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Shravana Month Fast Importance And Story

Shravana Month Fast Importance And Story

Sawan is considered to be the holiest month because worship and worship of Lord Bholenath have special significance in the month of Shravan. According to the English calendar, the month of Sawan falls in July-August. This year in 2023, Shravan, the most beloved month of Lord Shiva, is starting on 04th July.

Get More Information About Shravan Month 2025: Dates, Significance, Puja Vidhi and Fast Rituals Here.

Shravan month fasting – Monday of Sawan

There are two types of fasts observed by the devotees in this holy month of Sawan: Sawan Somwar Vrat: The fast observed on Monday in the month of Shravan is called Sawan Somwar Vrat. Monday is also dedicated to Lord Shiva. Sixteen Somvar Vrat: Sawan is considered a holy month. Therefore, it is considered a very good time to start fasting on Solah Somvar.

Dates of Shravan Maas for North Indian States

  • Shravana Begins *North: Tuesday, Jul 04, 2023
  • First Shravan Somwar Vrat:  Monday, Jul 10, 2023
  • Second Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Jul 17, 2023
  • Third Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Aug 21, 2023
  • Fourth Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Aug 28, 2023
  • Shravana Ends: Friday, Aug 31, 2023

Dates of Shravan Maas for South Indian & West Indians States

  • Shravana Begins *South: Friday, Jul 18, 2023
  • First Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Aug 21, 2023
  • Second Shravan Somwar Vrat:Monday, Aug 28, 2023
  • Third Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Sept 4, 2023
  • Fourth Shravan Somwar Vrat: Monday, Sept 11, 2023
  • Shravana Ends: Saturday, Sept 15, 2023

Sixteen Mondays of Sawan Month

Starting from the first Monday, this fast is continued for sixteen (16) consecutive Mondays. This process is known as Solah Somvar fasting.

That is why the fast of Sawan Somwar is known to be of utmost importance. Lord Bholenath is most dear. During this month, there is a tradition of fasting on Monday and taking bath in Sawan. Worshipping Lord Bholenath with Bel leaves and offering water to him in the month of Shravan is considered very fruitful.

When devotees observe fast on Monday, Lord Shiva fulfils all their wishes. During the month of Sawan, lakhs of devotees visit many religious places in India including Haridwar, Deoghar, Ujjain, and Nashik to visit Jyotirlinga.

With the rainy season in the month of Sawan, the whole earth is covered with greenery. In Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat, the festival is celebrated as Nareli Purnima on the last day of the month of Shravan.

Shravan month fasting and worship method

-Take a bath in the morning before sunrise.

-Place an altar at the place of worship.

-Go to Shiva temple to offer milk to Shivling.

-Then take a vow of Mahadev’s fast with full devotion.

-Pray to Lord Shiva in the morning and evening.

-Light a lamp of sesame oil for worship and offer flowers to Lord Shiva.

-Offer betel nut, Panch Amrit, coconut and bael leaves to Lord Shiva.

Get More Details of Shravan Somvar Shiv Pooja According to Your Zodiac Signs.

Benefits of fasting in the month of Sawan

Sawan month is dedicated to Shiva. Therefore, a devotee who observes the fast of Mahadev with a sincere heart and full devotion surely receives the blessings of Shiva. Married women also keep a fast of Shiva in Sawan to make their married life happy and unmarried women for a good groom.

Kanwar yatra

In this holy month, Lord Shiva travels through the devotees to Kanwar. Hundreds of Shiva devotees visit Shivnagari Haridwar and Gangotri Dham located in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. He carries a Kanwar full of Ganga water from these pilgrimage places on his shoulders and later he offers Ganga water to Bholenath. The devotees who take part in this yatra are called Kanwariyas or Kanwariyas.

Kanwar Mythology

According to mythological belief, it is said that when the churning of the ocean between gods and asuras yielded 14 gems. One of those fourteen gems was poison, which feared the destruction of the universe. Then to protect the universe, Lord Bholenath drank that poison and did not allow it to go down his throat. Due to the effect of poison, the throat of Bholenath turned blue and hence his name was Neelkanth. It is said that Ravana brought Gangajal to Kanwar and anointed the Shivling with the same Ganges water and then Lord Shiva got freedom from this poison.

Here are Some Interesting and Surprising Facts About Hindu Mythology Read More.

Mantra in Sawan Chant

Om Namah Shivaya during Sawan.

Story of Sawan Vrat

There was a rich man in ancient times, but unfortunately, the man had no children. The grief of this always haunted them, but both the husband and wife were Shiva devotees. Both started fasting on Monday in the worship of Lord Shiva. Seeing the true devotion of both, Mata Parvati urged Lord Shiva to fill the abandoned lap of both the childless couple.
Bholenath accepted this and with the blessings of Bholenath, a son was born in his house, but this child was an Akashvani being short-lived. This child will die at the age of 12. With this Akashvani, that person named the short child Amar. The rich man wanted to send his son Amar to Kashi for education. He along with his son Amar decided to send his brother-in-law to Kashi. Wherever he rested on the way to Kashi, he used to give donations and Dakshina to the brahmins. On the way, they reached a city. Where a princess was getting married.

The bridegroom of that princess was one-eyed, this fact was kept hidden from the king’s family by the family members of the groom. He was afraid that if the king came to know about this, then this marriage would not take place. To avoid this, the family members of the groom requested Amar to become the groom of falsehood and he could not refuse their request. In this way, Amar married that princess, but Amar did not want to deceive that princess. That’s why he wrote all the things in the princess’s chunri with complete truth. When the princess read Amar’s message, she accepted Amar as her husband and waited until she returned from Kashi. Amar and his maternal uncle left from there towards Kashi. Amar, on the other hand, was always engaged in religious activities. When Amar was exactly 12 years old, he was offering bael leaves to Bhole Nath in the Shiva temple.

At the same time, Yamraj came there to take his life, but before this, Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of Amar, had given him a boon of long life. As a result, Yamraj had to return empty-handed. Later Amar returned home with his wife (Princess) after receiving an education from Kashi.

By bringing these 5 things home, Bholenath will be happy and happiness, good luck and prosperity will increase

1- Rudraksha – To increase happiness, good luck and prosperity on the first day of Sawan, wearing the original Rudraksha in silver fortified will be very auspicious and will increase good fortune.

2- Water pot – On the first day of Sawan, if you buy a silver, copper or brass water pot, then it will be very auspicious. Keep this vessel filled with water and offer it to Lord Shiva, then God will be pleased with it.

3- Silver moon or pearl- Lord Shiva wears a silver bracelet on his feet. In such a situation, if one buys a silver bracelet on the first day of Sawan, then it becomes auspicious for pilgrimage or foreign travel.

4- Silver Vilbapatra- Everyone offers Vilbapatra to Shivling in Sawan, but sometimes it becomes difficult to get pure and unbroken Vilbapatra, in such a situation, you can offer water to Lord Shiva with silver Vilbapatra. By doing this, lakhs of sins are destroyed and auspicious coincidences are made for every work.

5- Silver Moon- The moon is adorned on the head of Lord Shiva. In this way, you can bring a silver moon on the first day of Sawan. This pacifies the moon and strengthens the mind.
With the blessings of Ganeshji,,
With inputs from Acharya Krishnamurthy