Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivarathri (Great Night of Lord Shiva) is most auspicious night for Lord Shiva its more important than monthly Shivarathri. It is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day of the Maagha month of the Hindu calendar.Celebrated in the dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha(waning moon) of the month of Maagha.The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael or Bilva/Vilvam leaves to Lord Shiva, all-day fasting and an all-night-long vigil(jagarana). All through the day the devotees, chant the sacred Panchakshara(Om Namashivaya) Manthra dedicated to Lord Shiva. In accordance with scriptural and discipleship traditions, penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation, in order to reach life's summum bonum steadily and swiftly.

There are three important reason to celebrate Maha Shivarathri

1. It is celebrate for remembrance and to thanks to Lord Shiva whom drink the poison of the churning ocean when asuras tried stealing the nectar of immortality and mistakenly its flow on the ocean and the same time LORD SHIVA get name as NEELAKANTHA.
2. Mahashivarathri also the day when SHIVA PA and PARVATHY MA vivaham/marriage occured.
3. Mahashivarathri also marks the night when Lord Shiv performed the "Tandava", the cosmic dance.
4. And its the favorite day of LORD SHIVA PA.

The ritual is same as monthly SHIVARATHRI ritual
According to the Shiva Purana, the Mahashivaratri worship must incorporate six items:

1. Bathing (Abishegam) Shiv Linga with water, milk and honey. Wood, apple or beal leaves are added to, which represents purification of the soul;
2. Vermilion paste is applied to the Shiv Linga after bathing it. This represents virtue;
3. Offering of fruits, which is conducive to longevity and gratification of desires;
4. Burning incense, yielding wealth;
5. The lighting of the lamp which is conducive to the attainment of knowledge;
6. And betel leaves marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures.
   
   MOST AUSPICIOUS MANTHRA,STOTHRAM,ASHTHAKAM
   
   • Maha Mrithunjaya 
   • Shri Shiva Mahimma Stotram
   • Sri Vishvanathasthakam
   • Lingasthakam
     
      
     
     Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead by worshipers of Lord Shiva. These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga). They also represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
     Wearing a mala (rosary) made from the rudraksha seeds of the rudraksha tree (said to have sprung from the tears of Lord Shiva) when worshiping Lord Shiva is ideal. A rudraksha seed is mahogany-like color, or could sometimes be black. They might also have traces of sacred sandalwood powder, turmeric, kumkum, or holy ash if the rosary is used in worship ceremonies.
     
     
     ALSO:
     In Nepal, millions of Hindus attend Shivaratri together from different part of the world at the famous Pashupatinath Temple. Thousand of devotees also attend Mahasivaratri at all the different famous Shiva Shakti Peetham of Nepal.
     On Mahashivratri, Nishita Kala is the ideal time to observe Shiva Pooja. On this day, in all Shiva's temples, the most auspicious Lingodbhava puja is performed.

Shivarathri

Sivarathri is the Day dedicated to our Dearly Lord Shiva pa.Sivarathri,simply means 'Great day of Lord Shiva' meanwhile rathri is night.It has two different ritual and vidhi because 1 Sivarathri is happen to be every month on every Trayodasi and 2 is happen once in a year named Maha Sivarathri.Mostly it is called Maha because its big and auspicious day that happen once a year which dedicated to Lord Shiva pa besides monthly Sivarathri.It is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day of the Maagha month of the Hindu calendar and celebrate on dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha of the month of Maagha.

I separate both ritual in 2 different section so it will be easy to everyone

Sivarathri 

Sivarathri happen on every Trayodasi day every month in Hindu Calendar.People normally offer some Bael or Bilwa or Vilvam(auspicious leaf of Lord Shiva) to Lord Shiva and fasting.But there is more to done,do everyone know that?This is something special we can do for Dearly Lord Shiva pa as a great Shiva Bhakth ......

