Rudraksha-Ratna

1st Feb. 2017

Mahashivratri 2017 - the Great Night of Awakening

to Ones Self

When it comes to the Indian festivals, MahaShivratri is celebrated by masses across all the states
in India. It is falling on February 24, 2017, Friday. Thousands of people celebrate this festival by
observing fast and keeping vigil (Jaagran); staying awake the whole night. During this festival,
stories from the Shiva Purana are read and narrated. Bhajans of Lord Shiva are sung and Shiv Puja
is performed. The glory of Lord Shiva is mentioned in the various Vedic scriptures. In the Rig
Veda, He is described as the Deity of destruction of Cosmos. In the Satarudriay section of the Yajur
Veda, He is described as Rudra (anger personified).
Although Lord Shiva can be worshiped anytime with humility but Maha Shivaratri has a special
significance. During this festival, the atmosphere is super charged with shiva-tattvas that energise
the minds of yogis and sadhakas (devotees).

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How to worship Lord Shiva:
People worship Lord Shiva in various ways; by fasting, by chanting His devotional prayers, by
visiting pilgrimages or simply meditating on Him. However on Maha Shivratri, it is better if one
performs a simple Puja for His blessings. Keep all the puja items ready: Diya (oil lamp), agarbatti
(incense sticks), Abhisheka vessel, ashtagandha, Bael leaves, flowers, fruits and sweets.
Take a seat near Shiva Linga at a temple.
Close your eyes and meditate on Him. Offer prayers to Him in your mind in whatever
language you feel comfortable in.
Now take some water in your right hand, think of your wish and drop it into a bowl. You can
also follow if you want Him to forgive you for all your wrongdoings committed knowingly
or unknowingly.
Offer a flower to Shiva and chant Om Pashupataye Namah.
Light up Diya and agarbattis.
Chant Om Namah Shivay. You can also chant Mahamrityunjaya Mantra as it is one of
the greatest Vedic mantras for protection against danger or any mishap.
Timings of Shiva Puja during Maha Shivratri 2017:
Mahashivratri is celebrated on 24th of February in 2017, Friday. To take advantage of this
auspicious festival, it is better to know the exact timing for Maha Shivratri Puja & Abhishek
vidhi.

It starts at 00:08 to 00:59 at night on 24th of February followed by Maha Shivaratri Parana
Time 06:24 to 15:24 in the morning of 25th February.

On the night of 25th: The initial Prahara puja time is 6:13 PM to 9:23 PM.

The second Prahara puja time is 9:23 PM to 12:33 AM.

The third Prahara puja time is 12:33 AM to 3:44 AM

The fourth Prahara puja time 3:44 AM to 6:54 AM.

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You can worship Lord Shiva considering these times and offer prayers with humility. Also you can
join congregations at a Shiva temple for worship and take part in pujas.

Related Articles:
How to do Shiva Puja
Lord Shiva
Legend of Maha Shivratri
Samudra Manthan Story
Nandi Puja

About Rudra Centre

Rudra Centre organizes exhibitions and arranges workshops on Rudraksha and Ratna and their
rare collections in India and abroad to popularize Rudraksha Ratna and bring it close to the
people. They are the first ISO certified Rudraksha organization in the world and first to
translate Puranas and Upanishads information on Rudraksha in English and prepare the world
famous combinations of Indra mala, Siddh mala and various popular power combinations.

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