Kedareswara Vratham in English : Know Puja Signicance and Story (Katha)

Kedareswara Vratham, it is very auspicious to perform this Vratam on Karthika Pournami (full moon of the Karthika month). It enhances love and unity between husband and wife. This vratam strengthens the bond of understanding and affection in married life. It brings harmony, enabling couples to live with mutual trust and joy. The vratam, performed on Karthika Pournami, is considered highly auspicious.

The Kedareswara Vratham fosters marital happiness, along with peace and prosperity in the home. The husband and wife must perform the rituals together. Even if the wife is not present, the husband can observe the vratam. However, the wife alone should not perform it.

The vratam begins with prayers on a day when the Krittika Nakshatra (star) aligns, coinciding with Karthika Pournami. This vratam invokes the blessings of Lord Kedareswara, who embodies divine grace and unity. As part of the ritual, sacred leaves and offerings are used.

Home Decoration and Significance of the 21 Sacred Offerings in Kedareswara Vrat

Decorate the home with auspicious items such as mango leaves and toranas (door garlands) to invite prosperity. Special offerings are prepared, including 21 types of items, which have great spiritual significance. The number 21 represents the removal of 21 types of doshas (flaws or sins) from human life. Devotees use 21 threads (daras) to symbolize dedication and unity.

The 21 sacred items offered include food, flowers, and other symbolic objects. Rice dishes made with jaggery are especially significant in the vratam. The vratam invokes blessings from Surya (the Sun God), symbolizing energy and vitality. The Sun represents the fire element and is revered as a form of Lord Shiva.

How To Perform Kedareswara Vratham at Home?

Preparation and Materials

  • Image or Idol: Place a picture or idol of Lord Kedareswara (a form of Lord Shiva) on a clean altar.
  • Kalasha (sacred pot): Fill a copper or silver pot with water, place a coconut on top, and decorate it with mango leaves.
  • Offerings: Gather flowers, fruits, milk, ghee (clarified butter), rice, turmeric, sandalwood paste, incense sticks, and camphor for the rituals.
  • Puja Cloth: Use clean, preferably new, cloth for the altar and for covering the kalasha.

Sankalpa (Vow)

  • Begin by taking a vow to observe Kedareswara Vrat. This involves mentally resolving to complete the vrat for a certain period, which can vary but is commonly observed on Mondays or for a set of Mondays.
  • The sankalpa should express your dedication to fulfilling the vrat with faith and devotion.

Starting the Puja

  • Lighting the Lamp: Light a lamp with ghee to signify the presence of divine energy.
  • Offering Flowers: Offer fresh flowers to Lord Kedareswara, while reciting any prayer or mantra that invokes Lord Shiva’s blessings.

Worship of the Kalasha

  • Treat the kalasha as the symbol of Lord Kedareswara. Offer it flowers, turmeric, sandal paste, and kumkum (vermillion).
  • Sprinkle water around the altar to purify the space and surroundings.

Chanting Mantras

  • Recite Shiva mantras, such as “Om Namah Shivaya” or “Kedareswara Namah,” to invoke the grace of Lord Shiva. Chanting can be done 108 times or as per your convenience.
  • Alternatively, if familiar with specific mantras or stotras like the “Kedareswara Ashtakam,” reciting these is highly auspicious.

Offerings

  • Offer 21 sacred items mentioned above or just offer milk, fruits, and sweets to Lord Kedareswara.
  • If possible, prepare a simple meal or prasad that is purely vegetarian. Typical offerings include rice dishes, coconut, jaggery, and seasonal fruits.

Aarti and Prayers

  • Perform aarti by waving camphor in front of the deity while singing or reciting aarti songs for Lord Shiva. This step represents offering light to the divine and acknowledging the presence of Lord Kedareswara.

Distributing Prasad

  • After completing the rituals in the evening, they must not forget to offer the prasadam (sacred food) to the deity. After offering prayers, they may break their fast with the prasadam at night.

Kedareswara Vratham Katha (Story)

Lord Shiva, accompanied by his wife Parvati Devi, presents the story of this sacred vrat (vow). Parvati, during this period, symbolizes a committed path toward righteousness and fulfillment. The Kedareswara Vratam, as per the scriptures, is associated with blessings for married couples, creating harmony and grace in their lives.

Parvati Devi performed this vratam with utmost devotion, supported by the sage Narada, the god Ganesha, and the deities Shiva and Kumaraswami, along with Nandi and other divine beings. Witnessing the ritual, sage Narada described it as a means to dispel ignorance and encourage wisdom among devotees.

In a state of divine bliss, devotees gathered to celebrate this union between Shiva and Parvati, which embodies harmony and mutual respect. Parvati Devi was blessed by the great sages, and her area became a place of divine inspiration and pilgrimage, as a yogi and tapasvi (ascetic) led blessings toward a prosperous life for all devotees.

The vrat is particularly auspicious on the day of the full moon in Karthika month, a time to invoke Shiva’s blessings through fasting and prayers. This vratam serves as a pathway for marital harmony, prosperity, and divine grace.

By observing this vratam, devotees believe in overcoming obstacles in life, enhancing familial bonds, and experiencing spiritual growth. It is a powerful tradition passed down, where the recitation of Kedareswara’s story holds the utmost reverence, enhancing devotion and trust in the supreme divinity of Shiva and Parvati.

Conclusion

The Vratam is performed for 21 years for a family to experience its full benefits. It can be passed on as a family tradition, ensuring blessings for future generations.

Observing this vratam with devotion on Karthika Pournami brings happiness and harmony to families. Couples are blessed with ashta aishwaryas (eight forms of prosperity) through this vratam.

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