🪷 Vaishakha Purnima (Buddha Purnima / Narasimha Jayanti) 2027
The full moon of Vaishakha — the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of Lord Buddha, Vishnu's Kurma avatar, the end of the Vaishakha bath, the Satyanarayan katha; Narasimha Jayanti a day earlier.
- Narasimha Jayanti (Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi, Pradosh) — Wednesday, 19 May 2027
- Vaishakha Purnima — Buddha Purnima / Satyanarayan — Thursday, 20 May 2027
Vaishakha Purnima is among the most auspicious full moons of the year — about twelve days after Akshaya Tritiya. In the Buddhist tradition, on this day Gautama Buddha's birth (Lumbini), enlightenment (Bodh Gaya) and mahaparinirvana (Kushinagar) — all three — took place, hence 'Buddha Purnima/Vesak'; in the Hindu tradition it is the day of Vishnu's Kurma avatar, the end of the Vaishakha bath (from Chaitra Purnima) and the best Purnima for the Satyanarayan katha.
A day earlier, on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi, in Pradosh Kaal, is Narasimha Jayanti — the day of Vishnu's fourth avatar, who emerged from a pillar to protect the devotee Prahlad (in the table above). Women keep the Purnima fast, offer arghya to the moon, donate water and umbrellas in the heat and hold the Satyanarayan katha. Below are this year's dates, the bath muhurat, vidhi, samagri, katha, bhog and regional customs.
Significance — why this vrat
The end of the Vaishakha bath — those who bathed at dawn daily from Chaitra Purnima complete it today; the Skanda Purana calls Vaishakha the Madhava month — on this Purnima the charity of water (pots, water stalls), grain, umbrellas and slippers is the greatest merit in the heat.
Buddha Purnima — compassion, non-violence, the middle path; special in the Buddhist countries (Sri Lanka-Nepal-Thailand-Bhutan) and at Sarnath-Bodh Gaya-Kushinagar in India; a public holiday in India; in the Hindu tradition Buddha is the ninth avatar of Vishnu — hence honoured in both.
Narasimha Jayanti (Chaturdashi, Pradosh) — 'neither day nor night, neither inside nor outside' — Narasimha emerged from a pillar at dusk and killed Hiranyakashipu; a vrat for protection from fear, enemies and illness, especially for the protection of children (the Prahlad spirit); a big day in the south and Maharashtra.
Puja vidhi (step by step)
This is the household vidhi — remembrance of Narasimha on Chaturdashi evening, a dawn bath, charity, the Satyanarayan katha and moon arghya on the Purnima.
- Chaturdashi (a day earlier) — Narasimha Jayanti: a fast in the day (fruit), in Pradosh Kaal a picture of Narasimha/Vishnu, red-yellow flowers, Tulsi, panchamrit; the mantra 'Om Narasimhaya Namah'/'Ugram viram maha-vishnum…'; the Prahlad katha; a prayer of protection for the children; paran the next morning.
- On the Purnima bathe in Brahma Muhurat (time above) — the concluding sankalp of the Vaishakha bath; arghya to the Sun; yellow clothes.
- Sankalp of the Purnima fast; worship of Vishnu-Lakshmi — yellow flowers, Tulsi, panchamrit, sandalwood; remembrance of the Kurma avatar; if there is a Buddha image/picture, white flowers and a lamp (a vow of compassion and non-violence).
- The Satyanarayan katha (Pradosh or noon): banana stems/leaves, kalash, panchamrit, prasad of panjiri, banana and Tulsi; five chapters; the aarti 'Jai Lakshmi Ramana'.
- Charity (till noon): a water-filled pot/surahi, a water stall, umbrella, slippers, fan, sattu, fruit (mango-melon), grain, cloth — to a Brahmin/the needy/a gaushala; tarpan and charity in the ancestors' name.
- A day of non-violence: no killing of creatures, grain and water for birds, fodder for cows; darshan at a Buddhist vihara/stupa if there is one, Buddha vandana.
- At moonrise (time above) arghya of milk and water to the moon; bhog of kheer; break the fast.
- Vishnu/Buddha bhajans at night; Jyeshtha begins the next day — preparations for Vat Savitri (Jyeshtha Amavasya) and Ganga Dussehra.
Puja samagri checklist
The items of the Satyanarayan katha and the things for summer charity — the main ones.
- Picture of Vishnu-Lakshmi (Satyanarayan), yellow cloth, wooden seat, kalash, banana leaves/stems, mango leaves
- Panchamrit, Tulsi leaves, yellow and white flowers, sandalwood, roli, akshat, mauli, betel nut and paan
- Prasad: panjiri (semolina/wheat-ghee-sugar-makhana), banana, fruit, mishri, kheer
- Narasimha Jayanti: red-yellow flowers, a Narasimha/Vishnu picture, lamp
- Buddha image/picture (if available), white flowers, incense
- Charity: pot/surahi, umbrella, slippers, fan, sattu, fruit, grain, cloth, dakshina
- Moon arghya: copper lota, milk and water; lamp, incense, camphor, aarti thali
- Satyanarayan katha book
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Open panchang →Vrat katha (the story)
Siddhartha, son of King Shuddhodana of Kapilavastu and Maya Devi, was born on Vaishakha Purnima at Lumbini; at 29 he left palace, kingdom and family in search of truth; after six years of austerity, on the night of Vaishakha Purnima under the peepal (Bodhi tree) at Bodh Gaya, Buddhahood; at 80, on Vaishakha Purnima at Kushinagar, the mahaparinirvana — all three on one tithi. The teaching — the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, 'Appa deepo bhava' (be your own lamp).
