THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT VRATS OF SHIVA AND IMPORTANCE OF BEL PATRA.
There are many important vrats of Shiva but here I have selected the three most important vrats related to shiva. This thread is specially dedicated to Shivbhakts.
1)SOMVAR(Monday) VRAT:-
Both Skand Puran and Shivpuran mention the importance of fasting on SOMVAR or Monday. This day is very dear to Shiva. Som denotes Shiva. If you cannot fast even a small Puja of Shiva can give you the desired results. You can even attain Moksha. But every ritual should be performed with good intentions.
There is a story depicting the importance of worship on this particular day. There lived a King named Chitraverma in Aryavart who followed the marg of Dharma. He had many sons but when his daughter was born two Sadhu's made two predictions. One said that his daughter beautiful named Simantini would be happily married for ten thousand years and would have many children. The other Sadhu predicted that she would be widowed at fourteen years of age.
Anyway, as Simantini started growing she looked more beautiful. Once she got to hear the predictions made by the Sadhu's through her friend. This got her worried especially the sad part of widowhood disturbed her. She then went to Rishi Yagyavalka's wife Maitreyie and narrated her worry. The Rishi's wife advised her to observe fasts or upwas every Monday, come what may following each and every ritual. She also asked her to keep on doing this fast even when there will be too many difficulties in front of her.
Simantini carried out her advice verbatim even after her marriage to Nal-Damyanti's grandson Chandrangad. During his stay in Chitraverma's house, one day he went out for a sail in Yamuna river. Unfortunately his boat capsized and everybody presumed that he would have been dead as his body could not be found. Simantini accepted widowhood but continued her ritualistic SOMVAR vrat.
Meanwhile Chandrangad was not dead. But when he kept on drowning downwards he reached Pataal lok, the abode of Takshak. He was discovered by two Nagkanya's who then took him to Takshak. Chandrangad spoke respectfully to Nagraj and impressed him. He was also impressed that the Prince too was a Shivbhakt. He stayed there for sometime as Takshak lured him to stay there permanently but Chandrangad told him about his newly wedded wife and what misery she would be facing. He was allowed to go and was also given a white horse and a promise of being helped whenever the need arose. The nag Prince also accompanied him.
Here Chandrangad's father Indrasen had lost his kingdom to his brothers. They also imprisoned him. But Simantini continued her Monday rituals.
It was Monday when Chandrangad came out of the river in his horse. He discovered some ladies on the Yamuna bank staring out at him. It was Simantini and her friends who had come to the river bank to perform her Monday Puja. In the begining both were reluctant to give recognition to each other. They both followed their talks in question answer form as everyone had presumed the Prince to be dead. Ultimately Simantini knew that this was indeed her husband standing in front of her.
Meanwhile the Nagprince helped Indrasen retrieve his Kingdom This way there was a happy ending on both sides.
Simantini got back her husband and lived for ten thousand years with lot of children all because of her persistent fasting on Mondays.
Therefore once if we adhere to this and fast for the day eating once before twilight and performhing puja in the traditional way, We too will get desired result. Keep chanting Om namah Shivay the whole day.
2)SHIVRATRI VRAT & Importanacre of Belpatra:-
Actually there are twelve Shivratri's in one calendar year. As per shastras the Chaturdeshi tithi of every krishnpaksh is Shivratri. But the one falling in the month of Magh is the most auspicious. The devotees usually fast the whole day and perform the ritualistic puja four times in the night.
As per Shivpuran once Brahma, Vishnu and Parvati asked Shiva about his favourite puja that made him the most happiest. Shiva mentioned ten vrats,but his most favoured vrat was Shivratri. The rituals should be performed four times as mentioned in Shivpuran. You have to prepare a parthiv or mud lingam and establish (staphna it with the chanting of Panchakshar mantra of Om Namah Shivay. Follow it up with the sixteen step(Shodshhopchar/ षोड्षोपचार) puja right from bathing, offerings of flowers, dhoop, deep and naivedya. This shivling has to be worshipped four times and at the end of the night, it has to submerged in river,tank or pond. There is an elaborate mention of all the offerings to be made seperately with different items for four times in Shivpuran. In the earliest puja use of Panchamrit, Chandan, Rice, Black sesame, lotus, Red flower of Kaner should be offered with seperate mantra for each offering.
In the next puja add oats or jao, double the Lotus flowers and make a prasad of Ghee, Honey and Milk and chant along Om Namah Shivay after every offering.
In the third puja add Wheat made food, Madaar flower, Dhoop, Deep, Naivedya along with camphor.
In the fourth puja apart from lentils also add seven types of Foodgrains, Sweets, Fruits like Pomegranate and banana. Increase the number of chants.
