All about Pradosham

All  about  Pradosham

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

  Pradosham (Before dosham/that  which removes  dosha-defect)  is the period just before night  every day  It is also called   as Rajani Mukha ie  the face  of night  .It is normally observed between 4.30 Pm to 6.00 Pm  on the  Shukla paksha (bright half)Trayodasi(13th phase of moon)  day   and Krishna Paksha  (dark half) Trayodasi day

1.Story  of Pradosham

One day  Lord Indra   was going round on his elephant airavatha.On the way he  met sage Durvasa, who threw a garland at him.This garland was given by Goddess  Lakshmi  to sage Durvasa and he had actually  presented it to Indra.Without knowing its importance  Indra threw it on the trunk of his elephant, The elephant   trampled and destroyed  the Garland. The furious  Durvasa  cursed Indra, that he would lose  all his prosperity. Indra lost everything and he was   adviced to churn the ocean of milk, take  out the nectar and eat it .They   choseMandhara Mountain as the churner   and  Vasuki  a great serpent   as the rope. The  mountain started  wobbling and Lord Vishnu  became a  tortoise  and made it erect. 

    At that time  The serpent Vasuki    started  throwing out large  quantity of poison called “halahala” ,The entire   area started  burning.Indra   and others   rushed to Lord Shiva   and asked him to help.There  are two versions as to what happened,

1,Lord Shiva asked Sundara(one of his incarnations)  to bring the  poison, which he did.Lord Shiva   swallowed the poison .Since  all beings are  within his belly   Goddess Parvathy   stopped   the poison on his neck itself .When all the  devas were happy  , Lord Shiva  danced  in between   the horns of his steed  Lord Nandi This period  of his dance was done before night fall on a pradosha day, which happened   to be a Saturday

2.Another  version

     When Devas  approached  lord Shiva  ,. The poison to attack them came in   anticlock wise direction. Then they returned and ran for some times in anti clock wise direction.  Lord Shiva  instructed  Lord Nandi to bring the poison ,Lord Nandi did it   with great pride .Lord shiva   asked him to  smell  the poison.Lord Nandi unable   to bear  the power of the poison   fell down.Goddess  Parvathi  caressed him ,. But he was not  completely all right,.Then Lord Shiva  instructed  Goddess Parvathy  to give Nandi rice powder  mixed with Jaggery   (kapparisi)   and he became all right.

(slightly different story is given in Wikipedia. The devas, celestial deities approached Shiva in the most propitious moments of pradosha to get relief from asuras - Danavas and Daityas They ran around Kailasha, Siva's abode hitherto on a triyodashi evening and was aided by Nandi Shiva's sacred bull. Shiva aided them in killing the asuras - the practise of worshipping Shiva on traiyodashi along with Nandi emerged and continues in Shiva temples. "Pradosha vrata" (vow) is performed on pradosham with sacred ritual steps following the tradition.)

2.Types  of Pradosha

  There  are  five  types  of pradosham

a, Nithya  Pradosha  -daily  between 4.30  Pm to 6.00 PM

b.Paksha  Pradosham  The  pradosham  during  Shukla paksha (bright half)

c.Masa  Pradosham  - The pradosham  during  Krishna Paksham (dark half)

d.Maha  pradosha  Pradosham  occurring  on Saturdays

e.Pralaya  Pradosham –The pradosham  which occurs  just before  deluge

3.Pradosha  Vrutham

    a.The  day previous  to Pradosham, you should have tiffin/fruis(Phalaharam)

  b.Go to Shiva temple   in the morning , burn lamp and worship with Vilwa  leaves

c, Observe Upavasa o during day time(you can take temple  Prasada  during lunch time)

5.Before Pradosha  time  , take bath  and Participate  in Pradosha  Pooja   at the temple

