MAHA SHIVARATRI PUJA VIDHI

1. First, before starting puja, chant Sankalpam for Shiva puja. In Sankalpam, the place, gothra, nama, tithi, vara, nakshatra, and some other details are chanted in mantra form. You can also just say your name and gothra if you not much aware of Sankalpa mantra.

2. Start puja with Ganesh Puja. Chant some simple mantras of Lord Ganesh and pray for destruction of obstacles during Shiva Puja.

3. The third step is Gauri Puja. Take approximately 5 gms of turmeric (haldi) powder and make it like a cone shaped structure and consider it as Goddess Gauri and chant simple prayer to Gauri or Parvati.

4. Nandishwara Puja, Veerabhadra Puja, Kartikeya Pooja, Kubera Pooja, Keerthimukha puja, and Sarpa Puja are optional.

5. Now, the main Shivapuja begins with Dhyanam. Imagine Lord Shiva and pray to him with akshata.

6. As the first step, Lord Shiva is offered Shuddodaka Snanam (bath with gangajal or sanctified water).

7. Panchamrita snan is performed as the next step. (bath with milk, ghee, curd, honey and coconut water).

8. Shuddodaka Snanam is performed again.

9. Jalabhishekam (pour water on linga drop by drop) is observed.

10. Yagnopaveetham is worn (a cotton garland is worn)(especially in South Indian puja procedure).

11. Offer Bhasma (vibhooti), Gandha (sandalwood paste), and Kumkum to Shivalinga. Sprinkle akshata on the Lord.

12. Flower garland is offered to the deity.

13. Bilva Puja is performed while chanting Bilvashtakam.

14. Dhoop or agarbatti or incense sticks are lit and dhoopam is given to Shivalinga.

15. Light a lamp or deepa.

16. Shiva Aarti is chanted.

17. Aatma Pradakshina (self circumambulation) is performed as the last step. This marks the end of simple Shivaratri Puja.

SHIVA PUJA BEGINS:

Chant the slokam at the beginning of Shiva Puja…

om vande shambhu umaapatim surgurum vande jagad kaaranaam |
vande pannag bhushanaam mrigadharam vande pashunaam patim|
vande surya shashaak vahninayanam vande mukundapriyam|
vande bhakta janaashrayan chavardham vande shivam shankaram||
deeparadhana

Chanting the below slokas, light deepa and offer it to Lord Shiva

sajyam cha varthi samyuktam vahnina yojitham mayaa
deepam gruhaana devesha trilokya thimirapaham
pari the dhanvano hethirasmaan vrunakthu vishvathah
atho ya ishudisthavaare asmanni dehi tham
sri sambashivaya namah deepam darshayami..

SANKALPAM:

Chant this Sankalpa mantra. Sankalpam signifies the name, gothra and the place of the performer.

"shivaratri vratham hyethath karishyeham mahaphalam
nirvighnam kuru devatra twatprasadath jagatpathe
chaturdashyam nirahaaro bhuthwa shambho pare hani
bhokshye ham bhukti mukthyartham saranam mebhaveshwara"
mama sreeman (your gothra)….. gothrodhbhavasya, (your name) namadeyasya,
darmapathni samethasya saha kutumbaanaam dharmartha kaama moksha chaturvidha phala purushartha sidhyartham shatru jayaartham shri samba sadashiva preethyartham bhagavatah sri sambasada shivasya pujaana maham karishye..

Ganapati Puja and Guru Puja are the most important aspects in any puja and thus perform Ganapathi Puja and Guru Puja.

Gandham (Sandalwood paste)
Offer Gandha (sandalwood paste) to Lord Shiva by chanting this mantra

‘lam’ pruthvi tatwatmane sri sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah – gandham
parikalpayami

Pushpam (Flowers)
Worship Lord with flowers and akshatas by chanting the mantras

‘ham’ akasha tatwatmane sri sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah – pushpam parikalpayami

SHIVA ASTOTTARA SHATANAMALI
Chant 108 names of Lord Shiva

Offer akshatas and flowers to Lord Shiva by chanting this mantra
sri sambasadashiva swamiye namah – naanavidha pushpakshatan samarpayami

Dhupam (Incense sticks)
Light incense sticks and show them to Lord by chanting the mantra
‘yam’ vayu tatwatmane sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah – dhupam parikalpayami

Deepam
Light diya and show it to Shiva by chanting the sloka
‘ram’ tejastatwatmane sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah – deepam darshayami

Naivedyam
Offer food (fruits and other food material) to Shiva by chanting the slokam
‘vam’ amrutha tatwatmane namah – amrutha naivedyam parikalpayami

Tambulam (supari)
Offer betel leaves, betel nuts, etc to Shiva. Chant this mantra
‘sam’ sarvatatwatmane sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah – tambulam
samarpayami

Neerajanam
Light camphor and show it to Shiva by chanting the mantra
sri sambasada shiva swamiye namah – ananda mangala karpura neerajana deepam
darshayami

PERFORM AARTI TO SHIVA BY SINGING SHIVA AARTI

Chant the mantra
mantraheenam kriyaheenam bhakti heenam sri samba sadashiva swamiye yatpujitham mayaadeva paripurnam thadasthume
anayaa dhyanaa vahanadi shodashopachara pujaaya cha bhagavathi sarvatmaka sri samba sadashiva swamiye suprasanno varado bhavathu

(Leave akshatas and water through your palms)

sri samba sadashiva swamiye namah prasadam shirasa gruhnami
om shanti shanti shanti

Pray to Lord Shiva to forgive if any mistakes done during Puja procedure

Take tirtha and Prashad. Put akshatas or flowers on your head.