Maha Shivratri: Shiva's night
Maha Shivratri is the night of Krishna Chaturdashi in Magha (purnimanta Phalguna). Per Dharmasindhu, the Chaturdashi taken is the one present at nishitha, the 8th muhurta of the night (about midnight). Fasting, staying awake and worship through four watches mark it.
Shiva's night: a fast, staying awake, and worship through the four watches.
What Maha Shivratri is
Every month the Krishna-paksha Chaturdashi is held as Shiva's night: the monthly Shivaratri. The greatest of them is Magha's Krishna Chaturdashi (Phalguna in purnimanta calendars): Maha Shivratri. It usually falls in February or March, as winter gives way to spring.
People fast, bathe the Shivalinga, and stay awake as long as they can chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.
How the date is decided
Shastra (Dharmasindhu): Shivaratri is taken as nishitha-vyapini. Nishitha is the eighth muhurta of the night, about midnight.
- Chaturdashi at nishitha on the second day only → the second day.
- On the first day only → the first day.
- On both days, or on neither → per Dharmasindhu, Madhava, Nirnaya Sindhu and many texts take the second day (Kaustubha the first in some cases).
Dharmasindhu adds that the vrat is held even finer when it falls with a Sunday or Tuesday. It gives the same nishitha rule for the monthly Shivaratri, and says there is no authority for looking only at pradosha.
The story: tradition / Purana story
Tradition has several Shivaratri stories. In one, Shiva and Parvati married on this night. In another, Brahma and Vishnu argued over who was greater, and an endless pillar of light appeared between them whose beginning and end neither could find; this is held to be Shiva's linga form. A folk story tells of a hunter who stayed awake in a tree all night and, without knowing, kept dropping bel leaves onto a Shivalinga below; tradition says Shiva looks at the heart, not the method.
We keep these as tradition and claim no Purana chapter.
How families celebrate
From early morning, long queues at Shiva temples to offer water, milk and bel leaves. Night-long worship at Mahakal in Ujjain, Kashi Vishwanath, Somnath and the other jyotirlingas. In Kashmir it is ‘Herath’, a major family festival. Nepal's Pashupatinath holds a large fair. South Indian temples do abhisheka in all four watches. Many homes keep a fruit fast and sing bhajans at night.
A simple puja
Dharmasindhu gives worship for each of the night's four watches. A simple home form:
- Morning bath and intention: ‘Today I will remember Shiva and keep the vrat.’
- In the evening, pour water, then milk, then water on a Shivalinga or Shiva's picture.
- Offer bel leaves (the three-leaf kind), white flowers, sandal and rice.
- Chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ or a Shiva hymn.
- In as many watches as you can, a short puja and chanting.
- Next morning, break the fast while the Chaturdashi lasts.
If you can't stay up all night, tradition counts one or two watches as complete.
Safety and health
Fasting and health: keep the fast as your health allows. With diabetes, blood pressure, pregnancy, breastfeeding, older age or regular medicine, a lighter form (fruit, milk, or one simple meal) is also part of the tradition. Don't change medicine timings. For health, the doctor comes first; no vrat replaces that.
In temple crowds, hold the hands of children and elders, avoid pushing, and carry water. Datura and aak are offered to Shiva but are not food; keep them out of children's reach. If you take bhang, don't drive, and don't take it at all if you are on medicine.
In ePandit
In ePandit: our calendar shows the festival day with your city's sunrise and sunset. The day is decided once, for Ujjain; your city's times are shown separately. We don't compute muhurta yet, and we never call a festival good or bad for anyone.
Keep the fast in a way your health allows. People with diabetes, pregnancy, older people and anyone on regular medicine can choose a lighter form (fruit, milk, or one meal); for health, the doctor comes first. Watch children and elders in temple crowds; datura is not to be eaten.
Frequently asked questions
Why midnight?
Dharmasindhu takes Shivaratri as the Chaturdashi present at nishitha, the eighth muhurta of the night (about midnight). The vrat's main worship belongs to that night.
How is it different from the monthly Shivaratri?
Every Krishna Chaturdashi is a monthly Shivaratri; the Magha (Phalguna) one is Maha Shivratri. The date rule is the same.
What if one can't stay awake all night?
Tradition counts whatever vigil one can manage, even one or two watches.
What can be eaten in the fast?
Fruit, milk, sago, buckwheat or water-chestnut flour, by family custom. If health needs it, a simple meal is fine too.
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Sources: Dharmasindhu, Śivarātri-nirṇaya, Chaturdashi at nishitha; nishitha = 8th muhurta of the night · Dharmasindhu, Śivarātri (Hindi commentary), Take the one present at midnight · Dharmasindhu, Caturdaśī-nirṇaya (monthly Shivaratri), Monthly Shivaratri follows the same rule · Tradition, Shiva–Parvati's marriage; the pillar of light