Return back home ,Take  only simple food

4.Pradosha  pooja

“Shiv Abhishek should be performed with offering of Panchamrit (a mixture of cows milk, curd, honey/sugar, ganga jal and ghee) over the Shivalingam and then with fresh water while chanting the mantrta OM NAMAH SHIVAI. Then pouring cow's milk over the shivalingam and then again fresh water. After this offer Bel leaves to the Lord (the number of leaves is as per the personal will of the devotee...1 or 11 or 27 or 108 bel leaves). Rose water also can be poured in the form of Itar over the Shivalingam. Then use chandan paste for tripundar over the Shiva lingam and some bhabhooti for tilak. Please use kumkum tilak for Ganesha, Ma Gauri, Skanda n Nandi but NOT for the Shivalingam. After the Tilak, place a garland of flowers, preferably white flowers around the Shiva Lingam and Ma Parvati. But make sure not to use kewra and champa flowers for the puja as their use is prohibited during puja. Take a kalash filled with water covered with Durva grass n a lotus flower on top to be kept in pooja. Light a diya made of cow's ghee with incense sticks followed by the Abhishek and Shingaar of Gauri Shanker.

After  this, take a betel leaf, betel nut, rice(akshat), a coin and some flower petals and offer the Lord, requesting Him to come and accept your prayers. Then offer fruits (esp a wood apple ie bel fruit n bananas) and nevaidyam(Choorma aur Kheer) to the Lord as prasad.

After the formal worship of Mahadev, chapters from the Shiva Purana or Pradosha vrat Katha is read and heard by the devotees followed by offering their personal prayers.

This is followed by the recitation of Maha Mrityunjay Mantra 108 times and the mantra is:

Trayambakam Yajamahe,

 Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam,

Urva Ruk Miva Bandhanaan,

 Mrityur Moorksheeye Maamritaat.

In the end, the sacred kalash water is partaken of, the sacred ash is applied to the forehead. Some people also collect the water used during Abhishek to be taken as prasad.”(from https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/pooja-vidhi-for-pradosha-fast )

Also chant   18 times

Sidha yogi , maharshicha,

Sidarthsa  , sidha  Sayaka

Bikshuscha  , Bikshu   roopascha,

Vipnomruthu   ravyaya

5.Pradosha  Pradakshina

       Doing pradakshina  in Shiva temples on normal  days and on the Pradosha day  is different. The pradakshina on Pradosha   day  is called “Soma Suktha  Pradakshina”

      First do Namaskaram to Lord Nandi,  Do Namaskaram to Lord Shiva  , seeing him through  the horns of Nandi  . Then start the pradakshina  in the anti clock wise way .Go teill Chandikeswarta  temple(never cross the pipe  through which Abhisheka  theertha) , return back , till the place   where Nandi is there .Do this thrice, It is believed  that  if you do Pradakshina   this way  you would get rid of  loan, diseases, untimely death  , poverty  , sin  and sorrow.

6.The manthra to be chanted   during Pradosha

Chant the panchaksha(Om Namashivaya)     as many times   as possible .By doing this   you will get

a,Get rid  of  problems which stop  our progress

b.Health of mind and body

c.Happiness  and peace  in the family

d.Enemies would go out of their way

e.WE  will  get salvation

7.Effect of worshipping Nandi on Pradosha day

a.Wealth will increase

2.Loans   will vanish

3,Diseases   would get cured

4.Enemies would become ineffective

5.Children would become  intelligent

6.You will get all that you want.

7.Pradosha  Mahathmyam  (prayer)

Pradosha Mahatmyam
(From Shiva Purana)

Translated by*
P.R.Ramachander


Kailasa shaila bhuvane thri jaga janithreem,
Gowreedha nivesye kanakanchitha rathna peete,
Nrutham vidhthu mabhi vanchithi Soolapanau,
Deva Pradosha samaye anubhajanthi sarve. 1

During the time of Pradosha,
The Lord who holds the trident,
Makes Goddess Gowri ,
Who is the mother of all the three worlds,
Sit on a golden seat inlaid with precious gems,
And prepares to dance himself,
And all the devas sing his praise at this time.

