Pradosh Vrat and Second Somvar Vrat

 16th July-Second Somvar Vrat and also Pradosh Vrat

Pradosh VratPradosh is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Shiv on  the 13th day of a lunar fortnight in Hindu traditional calendar. Pradosh occurs during the two different phases of moon (waxing and waning) in a Hindu Lunar month. This year Som  Pradosh fall on 16^th and 30^th of July 2012 and in Shravan month. This is a very rare happening that two Mondays in shravan month are dedicated to pradosh fasting. The Prayers and Pujas are offered to Lord Shiva  and Goddess Parvati during the evening twilight period on this day.  Pradosh as the name indicates is a period 1 and 1/2 hours before the sunset and 1 and 1/2 hours after the sunset. Fasting starts from sunrise and ends with the evening Poojaa. Most devotees prefer to pray to Lord Shiva or remain in Shiv temples during the Pradosh period.

How to Do This Vrat

There are two ways to do this Vrat.
--Some people observe a 24-hour fasting, which includes not sleeping at night.
--Another method is fasting from sunrise to sunset and after Shiv Puja the fast is broken.
Since Pradosh is a Kaal - period (from 1.30 hours before sunset to 1.00 hour after sunset) all Poojaa is done during this period only. If there is a temple of Shiv, one can go there too to perform Puja.
--Some devotees do not fast but worship Shiv during the Pradosh period or visit temples.

Take the bath an hour before sunset, and first perform a preliminary worship of Shiva, together with all the others of his Divine family, namely, Nandee, Shiv, Paarvatee, Ganesh, and Skand - in this order. After the worship of Ganesh, Shiv is invoked in a special Kalash placed on a square Mandal with a lotus drawn on the Kalash and Darbhaa grass spread over the Mandal. After the formal worship has been completed, a Pradosh story is read and heard by the devotees. This is followed by the recitation of the Mahaa Mrityunjaya Mantra 108 times. In the end the sacred Kalash water is partaken of, the sacred ash is applied to the forehead, and the water which was used to bathe the Lord, is drunk.

Food to be Taken
Although one should not take salt in this Vrat. Staunch devotees opt for water only throughout fasting time and will only eat the Prasaad offered in the evening. Such devotees only eat  from next day morning. But as people know, there is not much hard and fast rules in Hindu Vrat and festivals. Whatever is available according to time, place and one's physical condition may be used for worship and Vrat. One should never worry about all this. It is rather important to lift oneself spiritually by self control.

A very important point to be remembered in this connection is that during this auspicious period all the hosts of celestial beings and gods come down from the Heavens and attend the worship in their subtle forms. This adds immensely to the sanctity of the worship. This Vrat is highly lauded by the scriptures and is of very great sanctity and importance to worshippers of Shiva.  Even a single Bel leaf (Bilva Patra) offered to the Lord at this unique, auspicious moment equals a hundred Mahapuja. It is usual to have special additional lights in the shrine during the Pradosh. To light even a single wick at this juncture is highly meritorious and productive of untold benefits, spiritual as well as material.  According to Veda, worship Lord Vishnu in the morning and Lord Shiva in the evening, especially during Pradosh Kaal is highly beneficial to the Saadhak, especially when the 12th Tithi (Dwaadashi) in Krishn Paksh or Shukla Paksh ends before midnight.

Daily Panchang & Muhurtha Monday 16th  July 2012

Based on British Standard Time (London)
[Ashaadha- Shravana]
Second Somvar vrat

Sunrise: 05:04:17 Sunset: 21:08:05 Moonrise: 02:33:54
Nandana (1934) Vikrami(North): 2069, Vishvaavasu
Vikram(Gujarat): 2068
Ritu: Varsha
Ashaadha/Shravan Krishna Paksha
T: Trayodashi 27:19:41+ N: Mrigashirsha 26:53:34+
Y: Vriddhi 06:57:03
K: Garaja 14:28:43 K: Vanija 27:19:41+
Sun : Karka at 04:59:31 Moon : Mithuna at 13:43:51
RK: 07:04:45-09:05:14 YM: 11:05:42-13:06:11
GK: 15:06:40-17:07:08 AJ: 12:42:11-13:30:11
DM: 13:38:19-14:42:34 DM: 16:51:04-17:55:20
V: 06:37:23-08:23:08
AK: 17:11:55-18:57:40
Sun in Punarvasu
TY: Amrita 26:53:34+ TY: Siddha
AN: Ananda 26:53:34+ AN: Kaldanda
Agnivasa: on Earth

Abbreviations

T: Tithi N: Nakshatra Y: YogaK: Karana RK: Rahukaal YM: Yamakaal GK: Gulika iAJ: Abhijit Muhurta DM: Durmuhurtham V: Varjyam AK: Amritkalam AN: Anandadi yoga TY: Amritha, Siddha Marana Yoga used in Tamil Panchangam

Agnivasa(location of Fire) :Doing Havan if Fire on earth gives Happiness, in Heaven  could gives loss of life, in Paatala gives loss of wealth

Bad Period -Rahukalam -Yamagandam – Gulikai – Durmuhurtham – Durmuhurtham –Varjyam –

Good Time -Abhijita Muhurta – Amrita Kalam – 

Rest all hours that are not part of Bad Period are Good time.When bad period overlaps into good period, that much time of badperiod should be eliminated from good period.

(Panchang differs from place to place please request for your city)