Pradosha: Difference between revisions

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Pradosha or Pradosham (Sanskrit: प्रदोष, romanized: Pradoṣa) is a bimonthly occasion on the trayodashi (thirteenth day) of every fortnight in the Hindu calendar.^[1] It is closely connected with the worship of the Hindu god Shiva.

Etymology

Pradoṣa is a Sanskrit compound word formed from pra (before) and doṣa (darkness), literally meaning the first part of the night or twilight.^[2]

Legend

According to the Skanda Purana, King Satyaratha of Vidarbha was slain in battle by enemy forces (the Shalvas), forcing his pregnant queen to flee into the forest. After giving birth to a prince on the banks of a lake, the queen was killed by a crocodile. The orphaned prince was discovered by a Brahmin woman named Uma, who raised the prince—naming him Dharmagupta—alongside her own son, Shuchivrata, in her village. They sustained themselves through bhiksha (alms). When Uma met Sage Shandilya, he revealed that the prince's adversity stemmed from his karma. In his previous birth, his father had interrupted his pradosha worship of Shiva to order an execution and dined without completing the ritual. To restore their fortune, Shandilya instructed them in the observance of the pradosha vrata (fasting vow), remarking that doing so blesses the observer with wealth, grain, family, and luck. Through the merit of this vow, Dharmagupta eventually married Anshumati, a Gandharva princess, and regained his kingdom with her father's army.^[3]^[4]^[5]

In the Skanda Purana (and the Shiva Purana^[6]), the efficacy of the Saturday Pradosha (Shani Pradosha) is illustrated through King Chandrasena of Ujjain, an ardent devotee of Shiva who ruled near the Mahakaleshwar shrine. He received a celestial gem named Chintamani from the Gana Manibhadra. Coveting the gem, neighboring rulers attacked Ujjain on a Saturday on a trayodashi, called the Shani Pradosha.^[7] During the siege, a young cowherd boy named Shrikar and a priest named Vridhi prayed to Shiva near the Kshipra River. Shrikar had observed the king's devotion and began his own worship using a stone lingam. When his mother disrupted his worship and threw the stone away, Shiva manifested to protect his devotee, transforming the humble stone into a magnificent gem-studded temple. Following this miracle, Hanuman appeared, blessed Shrikar, and declared the specific merit of worshiping Shiva on a Saturday Pradosha. Subsequently, Shiva established himself in the city as a svayambhu (self-manifested) lingam to defeat the invaders.^[8]^[9]

Observances

Processional images of Shiva and Parvati seated on Nandi

Worship is traditionally observed during a three-hour window, spanning 1.5 hours before and after sunset. The fasting vow performed during this period is called the pradosha vrata.^[10]^[11] The worship is conducted during sandhya kala (evening twilight). The vrata involves fasting followed by a vigil. Practitioners bathe an hour before sunset and wear rudraksha (sacred beads) and vibhuti (sacred ash).

Nandi, the bull-mount of Shiva, is worshipped across Shiva temples in South India. The festival idol of Shiva with his consort Parvati in a seated pose on Nandi is taken in procession in the temple complex.^[12] Other observances include worshipping the images of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Nandi with an abhisheka (ritual bath), sandalwood paste, bael (wood apple) leaves, fragrance, deepas (lamps), and naivedya (food offerings). Following the formal worship and invocation of Shiva, the story of pradosha is recited.^[13]^[14]

Types

Shani Pradosha is the pradosha falling on a Saturday, while Soma Pradosha is the pradosha on a Monday.

Maha Pradosha is the Pradosha which falls before or on Maha Shivaratri in the Hindu month of Maagha.

