Lunar Eclipse to Occur on Kumar Purnima – Know the Right Time for Worship
A lunar eclipse is set to occur on Kumar Purnima this year, falling on the 28th of the month. On this auspicious day, a Rahu-shadowed partial lunar eclipse will take place. The duration of the eclipse will be 1 hour, 19 minutes, and 7 seconds. The eclipse will begin (contact time) at 1:04:55 AM and will reach its peak and end (maximum eclipse time) at 2:24:02 AM.
As per traditions, rituals such as cooking (Paktyaga) and deity worship (Debaniti) are prohibited from 9 hours before the eclipse, i.e., from 4:04:55 PM until 2:24:02 AM on the night of the eclipse. The restriction on cooking and offering food to deities will begin at 4:04:55 PM and continue until 2:24:02 AM.
Since a lunar eclipse is falling on Kumar Purnima, there is confusion regarding when to perform the traditional worship of the moon and offer Anjuli (ritualistic water offering). It is advised that Chandrapuja (moon worship) should be done before 4 PM. The auspicious time to offer Anjuli is between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AM. Thus, the ideal time for Chandrapuja is before 4 PM on Kumar Purnima day.
The day after Kumar Purnima, women observing the Habishyali fast will take a vow and worship Lord Sudarshan in his Chakradhari (disc-bearing) form, marking his symbolic victory over the four ashrams (stages of life).
Astrologers predict that this lunar eclipse will be auspicious for six zodiac signs and inauspicious for six others. The signs for which it is considered favorable are Gemini (Mithuna), Scorpio (Vrischika), Sagittarius (Dhanu), Capricorn (Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha), and Pisces (Meena). It is considered unfavorable for Aries (Mesha), Taurus (Vrushabha), Cancer (Karka), Leo (Simha), Virgo (Kanya), and Libra (Tula).
As lunar eclipses occur only on full moon days, it is considered highly auspicious to donate on this day. Items associated with the color white, such as milk, curd, and white clothes, are especially recommended for donation during a lunar eclipse.
