How Can Lord Shiva Be Pleased?

Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva form the ‘Trimurti’ that is worshipped in Hinduism. Lord Brahma is known as the creator of the universe, Lord Vishnu is the preserver and Lord Shiva is known as the destroyer.

Lord Shiva is the most important God of the Hindu religion, who has many forms and is known by many names. Although he has 108 different names as per the Hindu mythology, here is a list of the most common names he is known by, along with their meaning.

·        Mahadev – the greatest of all Gods

·        Mahakaal – the Lord of eternity

·        Bholenath – the one who has a childlike innocence

·        Satyam – the only truth

·        Shivam – the auspicious

·        Sundaram – the beautiful and holy

·        Ashutosh – the one who is delighted with little efforts

To please this holy, auspicious, true, greatest of all and the Lord of eternity, even a simple ‘Abhishek’ is enough because as his name depicts, he is the one who is delighted by simple efforts. And, with his childlike innocence, one can easily please him by only offering him a pot of water or milk on the Shivlinga. Every Shiv temple has a copper or brass pot with a hole in it, hung over the Shivlinga so that water falls from it on the lingam throughout the day to keep Lord Shiva pleased.

It is believed that whoever worships Lord Shiva with an earnest heart can get his desires fulfilled. Worshipping Lord Shiva devotedly also helps in attaining moksha, which is the liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This is because worshipping him leads to the path of salvation from worldly desires through self-awakening. Lord Shiva is worshipped by his devotees for marital bliss, financial stability and success.

However, if you want to perform a Shiv Puja with ancient Hindu rites and rituals, you will need assistance from professional Pujaris. The Pujaris at MakeMyPuja can help you with the most professional and fruitful puja to help you achieve success and wealth. If you are facing any sort of obstacles for getting married or if you have any sort of problems in your married life, MakeMyPuja Pujaris will make sure to perform the most appropriate Shiva Puja rituals to help you get rid of all the obstacles and lead a happy married life. Rudra Abishekam is a very important form of Shiv Puja that is believed to help get rid of past sins and bring in peace, wealth and success. Other than these pujas, other horoscope hindrances like Rahu Dosh, Ketu Dosh, Naag Dosh and Vish Dosh can also be removed by seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Shiv Puja in any form is believed to bless us with a happy, peaceful and successful life by freeing our souls of past sins. While Monday is generally when Lord Shiva is worshipped, he can be offered water and milk any day. Moreover, in this holy Shravan month, you have the chance to please him the most!

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Why Do We Worship Lord Shiva If He Is Said To Be The Destroyer?

Lord Shiva is one of the most important Gods in Hinduism. He is believed to be one of the three entities of the holy Trimurti. Lord Shiva has many forms and is called by many names. Moreover, Lord Shiva is considered to be very complex because on one hand, he is known as the Protector because he protects holy texts or the Vedas, while on the other hand, he is also known as the Destroyer. One side of him shows his representation of the good things and his compassionate and generous character. And, another side of him is believed to be a leader of ghosts, vampires and evil spirits.

Why is Lord Shiva known as the Destroyer?

In spite of being the God of Hinduism, why Lord Shiva is known as the Destroyer, you may wonder. In Hinduism, it is believed that the universe regenerates in a cycle of every 2,160,000,000 years. And, at the end of each cycle, Lord Shiva destroys the entire universe, which makes way for a new creation to come into being. As a destroyer, Lord Shiva is represented in the form of Nataraja, where he performs the ‘pralaya tandava’ or the cosmic dance of destruction.

If he is the Destroyer, why is he worshipped?

Lord Shiva’s mannerism of destroying the universe can seem like a negative characteristic to many. But thinking deeply, one can realize that destruction may not always mean negativity. Think of it like light destroying darkness, and education destroying ignorance. Much in the same way, moksha destroys the cycle of death and rebirth. When all of this is understood, the trait of destruction will no longer seem to be negative.

How to worship Lord Shiva?

Lord Shiva can be worshipped throughout the year by offering water and milk to the Shivlinga. However, the purest month of worshipping him is during the Shravan month. And, the most important day of them all is the Shravan Purnima, falling on 18^th August this year, which is known by different names in different states of India. It is known as Narali Purnima in the West, Pavitropana in Gujarat, Avani Avittam in the South, and Kajari Purnima in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. So, if you are looking for any sort of special kind of pooja to be perfomed on this auspicious day, you may hire the most professional and beneficial services of MakeMyPuja Pujaris to have it done for you.

