Pradhosha Vrat and Puja According to the Shiva Puranas, observing a fast and puja on Pradosham Vrat is regarded as highly auspicious and beneficial. One would be blessed with wealth, children, happiness and honour. While the fast is undertaken by all Shiva devotees, but all women who have been longing for a son specially observe this. Soma Pradhosha
Pradhosha Vrat is a highly auspicious day devoted to Lord Shiva. Also known as Pradosham or Pradosh Vrat, this day falls on the 13th day (Trayodashi) in a traditional Hindu calendar.
Pradosha occurs twice a month - during the waxing moon fortnight and during the waning moon fortnight. On this day, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped in the evening during the twilight.
However, in some places, Pradosha Vrat is dedicated to the Nataraj form of Shiva. Shiva devotees observe a fast on this day on the pretext of achieving success, peace and fulfilment of desires.
Any Pradosh falling on a Tuesday is known as Bhauma Pradosh while that occurring on a Monday is referred to as Soma Pradosh. . The fast is observed from sunrise until sunset and is considered to be highly beneficial.
Significance of Pradhosha Vrat According to the Shiva Puranas, observing a fast on Pradosham Vrat is regarded as highly auspicious and beneficial. One would be blessed with wealth, children, happiness and honour. While the fast is undertaken by all Shiva devotees, but all women who have been longing for a son specially observe this. Also, praying to Lord Shiva during the course of the fast is said to liberate the devotee from all his previous and present sins and evil deeds committed. According to one legend, Lord Shiva is believed to have drunk the Halahala poison during Pradosham. This poison was mixed with the Ocean of Milk (Samudra Manthan).
Another myth relates the importance of observing this vrat with the divine couple, Lord Shiva and Parvati. On the Trayodashi day during the evening twilight, the couple is said to be in a propitious and favorable mood. Hence, all prayers and grants demanded by a sincere and loyal devotee are easily fulfilled. Additionally, Bael or Bilva leaves are offered to the Lord during this twilight period as it is regarded to be very fortunate. Hence, all stern Shiva devotees observe both the fasts that occur on two Pradosha days in a month. Such devotees consume only water during their fast and break their fast by eating Prasad after the evening prayers only.
Furthermore, they eat cooked food only from the next morning. Some devotees follow another method for fasting during Pradhosham Vrat. These eat fruits while observing the vrat and resume with eating cooked food on the same day after the evening prayers. Therefore, the strictness followed during the Pradosha fasting totally relies on the devotee. Nonetheless, there are devotees who do not observe a vrat on this day but offer prayers and worship Shiva either at home or in temples.
How To Observe Pradosham Vrat Vrat of Pradosham is observed in two different ways. First, stern devotees observe a 24-hour fast during which they refrain from sleeping the night as well. Second, devotees observe a partial fast.
That is, they keep a fast from sunrise to sunset and break it after offering prayers to Lord Shiva. Pradosham is defined as the twilight period just before sunrise and immediately after sunset.
During the entire day of fasting, devotees indulge in offering prayers and pujas to Lord Shiva. Most of the devotees spend their complete time at the temple or listening to the glory of Shiva.
About an hour before sunset, devotees take a holy bath and proceed with another round of prayers to Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Ganesha, Kartik and Nandi. Next, Lord Shiva is also worshipped in the form of a Kalasha (sacred pot). The Kalasha is prepared by filled it with water and covering darbha grass over it. The pot is completed by drawing a lotus on the pot. Shiva devotees also worship the Shivling. The pujas are conducted by bathing the Shivling with water and offering Bilva leaves to it. While the prayers are offered with a real Shivling, some devotees even use a painting or picture of Shiva for the same.
Offering Bilva leaves on the occasion of Pradosham is regarded as highly auspicious. After the prayers are done, the Pradosh Vrat katha (story) or chapters from Shiva Purana are read out loud. The devotees then recite the Maha Mritunjaya Mantra 108 times. The water consumed in the puja is offered to all the devotees as Prasad. The sacred ash is applied to the forehead as tilak. Lighting a single lamp on Pradosham is a popular belief to satisfy Lord Shiva.
Soma Pradhosha Vrat An auspicious day dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pradosha occurs twice in a traditional Hindu month. Also known as Pradosha Vrata and Pradosham, this fast take place during the two phases of the moon (waxing and waning) on 13th day of both fortnights. A Pradosha occurring on a Monday is known as Som Pradosh or Soma Pradosha. Monday, also known as Somwar, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, hence, the name Som Pradosh. Observing a fast on a Monday is associated with offering prayers to the lord asking for a good and loyal husband. Also the vrat is believed to assist in attaining prosperity and a peaceful family life. Glance on further to know the significance of Soma Pradosha and how to observe it.
Significance Of Soma Pradosha While Pradosha fasting are essentially connected with Lord Shiva, the day Monday is especially dedicated to Lord Shiva. Hence, a Pradosha falling on a Monday is considered to be very auspicious.
The name Pradosh indicates the twilight period, that is, the period just before sunset and immediately after sunset. Generally, the twilight period is between 1.5 hours before sunset and 1 hour after sunset.
During this period, the Hindu devotees believe that Lord Shiva and Parvati are at their best cheerful mood. Anyone asking for blessings and offerings are highly blessed by the couple during the Pradosham period.
Devotees, in large numbers, offer pujas and prayers to Lord Shiva in the temples. Those devotees staying back at home spend their day in chanting mantras devoted to the lord or reading the Shiva Purana. The fast begins at sunrise and ends in the evening after offering pujas by consuming the Prasad. Staunch devotees do not eat anything during the day and opt for water. Such devotees, though break their fast with the evening Prasad, but they only resume with eating proper food only in the next morning. Nevertheless, there are devotees who observe a partial vrat by consuming fruits and water. Such people recommence with eating cooked food after the evening prayers are completed.
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