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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 Panchaang
This 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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