Maha Shivaratri puja vidhi (four prahars and Nishita)

Step-by-step vidhi

Each step says what to do, then the mantra. A short puja may use the five offerings (panchopachara) instead of sixteen.

1. 1 Preparation

   Bathe and wear clean clothes. Clean the puja place, spread a cloth on the chowki and keep every item of the checklist within reach before the muhurat begins. Sit on an asana facing east or north. If there is no Shivling at home, the abhisheka is done at a nearby Shiva temple.

2. 2 Pavitrikarana (purification)

   Take a little water in the left palm, cover it with the right and sprinkle it over yourself and the materials with a flower or kusha while saying the verse.

   अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा ।यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः ॥

3. 3 Achamana

   Sip a spoonful of water three times from the right palm, one with each name, then wash the hands with the fourth.

   ॐ केशवाय नमः ।ॐ नारायणाय नमः ।ॐ माधवाय नमः ।ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः (हस्तप्रक्षालनम्) ॥

4. 4 Lighting the lamp

   Light the main ghee lamp on the right side of the deity (as you face it) and keep it burning through the puja.

   शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदा ।शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

5. 5 Sankalpa (resolve)

   Take water, akshat, a flower and a coin in the right hand and state the time and place (the Panchang details below), your name and gotra (if known) and the purpose: the Shivaratri vrata, the night vigil and the worship of Shiva. Then let the water flow onto the ground or a plate.

   ॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णुः ।अद्य … मासे … पक्षे … तिथौ … वासरे …… गोत्रः … नामाहं … पूजनं करिष्ये ॥

   A priest or an elder can recite the full sankalpa; saying it in your own language is equally accepted in household worship.

6. 6 Ganesha puja

   Worship Ganesha first, who removes obstacles: offer water, roli, akshat, durva, a flower and a sweet (a betel nut wrapped in mauli can stand for Ganesha).

   वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥

   ॐ गं गणपतये नमः ॥

7. 7 Abhisheka

   Pour water on the Shivling in a thin stream while chanting “Om Namah Shivaya”, then milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar one after another, each followed by water, and finally gangajal.

   ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥

8. 8 Shodashopachara (the sixteen offerings)

   Offer each upachara with its formula. In a short puja the five offerings (panchopachara) are enough: gandha, pushpa, dhupa, dipa and naivedya.

   The sixteen upacharas with their formulas

   1. Avahana (invitation) — Invite the deity with folded hands and a flower. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । आवाहयामि ॥
   2. Asana (seat) — Offer a seat: a flower or akshat at the place of the idol. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । आसनं समर्पयामि ॥
   3. Padya (water for the feet) — Offer water for washing the feet. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । पाद्यं समर्पयामि ॥
   4. Arghya — Offer water with akshat, flowers and sandal for the hands. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । अर्घ्यं समर्पयामि ॥
   5. Achamaniya — Offer water for sipping. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । आचमनीयं समर्पयामि ॥
   6. Snana (bath) — Bathe the idol with panchamrit, then with clean water (a picture is sprinkled). ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । स्नानं समर्पयामि ॥
   7. Vastra (clothes) — Offer clothes or mauli. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । वस्त्रं समर्पयामि ॥
   8. Yajnopavita (sacred thread) — Offer the sacred thread (for a goddess: ornaments, bangles and sindoor). ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । यज्ञोपवीतं समर्पयामि ॥
   9. Gandha (sandal) — Apply chandan, roli and akshat. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । गन्धं समर्पयामि ॥
   10. Pushpa (flowers) — Offer flowers and the garland (and the deity’s own leaves: durva, bilva, tulsi). ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । पुष्पाणि समर्पयामि ॥
   11. Dhupa (incense) — Wave incense. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । धूपम् आघ्रापयामि ॥
   12. Dipa (lamp) — Show the ghee lamp. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । दीपं दर्शयामि ॥
   13. Naivedya (food) — Offer the sweets and fruits, then water to sip. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि ॥
   14. Tambula and dakshina — Offer a betel leaf with supari, cloves and cardamom, and the dakshina. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । ताम्बूलं समर्पयामि ॥
   15. Pradakshina and namaskara — Go round clockwise (or turn round in place) and bow. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । प्रदक्षिणां समर्पयामि ॥
   16. Mantra-pushpanjali — Offer a handful of flowers with folded hands. ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं समर्पयामि ॥

   Lists of the sixteen differ slightly between paddhatis (some count achamana twice or end with visarjana).

9. 9 Bilva leaves and Shiva’s offerings

   Offer three-leaved bilva leaves (smooth side down), dhatura, white flowers, bhasma and sandal. By common practice haldi, kumkum and tulsi are not offered on the Shivling.

   Customs about offerings differ between families and temples; follow your family tradition.

10. 10 Mantra japa

    Chant the deity’s mantra 108 times (one mala) with a calm mind.

    ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥

    ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ॥

11. 11 Puja in the four prahars

    Keep awake through the night with bhajans and recitation, and repeat the abhisheka and offerings once in each prahar (one common scheme: milk in the first, curd in the second, ghee in the third and honey in the fourth). The Nishita time is the most important.

12. 12 Aarti

    Light camphor or the ghee lamp in the aarti plate, ring the bell and wave the plate clockwise before the deity while the family sings the aarti. Then offer the flame to everyone present.

    कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् ।सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥

13. 13 Pushpanjali

    Stand with flowers in folded hands, offer them at the deity’s feet and bow.

    ॐ श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवाय नमः । मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं समर्पयामि ॥

14. 14 Half pradakshina

    Go round the Shivling only halfway, up to the outlet of the jaladhari, and return without crossing it — the common custom for Shiva.

15. 15 Kshama prarthana

    With folded hands ask forgiveness for any omission in the worship, then distribute the prasad.

    आवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम् ।पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वर ॥मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं भक्तिहीनं सुरेश्वर ।यत्पूजितं मया देव परिपूर्णं तदस्तु मे ॥

16. 16 Visarjana and prasad

    After sunrise, bathe, worship once more and break the fast (parana); give food or alms if you can.