|  |  | 2-Som Vaar Vrat (Monday)
 Or Chandra Vaar 
      Vrat. Fast on Som Vaar (Monday) is devoted to Chandramaa - the Moon. It is 
      believed that those people who observe Upavaas on Monday will have their 
      desires fulfilled and will be blessed with wisdom. In some areas, fasting 
      on Mondays is observed by unmarried women to get an ideal husband. Prayers 
      are offered to Lord Shiv and Goddess Paarvatee. Since they had a long, 
      happy married life, fasting on Mondays helps one find a suitable marital 
      partner. There are three kinds of fasts observed on Mondays -  (1) Simple Every Monday Fast
      This simple fast is observed on every Monday just to please Shiv Jee and 
      Paarvatee Jee. 
      Som Vaar Vrat Kathaa
 (2) Pradosh Fast
 Pradosh fast falls on every 13th day of the fortnight. In this fast the worship 
      is done just before sunset. When this Pradosh falls on a Monday it is called the 
      Som Pradosh - the fast to seek pardon for a fault. Read  
      Som Pradosh Vrat 
      Kathaa
 (3) 4-5 week Shraavan Maas Monday Fast
      ;
 Keeping fast for 4 or 5 fasts on Mondays in Shraavan month.
 (4) 16 weeks Monday Fast
 A fast for 16 Mondays continuously without skipping.  
      16 Som Vaar 
      Vrat Kathaa
 The procedure to keep 
      all these fasts and worship Shiv is similar for all kinds of fasts, but in each 
      case the Kathaa to be read or heard is different. Food is eaten once in the day. 
      Cereals are permitted. After prayers to Shiv and Paarvatee one must read or hear 
      the appropriate Kathaa. To appease Chandramaa one must wear pearls and silver. 
      When inclined to give charity, one must give white things like rice, white clothes, 
      conch shells, silver or pearls. 
(3) Mondays in the Hindi Month of Shraavan(July – August) is dedicated to 
      Lord Shiv and Hindoo in North India observe Shraavan Maas Som Vaar Vrat. In 
      this month, Shiv Ling is bathed with holy water from River Gangaa or water 
      mixed with raw milk and Bilva (Bel) flowers and leaves are offered to the 
      Shiv Ling. Fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset on all Mondays in 
      the month. Married women observe the fast for a happy and long married 
      life. Unmarried women observe it for getting good husbands. Men observe it 
      for a happy and peaceful life. Those who observe fast eat only a single 
      vegetarian meal. The importance of Shraavan Som Vaar is because it is 
      believed that the Saagar Manthan (Churning of the Milky Ocean) took place 
      in this month and Lord Shiv drank the poison Halaahal poison to save the 
      world during this period. Offering milk to Lord Shiv in this month is 
      considered highly auspicious. People also worship Paarvatee, Ganesh and 
      Nandee Jee along with Shiv Ling on this day.
 (4) 16 Mondays Vrat (Shraavan to Kaarttik)
      One has to fast from morning till evening and do Poojaa. One should not eat 
      salt, onions, garlic, non-vegetarian food etc. In the evening one should 
      take the Prasaadam after offering it to God. One can recite Shiv Maanas 
      Poojaa Shlok and Shiv Aanand Laharee. Read the Som Vaar Vrat Kathaa. Please 
      see these links for 16 Som Vaar Vrat Kathaa
 --  
         http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/fessomav.html
 --  16 Som 
        Vaar Vrat Kathaa
 Though all Mondays can be observed 
      as Vrat but there are some special Mondays when it is much more emphasized to 
      observe like the Shraavan Som Vaar and Kaarttik Som Vaar. According to Skand 
      Puraan, the Kaarttik (mid Nov to mid Dec) Mondays are more auspicious than the 
      Shraavan Mondays.  Get up at the dawn, meditate on 
      the Shiv. After taking bath and having done the morning twilight salutation, 
      praying the Auspicious and Graceful Lord Shiv, worship the couples who are 
      devotees of the Lord, chaste and loveful as the Divines couple Paarvatee 
      Parameshawar themselves. Saluting those couples, offer them feast, the 
      observer of this Vrat eats only one time food that day. If unable to do the 
      worship, then one may go to the temple and salute and pray the Umaa-Maheshwar. 
      Anointing the Lord with Panchaamrit and other pleasant substances, hailing 
      the Lord offering Bilva leaves, not being money-minded offering the nice 
      food materials to the Lord, sharing the food with the kind hearted devotees 
      one eats the food. One may fast completely also. How to Do Poojaa
      
      To do Poojaa of Shiv either one can go to temple or can do it in his home. 
      One should make a Shiv Ling of mud and worship it. It may be kept for 16 
      Mondays, or it can be made every Monday afresh. If it is made afresh every 
      Monday, one should do its Visarjan on every Monday; but if it is made for 
      16 Mondays, it should be flowed in water the last day. If you cannot flow 
      it in water it should be put in a cup of water, covered at least with 4-5" 
      of water. When it is dissolved, that water should be poured in  tree 
      roots.
 Offer milk, water, chandan, 
      Akshat (Chaaval), Haldee, (do not offer Kumkum except in the Shraavan 
      month), Bel Patra, Aakade ka Pphool (a special flower which is offered 
      only to Lord Shiv), fruits and other things as per your choice, also pray 
      goddess Paarvatee and Ganesh. Then speak the Kathaa and Aaratee. Some people do fasting this 
      day eating only one thing, such as Choramaa, milk, Tulasee leaves (mik and 
      Tulasee Vrat is a difficult one) Vrat Kathaa
      
      You can also see these links for Som Vaar Vrat Kathaa---
 http://www.indif.com/nri/kathas/Somvar/solahsomkathaeng.asp
 http://www.bhaktisangeet.com/vratkatha/somvar/somvar02.html
 http://www.s-a-i.info/assoc_change/somvar.html
 http://www.s-a-i.info/assoc_change/somvar1.html
 http://www.s-a-i.info/assoc_change/somvar2.html
 http://www.s-a-i.info/assoc_change/somvar3.html
 
      
      Som Vaar Vrat Katha From a PanchaangThis fast is done to get mental peace, wealth, children, 
      and to get free from all kinds of afflictions. Start this fast from Chaitra, 
      or Vaishaakh, or Shraavan, or Kaarttik, or Maargsheersh, and do it for 5 years 
      or 14 years, or at least 16 Mondays. It is customary to start this fast from 
      Chaitra Shukla 8th, Monday with Aardraa Nakshatra; or Shraavan's first Monday. 
      The person should take bath with the water mixed with white sesame seed. After 
      the bath chanting "Om Namah Shivaaya" one should worship Shiv and 
      Paarvatee with white flowers, white sandal, Panchaamrit, rice, betel nut, 
      fruit, Gangaa water, Bilva leaves. Then should offer Daan and Dakshinaa to a 
      Braahman and eat food. Food should be only one time and without salt. One 
      should finish (Udyaapan) this Vrat in the above months only. While doing 
      Udyaapan one should do Havan of 1/10th part, and donate white things, milk, 
      yogurt, silver, white fruits.
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