Masik Shivratri: Shiva's night every month

What Masik Shivratri is

In every lunar month, the Krishna-paksha Chaturdashi, the tithi just before Amavasya, is held as Shiva's night. This is the monthly Shivaratri. There are twelve or thirteen such nights a year; the greatest is the one in amanta Magha (purnimanta Phalguna): Maha Shivratri.

The commentary on Muhurta Chintamani, listing the lords of the tithis, names Shiva as lord of Chaturdashi. Dharmasindhu says the Shivaratri vrat kept every month on Krishna Chaturdashi is kamya, a vrat kept by one's own wish; it is not a rule for everyone.

Many take a vow on Maha Shivratri and keep it every month for a year, some keep only the Shravana or Kartika Shivaratri, and some simply visit a Shiva temple that evening. Each follows their own way.

How the date is decided

Shastra (Dharmasindhu): the monthly Shivaratri is taken as nishitha-vyapini, just like Maha Shivratri. Nishitha is the eighth muhurta of the night, about midnight.

• Chaturdashi at the first night's nishitha only → the first day.
• At the second night's nishitha only → the second day.
• At both nights' nishitha → the second day. Dharmasindhu gives the reason: on the second day the Chaturdashi also covers more of pradosha (the evening).
• At neither → the second day, by the Maha Shivratri rule.

Why not pradosha alone: some take the Chaturdashi present only in the evening (pradosha). Dharmasindhu says plainly there is no authority for this; nishitha is checked. So some calendars occasionally show the monthly Shivaratri a day earlier; ours follows Dharmasindhu's nishitha rule, which matches our Maha Shivratri page.

Breaking the fast: Dharmasindhu says those keeping the Shivaratri vrat break it within the Chaturdashi, i.e. the next morning while Chaturdashi lasts; if Chaturdashi ends early, check the panchang and break the fast early in the morning.

Link with Pradosh

The day just before the monthly Shivaratri is the Krishna Trayodashi's Pradosh Vrat, and often the Trayodashi ends in the evening and the Chaturdashi begins. So many people keep Pradosh and Shivaratri together. Note that their rules differ: for Pradosh the Trayodashi is checked in the three muhurtas after sunset, for Shivaratri the Chaturdashi at midnight.

How families observe it: tradition

In the evening, queues at Shiva temples to offer water, milk and bel leaves; at home, a lamp and chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. The Shravana monthly Shivaratri is special in North India: Kanwar pilgrims offer Ganga water around this day. South Indian temples hold night abhisheka on every monthly Shivaratri. Some families hold bhajans that night; some just keep a single fruit meal.

Customs vary by region and family; tradition says Shiva looks at the heart, not the length of the ritual.

A simple puja

1. Morning bath and intention: ‘Today I will remember Shiva and keep the vrat.’
2. Fruit or one light meal by day, as your health allows.
3. In the evening, pour water, then milk, then water on a Shivalinga or Shiva's picture.
4. Offer bel leaves (the three-leaf kind), white flowers, sandal and rice; light a lamp.
5. Chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ or a Shiva hymn.
6. Stay up chanting as long as you can, with a short puja around midnight.
7. Next morning, break the fast while the Chaturdashi lasts.

If you can't stay up all night, a short vigil and chanting are counted as complete by tradition.

Health

Fasting and health: keep the fast as your health allows. Anyone who is unwell, pregnant or breastfeeding, diabetic, older, or on regular medicine should choose a lighter form (fruit, milk, or one simple meal) or ask a doctor. Don't change medicine timings. There is no need for a waterless (nirjala) fast; keep drinking water. Staying awake all night every month doesn't suit everyone; enough sleep is part of health too.

For health, the doctor comes first; no vrat replaces that. Datura and aak are offered to Shiva but are not food; keep them out of children's reach.

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.

Frequently asked questions