Narmadeshwar Shivling Puja Vidhi at Home
Updated
Written by the SHIVYA artisan family in Bakawan, on the banks of the Narmada
Quick answer
To worship a Narmadeshwar Shivling at home, place it on a jalhari in the north-east with the spout facing north, offer water while chanting "Om Namah Shivaya", then bilva leaves, white flowers and sandalwood, and finish with aarti. No prana-pratishtha is needed.
- Best place: north-east (Ishaan kon), on a jalhari
- Daily: jal abhishek with "Om Namah Shivaya"
- Mondays and festivals: panchamrit abhishek
- Offer bilva leaves, white flowers, sandalwood, akshat
- Avoid turmeric, kumkum, tulsi and ketaki flowers
Worshipping a Narmadeshwar Shivling at home can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Here is a straightforward daily puja that families follow, with a few traditional guidelines. Practices vary by family and region, so follow your own tradition where it differs.
Before you begin
Place the Shivling on a jalhari in a clean, calm part of your home, ideally the north-east. Point the jalhari's spout towards the north. Since a Narmadeshwar Shivling is considered swayambhu, you can begin worship the day it arrives, without prana-pratishtha.
- A small kalash or lota for water
- A diya and incense
- Bilva (bel) leaves, white flowers, sandalwood paste and akshat (unbroken rice)
- A soft cotton cloth
Daily puja in 6 steps
- Bathe and sit facing east or north. Light the diya and incense.
- Offer jal abhishek: pour clean water slowly over the Shivling while chanting "Om Namah Shivaya".
- On Mondays, Pradosh and festivals, you may offer panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar), then rinse with water.
- Gently wipe the Shivling dry and apply a little sandalwood paste.
- Offer three-leaved bilva leaves (smooth side touching the Shivling), white flowers and akshat.
- Perform aarti, chant the Mahamrityunjaya mantra or "Om Namah Shivaya" 108 times on a Rudraksha mala if you wish, and sit in silent prayer.
What is traditionally not offered
- Turmeric (haldi) and kumkum are traditionally not applied to a Shivling.
- Tulsi leaves are offered to Vishnu, not to Shiva.
- Ketaki (kewda) flowers are traditionally avoided in Shiva worship.
- Broken rice and torn or damaged bilva leaves.
Caring for your Shivling
Rinse the Shivling with clean water after every abhishek and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Avoid soap and chemical cleaners, which can dull the natural sheen. The abhishek water can be poured into a plant rather than down the drain.
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