Maha Shivaratri Fasting, Puja Vidhi, Guide

Authentic, Worship Puja Method, Materials for Maha Shivaratri Fast

February 04,2026 | Added by: Astro Editorial Team

When Shivaratri Celebrates?

Shivratri festival falls on Phalguna month Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi Tithi. On the day of Mahashivratri Lord Bholenath and mother Parvati were married. Shiva devotees observe this day as a fast and worship Mahadev and Goddess Parvati.

Some people go to temples and Shivalayas and perform the worship of Shivling. Devotees are worship Lord Shiva and meditate using different methods with different treatment to get the blessings of Lord Bholenath.

On the Day of Maha Shivratri, Devotees Observe a Fast

As per Shiva Mahapuran, on the day of Mahashivratri, devotees are observing a fast. If you are also fasting on the occasion or you should do special pooja of Mahadev at home and temple, then you should know the worship method of Mahashivratri.

Mahashivratri worship requires some special materials. So let us tell you in this article what materials are required for the worship of Shivaji on Mahashivratri and how to worship Mahashivratri at home.

Ingredients Required for Shivaratri Puja?

There are certain specific rituals for worshipping Lord Shiva on the day of Maha Shivaratri, and we are describing them below accordingly.

Take one idol or picture or Lord Shiva or parad Shiva Lingam.

Take 108 Bael Leaves, the bell leaves should not be broken or damaged, and Dhatura flowers.

Take Hibiscus flower or flower garland which is available.

Take dome Shami tree leaves, this is considered this tree is dear to Lord Shani.

Take some Lotus and white flowers.

Cow's milk, curd, sugar.

Gangajal, clothes for Mahadev and Shiva Parivar.

Goddess Parvati's ornaments, clothes.

Janeu, sandalwood, saffron, Akshat, perfume, cloves, cardamom, betel nut.

Rolly, Molly, Raksha Sutra, Abharak Bhasma, Kush Ka Asan, Honey, Curd.

Any five seasonal fruits, mewa(nuts)

Shiva Chalis Book, Shiva Aarti, Mahashivratri fasting story.

Sweets, Halwa, thandai or lassi for enjoyment.

Havan Ingredients for Havan, Cow Ghee.

Donation goods like clothes, grain, jaggery, ghee, white rice, and wheat etc.

Diya, cow ghee and pure Bhimseni Camphor for Aarti.

What is Shivaratri Puja Prahar?

Mind it, Maha Shivaratri puja done in four types of Prahar like so on the following.

On the day of Maha Shivratri, people go to the Shiva temple and worship, consecrate the Shivalinga, perform aarti and chant mantras. Along with this, fasting is also observed throughout this day.

The great thing is, worshiping at four o'clock in the night on Maha Shivaratri is very important.

Types of Prahar & Know the Significance of Prahar

Prahar One

The First Prahar comes in between, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, around.

Prahar Two

The Second Prahar comes in between 9:00 pm to 12:00 o’clock night.

Prahar Three

The Third Prahar comes in between 12:00 o'clock to 3:AM next day very early morning.

Prahar Four

The Fourth Prahar comes in between 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM by the next day morning.

According to the Shiva Mahapurana, worshiping Maha Shivaratri in these four periods has been considered very important. There is a religious belief that those who worship Shiva in these four hours will get the fruits of virtue throughout the year. On this day if you are not able to go to the temple for some reason then you can worship Maha Shivaratri at your home.

How to do Maha Shivaratri Pooja at home?

Let's come to know in details about the pooja at home during the Maha Shivaratri.

In the day of Shivaratri, wake up early morning and after bathing wear white or red clothes and then take vow of fasting in front of Bholenath.

Keep fast and if you cannot go without food, then you can consume milk, fruits or fruit juice.

How to Make Tripund on your Forhead?

This is better, if you can recite this mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya' should be chanted throughout the day. In the worship of Bholenath make Tripund on your forehead with sandalwood paste is considered to be of special importance to the followers of Lord Shiva.

Bathe again in the evening before sunset and then sprinkle Ganga water at the place of worship in the house during the auspicious time in the evening.

Now face north direction and apply sandalwood in three fingers. Place the tripod from the left side of your head to the right side. Then worship Shivalinga in the temple or at your home. Take the name of Sri Ganesh and recite his name “Omm Gang Ganapataye Namah” at least 108 times first before starting the puja. Only after that start Shiva Pujan.