Notes

↑ Aiya V. 1906, p. 103
↑ Monier-Williams, Monier (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: ...with Special Reference to Greek, Latin, Gothic, German, Anglo-saxon... Clarendon. p. 631.
↑ People, Vedic (2021-10-24). Skanda Purana: Brahma Khanda: Dharmottara Khanda: English Translation only without Slokas. Vedic People. pp. 67–73.
↑ "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ६". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).
↑ "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ७". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).
↑ "शिवपुराणम्/संहिता ४ (कोटिरुद्रसंहिता)/अध्यायः १७ - विकिस्रोतः". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्). Retrieved 8 October 2026.
↑ Samarth 2009, p. 42
↑ Jagannathan 2005, p. 67
↑ "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ५". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).
↑ Sehgal 1999, p. 704
↑ Subramuniyaswami 2006, p. 265
↑ Srinivasan 1988, p. 87
↑ pp. 86–87, Fasts and Festivals of India, Manish Verma, Diamond Pocket Books, 2002. ISBN 81-7182-076-X.
↑ pp. 60–61, Hindu Fasts & Festivals, Sri Swami Sivananda, Uttar Pradesh: The Divine Life Society, 8th ed., 1997.

References

Srinivasan (1988). hinduism for all. Mumbai: Giri Trading Agency Private Limited. p. 87.
Jagannathan, Maithily (2005). South Indian Hindu festivals and traditions. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 67. ISBN 81-7017-415-5.
Samarth, Shree Swami; Kendra, Vishwa Kalyan (2009). Guru Charitra. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. pp. 41–43. ISBN 978-81-207-3348-0.
Sehgal, Sunil (1999), Encyclopaedia of Hinduism: H-Q, Volume 3, New Delhi: Sarup & Sons, ISBN 81-7625-064-3.
Subramuniyaswami, Satguru Sivaya (2003), Dancing With Siva : Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism, Himalayan Academy, ISBN 0-945497-89-X.
Garrett, John (1871). A Classical Dictionary of India: Illustrative of the Mythology, Philosophy, Literature, Antiquities, Arts, Manners, Customs, &c. of the Hindus. Higginbotham and Co..

External links

Speaking tree blog

[State_manual-1] Aiya V. 1906, p. 103

[2] Monier-Williams, Monier (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: ...with Special Reference to Greek, Latin, Gothic, German, Anglo-saxon... Clarendon. p. 631.

[3] People, Vedic (2021-10-24). Skanda Purana: Brahma Khanda: Dharmottara Khanda: English Translation only without Slokas. Vedic People. pp. 67–73.

[4] "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ६". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).

[5] "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ७". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).

[SHP1-6] "शिवपुराणम्/संहिता ४ (कोटिरुद्रसंहिता)/अध्यायः १७ - विकिस्रोतः". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्). Retrieved 8 October 2026.

[Samarth1-7] Samarth 2009, p. 42

[Jagannathan-8] Jagannathan 2005, p. 67

[9] "स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ५". sa.wikisource.org (in संस्कृतम्).

[10] Sehgal 1999, p. 704

[11] Subramuniyaswami 2006, p. 265

[Srinivasan-12] Srinivasan 1988, p. 87

[b-13] . 86–87, Fasts and Festivals of India, Manish Verma, Diamond Pocket Books, 2002. ISBN 81-7182-076-X.

[a-14] . 60–61, Hindu Fasts & Festivals, Sri Swami Sivananda, Uttar Pradesh: The Divine Life Society, 8th ed., 1997.