Vagdevi drutha vallaakee sathamukho
venum dhadhan padmaja-,
Sthallo nidhra karo ramaa bhagawathi,
geya prayogaanvithaa,
Vishnu saandra mrudanga vaadana patur
devas samanthath sthithaa,
Sevanthe thamara pradosha samaye
devam mrudaaneepathim. 2

The goddess of Knowledge plays Veena,
The hundred faced Indra plays the flute,
The Brahma who was born in a lotus keeps time,
The Goddess Lakshmi starts to sing,
The God Vishnu plays the drum with ease,
And all the devas stand all round in service,
And pray Lord Shiva during the time of pradosha.

Gandarwa Yaksha patha goraga siddha saadhya.
Vidhyadaraamaraapsaraso ganaascha,
Yeanyethi loka nilaya saha bhootha varga,
Prapthe pradosha samaye hara parswa samstha. 3

When the time of Pradosha arrives,
Gandarwas, Yakshas, birds, snakes, saints,
Vidhyadaras, devas, the celestial dancers, Bhoothas,
And all the beings in the three worlds,
Come and stand near The Lord Shiva.

Atha pradoshe shiva eka eva,
Poojyodhananye hari padmajadhya,
Thasmin mahese vidhinejyamane,
Sarve praseedanthi suradhi natha.. 4

So at the time of Pradosha,
There is need to worship only Shiva,
Instead of Vishnu , Brahma and others,
For the proper worship of Lord Shiva then,
Would give the effect of worshipping all gods.

Lokanahooya sarvaan vividha damarukair gora samsara magnan,
Dathwaabheetham dayalu pranatha bhava haram kunchitham vaama bhaagam,
Uddruthyedham vimukherayanamithi karadarshayan prathyayartham,
Bibradwanhim sabhaayaam kalaathi natanam ya shivo na sa paayal. 5


Let us be protected by that dancing Shiva,
Who uses the various sounds of the shaking drum,
To call all those people drowned in the fearful life,
Who indicates protection to them using his right hand held down,
Who lifts his left leg capable of killing all sorrows,
To those who fall at his feet,
Who indicates the path of salvation by his left hand held up,
And who shows that all this is true by carrying fire in the other left hand,

Sathyam braveemi , paraloka hitham braveemi,
Saaram braveemi upanishadyadhyam braveemi,
Samsaramuthbanamasar vaapya jantho,
Saroyameeswarapadhamburuhasya seva. 6

I tell the truth,
I tell what is good for the other world,
I tell the views of the Upanishads,
For every insignificant animal that is born,
The only meaningful thing is the service to God.

Yenarchayanthi gireesam samaye pradoshe,
Ye na architham shivamapi pranamanthichanye,
Ethath kadhaam sruthi putair na pibanthi mooda,
Stheya janma subhavanthi naraa daridra. 7

He who does not worship Lord Shiva during Pradosha,
He who does not at least bow before him at that time,
He who does not at least listen to the story of Shiva at that time,
Is a foolish soul who would be always poor ,birth after birth.

Ye vai pradosha samaye parameswarasya,
Kurvanthyananya mansangri saroja poojaam,
Nithya pravrudha thara puthra kalathra mithra,
Soubhagya sambadadhikastha ihaiva loke. 8

He who during the time of Pradosha, worships Lord Shiva,
With full concentration using lotus flowers,
Would forever along with his children , wife and friends,
Get all wealth and all luck in a very large measure.


* Based on the Malayalam translation Of Chennas Krishnan Namboodhiri, Guruvayoor.

8. Sri Shiva Pradosha  Stotram

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

1.Jaya deva Jagan natha , jaya  sankara  saswatha,

Jaya sarava suradhyaksha, Jaya Sarva surachitha

1,Victory to lord of universe , Victory to the  permanantly  peaceful one .