While worshiping, your face should be towards east or north direction. Worship Lord Shiva with Rudraksh and a Bael Leaves in hand, take the vow of worship while chanting following mantra.

Sankalp Mantra:

॥ अथः मंत्र ॥

ममाखिलपापक्षयपूर्वकसलाभीष्टसिद्धये । शिवप्रीत्यर्थं च शिवपूजनमहं करिष्ये ॥

Then take pure water and add some Ganga water in it. One should anoint the Shivling with this water and during this chant the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya".

Panchamrit Abhishek

After anointing with water, make Panchamrut. Mix milk, curd, ghee, honey, jaggery to make it. And anoint Lord Shiva with Panchamrit while reciting the mantra "O Namah Shivaya". This is called Panchamrit Sanana.

Abhishek the Shivling with this Panchamrit. Then, if possible, write "ॐ नाम: शिवाय" with sandalwood paste in the 108 Bael Leaves then offer the Bael Leaves together with chanting this mantra and worship the Shivalinga. Use Abhrak Bhasma and sandalwood paste to worship Lord Mahadev.

Recite Maha Mritinjaya Mantra

The best thing is that, if you want to recite the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra as given below.

॥ अथः मंत्र ॥

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

Keep chanting the Mahamrityunjaya mantra while anointing Lord Shiva. By chanting this mantra Lord Shiva fulfills all the prayers. Offer Bhang, Betel Leaves, Bael Fruits or Aak flowers, Dhatura Flowers, Abeer or Gulal, Shami Leaves, on the Shivlingam. Then recite Shiv Chalisa, or Shiv Panchakshara Mantra or Shiv Purana after lighting incense and Chaumukha Ghee Lamp.

Worship Goddess Parvati

After this, offer Bhog or Naivedya to Lord Shiva Ji. Then chant the mantras 'ॐ गं गणपतये नमः' and 'ॐ नमः शिवाय'. It is better to remember Shivaji as well as Mata Gauri ji, because Mata Gauri who is Parvati is the one who is around the Shivling which is called Shakti and whose power is everybody knows about it. One should bow to Mother Parvati by meditating with this mantra:

॥ अथः मंत्र ॥

सर्वमंगलमांगल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरी नारायणि नमोSस्तु ते ॥

Again, there are eight names of Lord Shiva called Bhava, Sharva, Rudra, Pashupati, Ugra, Mahana, Bhima and Ishaan, remind all these eight names and offer flowers and Akshat. Offer Aarti and Adhi Parikrama should be done to Lord Shiva. Because Shivji is not circumambulated completely, there is a fault in it. Why? We will discuss that on it with another topic.

After this, burn camphor with cow ghee, laung, small elaichi and do aarti of the Shiva Lingam by visualizing the Shiva Parivar including Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya.

After the aarti, apologized to Shivaji for the mistake done in the pooja knowingly or unknowingly. After the pooja, distribute the prasad to everyone and eat it yourself. If you are fasting, you can take Prasad after breaking the fast.

Shiv Pujan is very big and long, normal people can't do it, nowadays people neither have time nor understanding. That's why I have tried to tell you the details of Mahashivratri Puja of Bhavan Shivji with my simple solution. If you like it, please leave a nice comment, your comment is very valuable for us, and it also encourages us to move forward. So, that we will bring for you more spiritual stories for you.

Frequent Asked Questions(FAQs)

For daily worship, one may dedicate anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, or even up to an hour. It would be even more beneficial if you were to incorporate a little meditation alongside your worship.

The best time for worship is considered to be between 4:00 AM and 5:30 AM in the morning. This specific period is known as the “Brahma Muhurta”.

If, due to unavoidable circumstances, you are unable to perform your worship, it is not a cause for concern. Simply offer your salutations to your Deity and convey to them, saying, "O Lord, I am unable to perform Your worship today" while explaining the reason for your inability. However, you should always strive to ensure that you do not miss your daily worship on any day, unless such unavoidable circumstances arise.

Yes, bathing purifies our body. This is beneficial not only for Puja but also in general; daily bathing helps prevent premature wrinkles, makes the skin glow, and strengthens one's immunity. However, if for any reason you are unable to bathe, you may still perform the Puja after thoroughly washing your face, hands, and feet.

No, it is highly advisable and excellent to perform the daily Puja yourself within your own home, regardless of your caste. However, if you lack the time or if no one else in the household is able to perform the Puja, you may then enlist the services of a priest.

