Shivaratri – Krishna Chaturdashi

The Tithi is Krishna Chaturdasi (K14).
It’s also called Narka (Hellish) Chaturdashi, as it symbolizes sins and desires that cause rebirth.
This is the day when Brahma (son) fought with Vishnu (father)
It is the day when Chandra (student) kidnaps his Guru (Brihaspati) wife Tara.
We worship Shiva to overcome the Dosha of this malefic tithi.
Chaturdasi Dosha
- People born on Krishna Caturdashi suffer from very serious tithi dosa.
- They face the anger or destruction of their father or guru.
- They also suffer from relationship and marriage problems.
Maha Shivratri Pooja
- The pooja is divided into 4 prahar starting from Sunset.
- Each day (24) has 8 prahars, four in the day and four at night.
- Shivaratri pooja starts with the 1st prahar of Krishna Chaturdashi night i.e. from the Sunset.
- Maha Shivratri Pooja is actually a Pancha tattva pooja.
- The Pooja is divided into 5 periods of time. The 4 prahars will be at night.
The 5th part is the next day in the morning as Sunrise as a summation. Akash Tattva. - People whose health allows themselves should fast on Maha Shivratri.
Maha Shivaratri Pooja Schedule
Prahar | Time | Devata |
---|---|---|
1. | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm 18 Feb 2023 | Sadyojata |
2. | 9:00 pm to 12:00 am 18 Feb 2023 | Vamadeva |
3. | 12:00 am to 3:00 am 19 Feb 2023 | Aghora |
4. | 3:00 am to 6:00 am 19 Feb 2023 | Tatpurusha |
5. | 6:00 am 19 Feb 2023 | Ishana |
Pooja Vidhi
- Achaman
- Ganesh Invocation
- Guru Invocation
- Dhyana
- Pancha Upachar Pooja
- Namaskara
- Pradakshina
- Mantra Japa for each Prahar
Achaman

We slip water three times with the mantra of Vishnu to cleanse ourselves.
This symbolizes the cleaning of the Mind, Body, and Soul.
We take some water in our right-hand palm and sip water saying these three mantras.
- ॐ केशवाय नमः |om keśavāya namaḥ
- ॐ मधवाय नमः | om madhavāya namaḥ
- ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः | om govindāya namaḥ
Now wash your hands.
Ganesh Invocation


ॐ गं ग्लौं गणपतये विघ्नविनाशीने स्वाहा।
om gaṁ glauṁ gaṇapataye vighnavināśīne svāhā |
We start the Pooja by doing this beautiful 16-syllable Ganesh Mantra to remove all obstacles.
Guru Invocation

Guru Mantra
ॐ गुरवे नमः | om gurave namaḥ
We do this Guru Mantra 108 times so that we always have to blessings of the Guru and our intelligence never fails.
Shiva Dhayana
ध्याये नित्यं महेशं रजतगिरि निभिं चारु चन्द्रावतंसम्।
dhyāye nityaṁ maheśaṁ rajatagiri nibhiṁ cāru candrāvataṁsam |
रत्नाकल्पोज्ज्वलांगं परशुमृग वरा भीति हस्तं प्रसन्नम्॥
ratnākalpojjvalāṁgaṁ paraśumṛga varā bhīti hastaṁ prasannam ||
पद्मासीनं समंतात् स्तुतममरगण्येः व्यग्रकृतिं वसानम्।
padmāsīnaṁ samaṁtāt stutamamaragaṇyeḥ vyagrakṛtiṁ vasānam |
विश्वाद्यं विश्ववन्ध्यं निखिल भय हरं पंच वक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रम्॥
viśvādyaṁ viśvavandhyaṁ nikhila bhaya haraṁ panca vaktraṁ trinetram ||
Pancha Upachar Pooja

Pancha Upachar Pooja is done to pacify and cleanse the 5 tattvas.
We offer five elements to Shiva Linga in the following order.
- Burning Incense Stick- Vayu tattva.
- Lighting a Lamp – Agni tattva
- Sandalwood Paste – Prithvi tattva
- Naivedyam – Jala tattva
- Flowers – Akash tattva
Namaskara

Men should do Ashtanga Pranam to Shiva Linga and for women, it is always Sashtanga Pranam.
# Women’s breasts should never touch the floor doing any pranam
Pradakshina

No one can do parikrama of Shiva Lingas as it has no beginning or end. It is an infinite column of Light.
So we do Pradakshina of Shiva Linga. We just rotate in a clockwise direction 3 times standing in front of Shiva Linga.
Mantra Japa each Prahar
Select a mantra for each Prahar. I have provided three mantras for each Prahar and each head of Shiva. Choose the which you can do easily. I prefer the Mula Mantra which is the main mantra but its pronunciation can be a little tough.
Prahar 1: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm 18 Feb 2023


