SHIV MAHAPURAN
INTRODUCTION
Sage Shaunak expressed his desire to Sutji about knowing the
means, which could help a man in this era of Kali to attain lord Shiva, by
cleansing all the impurities of his mind and rectifying his inherent demonic
tendencies. Sutji then described Shiv
Mahapuran - the supreme of all the puranas, which was narrated by Lord Shiva
himself and which was later retold by Sage Vyas with the permission of Maharshi
Sanatkumar, for the benediction of common man. Sutji said, "By
understanding the mysteries of Shivmahapuran and singing its praises, a man
attains greater virtues than that which could be attained by being charitable or
by the performance of all the `yagyas'. Contemplating on the subject matters of
Shivmahapuran give auspicious fruits just like a 'Kalpa-taru' (A mythological
tree which fulfills all the wishes). Shiv Mahapuran contains twenty-four
thousand shlokas and seven samhitas which are:
1) VIDYESHWAR SAMHITA, 2) RUDRA SAMHITA
3) SHATRUDRA SAMHITA
4) KOTI RUDRA SAMHITA 5) UMA SAMHITA 6) KAILASH SAMHITA 7) VAYVIYA
SAMHITA
Shivmahapuran is the best means for man's liberation.
PROPER
METHOD OF LISTENING TO SHIVPURAN
Sage
Shaunak requested Sutji to tell about the proper method of listening to
Shivpuran, so that the man kind gets complete benefit. Sutji replied-
"First, an auspicious moment should be determined by an Astrologer. After
that, friends and relatives should be invited, especially those who have the
tendency of being away from such occasions. The sages and the virtuous people
should be invited too. The 'Katha' must be help in scared places like Shiva
temple, any place of pilgrimage or in one's home after doing a Bhumi Pujan of
the land Where one intends to held the Katha of Shiv Puran. The canopy should be
well decorated." "After making a resolution and doing worship of
Ganapati - the destroyer of all hurdles and obstacles the Katha should be
commenced. The person who is telling the 'Katha' should be facing north and all
the listeners should sit facing east. The person who is telling the 'Katha'
should be a scholar and should be capable of clearing all the doubts from the
listener's mind. There should be no kind of distraction during the 'Katha'
period. A devotee, who listens to the Katha leaving behind all of his worldlys
worries get complete benefits. A devotee should also make donations and
offerings according to his capacity and capability otherwise he would become a
wretched man. The Mantra ' NAMAH SHIVAY'
should be chanted through out the period of Katha.
RIGHT OF LISTENING TO SHIVMAHAPURAN:-
An uninitiated person does not have the right to
listen to the Katha of Shivmahapuran. So a man desirous of listening to
Shivmahapuran should first get initiated.
AUSTERITIES TO BE FOLLOWED:
A devotee who has taken the vow of listening to the
Katha of Shivmahapuran, should follow a celibate life. He should sleep on the
floor and should have only fruits in the diet. He can have his normal dinner
only after the completion of the Katha. The diet should be fresh and pure. He
should also try to avoid sinful tendencies like lust, anger, greed, attachment
and condemning other, etc. Making donations of even meager things give
undiminishing virtues.
RITES PERFORMED ON COMPLETION OF OBSERVANCE:-
After the methodical completion of the Katha, a
devotee should perform UDDYAPAN
(Conclusion of the Katha), which is similar to the CHATURDASHI
UDDYAPAN. The devotee should also Charitably make
donations to all the brahmins who have helped in the performance of Katha. On
the next day the 'Path' of SHIV GITA should be performed. If the devotee
(listener of the Katha) is a householders, then he should perform 'Havan' with
the ghee prepared from Cow's milk, for the pacification of the unhindered
completion of the Katha. The Havan should be performed, either with the help of
'Rudra Samhita mantras' or 'Gayatri Mantra' or with the shlokas of Puran.