• In Vedic tradition, Mondays are ruled by the Moon (Chandra), which governs our emotions, mind, and subconscious. By worshipping Shiva—the Somnath (Lord of the Moon)—on this day, we stabilize our mental energy and invite clarity into our lives. Experienced devotees use Mondays to perform Solah Somvar (16 Mondays) or advanced Abhishekam to manifest specific life goals and remove deep-rooted obstacles. Worship of Lord Shiva is also associated with devotion, calmness, purification, discipline, and relief from negativity and stress.

• Somvar Shiv Puja is traditionally performed to seek the divine blessings of Lord Shiva for peace, positivity, spiritual strength, protection, and inner calm. The puja is most commonly performed on Mondays (Somvar), which are considered especially sacred for Shiva worship. Many devotees perform the puja during morning prayers after bathing, although evening worship is also traditionally practiced with devotion and sincerity.
• • On Mondays, dedicated to Lord Shiva worship
  • During Shravan Maas and Mahashivratri celebrations
  • During Pradosh Vrat and Shiva devotional occasions
  • For peace of mind, positivity, and spiritual growth
  • Before new beginnings, important decisions, or spiritual practices
  • During home puja, family rituals, and regular devotional worship
  • To seek protection from negativity and obstacles
  • During Shiva mantra chanting, Shiv Chalisa, or Rudra prayers

• Before You Begin
• Choose a clean, peaceful, and spiritually uplifting place for the puja. Place a Shivling or picture of Lord Shiva on a clean chowki or platform. Traditionally, devotees may also offer Bel Patra, flowers, milk, fruits, water, or diya according to personal devotion and family customs. Arrange all puja items neatly before beginning the worship. Light a diya or incense if available to create a calm devotional atmosphere.
• 1. Purify the Puja Space
• Sprinkle a few drops of Ganga Jal around the puja area and on yourself for spiritual purification. This ritual is traditionally associated with cleansing the surroundings and inviting divine positivity before worship.
• 2. Light the Sacred Diya
• Prepare a diya using Mustard Oil and the included Long Cotton Wicks. Lighting the diya during Shiva worship is traditionally believed to create a peaceful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere.
• 3. Offer Chandan & Sacred Tilak
• Offer devotion by respectfully applying:
  • White Chandan Powder
  • Ashtagandha Chandan Tika
  to the Shivling or near the deity according to family tradition. These sacred offerings are traditionally associated with purity, devotion, calmness, and spiritual focus in Shiva worship.
• 4. Offer Vibhuti Bhasma
• Apply or offer Vibhuti Bhasma near the Shivling or deity with devotion. In Shiva worship, Vibhuti symbolizes spiritual awareness, purity, detachment, and the temporary nature of worldly life.
• [Note: For an authentic experience, apply the Vibhuti Bhasma in three horizontal lines across the forehead using your middle three fingers. Known as the Tripundra, this sacred mark symbolizes the destruction of the three bondages—Ego, Ignorance, and Past Karma—aligning your consciousness with the divine energy of Mahadev.]
• 5. Offer Honey & Cow Ghee
• Offer small symbolic amounts of:
  • Honey (Madhu)
  • Cow Ghee
  during the puja. These sacred offerings are traditionally associated with sweetness, nourishment, purity, and devotional worship.
• [Note: In Vedic tradition and Ayurveda, Honey and Ghee should never be mixed or offered in equal weight (Viruddha), as it is considered incompatible. To ensure your ritual remains traditionally "Sattvic" and pure, we have intentionally curated our kit with unequal proportions (25g Honey and 50g Ghee), allowing you to perform your Abhishekam with complete peace of mind.]
• 6. Offer Fragrance & Incense
• Light the Agarbatti to create a calm, devotional, and spiritually uplifting atmosphere during the worship ritual.
• 7. Light Kapoor & Perform Aarti
• Light a small piece of Camphor (Kapoor) and perform aarti in clockwise circular motions before Lord Shiva. Kapoor Aarti traditionally symbolizes the removal of negativity and awakening of divine positivity.
• 8. Chant Shiva Mantra & Pray
• Fold your hands and pray sincerely to Lord Shiva for peace, positivity, spiritual strength, protection, and inner calm.
• You may chant:
  “Om Namah Shivaya”
• Traditionally, devotees may chant this mantra 11, 21, or 108 times according to devotion and available time. Many devotees also recite Shiv Chalisa or Shiva Stotra during Somvar worship.
• 9. Conclude the Puja with Devotion
• Sit peacefully for a few moments after the puja and conclude the worship with gratitude, devotion, and positive intention. Simple heartfelt prayers offered with sincerity are traditionally considered spiritually meaningful in Shiva devotion.
•  

Before You Begin: 

Choose a clean, peaceful, and spiritually uplifting place for the puja. Place the Shiva Lingam or picture of Lord Shiva on a clean platform or Puja Place. Sit comfortably alongside your qualified priest (Purohit). Light the Agarbatti (Premium Incense Sticks) to sanctify the atmosphere. As the householder, use this manual as a reference guide to verify that your priest is performing the rites accurately.