In each puja you compulsarily have to offer Bilva leaves(बेल पत्र).
Finish the puja by feeding Brahmins.
The importance of four time Puja is explained in the story of the deers and a Bhil named Gurudruh.
This Bhil Gurudruh was very cruel and did not hesitate to perform any sinful activity. He lived with his parents in abject poverty doing petty crimes. On feeling hungry, his parents asked him to get something to eat. The Bhil carried his bow and arrow and left for the forest to hunt for some wild animal. He waited for his prey from morning to sunset but was not successful. Tired,he went near a pond to take some water and carried it with him.He climbed a Bilva(बेल) tree nearby and sat waiting for his prey to come near the pond as he was sure some animal would surely come there to drink water. Unknown to him a shivling stood under the tree. Atlast a buck doe(she- deer) came along to drink water. Immediately the Bhil raised his hand to kill the deer with his arrow. During this activity some Bilva leaves(बेल पत्र) and few drops of water fell on the Shivling. This reduced his number of sins unknown to him. The deer, smelling a hunter, became alert. He pleaded with the Bhil to let her go for now,but she would definitely return to be killed after she handed her children to her sister and she left.
After sometime the sister deer happened to come there. Again this Bhil picked up his bow and arrow to strike her, Resulting in few Bilva leaves falling and a few drops of water spilling on the shivling. Thus reducing more sins of this Bhil. This deer too pleaded to be allowed and hand over her son to the husband. Her plea was convincing enough to be allowed to go and return back.
The Bhil once again waited for his prey to arrive. The husband deer also came there in search of water. Once again as the Bhil picked up his bow and arrow to strike again a few Bilva leaves and droplets of water fell on the lingam. More sins were reduced. This deer also sensed the danger and pleaded before the Bhil to be allowed to go home in order to arrange for the children to be sent to relatives. Again the convinced Bhil allowed him to go and return.
Interestingly all the three deers met on the way. They all discovered that all the three were facing the same danger.
Ultimately they said that one of them had to die so let us face the ordeal. All of them were ready to sacrifice themselves first.
So they all came together towards the pond. The Bhil saw the deer family arriving again he raised his hands to strike them which again resulted in few Bilva leaves falling and and drops of water falling on the lingam.
But a miracle occurred. Instead of killing them he left them free since good sense prevailed on him due to his doing the Shivling Puja four times, the day was Shivratri. All his sins were destroyed. Shivji himself came to bless him and was granted a boon that resulted in his becoming the King of that state.
Therefore it is stressed again and again that you should pray four times in the Shivratri night.
3)PRADOSH VRAT:-
Every thirteenth day(Trayodashi/त्रयोदशी) evening in a fortnight is considered as Pradosh. It is that time when Shiva merrily dances at Kailash. This happy and sacred occasion is celebrated by performing rituals ofpuja, havan and singing praises of Shiva. People generally fast during the day and perform rituals in the evening. This vrat is so powerful that if you follow the rituals as per shastras then poverty, death,debt and all the other sorrows are completely eliminated from your life.
To portray the importance of these rituals there is a story of King of Vidarbha named Satyarath who was defeated and killed by the rulers of Shaalv. His pregnant and now widowed wife left the palace and gave birth to a son near a pond in the midst of a jungle. Unfortunately she was eaten by wild animals leaving her new born alone. The child was discovered by a brahmani who happened to be passing from there who first was reluctant to take the child. But Shivji appeared there in a guise of a Sadhu and encouraged her to take the child and bring him up as her own as she also had a child of the same age.
She raised the child as her own. She would usually take him along when she went to beg. Once when she visited a temple, Rishi Shandilya who happened to be there, told her about the true identity of the boy. The Brahmani asked the Rishi as to why such a mighty King as Satyarath got killed. His rejoinder was that although the King was very strong but he did not complete the Pradosh puja once. On hearing about a rebellion in his Kingdom, he left to fight the rebellion leaving the puja halfway. Therefore he was killed and his wife got eaten by wild animals.
As per Skand Puran the Pradosh puja is mainly done in the twilight time. You have to bathe one hour before sunset. People of any caste,creed or gender can follow this vrat. A typical Pradosh puja means doing the Shodshopchar puja consisting of bathing the Ishwar, Decorating, Offerings, Havan, Arti and Prasad. Your devotion and faith are very important when you fast the whole day. Full attention should be on shiva. You will definitely get the desired results. Scriptures mention that all the devtas sit together to perform this puja.
I will explain in detail about Shiv Vrats in my upcoming book. Please stay tuned😇
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Source-Skand, Shiv, Ling & Garud puran
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