Bhagwan Shiva Puja Vidhi
Bhagwan Shiva भगवान शिव
Mahadev - the easily-pleased lord of dissolution, worshipped as the Shivling.
Main mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Samagri you will need
Along with the common puja essentials (diya, ghee, dhoop, akshat, roli, kalash, flowers, fruits), these items are special for Bhagwan Shiva:
- Bel patra (bilva leaves) बेलपत्र
- Dhatura (fruit & flower) धतूरा (फल व पुष्प)
- Bhang भांग
- Aak / madar flowers आक / मदार के पुष्प
- White flowers श्वेत पुष्प
- Shami leaves शमी पत्र
- Raw milk (for abhishek) कच्चा दूध (अभिषेक हेतु)
- Curd, ghee, honey, sugar दही, घी, शहद, शक्कर
Step-by-step puja vidhi
Shuddhi - purify yourself and the place
Bathe and wear clean (preferably fresh) clothes. Clean the puja place, lay the chowki with a clean cloth, and sprinkle Gangajal around the area. Sit facing east or north on an asana.
Sankalpa - state your intention
Take water, akshat and a flower in the right palm. Speak your name, gotra (if known), the date and place, and the purpose of the puja, then release the water before the deity.
Deep prajwalan & Ganesha smarana
Light the ghee diya and incense. First remember Shri Ganesha ("Om Gam Ganapataye Namah") so the puja is free of obstacles, then turn the mind to Bhagwan Shiva.
Avahana - invoke Bhagwan Shiva
Invoke the deity into the murti, photo or kalash with folded hands, chanting "Om Namah Shivaya". Offer a seat (asana) of flowers or akshat.
Padya, Arghya & Achamana
Offer water for washing the feet (padya), the hands (arghya), and for sipping (achamana) - a spoonful of water each, poured into a plate before the deity.
Snana / Abhishek
Do abhishek of the Shivling - raw milk first, then curd, ghee, honey and sugar (panchamrit), finishing with a steady stream of clean water. Sugarcane juice or rose water may be added.
Vastra & adornment
Offer white vastra; apply a tripund of bhasma (sacred ash) and white chandan on the Shivling.
Pushpa & patra - flowers and leaves
Offer bel patra (3-leaf, smooth side touching the ling), white flowers, aak/madar, dhatura and shami leaves.
Dhoop & deep
Show the incense (dhoop) and then the lamp (deep) to the deity with a gentle clockwise motion, ringing the bell with the left hand.
Naivedya - offer the bhog
Offer the bhog: Panchamrit, fruits, simple white sweets. Place it before the deity with a few drops of water around the plate.
Mantra japa
Chant "Om Namah Shivaya" 108 times (one mala), or at least 11 times, with a steady, unhurried mind.
Rudrabhishek (optional)
For a fuller puja, continue the abhishek while chanting "Om Namah Shivaya" or the Mahamrityunjaya mantra.
Aarti
Perform the aarti - "Om Jai Shiv Omkara" - with a ghee lamp or camphor, rotating it clockwise before the deity while singing, then pass the flame to all present.
Ardha-pradakshina & pushpanjali
Do a half circumambulation of the Shivling (do not cross the somasutra), offer a final handful of flowers (pushpanjali), and bow.
Kshama prarthana & prasad
Ask forgiveness for any mistakes in the worship ("kshama prarthana"), thank the deity, and distribute the prasad to everyone present.
Special rules for Bhagwan Shiva
- Tulsi, ketaki (kewda) flower, haldi and sindoor are not offered on the Shivling.
- Bel patra should be unbroken, offered upside down (smooth side on the ling).
- Do only ardha-pradakshina (half circumambulation) of the Shivling - do not cross the somasutra (water outlet).
This is a simple, complete home-puja vidhi in the Shodashopachara spirit. Regional and family traditions (parampara) vary - where your family does something differently, follow your parampara. Devotion (bhava) matters more than perfection of procedure.
Choose another Dev / Devi
What is a Puja Vidhi?
A puja vidhi is the step-by-step worship of a Dev or Devi: shuddhi, sankalpa, avahana, snana and alankara, flowers, dhoop-deep, naivedya, japa, aarti and prasad. This page follows a simple Shodashopachara (sixteen-offering) pattern for home worship.
Each deity has a favoured day, flowers, leaves and bhog, plus special rules (tulsi is never offered to Ganesha or on the Shivling; Vishnu and Krishna naivedya is incomplete without it). Family parampara comes first when it differs. Pick a deity for the vidhi, mantra and aarti.
This is not a fast. Fasting procedure is Vrat Vidhi. The item list is Puja Samagri. The story told on a vrat day is Vrat Katha.