Other than this, you may offer water and milk along with ‘bilva leaves’ to the Shivlinga every day during the entire month. You may also observe fast throughout the month or only on Mondays. You may observe a strict fast wherein you consume nothing at all, or a partial fast where you are permitted to consume only fruits and juices. Some devotees also practice Maun Vrat, which means that they do not utter a single word for the entire day, with an exception of chanting the ‘Maha Mritunjaya Jaap’.

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Importance Of Kanwar Yatra During The Shravan Month

Have you heard about the Kanwar Yatra? It’s a very unique kind of tradition that Shiv devotees follow during the month of Shravan every year. Devotees pay an annual pilgrimage to the holy places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga. This water is then offered at their local Shiv temples.

The devotees who perform this ritual are known as ‘Kanwariyas’. They are clad in saffron clothes and travel a distance of around 100 kilometers barefooted! These include hundreds of thousands of devotees from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. They carry a ‘Kanwar’ on their shoulders, which is a bamboo pole with two covered water pots fastened on either side. While most pilgrims are men, a few women and children are also seen participating in this Yatra. During their journey, these devotees chant “Bol Bam, Bam Bam” or “Har Har Mahadev” together.

What is the story behind the Kanwar Yatra?

According to the Hindu mythology, during the churning of the ocean, Lord Shiva drank all the poison that had come out to save the world from getting destructed. He held all the poison in his neck, which is why his neck turned blue and thus the name ‘Neelkanth’ given to him. It is believed that the king Raavan offered Lord Shiva the holy water of River Ganga to lessen the effect of the poison. It is since then that devotees have been offering Gangajal on Shivlings in Shiv temples. This is why during this holy month, devotees walk barefoot to bring Gangajal and offer it to Lord Shiva as a gesture of thanksgiving.

What are the benefits of this Yatra?

First and foremost, devotees believe that bringing Gangajal from the holy river and offering it to Lord Shiva makes him happy, due to which he fulfills all their wishes and blesses them profoundly. Moreover, it is believed that this Yatra helps in the progression and development of our personality and individuality. It also increases our willpower and confidence. We are able to recognize our strengths, caliber and potentiality through this Yatra.

What are the limitations for the Kanwariyas?

During this procession, the Kanwariyas are bound by certain rules that are a must to be followed. It isn’t easy to walk 100 kilometers barefoot; moreover these restrictions make the pilgrimage even more difficult. But, devotees who trust Lord Shiva have enough confidence and strength to carry out this procession happily.

·        Kanwariyas need to be bathed before starting the procession but, they are not allowed usage of any kind of oil, soap, comb or any kind of beautifying products during the pilgrimage.

·        Kanwariyas are not allowed to consume any kind of non-vegetarian food, alcohol, tobacco and any other toxins during the period of procession.

·        Kanwariyas are allowed to sit only on bare ground and are not allowed to use any kind of vehicle too. Moreover, they are not permitted to touch any kind of leather items too.

This procession seems to be a must watch! If you are a Shiv devotee, you may also participate in this Yatra between 20^th July and 25^th August this year. Other than the Shravan month, this ritual is observed in high numbers during Basant Panchmi and Maha Shivratri too. Approximately 2 crore devotees perform this holy journey every year!

However, if you are not going anywhere and wish to perform rituals during this holy month in your own city (Bangalore), you can get in touch with MakeMyPuja to hire the most professional and experienced Pandits to assist you.

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Places To Visit During The Month Of Shravan

We all that Shravan Maas is a month of the Hindu calendar that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is the holiest month of the year for the Hindus and is considered the most auspicious. By performing Shiv Puja every day during this month, it is believed that our body, soul, mind and senses are purified through the rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva. You may perform the rituals of the Shravan Maas under the guidance of qualified MakeMyPuja Pujaris to make sure that you are performing it the right way.

These rituals can be performed in any temple located near your home or in one of the most significant Shiv temples in your city. But, there are some distinctive temples across the country that you may visit during this month to visualize the true spirit of the worship and the devotees. These places are considered to be the most special and of great importance to Lord Shiva.

Varanasi

One of the famous and top pilgrimage sites in India, Varanasi is considered as one of the most important centers of faith for the Hindus. Considered as one of Hinduism’s seven holy cities, Varanasi is considered as the city of Lord Shiva. This city includes one of the Shakti Peeths and one of the twelve Jyotirlinga sites in India, which is why it is believed to have the power of washing away all of one’s sins. Varanasi is set by the holy river Ganga, which undoubtedly increases the beauty of the city. This is a place where you can see innumerous temples at every little distance, thus it is also known as the “City Of Temples”. When you visit this city, don’t forget to pay a visit to the Kashi Vishvanath Temple, which is one of the famous temples of Lord Shiva.

