Purnima: the full moon of the month

What Purnima is

The last, fifteenth tithi of the bright fortnight of the lunar month is Purnima. At this time the Sun and Moon face each other and the moon looks full and round. There are 12 Purnimas in a year, 13 in a year with an extra month. In panchangs where the month ends at the full moon (purnimanta), the month's name is tied to the full moon too: the month whose full moon is near the Chitra nakshatra is Chaitra, for example.

Per Muhurta Chintamani the lord of Purnima is the Moon, and Purnima is counted among the ‘Purna’ (full) tithis. Tradition holds it as a day for bathing, giving, the Satyanarayana katha and offering water to the moon.

How the day is decided: two purposes, two rules

The Purnima tithi often runs from one day's afternoon or evening to the next day's. So two different purposes can fall on two different days:

1. Bathing and giving (Shastra, Dharmasindhu): Purnima and Amavasya, except for the Savitri vrat, are taken as ‘later’: the day whose sunrise has the Purnima. Dharmasindhu also says the view ‘take every Purnima on the first day’ has no firm basis to be found; only some particular festivals (such as Shravani and Holika) have their own rules.

2. The Purnima fast and Satyanarayana (tradition): the fast ends with an offering to the moon, so tradition takes the day whose evening has the Purnima at moonrise. We did not find this rule in our library's texts, so we call it tradition.

When these differ, our calendar shows both days separately. Festivals such as Guru Purnima and Sharad Purnima have their own rules, given on their pages.

The year's well-known full moons (tradition)

Each full moon is linked to some festival; customs change by region:

Shastra (Dharmasindhu): the Margashirsha full moon is given as Dattatreya's birth, and for it the Purnima present at pradosha (evening) is taken. So each festival can have its own time rule.

How families celebrate

Many homes hold the Satyanarayana katha every full moon: a stool decorated with banana leaves, panchamrit, panjiri or sheera as prasad, shared with family and neighbours after the story. Many bathe in a river on Purnima, some go on pilgrimage, some simply feed someone in need in the morning. In the evening the fast is broken after offering water to the moon.

In the Buddhist tradition the full moon (uposatha) is a day of meditation and teaching, and in the Jain tradition too several full moons are special. Customs differ from home to home, and that is natural.

A simple puja

1. A morning bath; if you can, food, water or clothes for someone in need.
2. At the shrine, a picture of Vishnu or your chosen deity, a lamp, flowers, tulsi.
3. In the evening, read or hear the Satyanarayana katha, or simply remember Vishnu's name.
4. When the moon rises, offer water from a small pot, and sit quietly looking at the moon for a few moments.
5. Share the prasad with everyone.

Reading the katha yourself at home is complete; nothing needs to be paid for.

Health and safety

Fasting and health: keep the Purnima fast as your health allows. With diabetes, blood pressure, pregnancy, breastfeeding, older age, if you are unwell, or on regular medicine, choose a lighter form (fruit, milk, or one simple meal), or ask your doctor first. Don't change medicine timings. For health, the doctor comes first; no vrat replaces that. A waterless fast is not needed.

Purnima is not a day to fear; it is an ordinary day that tradition favours for bathing, giving and calm. If you bathe in a river, use designated ghats, stay away from strong currents, watch children, and don't put plastic or leftover puja items into the river. Panchamrit and prasad can spoil quickly in the heat; share them the same day.

In ePandit

In ePandit: our calendar shows the Purnima day with your city's sunrise, sunset and moonrise. The day is decided once, for Ujjain; when the bathing-and-giving and fast days differ, both are shown separately. We don't compute muhurta yet, and we never call a day good or bad for anyone.

Frequently asked questions