Four Prahars of Maha Shivratri and their significance: 2024

MahaShivratri Four Times of Prahar Puja in 2024:

First Prahar Puja Time: 06:25 PM to Nighttime: 09:28 PM.

Secondly Prahar Puja Time: 09:28 PM to the start Morning: 12:31 AM (March 9)

Thirdly Prahar Puja Time : Morning The early hours: 12:31 AM to 03:34 AM.

Fourth Prahar Puja Time: 03:34 to 06:37 AM in the early morning hours

Maha shivratri 2024: Devotees often engage in night-long prayers and jagrans, believing it helps dispel darkness and ignorance. They offer belpatra, dhatura, milk, fruits, and sweets to Lord Shiva, observing a day-long fast from sunrise to sunset.

Mahashivratri falls on March 8th, 2024. The Chaturdashi Tithi begins at 09:57 PM on March 8th and ends at 06:17 PM on March 8th.

On Mahashivratri, one should wake up during the Brahma mahurat, bathe, and wear clean clothes. Visit a Shiva temple where the Shiv Lingam has been consecrated, and perform Jalabhishek with water and Bel Patra. While doing so, vow to fast for the day, completing it properly, and pray to connect deeply with Lord Shiva.

Observing a complete fast during Mahashivratri is the ideal practice. However, if this proves too challenging, consuming fruits and liquids is an acceptable alternative.

Devotees are encouraged to participate in all four prahar pujas, special prayer times throughout the day. If possible, performing an abhishekam, a ceremonial offering, using panchamrit (a mixture of five sacred elements) is considered auspicious during the puja. If panchamrit is unavailable, water, bel patra (leaves from the bael tree), and bhasma (sacred ash) can be used instead.

While meditating on Lord Shiva, maintaining a straight spine is recommended for optimal focus and posture.

To conclude the fast, devotees traditionally revisit the temple the following day. Here, they perform another abhishekam and receive prasad, blessed food offered to the deity. Consuming the prasad signifies the completion of the fast.

Benefits of Maha Shivaratri Puja: 2024

According to the Vedas, Lord Shiva declared that fasting and worshiping during Maha Shivaratri Puja, along with Ma Parvati, brings divine blessings. Simply glimpsing Lord Shiva is considered incomparable. Worshiping Lord Shiva on this auspicious day is believed to absolve one of all sins, release from the cycle of rebirth, and grant health, wealth, and success. Additionally, Shivratri worship of Lord Shiva is particularly beneficial for women. Unmarried women pray for a spouse resembling Shiva, while married women seek the well-being of their husbands and sons.

The four prahars of Maha Shivratri and their significance

For Hindus globally, Maha Shivratri holds immense significance. Celebrated annually on March 8th this year, it's a grand spiritual festival where devotees gather to express their deep reverence and love for Lord Shiva. This auspicious occasion falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the Hindu month of Phalgun. It's believed that Lord Shiva's divine energy reaches its peak during this time.

Devotees observe this day through various practices, all motivated by pure hearts and unwavering devotion: prayers, fasting, and rituals performed with adherence to traditional customs. Families and communities come together on Mahashivratri to honor Lord Shiva and experience the powerful spiritual energy that permeates this special day.

First prahar of Mahashivratri:

The inaugural prahar of Mahashivratri commences this year on March 8th, from 6:27 PM to 9:28 PM. Spanning from evening into late night, this period marks a time for devotees to congregate in temples or homes, engaging in rituals and chanting mantras devoted to Lord Shiva. Worship during this prahar is thought to purify the mind, readying it for forthcoming spiritual revelations. It is customary during the first prahar to offer water and pure milk to the Shivling.

 Second Prahar of Maha shivratri: 

Following the first prahar, the second prahar of Mahashivratri typically begins around midnight. This year, it starts at approximately 9:29 PM and ends around 12:31 AM on the 9th of March. Believed to be the most auspicious time for Shiva puja and meditation, this prahar is thought to hold the highest level of spiritual energy. Many devotees believe that sincere devotion during this period can lead to spiritual awakening.

Focusing deeply on Lord Shiva's name is said to enhance awareness and consciousness during the second prahar. Additionally, offering water and curd to the Shivling is considered a recommended practice.

Third prahar of Maha shivtari:

As the night unfolds, the third prahar of Mahashivratri commences, signaling the journey towards dawn. Devotees persist in their prayers and meditation, earnestly seeking Lord Shiva's blessings for spiritual evolution and enlightenment. This third prahar, beginning at 12:32 AM and concluding around 3:34 AM, represents the gradual awakening of human consciousness from the depths of ignorance to the brilliance of wisdom. During this period, it is customary to offer water and ghee to the Shivling.

Fourth prahar of Maha shivratri:

Just before the break of dawn, the fourth prahar unfolds, coinciding with the auspicious Brahma Muhurta. It is believed that during this period, divine energy permeates the atmosphere, creating an optimal environment for deep meditation and introspection. As the Brahma Muhurta commences and the fourth prahar begins, devotees reflect on their spiritual journey throughout the night, expressing gratitude for the blessings bestowed by Lord Shiva. During this final prahar, devotees offer honey, followed by water and milk, to the Shivling. It is recommended to offer water after each ingredient. Additionally, during each prahar, devotees should adhere to the following practices: offering Bel Patra and white flowers, reciting three malas of "Om Namah Shivaya," chanting one mala of the "Mrityunjay Mantra," and engaging in meditation on Shiva.

Meditation during Maha Shivratri is akin to an internal cleansing and purification ritual. It fosters a sense of harmony by aligning our minds, bodies, and souls with our inner energies. 

Engaging in meditation throughout the four prahars is believed to establish a connection with the unique energy of Lord Shiva. This connection, it is said, can pave the way for spiritual growth and even the fulfillment of desires, empowered by the potent spiritual atmosphere surrounding this auspicious occasion. Through deep meditation, a stronger connection with the divine is established, potentially facilitating the manifestation of our deepest aspirations.