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 ==Legend==
-According to the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'', King Satyaratha of [[Vidarbha]] was slain in battle by enemy forces, forcing his pregnant queen to flee into the forest. After giving birth to a prince on the banks of a lake, the queen was killed by a crocodile. The orphaned prince was discovered by a [[Brahmin]] woman named Uma, who raised the prince alongside her own son in her village, sustaining them through ''[[bhiksha]]'' (alms). When Uma met Sage [[Shandilya (Rishi)|Shandilya]], he revealed that the prince's adversity stemmed from his ''[[karma]]''. In his previous birth, Satyaratha had interrupted his ''pradosha'' worship of Shiva to order an execution and dined without completing the ritual. To restore their fortune, Shandilya instructed them in the observance of the ''pradosha vrata'' (fasting vow), remarking that doing so blesses the observer with wealth, grain, family, and luck.<ref>{{Cite book |last=People |first=Vedic |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Skanda_Purana_Brahma_Khanda_Dharmottara/fvxLEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=&pg=PT67&printsec=frontcover |title=Skanda Purana: Brahma Khanda: Dharmottara Khanda: English Translation only without Slokas |date=2021-10-24 |publisher=Vedic People |pages=67-73 |language=en}}</ref>
+According to the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'', King Satyaratha of [[Vidarbha]] was slain in battle by enemy forces (the Shalvas), forcing his pregnant queen to flee into the forest. After giving birth to a prince on the banks of a lake, the queen was killed by a crocodile. The orphaned prince was discovered by a [[Brahmin]] woman named Uma, who raised the prince—naming him Dharmagupta—alongside her own son, Shuchivrata, in her village. They sustained themselves through ''[[bhiksha]]'' (alms). When Uma met Sage [[Shandilya (Rishi)|Shandilya]], he revealed that the prince's adversity stemmed from his ''[[karma]]''. In his previous birth, his father had interrupted his ''pradosha'' worship of Shiva to order an execution and dined without completing the ritual. To restore their fortune, Shandilya instructed them in the observance of the ''pradosha vrata'' (fasting vow), remarking that doing so blesses the observer with wealth, grain, family, and luck. Through the merit of this vow, Dharmagupta eventually married Anshumati, a Gandharva princess, and regained his kingdom with her father's army.<ref>{{Cite book |last=People |first=Vedic |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Skanda_Purana_Brahma_Khanda_Dharmottara/fvxLEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=&pg=PT67&printsec=frontcover |title=Skanda Purana: Brahma Khanda: Dharmottara Khanda: English Translation only without Slokas |date=2021-10-24 |publisher=Vedic People |pages=67-73 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ६ |url=https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9_(%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AC |website=sa.wikisource.org |language=sa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ७ |url=https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9_(%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD |website=sa.wikisource.org |language=sa}}</ref>
-According to a regional legend associated with the [[Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga|Mahakaleshwar Temple]] of [[Ujjain]], King Chandrasena was attacked by neighboring rulers on a Saturday on a ''trayodashi,'' called the ''Shani Pradosha''.<ref name="Samarth1">[[#Samarth|Samarth 2009]], p. 42</ref> During the siege, a young boy named Shrikhar and a priest named Vridhi prayed to Shiva near the Kshipra River. Shiva manifested as a pillar of light to defeat the invaders and subsequently established himself in the city as a ''svayambhu'' (self-manifested) ''[[lingam]]''.<ref name="Jagannathan">[[#Jagannathan|Jagannathan 2005]], p. 67</ref>
+In the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' (and the ''[[Shiva Purana]]''<ref name="SHP1">{{cite web |title=शिवपुराणम्/संहिता ४ (कोटिरुद्रसंहिता)/अध्यायः १७ - विकिस्रोतः |url=https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AA_(%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE)/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AD |website=sa.wikisource.org |access-date=8 October 2026 |language=sa}}</ref>), the efficacy of the Saturday Pradosha (''Shani Pradosha'') is illustrated through King Chandrasena of [[Ujjain]], an ardent devotee of Shiva who ruled near the [[Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga|Mahakaleshwar]] shrine. He received a celestial gem named ''Chintamani'' from the ''[[Gana]]'' Manibhadra. Coveting the gem, neighboring rulers attacked Ujjain on a Saturday on a ''trayodashi,'' called the ''Shani Pradosha''.<ref name="Samarth1">[[#Samarth|Samarth 2009]], p. 42</ref> During the siege, a young cowherd boy named Shrikar and a priest named Vridhi prayed to Shiva near the Kshipra River. Shrikar had observed the king's devotion and began his own worship using a stone ''lingam''. When his mother disrupted his worship and threw the stone away, Shiva manifested to protect his devotee, transforming the humble stone into a magnificent gem-studded temple. Following this miracle, [[Hanuman]] appeared, blessed Shrikar, and declared the specific merit of worshiping Shiva on a Saturday ''Pradosha''. Subsequently, Shiva established himself in the city as a ''svayambhu'' (self-manifested) ''[[lingam]]'' to defeat the invaders.<ref name="Jagannathan">[[#Jagannathan|Jagannathan 2005]], p. 67</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः ३ (ब्रह्मखण्डः)/ब्रह्मोत्तर खण्डः/अध्यायः ५ |url=https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9_(%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB |website=sa.wikisource.org |language=sa}}</ref>
 == Observances ==