Sawan Somvar 2022: Vrat Rules, Pooja Samagri, Mantras, Vrat Katha, And Benefits

Fasting or vrat means 'vow' and holds immense significance in Hinduism. It is a way of showing devotion to God by sacrificing food. On observing it, a devotee is blessed with a favourable destiny. It is believed that a person observing vrat needs to stay away from negative thoughts and do only those deeds that promise good consequences.

The holy month of Sawan is dedicated to Lord Shiva and therefore, devotees keep fast so that their wishes get fulfilled. There is no discrimination in gender, caste, and creed and therefore, anyone can keep a fast dedicated to Lord Shiva. These are the reasons why fasting coupled with prayer is inarguably the most powerful cure for all ills when all else fails. Goddess Parvati was able to marry Lord Shiva only after she practised this fasting vrat. Let us read on to know more about this vrat that starts on Monday, 14 July 2022.

Sawan Somvar 2022: Vrat Rules

Keep a day-long fast every Monday of Sawan month and abstain from consuming non-veg, alcohol, tobacco, onion, and garlic. You can be on an all fruits and water diet.

You can either choose to eat only once during the day or spend the day on a diet of seasonal and dry fruits, milk and curds, or buttermilk, Sabu dana, flour chapatis or Thalipeeth, vegetables like bottle gourd, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams, milk products like curd, paneer, ghee, sweet lassi, and use Sendha namak, or Upvas ka namak (Saindhava lavana, or rock salt) in your vrat dishes.

Sawan Somvar 2022: Puja Samagri

Here is a list of items required for puja dedicated to Lord Shiva during the Sawan month.

Raw milk (improves health), Dahi ( gives a sense of responsibility) Ghee (enhances the powers), Honey (makes your speech sweet), Bhang and Cannabis (evils are eradicated), Sugar (confers us happiness and prosperity), Saffron( blesses us with gentleness), Sandalwood (elevates our social standing) medicines such as Dhatura, Cannabis and Bel are given to Lord Shiva as antidotes to remove the effects of the poison which He had consumed during the oceanic churn).

Belpatra (represents his form) Akshat, Bhasma, Rudraksh (carries Lord's presence), Shami leaves, perfume, sugar, Ganges water, sugarcane juice, betel leaf, clove, cardamom, fruit, camphor, incense, lamp, Lord Shiva's favourite flowers like Kaner, Harsingar, Dhatoor flowers, Aak etc.) are also needed for the puja.

Sawan Somvar 2022: Puja Rituals

Wake up during Brahma muhurta (two hours before sunrise). Take a holy bath. Add Sesame seeds to the water. Clean the pooja Mandir of your house with Ganga Jal and purify your home by sprinkling Ganga Jal on the entire area inside your house.

Arrange flowers artistically in the puja room and light an incense stick and lamp with a ghee wick. Do dhyana (Meditate), followed by Sankalpa (take a pledge that you would sincerely observe the Sawan Somwar Vrat). Place the idol of Shiva or the Shivlinga on the Peetha and meditate on Lord Ganesha. Start your puja by doing Jalabhishek to Lord Shiva and then offer Ganga Jal to the deity.

Once the puja is completed, offer the Panchamrut (mixture of milk, honey, sugar, ghee, and curd) as a prasad and then again, the Ganga Jal to Lord Shiva. Apply Sandal paste to the Shivlinga and worship it with white flowers; offer Bilva leaves, Datura flower, any fruit of your choice, and rice to the Shivlinga. Take a sankalpa (resolution) and start reading the vrat katha. In the evening, offer flowers and holy water to the Shivlinga after conducting the Aarti by lighting a lamp with ghee wick. Do the pradakshina namaskar, which means walking around the deity three times. Visit a Shiva temple in the evening for blessings and darshan.

Offer Pranam and flowers to God after which pray to Lord to forgive any knowing or unknowing errors that may have occurred during the time of the puja.

Sawan Somvar 2022: Mantras To Chant

ॐ नमः शिवाय
प्रौं ह्रीं ठः
ऊर्ध्व भू फट्
इं क्षं मं औं अं
नमो नीलकण्ठाय
ॐ पार्वतीपतये नमः
ॐ ह्रीं ह्रौं नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमो भगवते दक्षिणामूर्त्तये मह्यं मेधा प्रयच्छ स्वाहा
ॐ नमः शिवाय शुभं शुभं कुरू कुरू शिवाय नमः ॐ

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra:

ऊं हौं जूं सः। ऊॅ भूः भुवः स्वः ऊॅ त्रयम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।

Sawan Somvar 2022: Vrat Katha

Once Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva descended on the earth to spend some time. On their way, they found a temple for Lord Shiva. The divine couple halted in this temple for a breather. Unable to contain her joy, Goddess Parvati requested Lord Shiva to play a game of dice with her. Lord Shiva consents to her request, and the game began, which continued for hours.

At last, Goddess Parvati called the Priest and asked him to predict who will be the winner in this game to which he replied "Lord Shiva". However, ultimately Goddess Parvati won with ease and then angrily cursed the priest to become a leper, as his predictions turned out to be false. Priest, in anguish, started wandering all over the place and finally met two devatas who enquire him about his plight. They advised him to practice Solah Somvar Vrat for 16 Mondays without any delay or interruption. The priest followed instructions and was cured. Observing this, Goddess Parvati inquired the priest about it. Learning that Solah Somvar vrat was responsible for this change, Goddess Parvati was inspired to do the vrat herself and found that on the 16th day of vrat, her son Kartikeya who had left her, came back, as if drawn by some power.

Sawan Somvar 2022: Benefits

According to Shiva Purana, this vrat fast brings success in career, business, and relationships, peace of mind, good health, and longevity. Solah Somvar vrat will grant the right life partner for unmarried women. Couples constantly fighting with each other, will find solace with the Solah vrat observance. Dhatura flower and fruit must be offered to Lord Shiva, each day of the Solah vrat as this ensures progeny. Fasting on Shravan Mondays is especially held sacred as it resolves marital differences and prevents any unusual delay in marriage. Reciting the vrat katha and chanting the Shiva mantras during Solah Somvars will provide the desired results.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption.

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