri.
- Read the Satyanarayan Katha. Read or listen to the five chapters of the Satyanarayan Katha. Chant 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' or the Lakshmi mantra, and keep the family gathered in remembrance through the puja.
- Worship Lakshmi and the Moon. Worship Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, and on Sharad Purnima leave kheer under the moonlight overnight as Kojagiri prasad. The bright full moon's rays are considered a blessing of nourishment.
- Give Arghya to Chandra. When the full moon rises, offer Arghya — water given to the Moon — and pray for a calm, steady mind. Donate white items such as rice, milk, sugar or a white cloth.
- Do paaran after moonrise. Break the Purnima fast after seeing and worshipping the full moon, with the aarti and prasad. Offer prasad to the family and to someone in need before taking your own meal.
Upay for an unsettled Moon on Purnima
If the mind races, sleep is broken or emotions run high near the full moon, the tradition reads it through Chandra — a weak or afflicted Moon felt most strongly when the Moon is at peak brightness. Purnima is the day to address it: worship Lakshmi-Narayan, offer Arghya to the Moon, fast and keep a calm mind, donate white items such as milk, rice or pearls, and chant the Chandra or Lakshmi mantra. On Sharad Purnima, kheer left under the moonlight is taken as a soothing prasad for the mind.
Which Purnima and which upay matter most for you depends on your chart — the strength and placement of your Moon, an active Chandra Mahadasha, or the fourth house of the heart each ask for a different remedy. Generate your free kundali to see your Moon, dasha and the upay that fit your chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Purnima?
Purnima is the full-moon tithi — the day the Moon is fully illuminated and directly opposite the Sun. It is the fifteenth and last day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing fortnight) and is considered one of the most auspicious days of the lunar month. Purnima comes once every lunar month, giving twelve or thirteen Purnimas in a year, each carrying its own name, festival and vrat dedicated most often to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.
When is the next Purnima?
The next Purnima is the upcoming full-moon day in the live table above, highlighted as the Next date. Purnima is never fixed to the English calendar — it is the exact moment the Moon-Sun separation reaches the full moon, so every date here is computed from real planetary positions using the Swiss Ephemeris engine, not copied from a generic list.
What is the Satyanarayan vrat on Purnima?
The Satyanarayan vrat — the worship of Lord Vishnu as Satyanarayan — is the most widely kept Purnima observance. Devotees fast through the day, set up the puja in the evening, read the Satyanarayan Katha in its five chapters, offer sheera (a semolina prasad) and panjiri, and break the fast after the aarti. It is performed on Purnima for thanksgiving, for the fulfilment of a wish, and on auspicious occasions like a new home or a child's naming.
Which Purnima is the most important?
Guru Purnima (Ashadha) honours the guru and Sage Vyasa; Sharad Purnima (Ashvina) is the Kojagiri night when Lakshmi is said to bless those who stay awake, and kheer is left under the moonlight; Kartik Purnima is Dev Diwali and the bathing festival; Buddha Purnima (Vaisakha) marks the Buddha's birth; and Magha and Holika-Dahan Phalguna Purnima each have their own rites. The table above lists every Purnima with its Hindu month and engine-computed date.
What are the Purnima vrat rules?
The Purnima vrat is kept by fasting from sunrise, taking only fruit, milk and permitted vrat foods, and breaking the fast after seeing or worshipping the full moon at night. Devotees bathe early, wear clean clothes, worship Vishnu and Lakshmi (or Chandra, the Moon), give Arghya to the Moon, donate white items such as rice, milk or sugar, and chant the Vishnu or Lakshmi mantra. Speech is kept truthful and the mind calm.
Why is the full moon special in Jyotish?
In Jyotish the Moon governs the mind (manas) and emotions, and on Purnima it is at its fullest strength, directly aspected by the Sun. This is why the mind feels heightened — both its brightness and its restlessness are stronger on the full moon. Worshipping Chandra and Lakshmi, giving Arghya to the Moon and the right upay on Purnima are the traditional way to steady an unsettled or afflicted Moon in the chart.
Why does my mind feel restless and unsettled near the full moon?
When the mind races, sleep is broken or emotions run high around the full moon, Jyotish reads it through the Moon — a weak, afflicted or heavily aspected Moon, or a difficult Chandra Mahadasha, is felt most strongly when the Moon is at peak brightness on Purnima. Worshipping Lakshmi-Narayan, offering Arghya to Chandra, fasting on Purnima and the upay that suit your Moon are the classical remedies to bring that restlessness to rest.