Just In
- 7 hrs ago Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant's Wedding Function Details Are Out, Check out Ambani Bahu-To-Be's Chic Fashion!
- 8 hrs ago Nayanthara Poses With Husband Vignesh Shivan In Chic Saree, Check Her Sarees To Ace Summer Wedding Look
- 12 hrs ago Hanuman Jayanti 2024: These Are Lord Hanuman's Favourite Zodiac Signs, Check Out The List!
- 13 hrs ago Arushi Sharma-Vaibhav Vishant Wedding, Love Aaj Kal 2 Actor Looks Resplendent In A Pastel Ethnic Outfit, Pics!
Don't Miss
- Finance SBI Card Launches 3 New Variants of Its Travel Credit Card ‘SBI Card MILES’
- Sports Who Won Yesterday's IPL Match 39? CSK vs LSG, IPL 2024 on April 23: Marcus Stoinis Fires 63-ball 124 To Quiet Chepauk
- News Senator Lambie Calls For Elon Musk's Imprisonment Over Wakeley Church Stabbing Posts
- Movies Mirzapur 3 OTT Release Date, Platform: When Will Mirzapur Season 3 Premiere On Amazon Prime Video?
- Education Telangana Inter Manabadi 1st and 2nd Year Results 2024 to be Declared Tomorrow
- Automobiles Chrysler Pacifica Marks Seven Years As Most Awarded Minivan With New Campaign
- Technology Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner S10, Handheld Garment Steamer, and Redmi Buds 5A Launched in India
- Travel Kurnool's Hidden Gems: A Guide To Exploring India's Lesser-Known Treasures
Maha Shivratri Vrat: Things To Do
Maha Shivratri vrat or Shivratri fasting is one of the most important fasts of Hinduism. The Mahashivratri vrat has a huge spiritual significance. The one who observes this fast is blessed with the divine grace of Lord Shiva. Apart from that, observing this fast helps the person to control the two important natural forces that affects the humans.
Know About The Significance Of Mahashivratri
These two forces are known as the 'Rajas' and the 'Tamas' guna. The 'Rajas' guna literally means the quality of passionate activity. Evils like lust, anger and jealousy are born out of the 'Rajas' guna. The 'Tamas' guna is the quality of inertia or indifference and resistance to action. 'Tamas' promotes darkness, ignorance, resistance, death and destruction.
Hence a human being should get rid of all these evils if he wants to attain salvation. It is believed that by observing the Mahashivratri vrat, a person is able to free himself/herself from the evils of these two gunas.
So, if you are planning to observe the Mahashivratri vrat then take a look at these things that you should do while observing the fast.
Early Morning Bath
Traditionally, the person observing the fast should take a bath early in the morning with warm water and black sesame seeds. The bodily impurities must be completely cleared before one begins the fast.
Bathing The Linga
The person observing the fast should either visit the nearest Shiva temple or bathe the 'linga' at home with water, honey and milk.
Offerings
After bathing the 'linga', the person must offer 'Bilva' leaf or the Belpatra, dhatura fruit, Akanda flowers, turmeric, kumkum and sandalwood to the 'linga'.
Food Offerings
Lord Shiva is extremely fond of milk items. So, food items like Kheer and other sweets made of milk can be offered to the 'linga'. Some people also offer 'Bhaang', an intoxicating drink made from cannabis leaves.
Prayers
The devotee must chant the mantra 'Om Namah Shivay' and offer prayers to the 'linga'. Then a lamp must be lit before the 'linga' followed by devotional hymns sung by the devotee.
Day & Night Fast
The Shivratri vrat starts in the day and continues the whole night till the next morning.
Fasting Rules
There is no hard and fast rule that one must stay completely without food during the vrat. The person observing the fast can have juices, fruits and the special vrat dishes like Kuttu chapati, vrat ke chawal, nuts, curries without onions and garlic etc. However no meal is to be consumed after sunset.
Night Vigil
The devotees observing fast should stay up for the whole night listening to stories about Lord Shiva or singing bhajans in His praise.
Breaking The Fast
The fast is broken the next morning after bathing the 'linga' again and offering prayers to it. One must break the fast by consuming the 'prasad' or food offered to Lord Shiva.
- yoga spiritualityMaha Shivratri 2024: Four Prahars Of Maha Shivratri And Know Their Significance
- yoga spiritualityMaha Shivratri 2024: Best Mehendi Designs That Will Capture The Essence Of Mahadev, Videos Inside!
- yoga spiritualityMaha Shivratri 2024: Never Do These Mistakes While Performing Lord Shiva Puja
- yoga spiritualitySawan Adhik Maas Shivratri 2023: Date, Puja Muhurat, Shubh Yoga And Significance
- astrologySawan Shivratri 2023: These Lucky Zodiac Signs Will Get The Blessings Of Lord Shiva In Shravan Maas
- faith mysticismMaha Shivratri 2023: Differences Between Shivratri And Mahashivratri
- festivalsMaha Shivratri 2023: Know About Rudrabhishek, Puja Vidhi And Ingredients Required
- festivalsMahashivratri 2022: Benefits Of Offering Lord Shiva His Favourite 15 Flowers With Devotion
- festivalsMaha Shivratri 2022: Benefits Of Observing A Fast On This Day
- faith mysticismMaha Shivratri 2022: Know About The Meaning Behind Different Symbols Of Lord Shiva
- faith mysticismMaha Shivratri 2022: Some Rules That You Need To Follow When Observing A Fast
- festivalsMaha Shivratri 2022: Here’s Why You Should Worship Lord Shiva