One should face towards the East or North while performing “Puja”.

1) First, purify yourself by reciting the self-purification mantra; then, perform “Achamana” (ritual sipping of water) to achieve inner purification. Subsequently, you should perform the purification of the seat Asana, the ground called Bhu Shudhi, and the specific area where the worship is taking place.

2) Next, holding Gangajal (holy water from the Ganges), “Akshat” (unbroken rice grains), and a flower in your hands, perform the purification of the Ganesha idol. After the purification is complete, take a small amount of Akshat in your hands, chant the Ganesha mantra 108 times, and then while reciting the “Avahana” (invocation) mantra release the “Akshat” onto the idol slowly.

3) After that, proceed to observe the “Shodashopachara Puja Vidhi” (the ritual of sixteen acts of worship).

During Ganesh Puja, you may offer to the Lord in the form of Naivedya whatever you wish to present with devotion. Specifically, you may offer Motichoor Laddoos, coconuts, Modaks, any five seasonal fruits, Kheer, and various sweets made with milk.

You may keep the Ganesh idol on the puja platform or in the shrine for as many days as you desire. However, it is essential to perform the Visarjan (immersion) of the Ganesh idol by Bhadra Purnima at the very latest. Because the month of “Shradh Period” begins immediately next day of Bhadra Purnima, during which the immersion ceremony is prohibited. Whenever you perform the immersion, ensure you select an auspicious day; for instance, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday are considered suitable. Additionally, you should avoid performing the immersion on Amavasya (New Moon), “Sankranti”, or “Pratipada Tithi”.

Lord Ganesh should be worshipped using the “Shodashopachara Puja Vidhi” (the sixteen-step ritual).

Lord Ganesh is worshipped on the “Chaturthi Tithi” (the fourth day) of the “Shukla Paksha” (waxing phase of the moon) during the month of “Bhadrapada”.

Ghat Sthapana is performed on the first day of Navratri. Barley is sown in an earthen pot and then a water-filled Kalash is placed on it. A silver coin, Gangajal, some Banaspati herbs like red sandalwood, jatamansi, indrajava, bhimseni camphor, a betel nut, and a lump of turmeric are placed inside the Kalash. Five mango leaves are placed on top of the Kalash, followed by a whole coconut wrapped in a red cloth. Shakti is then invoked, symbolizing prosperity and the beginning of the worship of Goddess Durga. The Kalash is considered the abode of gods and goddesses and is kept lit with an eternal flame for nine days.

For nine days, Mata Durga should be worshipped daily using the Shodashopachara Puja method. If you wish, you can also chant mantras and perform havan after the puja.

There are four Navratris in a year. The Navratri that falls in September-October is called Gupta Navratri, the Navratri that falls in the Magh month of January-February is called Gupta Navratri, the Navratri that falls in Chaitra month of March-April is called Chaitra/Basantika Navratri, the Navratri that falls in the Jyestha month of June-July is called Gupta Navratri.

Gupta Navaratri occurs twice a year. During this Navaratri, a spiritual seeker performs rituals in secret without anyone else's knowledge in order to attain a specific objective. Gupta Navaratri is considered to be of immense significance for spiritual practice.

Sharadiya Navaratri, which falls during the months of September and October, is celebrated with great enthusiasm by people across the globe.

If you wish to observe the Navaratri fast, you should take a Sankalp (vow) on the very first day of Navaratri, specifying exactly how many days you intend to fast. Generally, some people fast for 7 days and break their fast on Ashtami (the eighth day), while others fast for the full 10 days breaking their fast on Dussehra (the tenth day) following the Kanya Pujan ritual.

During Navaratri, Kanya Pujan also known as Kanjak involves revering young girls as embodiments of the Divine Mother. These girls are regarded as the living manifestations of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as Navadurga.

Devotees complete their worship by treating girls aged 2 to 10 as the direct embodiment of the Goddess, offering them food and gifts; this practice is believed to bring happiness, prosperity, and deliverance from all adversities in life. This ritual is performed specifically to honor the Goddess and to seek her divine blessings.

Following the nine days of Navaratri worship, the Kalash should be immersed during an auspicious time (Shubh Muhurat) on the Dashami Tithi (the tenth day), or immediately after Mahanavami.