One of the Puja type is
Abhishegam {pouring of milk or choice of water to Lord Shiva with full of  Bhakth (devotion)}
For that here is

Puja Vidhi

1. Wake up in the morning,taking bath in holy river or as normal
2. Prepare with clean and peace body,mind and soul
3. Things needed:

•    Ghat,Kudam (pot)
•    Flowers,champhor and usual puja things
•    A big plate thing(thathe or some big pot)
•    Milk or any type of water (according to preference some People used to abhisheg by using            turmeric water,Holy river water and etc.
•    a small spoon (maybe new or the small spoon thing use for Puja {this is for abhishegam if we      have small statue of Lord Shiva pa or Shiva Lingam we used pour with spoon by reciting              manthra 1 by 1 respectly,but if have big statue of Lord Shiva pa or Shiva Lingam please dont        hesitate to use big pot or kudam or ghat to pour milk}
•   Lastly and importantly is Statue of Lord Shiva Pa or Shiva Lingam

     4. Usually any Manthra can recite during the Puja,here is some of my suggestions :

• Maha Mrithunjaya 
• Shri Shiva Mahimma Stotram
• Sri Vishvanathasthakam
• Lingasthakam

After select the Manthra that you like now ready for the best time

5.start by putting Statue of Shiva pa or Shiva Lingam on plate or thatte
6.1st-start with normal puja showing camphor to our Lord Shiva
7.2nd-pour normal water and along with milk by recite the Manthra
8.3rd-after milk finish and reciting Manthra coming to the end again show the camphor to Lord Shiva and again pour some normal water and decorate Lord Shiva with cloth or flower and Kumkum then again show camphor to Lord Shiva

That's it,very easy right

Not everyone can do this Abhishegam Puja because some are work or study so another Puja is just fasting or by only consume vegetarian food and recite the Manthra will work too

By the way,Lord Shiva is unlimited Kind Person who always understand us with His Pure-full  Heart so
don't worry if you don't have time to do Puja,devotion with pure heart is what Shiva Pa always want :)

SHIVA SADAKSHARA STOTRAM

Omkaram, Bindu Samyuktham,
Nithyam, dyayanthi yogina,
Kamadam, mokshadam chaiva,
Omkaraya Namo nama. 1

Salutations and salutations to letter “om”,
Which is meditated as a letter Om with a dot,
Daily by great sages,
And leads them to fulfillment of desires,
And attainment of salvation.

Namanthi Rishayo deva,
Namanthyapsarasa gana,
Nara namanthi, devesam,
Nakaraya namo nama. 2

Salutations and salutations to letter “na”,
Which is saluted by great sages,
Which is saluted by groups of divine maidens,
And which is saluted by men and the king of devas.

Mahadevam, Mahathmanam,
Mahadyanaparayanam,
Maha papa haram devam,
Makaraya namonama. 3

Salutations and salutations to letter “ma”,
Which is saluted as greatest god,
Which is saluted by great souls,
Which is greatly meditated and read,
And which is the stealer of all sins.

Shivam Shantham jagnannatham,
Lokanugraha karakam,
Shivamekapadam nithyam,
Shikaraya namo nama. 4

Salutations and salutations to letter “Shi”,
Which is Lord Shiva,
Who is the abode of peace,
Who is the lord of the universe,
Who is the one who blesses the world,
And which is the one word that is eternal.

Vahanam Vrushabho yasya,
Vasuki Kanda Bhooshanam,
Vame Shakthi daram devam,
Vakaraya namo namo. 5

Salutations and salutations to letter “va”,
Which the God who holds in his left Goddess Shakthi,
And who rides on a bull,
And wears on his neck the snake Vasuki.

Yathra yathra sthitho deva,
Sarva vyapi maheswara,
Yo guru sarva devanam,
Yakaraya namo nama. 6

Salutations and salutations to letter “ya”,
Which is the teacher of all the devas,
Who exists wherever gods exist,
And who is the great God spread everywhere

Phalsruthi:
Shadaksharamidham sthothram,
Ya padeth Shiva Sannidhou,
Shivalokamavapnothi, Shivena Saha modathe.

Benefit:
If one reads this prayer of six letters,
In front of LORD SHIVA,
He would reach the world of SHIVA,
And be always happy with him.