Pradosh Vrat
Also written: Pradosham · Pradosha Vrata · Pradosh · Som Pradosh · Shani Pradosh · Bhaum Pradosh · Trayodashi Vrat
The 13th lunar day (trayodaśī) of both the bright and the dark fortnight, so twice in every lunar month. The worship belongs to pradoṣa, the twilight just after sunset, and the vow is kept on the day whose trayodaśī is present during that twilight, so the date can differ by a day from place to place. When it falls on a Monday it is called Soma Pradoṣa, on a Tuesday Bhauma Pradoṣa, and on a Saturday Śani Pradoṣa.
What it is, and why
Pradoṣa means the first part of the night, the twilight that follows sunset. The Pradoṣa vrata is a fast for Śiva kept on the 13th lunar day of each fortnight, with the main worship done at that hour.
Tradition holds that at this twilight Śiva is especially gracious, and a well-known image has him dancing on Kailāsa at dusk while the gods gather to watch. In many temples, particularly in South India where the day is called Pradoṣam, Nandī is honoured first at this hour, and worshippers look at the liṅga from between his horns.
A commonly told account links the observance to the churning of the ocean: after Śiva took the poison, the gods came to him at twilight on the trayodaśī and he was pleased with them. The greatness of the vow is described in the Skanda Purāṇa; we give these accounts as tradition and do not cite a chapter we have not checked.
Because it comes twice a month, Pradoṣa is for many people the regular rhythm of their devotion to Śiva: a short fast, an evening lamp, and a few minutes of quiet worship at dusk.
How it is observed
This is custom; practice differs by family and region.
- Traditionally a fast is kept through the day and ended after the evening worship; its strictness varies by custom.
- After a bath before sunset, Śiva is worshipped in the twilight just after sunset.
- The liṅga is bathed with water and milk, and bilva leaves, flowers, a lamp and incense are offered.
- In temples Nandī is worshipped too, and many walk around the shrine (pradakṣiṇā).
- Om Namaḥ Śivāya is repeated; many also recite the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya mantra or a hymn.
- The Pradoṣa story is read or heard, and the worship closes with āratī.
Stories for the day
What to recite and chant
Sources
researched
Explore this source
The original passage for this reference has not yet been added here. Use the location and edition above; the story is our retelling.
The largest Purāṇa, famous for its sections on sacred places (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Kedāra Khaṇḍa and many more).
View in the source library →tradition
Explore this source
The original passage for this reference has not yet been added here. Use the location and edition above; the story is our retelling.
0 of 2 sources located to chapter or verse; 1 still being researched. This page has not yet been reviewed by an editor. How we check →