KundliDarpan
Bhagwan Shiv Pooja
Everything for Shiv pooja and Shivling abhishek in one place — for Maha Shivratri, Sawan Somvar, Pradosh or the everyday pooja: the samagri checklist, step-by-step vidhi, the Shivratri four-prahar guide and the aarti.
Before you begin
- Bathe and wear clean clothes (white or light colours are preferred). Clean the pooja place. Shiv pooja is done in the morning, and on Shivratri / Pradosh in the evening (Pradosh kaal).
- Set the Shivling on the chowki in the jaladhari so that its spout (the yoni's opening) points north, and sit facing east or north — never facing the spout.
- Keep the abhishek liquids in separate bowls in the order they will be poured; keep a big vessel for the collected water (it goes to a plant, not the drain).
- Check the bilva leaves: three whole leaflets, not torn or holed; offer them with the smooth side down, stalk towards you.
Pooja vidhi, step by step
- 1Pavitrikaran and achaman
Sprinkle water on yourself and the pooja items with a flower while reciting the mantra; then take three sips of water (achaman).
Mantraॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा।यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥ - 2Ganesh smaran
Every pooja begins with Ganesh ji: offer a flower and akshat to Ganesh ji (or to the north-east corner) with the mantra.
Mantraवक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ।निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥ - 3Sankalp
Take water, akshat and a flower in the right hand; say your name, gotra, place, date and the wish (health, peace, removal of fear, a vrat you are keeping) — then release the water.
Mantraमम सकलकामनासिद्ध्यर्थं श्रीसाम्बसदाशिवप्रीत्यर्थंशिवपूजनम् अभिषेकं च करिष्ये। - 4Dhyan and avahan
With folded hands meditate on Bhagwan Shiv — seated in the Himalaya, crescent moon on the head, Ganga in the jata, the serpent, trishul and damru — and offer a flower.
Mantraध्यायेन्नित्यं महेशं रजतगिरिनिभं चारुचन्द्रावतंसंरत्नाकल्पोज्ज्वलाङ्गं परशुमृगवराभीतिहस्तं प्रसन्नम्।पद्मासीनं समन्तात् स्तुतममरगणैर्व्याघ्रकृत्तिं वसानंविश्वाद्यं विश्ववन्द्यं निखिलभयहरं पञ्चवक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रम्॥ - 5Jal abhishek
Pour water on the Shivling in a thin, unbroken stream from the lota, chanting "ॐ नमः शिवाय" throughout. Pour slowly, from the top, with the stream falling on the ling.
Mantraॐ नमः शिवाय।ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्॥ - 6Panchamrit abhishek
Pour one by one: milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar/sugarcane juice — with a little water in between each — then the mixed panchamrit, then saffron/rose water if you have it, and finally clean water again.
Each liquid has its fruit in the shastra: milk — health, curd — progeny, ghee — strength, honey — sweet speech, sugar — prosperity. The collected water is prasad: put a drop on the head, the rest to a plant.
Mantraॐ नमः शिवाय। पयः स्नानं समर्पयामि। दधि स्नानं समर्पयामि। घृत स्नानं समर्पयामि।मधु स्नानं समर्पयामि। शर्करा स्नानं समर्पयामि। पञ्चामृत स्नानं समर्पयामि। शुद्धोदक स्नानं समर्पयामि। - 7Vastra, chandan, bhasma, janeu
Dry the Shivling with a clean cloth. Offer vastra and janeu, then the three-line tilak (tripund) of white chandan with the ring finger, bhasma, and akshat. Haldi, kumkum and sindoor are not put on the Shivling — they are for Maa Parvati.
Mantraॐ नमः शिवाय। वस्त्रं समर्पयामि। यज्ञोपवीतं समर्पयामि।चन्दनं समर्पयामि। भस्मं समर्पयामि। अक्षतान् समर्पयामि। - 8Bilva patra, dhatura, flowers
Offer the bilva leaves one by one on top of the Shivling with the bilva mantra, then dhatura, bhang, aak flowers and white flowers, and the garland.
Mantraत्रिदलं त्रिगुणाकारं त्रिनेत्रं च त्रिधायुधम्।त्रिजन्मपापसंहारं एकबिल्वं शिवार्पणम्॥ - 9Dhoop, deep, naivedya
Show dhoop and deep. Offer the fruits, mishri, kheer/thandai and coconut, sprinkle water around the plate, then offer betel leaf with supari and water for achaman.
Mantraॐ नमः शिवाय। धूपमाघ्रापयामि। दीपं दर्शयामि।नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि। ताम्बूलं समर्पयामि। - 10Mantra jaap / path
Chant "ॐ नमः शिवाय" 108 times on the rudraksh mala, or the Mahamrityunjaya mantra (11 / 108) — or recite Shiv Chalisa, Rudrashtakam or Shiv Tandav Stotra.
Mantraॐ नमः शिवाय।ॐ हौं जूं सः ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्।उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॐ स्वः भुवः भूः ॐ सः जूं हौं ॐ॥ - 11Aarti
Do the aarti with a ghee diya or camphor while singing "ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा" — the words are in the Aarti tab.
- 12Ardha-pradakshina and pushpanjali
Circle the Shivling only half way — go clockwise up to the jaladhari's spout, do not cross it, come back the same way (the spout carries the abhishek water, which is not stepped over). Then offer flowers/akshat with the pushpanjali mantra and bow.
Mantraयानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च।तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणपदे पदे॥ - 13Kshama prarthana and prasad
Ask forgiveness for any mistake in the pooja and distribute the prasad. Bilva leaves offered on the Shivling can be washed and offered again the next day if fresh ones are not available.
Mantraआवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम्।पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वर॥करचरणकृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वाश्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम्।विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत् क्षमस्वजय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेव शम्भो॥
Special rules of Shiv pooja
Not offered to the Shivling: Tulsi, ketaki (kewda) flowers, haldi, kumkum, sindoor, and water from a shankh. Do not offer broken or torn bilva leaves.
Bilva patra: The most beloved offering: trifoliate leaf, smooth side down. Not plucked on Chaturthi, Ashtami, Navami, Chaturdashi, Amavasya, Sankranti or Monday — pluck a day earlier.
Half pradakshina: The Shivling is circled only half way — the jaladhari's spout is not crossed.
Days of Shiv: Monday (Somvar), the Pradosh of every fortnight (Trayodashi evening), the monthly Shivratri (Krishna Chaturdashi), the whole month of Sawan, and Maha Shivratri (Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi).
This is the common household vidhi; the order and some mantras differ between regions and families (Rudrabhishek with Rudri path is done by a pandit). The mantras are given in their traditional form — it is good to check them once against a reliable pustak (e.g. Gita Press) or your family pandit.
How to do the aarti
- Prepare the aarti thali: a ghee diya or camphor, chandan, akshat, flowers and a bell.
- Ring the bell with the left hand and move the thali clockwise with the right while singing.
- A common way: four times at the base, twice at the middle, once at the top, then seven times over the whole Shivling.
- After the aarti, sprinkle a little water around the thali and give the aarti to everyone present.
Aarti — ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा।
ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव, अर्धांगी धारा॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
एकानन चतुरानन पंचानन राजे।
हंसासन गरुड़ासन वृषवाहन साजे॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
दो भुज चार चतुर्भुज दस भुज अति सोहे।
तीनों रूप निरखता त्रिभुवन जन मोहे॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
अक्षमाला वनमाला मुण्डमाला धारी।
चंदन मृगमद सोहै, भाले शशिधारी॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
श्वेताम्बर पीताम्बर बाघम्बर अंगे।
सनकादिक गरुणादिक भूतादिक संगे॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
कर के मध्य कमण्डलु चक्र त्रिशूल धर्ता।
जगकर्ता जगभर्ता जग संहारकर्ता॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव जानत अविवेका।
प्रणवाक्षर में शोभित ये तीनों एका॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
काशी में विश्वनाथ विराजत नंदी ब्रह्मचारी।
नित उठि दर्शन पावत महिमा अति भारी॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
त्रिगुण स्वामी की आरती जो कोई नर गावे।
कहत शिवानंद स्वामी मनवांछित फल पावे॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा॥
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा।
ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव, अर्धांगी धारा॥
Maha Shivratri is Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi (Feb/March). The pooja is done at night in four prahars, the main one at Nishita kaal (around midnight).
Four-prahar pooja (night of Shivratri)
| Prahar | Time (approx., New Delhi) | Abhishek & mantra |
| 1 | From sunset (~6 pm – 9 pm) | Abhishek with milk; bilva; mantra "ॐ ह्रीं ईशानाय नमः" |
| 2 | ~9 pm – midnight | Abhishek with curd; bilva; "ॐ ह्रीं अघोराय नमः" |
| 3 | ~midnight – 3 am (Nishita kaal is in this prahar — the main pooja) | Abhishek with ghee; bilva; "ॐ ह्रीं वामदेवाय नमः" |
| 4 | ~3 am – sunrise | Abhishek with honey; bilva; "ॐ ह्रीं सद्योजाताय नमः" |
Prahar times are the night (sunset to sunrise) divided into four; see the Full Panchang page for that date's exact sunset and sunrise.
Vrat rules — Shivratri, Sawan Somvar, Pradosh
- Maha Shivratri vrat: fast from the morning (fruit/milk is allowed), keep the night awake (jagran) with the four-prahar pooja, and break the fast next morning after bath and pooja, before the Chaturdashi tithi ends.
- Sawan Somvar: bathe in the morning, do the abhishek and bilva pooja, take fruit/one meal, and read the Somvar vrat katha; many keep 16 Somvars starting from Sawan.
- Pradosh vrat: pooja in the evening Pradosh kaal (from sunset for about 2 hours 24 minutes) on Trayodashi; the abhishek is done in that window.
Dates are for New Delhi and can differ by a day in some regions or Panchangs.
Pooja samagri list
Shivling & seat (0/6)
For abhishek (0/9)
Pooja items (0/16)
Vastra & shringar (0/4)
Bhog & prasad (0/5)
This is the commonly used list; items vary by region and family tradition — follow your own custom where they differ. For everyday abhishek, water, bilva and a diya are enough.
Common questions
What should not be offered on a Shivling?
Tulsi, ketaki (kewda) flowers, haldi, kumkum, sindoor and water from a conch are not offered. Bilva leaves must be whole. The full list is under 'Special rules' in the 'Vidhi' tab.
Why is the Shivling circled only half way?
The abhishek water flows out through the jaladhari's spout, which is never stepped over — so one walks up to the spout and returns the same way (a half-moon pradakshina).
At what time is Maha Shivratri pooja done?
At night in four prahars, the main pooja at Nishita kaal (around midnight). Each prahar's time and abhishek offering is in the 'Shivratri & vrat' tab, with this year's date.