• [Note: Devotees are highly encouraged to bring fresh Bel Patra (Bilva leaves) to complete His worship. Please remember two highly strict orthodox rules from the ritual manual Purohit Darpan: First, you must NEVER offer Tulsi leaves or Ketaki flowers to Lord Shiva. Second, the lighted lamp must always be placed on the right side of the deity: "দীপং দক্ষিণতো দদ্যাৎ" (Dipaṁ dakṣiṇato dadyāt)].
• 1. Advanced Breath Control & Purification 
• Before touching the sacred Puja Place, the priest will guide you through complex breath control (Pranayama) to discipline the mind. The priest will then perform highly advanced elemental purification (Bhuta-shuddhi) to completely cleanse the physical and spiritual environment.
• 2. Installation of Divine Energies (Nyasa) 
• The priest will perform Nyasa, an advanced practice involving the installation of divine energies into specific body parts using powerful Sanskrit syllables. This transforms the worshipper's body into a pure vessel fit to receive the divine.
• 3. Intricate Hand Gestures (Mudras) 
• Throughout the purification of the Ganga Jal and the offerings, ensure your priest utilizes intricate, traditional hand gestures (Mudras), such as the Dhenu (cow) and Matsya (fish) mudras, to properly channel divine energy.
• 4. The Sacred Holy Bath (Abhishekam) 
• To invoke Lord Shiva, the priest will recite rigorous, traditional Sanskrit mantras (such as the Rudra Suktam). Under the precise chanting of the priest, respectfully offer the Ganga Jal to perform a sacred Abhishekam over the Shiva Lingam. Offer the Akshat Rice at His base to symbolize completeness.
• 5. Ascetic Adornment (Shringar) 
• Follow the priest's timing to adorn the Lord in His pure, ascetic form. Apply the sacred Vibhuti Bhasma, White Chandan Powder, and Ashtagandha Chandan Tika. [Note: The priest will now chant the specific Shaiva mantras to offer the fresh Bel Patra you have brought. Never allow the offering of Tulsi or Ketaki flowers during this step]
• 6. The Sacred Meal (Madhuparka) 
• Following the advanced 16-step (Shodashopachar) sequence, offer the Honey and pure Cow Ghee as a deeply Sattvic, sweet offering to the Lord.
• 7. The Royal Spices (Tambula) 
• To sweeten the deity's mouth after the divine meal, the priest must offer the complete Tambula to fulfill the highest standard of royal hospitality. Present the premium Supari, Clove, Green Cardamom, and Haritaki near the deity.
• 8. Light Kapoor & Perform Aarti 
• Place the Long or Round Cotton Wicks in a diya and light it using the Cow Ghee (or the specific Mustard Oil if the priest is performing specialized planetary prayers). Light the highly Sattvic Natural & Pure Camphor (Kapoor) and perform the Aarti in clockwise circular motions while the priest chants the concluding hymns of profound peace and liberation.
• 9. Conclude with Devotion (Pranama) 
• Conclude your worship by performing a physical prostration (Pranama). Receive the priest's scriptural blessings, and sit peacefully for a few moments, absorbing the profound, calming spiritual energies that the priest's advanced rituals have established in your mind and home.

• Performing Somvar Shiv Puja with devotion is believed to invite the divine blessings of Lord Shiva for peace, positivity, spiritual strength, protection, and inner calm. This sacred worship helps create a spiritually uplifting atmosphere while inspiring devotion, discipline, emotional balance, and positive energy in daily life.
• • Believed to bring peace, positivity, and spiritual well-being
  • Worship of Lord Shiva is associated with inner strength, devotion, and mental calmness
  • Chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” is believed to inspire spiritual positivity and inner peace
  • Mondays are considered especially auspicious for Shiva worship
  • Helps create a calm, devotional, and spiritually uplifting atmosphere at home
  • Sacred offerings such as Ganga Jal, Vibhuti, Chandan, Honey, and Kapoor are traditionally used in Shiva worship
  • Supports devotion, spiritual discipline, and positive energy in daily life
  • Simple heartfelt prayers offered with sincerity are traditionally considered spiritually meaningful in Shiva devotion

• The MySanatan Somvar Shiv Puja Kit includes traditional puja essentials commonly used in Monday Shiva worship, helping devotees perform a simple and spiritually fulfilling puja with ease and devotion. Suitable for both beginners and experienced devotees, this all-in-one puja kit is ideal for Somvar vrat, Shravan Maas worship, Mahashivratri, Pradosh rituals, and regular home Shiva puja. Sacred items such as Ganga Jal, Vibhuti, Chandan, Honey, Kapoor, Cow Ghee, and diya wicks help create a calm and devotional atmosphere during worship. The kit provides essential Shiva puja materials in one convenient package for personal devotion, family worship, and sacred occasions dedicated to Lord Shiva.