Hold a small amount of Akshat (unbroken rice grains) in your hand. While chanting the following mantra, gradually sprinkle the rice grains over the Kalash:

Mantra:

Gachchha Gachchha Surashreshthe Svasthanam Parameshvari |
Pujaradhanakale Cha Punaragamanaya Cha ||

You may distribute the coconut from the Kalash as Prasad (sacred offering) or immerse it in flowing water, as per your preference. Sprinkle the holy water from the Kalash throughout your home, and immerse the earthen pot itself under a tree or in a river. This ritual is believed to usher in positivity, happiness, and prosperity into the home.

Goddess Durga's has 9 forms and those nine forms worship by devotees during the Navaratri period. They are like following:

Day1: Shailaputri

Day2: Brahmacharini

Day 3: Chandraghanta

Day 4: Kushmanda

Day 5: Skandamata

Day 6: Katyayani

Day 7: Kalaratri

Day 8: Mahagauri

Day 9: Siddhidatri

Diwali Lakshmi Puja is best performed during the Pradosh Kala, specifically within the Sthira Lagna (Fixed Ascendant). The Pradosh Kala is generally considered to fall between 5:45 PM and 8:15 PM in the evening. This time corresponds to the Vrisha Lagna (Taurus Ascendant), which is classified as a "Sthira Lagna" according to Vedic Astrology.

During the days of Diwali, one should not sleep late into the morning. Under no circumstances should you disrespect your parents or elders.

Do not deceive anyone, and do not lie to anyone. Every nook and cranny of the house must be absolutely clean and tidy. One should avoid arguments or discord within the home, and one should not sleep during the evening hours. Refrain from consuming any form of intoxicant, and keep the house clean and well-decorated.

Generally, in North India, Diwali is celebrated over a period of five days, observed as follows:

Day 1: Dhanteras

Day 2: Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali)

Day 3: Diwali

Day 4: Govardhan Puja

Day 5: Bhai Dooj

To perform Puja alone at home on Diwali, begin by thoroughly cleaning the entire house.

Next, in the North-East corner of the house, spread a red cloth over a raised platform (Chowki) and install the idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.

Light ghee lamps; bathe the idols, apply sandalwood paste and a tilak (sacred mark) to them, and then offer flowers, fruits, and sweets. Finally, perform the worship using incense (dhoop), lamps (deep), and flowers. Conclude the ritual by performing the Aarti (hymn of worship) for Lord Ganesha and Mother Lakshmi, using either camphor or a ghee lamp. Afterward, bow down in reverence and distribute the Prasad (sacred food offering) among everyone present.

Dhanteras falls on the Trayodashi Tithi (thirteenth day) of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) during the month of Kartika. It marks the first day of the five-day festival of Diwali. On this day, Lord Dhanvantari, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kubera are worshipped. Purchasing new utensils, gold or silver jewelry, or other items on this day is considered extremely auspicious.

Dhanvantari Trayodashi, is known as Dhanteras. On this day, one should worship Lord Dhanvantari, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kubera. It is considered highly auspicious to purchase gold or silver jewelry, new utensils, coriander seeds, or a broom on this day.

In the evening, a four-faced lamp (Choumukha Deepak) is burned for Lord Yamaraj to pray for the longevity of all family members; during the day, the house is thoroughly cleaned, and in the evening, Lakshmi Pujan (worship of Goddess Lakshmi) is performed.

Chhath Puja is celebrated every year on the Shashthi Tithi or the sixth day) of the Shukla Paksha and waxing phase of the moon during the month of Kartik. It falls exactly six days after Diwali.

During Chhath Puja, the primary deities worshipped are “Surya Dev” hence the name “Surya Shashthi” and “Chhathi Maiya” is Goddess Shasthi. It is believed that Goddess Shasthi always protects children, and worshipping her blesses the household with a male child.

Chhath Puja is a major festival spanning four days, beginning on “Kartik Shukla Chaturthi” is the fourth day and continuing until “Saptami Tithi” is the seventh day. The rituals include:

Day 1: Nahay-Khay;

Day 2: Kharna;

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (offering to the setting sun); and

Day 4: Usha Arghya (offering to the rising sun). This festival is dedicated to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya.

Chhath Puja is a difficult fast that continues for 36 hours without water (Nirjala). Purity holds special significance in this observance, wherein everything is strictly sattvic and pure and wholesome. The ritual begins on the first day with 'Nahay-Khay,' followed by 'Kharna' on the second day; the third day features the 'Sandhya Arghya' and evening offering, and the fast concludes called Parana on the fourth day with the 'Usha Arghya' or morning offering.