Maha Shivratri Vrat Katha – महाशिवरात्रि व्रत कथा

The fast of Mahashivratri is observed on the Chaturdashi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalgun. On this day, devotees observe a fast and worship Lord Shiva and receive his blessings. Reading and reciting the Mahashivratri Vrat Katha is an important part of this fast. Here is a simple guide to reading and following the Mahashivratri Vrat Katha.

Method of Starting the Fast

• Take a bath in the morning and wear clean clothes.
• Clean the temple at home and bathe the idol of Lord Shiva or the Shivling with Ganga water.
• Take a vow to fast and observe the worship and fasting of Lord Shiva throughout the day.

Worship Materials

• Ganga water, milk, yogurt, honey, bel leaves, flowers (especially aak, datura, and lotus), incense, lamp, and fruits.
• Offer white sandalwood and ashes to Lord Shiva.
• It is mandatory to offer water, milk, and bel leaves on the Shivling.

Time of Worship

• Worship in four prahars (segments) of the night. Offer water, milk, and Panchamrit on the Shivling in each prahar.
• Chant the mantra “ॐ नमः शिवाय”.
• Recite Shiv Chalisa and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra.

Method of Breaking the Fast

• Take a bath in Brahma Muhurta the next day and worship Lord Shiva.
• Break the fast by consuming fruits, milk, and sattvic food.

Important Points

• Follow sattvic diet and pure thoughts during the fast.
• Donate to the needy and worship in the Shiva temple.
• Worship Lord Shiva with faith and devotion.

Story of Mahashivratri Vrat

Once there was a hunter named Chitrabhanu. He used to feed his family by killing animals. He was indebted to a moneylender, but when he could not repay the debt on time, the angry moneylender imprisoned him in a Shiva temple. Coincidentally, that day was Shivratri.

While imprisoned, the hunter kept listening to religious things related to Shiva in the temple, and there he also heard the story of Shivratri Vrat. In the evening, the moneylender called him and asked him to repay the debt, then the hunter promised to return the entire debt the next day. The moneylender accepted his words and released him. The hunter went out into the forest for hunting. But he was distraught with hunger and thirst due to being in prison all day. At sunset, he went near a reservoir and climbed a tree on the bank of a ghat with a little water to drink, because he fully expected that some animal would definitely come here to quench its thirst. That tree was of Bel-Patra (wood apple) and under the same tree was also a Shivling, which was not visible due to being covered with dry Bel-Patras. The hunter did not know about it. Tired of hunger and thirst, he sat on the same platform.

While making the platform, the twigs he broke, coincidentally fell on the Shivling. In this way, the hunter fasted all day hungry and thirsty, and Bel-Patras were also offered on the Shivling.

After a while, another deer came out from that side. The hunter was overjoyed. Upon approaching, he put an arrow on the bow. Some Bel-Patras fell down on the Shivling and unknowingly the hunter's second prahar of worship was also completed.

Then seeing him, the deer humbly requested, that I have just recovered from menstruation a little while ago. I am a lovelorn woman longing for her beloved. I am wandering in search of my beloved. I will come to you soon after meeting my husband. The hunter let her go too.

He became worried after losing his prey twice. The last prahar of the night was passing. Then another deer came out from that side with her children. The hunter was about to release the arrow on the bow when the deer said, I will hand over these children to their father and return. Don't kill me at this time.

The hunter laughed and said, I am not such a fool to let go of the prey that has come in front of me. Before this, I have lost my prey twice. My children must be suffering from hunger and thirst. In reply, the deer again said, just as you are worried about your children, in the same way I am also worried about them, so I am asking for a life donation for a little while only in the name of the children. Trust me, I promise to return immediately after leaving them with their father. Hearing the deer's pitiable voice, the hunter felt pity for her. He let that deer also go.

In the absence of prey, the hunter sitting on the Bel-tree kept breaking and throwing Bel-Patras down. His third prahar of worship was also completed automatically.

When dawn was about to break, a healthy deer came on the same path. The hunter thought that he would definitely hunt it. Seeing the hunter's taut bowstring, the deer spoke in a humble voice, brother! If you have killed the three deer and small children who came before me, then do not delay in killing me too, so that I do not have to suffer even for a moment in their separation. I am the husband of those deer. If you have given them life, then please give me also a few moments of life. I will be present before you after meeting them.

Hearing the deer's words, the hunter narrated the entire story to the deer. Then the deer said, in the same way as my three wives have gone bound by promise, they will not be able to follow their religion by my death. Therefore, just as you have left them considering them trustworthy, let me also go. I will be present before you soon with all of them.

Due to fasting, night vigil and offering Bel-Patras on the Shivling, the hunter's violent heart had become pure. The divine power had resided in him. The bow and arrow fell from his hand and he let the deer go. After a short while, that deer appeared before the hunter with his family, so that he could hunt them, but seeing such truthfulness, purity and collective love of the wild animals, the hunter felt great remorse. Tears started flowing from his eyes. Without killing that deer family, the hunter removed his hard heart from animal violence and made it soft and compassionate forever.

The entire society of gods was also watching this event from the heavenly realm. On doing so, Lord Shankar, pleased, immediately gave him a vision of his divine form and gave him the boon of happiness and prosperity and gave him the name Guha. This was the same Guha with whom Lord Shri Ram had befriended.