Haridwar

Haridwar meaning “Gateway To God” is located in Uttarakhand, which is considered as one of the best place by every devotee of Lord Shiva. Located by the holy river Ganga, this sacred town bestows great peace of the mind and soul. Moreover, Haridwar is one of the four holy places where drops of the Amrit had fallen during the churning of the oceans, as per the Vedic philosophy, which is why the Kumbh Mela is held here once in every 12 years. Millions of people from across the globe visit this city during the Kumbh Mela but, it is a place that should also be visited during the Shravan Month. During the evening, you can see the whole river sparkling with diyas floating over it.

Amarnath Cave

Located in Jammu and Kashmir, this Hindu shrine is one of the most important parts of Hinduism and worshipping of Lord Shiva. This is a place that every Shiva devotee goes for a trek to receive countless blessings from Lord Shiva. The cave is covered with snow most of the year and is mostly open in the month of Shravan only. It is believed that it was this cave that Lord Shiva had chosen to narrate the secrets of immortality and creation of the universe to his wife Goddess Parvati.

Kedarnath

Kedarnath is also situated in Uttarakhand and is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites of Lord Shiva. It is the highest of all the twelve Jyotirlingas. The word ‘Kedar’ means powerful, which is another name for the protector and destroyer – Lord Shiva. However, because this Jyotirlinga is situated in the snow-covered area of the Himalayas, it can be visited only during six months in an year – between April to November. The rest of the year, it gets too cold here when the Himalayas are covered with snow, thus the Kedarnath Temple remains closed for pilgrims.

So, do visit any of these places if you are planning to travel during the Shravan Month to receive great blessings from Lord Shiva. However, if you are planning to perform the rituals in your own city Bangalore, make sure to get in touch with MakeMyPuja who will help you with the best Puja services to get your rituals done right.

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What Is The Importance Of The Shravan Month?

Do you know a Hindu who doesn’t know about the holy Shravan month? Certainly not! Every Hindu in the country knows that this month is the purest and holiest of all, when many types of pujas are performed within homes, offices and temples. However, many do not know why this month is so important. We all visit the temple of Lord Shiva every morning during this month to bathe him with holy water and milk but, why do we do so? Is it only because this is the ritual that has been followed since ages? If this is the only reason you do so, then you must pause for a while! Before performing any ritual, it is important that you understand the reason behind it and only then execute the procedures with full faith. For all those who don’t know why you are actually supposed to pray to Lord Shiva during this month, here we are to help you understand.

Why is Lord Shiva worshipped during the Shravan month?

It is believed that when the Samudra Manthan took place, all the Gods and Goddesses came together to churn the deep oceans in order to extract the nectar of immortality. They used the Mandar Parbat as their churning rod and the great snake Vasuki as their churning rope. However, in this elaborate process of churning, Vasuki emitted fumes of poison known as Halahala, which was so poisonous that it could destroy the entire creation. This is when the Gods approached Lord Shiva for protection. In order to save the creation from destruction, Lord Shiva consumed the poison and held it in his neck. This is how his throat turned blue and he got named as ’Neelkantha’. The prayers and offerings given to Lord Shiva in the Shravan month is therefore a way to show respect and pay reverence to him.

Which pujas can be performed during the Shravan month?

Because the entire Shravan month is dedicated to Lord Shiva, all kinds of pujas that please him can be performed during this month. These include Rudrabhishek Puja, Laghu Rudra Puja, Shiv Puja, Maha Mrityunjaya Jaap, and Mangala Gauri Puja. All these pujas when performed during this auspicious month can help turn all kinds of negativity into positive forces. You can get rid of all the negative effects of doshas in your kundli and any kind of financial constraints. You can cleanse your mind and soul through these Shiv pujas and infuse a sense of harmony into your life. These pujas will also help you advance in your educational life and career path.

How can the Shravan month help you better your relationships?

You can perform Gauri-Shankar Puja during this holy month if you are looking for harmonious relationships within your family. This puja can help prevent unnecessary fights and arguments; it can protect relationships from anger, greed, lust and selfishness; it can help regain positivity in broken relationships; and it can also bring back your lost love. Girls can perform Gauri-Shankar Puja before marriage in order to have a good husband. The Shravan month begins from 2^nd August this year. Book a Puja right away with MakeMyPuja so that you can perform this auspicious puja in the holy month and gain benefits at the earliest!

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