Mula Mantra
सद्योजातं प्रपस्द्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमः।
भवे भवे नातिभवे भवस्व मां भवोद्भवाय नमः॥
sadyojātaṁ prapasdyāmi sadyojātāya vai namaḥ |
bhave bhave nātibhave bhavasva māṁ bhavodbhavāya namaḥ ||

Tattva Mantra
ॐ लं सद्योजाताय नमः। om laṁ sadyojātāya namaḥ

Pancha Panchakshri Mantra
ॐ नं नमः शिवाय। om naṁ namaḥ śivāya |
Prahar 2: 9:00 pm to 12:00 am 18 Feb 2023


Mula Mantra
वामदेवाय नमो ज्येष्ठाय नमो रुद्राय
नमः कालाय नमः कालविकर्णाय नमो बलाय नमो बलप्रमथनाय
नमः सर्वभूतदमनाय नमो नमोन्मनाय नमः
vāmadevāya namo jyeṣṭhāya namo rudrāya
namaḥ kālāya namaḥ kālavikarṇāya namo balāya namo balapramathanāya
namaḥ sarvabhūtadamanāya namo namonmanāya namaḥ

Tattva Mantra
ॐ वं वामदेवाय नमः। om vaṁ vāmadevāya namaḥ

Pancha Panchakshri Mantra
ॐ मं नमः शिवाय। om maṁ namaḥ śivāya |
Prahar 3: 12:00 am to 3:00 am 19 Feb 2023


Mula Mantra
ओं अघोरेभ्योथ घोरेभ्योघोरघोरतरेभ्यः।
सर्वेभ्यः सर्वसर्वेभ्यो नमस्तेस्तु रुद्ररूपेभ्यः।
oṁ aghorebhyotha ghorebhyoghoraghoratarebhyaḥ |
sarvebhyaḥ sarvasarvebhyo namastestu rudrarūpebhyaḥ |

Tattva Mantra
ॐ रं अघोराय नमः | om raṁ aghorāya namaḥ

Pancha Panchakshri Mantra
ॐ शिं नमः शिवाय। om śiṁ namaḥ śivāya |
Prahar 4: 3:00 am to 6:00 am 19 Feb 2023


Mula Mantra
तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि।
तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्
tatpuruṣāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi |
tanno rudraḥ pracodayāt

Tattva Mantra
ॐ यं तत्पुरुषाय नमः। om yaṁ tatpuruṣāya namaḥ|

Pancha Panchakshri Mantra
ॐ वं नमः शिवाय। om vaṁ namaḥ śivāya |
Prahar 5: 6:00 am 19 Feb 2023

Concluding The Pooja
- We worship Iśāna at the last as He brings peace to all the tattvas.
- This is to be done at the time of Sunrise.
- We light a lamp and sign any Stotra of Shiva. Best to sing Shiva Panchakshri Stotra
- We again offer Naivedhyam
- Best is to offer homemade sweets (Kheer) and fruits of five kinds.
- Then we sit to complete the japa
- First, we do the Iśāna Mantra and finally worship Gauri Sankara.
- After this, we break the fast.

Mula Mantra
ईशानः सर्वविद्यानामीश्वरः सर्वभूतानां
ब्रह्माधिपतिर्ब्रह्मा शिवो मेस्तु सदा शिवोम्
īśānaḥ sarvavidyānāmīśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ
brahmādhipatirbrahmā śivo mestu sadā śivom

Tattva Mantra
ॐ हं ईशानाय नमः। om haṁ īśānāya namaḥ|

Pancha Panchakshri Mantra
ॐ यं नमः शिवाय। om yaṁ namaḥ śivāya |

Gauri Sankar
Sankar is the summation of all the power of Lord Shiva.
Sankar is one of the most auspicious names of Lord Shiva.
Sankar means one who always does well
Gauri is the consort of Lord Shiva and is her Shakti too.
One who worships Gauri Sankar sustains his samsara and also moves towards moksha.
ॐ नमः शिवाय गौरी शंकराय |om namaḥ śivāya gaurī śankarāya

Tulsi Das’s Prayer
ॐ नमः शिवाय गौरी शंकराय माहादेवाय नमो नमः।
मदनान्तकाय मुक्तीप्रदाय श्रिमद्शंकराय नमो नमः॥
om namaḥ śivāya gaurī śaṁkarāya māhādevāya namo namaḥ |
madanāntakāya muktīpradāya śrimadśankarāya namo namaḥ ||
🕉O NAMÖH🙏 SHIVAAY🕉
I would like to be connected to you Pamdry Ji ,I am a Brahmin too and I live in UK
My Whatsapp is +44 7513948799
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Sure
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Sir can I chant Kali Mantra on the mid night of mahashivratri Holi janmashtami kali chodas and solar and lunar eclipses …. can u guide pls
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Yes its best to chant shiva mantra
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