The Kurma avatar — when Mount Mandara began to sink during the churning of the ocean, Vishnu took the form of a tortoise (Kurma) and bore it on his back — it was Vaishakha Purnima; a symbol of patience and support. The five stories of the Satyanarayan katha (the Brahmin Shatananda, the woodcutter, the merchant Sadhu, Kalavati, King Tungadhwaja) — the fruit of fulfilling the vow of Satyanarayan's worship.
Narasimha — Hiranyakashipu asked 'Where is your Vishnu? In this pillar?' Prahlad said 'Yes, he is everywhere.' The pillar split and Narasimha, half man and half lion, emerged — at dusk (neither day nor night), on the threshold (neither inside nor outside), on his lap (neither earth nor sky), with his nails (neither weapon held nor thrown) — through every condition of the boon — and killed him; he calmed with Prahlad in his lap. Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi, Pradosh Kaal.
The Satyanarayan panjiri, kheer, the food of summer charity
The Purnima bhog is sattvik — panjiri-panchamrit-banana (the katha), kheer (the moon), fruit; panakam and chana-jaggery (south) on Narasimha Jayanti; in the Buddhist tradition kheer (Sujata's kheer) and simple food. Summer — mango, melon, sattu.
- Satyanarayan prasad: panjiri (1 cup semolina/wheat roasted in ghee, 1 cup sugar, makhana-dry fruits, cardamom; or panchamrit-banana-Tulsi) — in the 'sava' (1¼) measure
- Kheer (the moon bhog — Sujata gave Buddha kheer), mango, melon, sattu sherbet
- Narasimha Jayanti (Chaturdashi): panakam (jaggery water), chana-jaggery, coconut; kheer-poori for the paran next morning
- Fast: fruit, milk, sattu; a simple sattvik meal in the spirit of non-violence (no onion-garlic)
- Set the water, fruit and grain for charity aside first; grain and water for birds
Regional customs
The Satyanarayan Purnima in the north, Vesak in the Buddhist regions, the big day of Narasimha Jayanti in the south.
A custom, tale, song or dish heard from your grandmother — 2-4 lines; after reading we add it on this page with your region's name (the phone is never shown — only to ask you back).
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✅ Do
- A dawn bath — the end of the Vaishakha bath; charity of water, umbrellas, slippers and fans
- The Satyanarayan katha — most auspicious on this Purnima; panjiri prasad to all
- Non-violence — no killing, grain and fodder for birds and cows; remembrance of Buddha's compassion
- Remembrance of Narasimha on Chaturdashi evening — protection of children and family
- Arghya at moonrise, kheer
❌ Don't
- Meat, alcohol, violence — specially forbidden on Buddha Purnima
- No elders or children at the ghat in the midday heat; the water stall's water must be clean
- Do not leave the Satyanarayan katha incomplete — all five chapters and the prasad distribution
- Quarrels, cutting hair and nails on Purnima
- Charity pots and fruit never spoilt
Frequently asked questions
When is Buddha Purnima in 2027?
The date at the top is this year's Vaishakha Purnima — from panchang calculations; Narasimha Jayanti (a day earlier, Chaturdashi) is in the table too; the Delhi times for Brahma Muhurat (bath) and moonrise are shown as well.
Do Hindus observe Buddha Purnima?
Yes — in the Hindu tradition Vaishakha Purnima is the Kurma avatar, the end of the Vaishakha bath and the best Purnima for Satyanarayan; Buddha is regarded as the ninth avatar of Vishnu — so lamp-offering, non-violence and compassion are shared by both.
When and how is Narasimha Jayanti observed?
On Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi in Pradosh Kaal (after sunset) — a day's fast, Narasimha puja in the evening (red-yellow flowers, Tulsi, panakam-chana), the Prahlad katha; paran the next morning (Purnima); a vrat for protection from fear, illness and enemies and for the safety of children.
On which Purnima is the Satyanarayan katha most auspicious?
Valid on every Purnima; the Purnimas of Vaishakha, Kartik and Magha are best — Vaishakha Purnima is special as the end of the Madhava month; in Pradosh Kaal or at noon, panjiri prasad in the sava (1¼) measure.
What is the Vaishakha bath?
A daily dawn bath in a river/tirtha, Vishnu puja and water charity from Chaitra Purnima to Vaishakha Purnima — the vrat of the Madhava month in the Skanda Purana; also valid at home with Gangajal; it ends today.
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✅ Saved — you will get a message a day before the next vrat.Something went wrong — please try again.⏳ Saving…Also read: Akshaya Tritiya (12 days earlier) · Vat Savitri (Jyeshtha Amavasya — next) · Ganga Dussehra · Purnima list
⚠️ This description follows traditional vidhi and folk belief; the custom of your family and community comes first. Mind health while bathing and giving charity in the heat.
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