Kartika Poornima Meaning and Significance

ૐ Kartika Poornima Meaning and Significance ૐ

The full Moon day in the month of Kartik is known as Kartik Purnima. This day is considered as one of the most auspicious days in India. On this day, people bathe in holy rivers. After taking bath, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. Apart from this, making donation and performing Rudrabhishek is considered auspicious on this day. Any auspicious ceremony performed on this day is considered to be equivalent to 10 Yajnas.

** Significance **

1) Tripuri Poornima or Tripurari Poornima derives its name from Tripurari - the foe of the demonTripurasura. In some legends of Kartik Poornima, the term is used to denote the three demon sons of Tarakasur. Tripurari is an epithet of godShiva. Shiva in his form asTripurantaka ("Killer of Tripurasura") killed Tripurasura on this day.Tripurasura had conquered the whole world and defeated the gods and also created three cities in space, together called "Tripura". The killing of the demon(s) and destruction of his/their cities with a single arrow - by Shiva overjoyed the gods and they declared the day as a festival of illuminations. This day is also called "Dev-Diwali" - the Diwaliof the gods. Diwali is the Hindu festival of light

2) Kartik poornima is also the birthday of Matsya, god Vishnu's fish-incarnation (Avatar). It is also the birthday of Vrinda, the personification of the Tulsi plant and of Kartikeya, the god of war and son of Shiva. This day also is considered special for Radha, the lover of Krishna - Vishnu's incarnation. It is believed that Krishna and Radha danced rasaand Krishna worshipped Radha on this day. This day is also dedicated to the pitrs, dead ancestors.

3) Underhill believes that the origins of this festival may lie in ancient times, when a sacrifice called Shakamedhah was performed to attain victory over enemies.

4) The festival has even more significance when the day falls in the nakshatra (lunar mansion) Krittika and is then called Maha Kartik. The nakshatra is Bharani, the results are stated to be special. If it is Rohini nakshatra, then the fruitful results are even much more. Any philanthropic act on this day is supposed to bring benefits and blessings equal to the performing of tenyajnas.

5) Guru Nanak was born on the day of Kartik Poornima in 1469 AD. This day is known as Gurupurab and it is one of the major festivals of the Sikhs

6) Kartik Purnima is an important day for the Jains as well. Thousands of Jain pilgrims flock to the foothills of the Shatrunjay hills of Palitana on this day to undertake the auspicious journey. This is an extremely significant yatra for the Jain pilgrims. The doors of the temple of Lord Adinath open after a period of four months. So, there is a huge gathering of devotees to worship their Lord. One has to cover a distance of 216 kms on foot through mountainous regions to worship Lord Adinath which is situated on the top of the hill.