Victory to Lord of all devas, Vicory to him who is  worshipped by all devas

2.Jaya sarva gunatheetha, Jaya  sarva vara pradha,

Jaya  nithya niradhara, jaya viswambara avyayaya

2.Victory to him who is beyong all qualities , victory to him who gives all boons,

Victory to him who does not depend on anyone else  any day  ,Victory to the stable God who wears  the universe.

3.Jaya Vishvaika vandhyesa , jaya Nagendra bhooshana,

Jaya  Gauri pathe Shambhi, Jaya Charndradha  shekara

3.Victory to him who is saluted  all the universe, victory to him who decorates himself with king of snakes.

Victory to Shambhu  the consort of Gauri, victory to to one who collected half the moon.

4.Jaya kotyarka sangasa, Jaya ananda gunasrya,

Jaya Bhadra  Viroopaksha, Jaya achinthya  niranjana

4.Victory to him  who resembles one crore suns, Victory to him  who depends on the quality of joy ,

Victory   to the safe one  with slanted eyes, Victory to the spotless one beyond  thought.

5.Jaya Nadha Krupa sindho , jaya bhaktharthi banjana ,

Jaya dusthara   samsara   sagare  tharana  Prabho.

5.Victory to the  lord who is ocean of mercy , Victory to one who puts an end to sufferings of his devotees,

Victory  to the lord who helps us  cross, the difficult ocean of Samsara.

6.Praseedha may Mahadeva samsarathasya  khidhyatha,

SArva paapam kshayam  kruthva Raksha maam Parameshwara.

6 .Shower your grace on me who   is distressed due to  problems of Samsara ,

Please   remove all the sins  committed by me and protect me, Oh Parameshwara.

7.Maha daridrya magnasya, maha papa hathasyacha ,

Maha soka nivishtasya , Maha rogaturasya cha.

7.I am  drowned in great poverty  and affected by great sin,

I am suffering due to great sorrow and has been caught by great diseases.

8.Runa bhara pareethasya  dahyamanasya karmabhi,

Grahai prapeedya  manasya, praseed mama  Shankara.

8.I am filled   with debt  and am being burnt  in all my actions ,

And I am also being affected  by problems caused by planets, Please be  kind to me , Oh my Lord Sankara.,

9.Daridra prarthayedh Devam, Pradoshe Girijapathim,

Aarthadyo bareetha raja vaa prarthayedh  deivam easwaram.

9.Due to poverty I am praying  the consort of Girija  during Pradosham,

For filled with great suffering  , even the king prays  to Lord Shiva

10.Deergamayu   sadaa arogyam  kosa vrudhi  balonnathi ,

Mama asthu   nithya mananda  prasada  thava  Sankara

10.Long life , permanent health , improvement of residence  , strength , great stature  ,

And happiness  forever  be mine Oh Lord Shiva by your grace

.

11.Shathrava samkshayam  yanthu praseedanthu mama praja,

Nasyanthu  dasyavo rather   jana  santhu nirapadha

11.Let  all my enemies get destroyed, klet my people be pleased with me  ,

Let slavery get destroyed  and let all people be without  any danger.

12,Durbiksha mari santhapa shamam yanthu maha thale ,

SArvasya samrudhischa, bhooyathSukhamaya dhishaa.

12.In this  big world , let  sorrows  due famines  and lack of rain  decrease

Let plenty   be everywhere and let pleasure spread to all directions.

13.Evam ardhaye devam  poojanthe  Girijapathim,

BRahmana   bhojayeth paschad  dakshinabischa poojayeth.

13.Like this  praise   the devas  and offer worship to consort of Girija,

Feed all the Brahmins , give them monetary fee and worship them also.

14.SArva Papa kshayakari, SArva roga nivarini,

Shiva poojaa  mayakhyatha, sarvabheeshta phala pradham.

14.This prayer destroys all sins, cures   all diseases

And is  known as worship of Lord Shiva and fulfills all desires.