Lakshmi & Chandra — and Krishna of the raas
Sharad Purnima (Kojagari)
The year's brightest moon — kheer in the moonlight, Lakshmi asking 'who is awake?'
Tithi: Ashwin Purnima
In the simplest words
The year's sweetest full moon — kheer sits out all night under the moonlight said to rain amrita, and Lakshmi walks asking 'who is awake?'
The story & purpose
On Sharad Purnima the moon rides with all sixteen kalas, and its light is said to carry amrit. Kheer is set out on the terrace to steep in moonbeams and eaten as prasada. Lakshmi walks the night asking 'Ko jagarti?' — who is awake? — and to the wakeful she comes home: hence Kojagari.
The same moon is the raas-purnima: on this night, the Bhagavata sings (10.29–33), Krishna multiplied himself so that every gopi danced with him alone — the soul's own truth that the Beloved is wholly each one's. Bengal worships Lakshmi tonight as its main Lakshmi Puja.
What is done
Moonlit kheer
Rice kheer kept under the open moon (covered with a fine sieve), offered and shared next morning or at night's end.
Kojagari Lakshmi puja
Lakshmi worshipped at night with lamps at the door and alpana of her feet.
Jagran
Waking the night with bhajan, games of the season, and the moon itself.
Chandra darshan & jaap
Gazing at the full moon with the Chandra mantra or Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah.
Best timings
Puja and kheer-setting after moonrise; the vigil till late night.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition — for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
Ayurveda prizes this night's 'sheet-amrit' moonlight for cooling pitta — the kheer custom is seasonal medicine.
Braj temples keep raas-lila darshan tonight; Bankebihari appears in white.
Valmiki Jayanti is kept on this same Ashwin Purnima tithi — usually the next civil morning, since the jayanti follows the sunrise tithi while Sharad Purnima follows the night's moon.
Mantras of this festival
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः
Mahalakshmi mantra
Begin jaap →ॐ श्रां श्रीं श्रौं सः चन्द्राय नमः
Chandra — the Moon
Begin jaap →हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे । हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ॥
Hare Krishna maha-mantra
Begin jaap →ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे विष्णुपत्न्यै च धीमहि । तन्नो लक्ष्मीः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Lakshmi Gayatri
Begin jaap →