Each day of a week is dedicated to a particular god in the Hindu pantheon. Apart from the special Vratas and Upvaas, many Hindus also fast on a particular day in a week. So, if you want to worship all avatras and forms of god in particular, you get one whole day to shower your devotion to the God! This day is ruled by the celestial deity Chandra, the God of the moon. Monday is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
शिव प्रातः स्मरण स्तोत्र Shloka:
प्रातः स्मरामि भवभीतिहरं सुरेशं गङ्गाधरं वृषभवाहनमम्बिकेशम् ।
खट्वाङ्गशूलवरदाभयहस्तमीशं संसाररोगहरमौषधमद्वितीयम् ॥
Praatah Smaraami Bhava-Bhiiti-Haram SurEsham Ganga-Dharam Vrishabha-Vaahanam-AmbikEsham ।
Khattvaangga-Shuula-Varada-Abhaya-Hastam-Iisham
Samsaara-Roga-Haram-Aussadham-Advitiiyam ॥
I meditate in the morning on the Self which shines in the heart, which is existence-consciousness-bliss, which is the goal to be attained by Paramahamsa sannyasis, which is called the ‘fourth’ because it is beyond the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep, and which always witnesses the states of waking, dream and deep sleep. I am that Brahman which is indivisible and not the aggregate of the five elements, ether, air, fire, water and earth.
प्रातर्नमामि गिरिशं गिरिजार्धदेहं सर्गस्थितिप्रलयकारणमादिदेवम् ।
विश्वेश्वरं विजितविश्वमनोभिरामं संसाररोगहरमौषधमद्वितीयम् ॥२॥
I worship in the morning that supremely effulgent Being who is spoken of (in the Vedas) as unborn, changeless, and the highest, who is inaccessible to the mind and whom words cannot directly describe, but by whose blessing the faculty of speech functions, and who is described in the Upanishads by the words ‘not this, not this’.
प्रातर्भजामि शिवमेकमनन्तमाद्यं वेदान्तवेद्यमनघं पुरुषं महान्तम् ।
नामादिभेदरहितं षड्भावशून्यं संसाररोगहरमौषधमद्वितीयम् ॥३॥
I bow down in the morning to the infinite, eternal Being who is known as the supreme Purusha, who is beyond the darkness of ignorance, who is resplendent like the sun, who is everything and on whom this entire universe appears, just as a rope appears as a snake. One who reads every morning this sacred triad of verses which is an ornament for all the three worlds will attain to the supreme state of liberation.
In the Early Morning, I Remember Sri Shiva, Who Destroys the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of the Devas, Who Holds River Ganga on His Head, Who has a Bull as His Vehicle and Who is the Lord of Devi Ambika, Who has a Club and Trident in His two Hands, And confers Boon and Fearlessness with His other two Hands and Who is the Lord of the Universe, Who is the Medicine to Destroy the Disease (of Delusion) of Worldly Existence and Who is the One without a second.
Fasting on Mondays in the month of Shravan is considered even more auspicious. Hindus believe that observing a fast or ‘upvaas’ on Mondays will satisfy Lord Shiva who will grant them wisdom and fulfill all their desires. Devotees visit Lord Shiva shrines and conduct pujas, especially, Ardhanarishwara puja.
So devotees visit any Shiva Temple nearby and offer Betel Leaf, White flowers to the Shivling. The Moon (Chandra) rules Monday.
|| Om Namah Shivaya ||
