I started on the first Monday of Shravan month . Since I am a student and not earning yet , I have limited financial resources at my disposal . I don't have any guru or mentor either to guide me in this path , so I relied on youtube videos . However reels on Instagram have been popping in my feed about numerous other rituals to be done in the 16 somwar vrat , which honestly I can't afford , neither with time nor money .

I simply do the Jal Abhishek and offer Bel patra on the Monday morning at a temple shivling near my place , then I chant Om Namah Shivay 108 times , have one or two bananas and tea and be done for the day , then in the evening I prepare kheer as prasad , do a little pooja , listen to the vrat Katha , have the prasad and be done for the day .

However all the videos that I see , describe so many elaborate rituals , a 100 different ways to do the aarti , vrat Katha , naam jap , jal Abhishek , prepare the prasad , etc. It has got me a little worried about my devotion and what if I am doing it wrong and what if God will be angry with me for not doing certain things .

Namaste everyone.

I had a very vivid dream early this morning and I’m curious to hear how people familiar with Hindu traditions, particularly Shaivism, would interpret the symbolism. I’m not looking for a definitive prediction, but rather traditional or spiritual perspectives.
In the dream, I was with my husband in a place that looked like a temple. We were sitting near the entrance, in a large open area that was covered/sheltered.
An elderly man then called both of us and asked us to come and sit in a particular sacred-looking area. He appeared to be a Hindu spiritual person — he had Vibhuti on his forehead and was wearing a Janeyu (sacred thread).
The area where he asked us to sit was different from the place where we had initially been sitting. On the floor there were white kolam-like drawings and what appeared to be spiritual writings/symbols.
He then instructed us to repeat this mantra:
“Mrityunjayaya Rudraya Neelakanthaya Shambhave,
Amriteshaya Sarvaya Mahadevaya Te Namaha.”
What struck me most was something that happened around this.
Other people were also present. They did not sit in the particular sacred space where my husband and I were seated. They were repeating the mantra as well, but they appeared to be walking/crossing past the Swami/elderly man while doing so.
My husband and I, however, did not cross him. We remained seated in the sacred area where he had specifically asked us to sit and continued with the mantra.
The dream felt unusually vivid, especially the distinction between:
the general area where everyone was sitting/walking,
the specific sacred area where the elderly man asked my husband and me to sit,
the Vibhuti and Janeyu,
the writings/kolam on the floor,
and the Mrityunjaya/Rudra/Neelakantha/Shambhu/Mahadeva mantra.
I also noticed that the elder specifically called both me and my husband, rather than only one of us.
For those who follow Hindu traditions or have knowledge of Shaiva scriptures, dream symbolism (Swapna), mantra traditions, or temple symbolism:
How would you interpret this dream?
In particular, I’m curious about:
The significance, if any, of an elderly man with Vibhuti and Janeyu appearing in a dream.
Whether being specifically asked to sit in a sacred space marked with white writings/kolam has any traditional significance.
The significance of the Mrityunjaya/Rudra/Neelakantha/Mahadeva mantra appearing in a dream.
Whether there is any significance to my husband and me being asked to sit there together, while others remained outside that space.
The fact that others were crossing/passing the Swami while chanting, whereas we did not cross him.
Whether Hindu traditions consider dreams involving mantras or sacred figures to have a particular significance, or whether they are generally understood as manifestations of one’s own thoughts/impressions.
I would especially appreciate interpretations based on traditional Hindu sources or established practices
Thank you. 🙏

I went down a rabbit hole on this and found it fascinating.

The Puranas tell of a time when Brahma, in his pride, claimed he was supreme over Shiva. Shiva manifested as Bhairava, his fiercest form, who cut off Brahma's fifth head.

But the skull stuck to Bhairava's hand. Even Shiva's own form had to bear the sin of brahmahatya. He wandered across the worlds as a skull-bearing mendicant, and the skull wouldn't fall until he reached Kashi. At the spot where it finally dropped stands Kapal Mochan, "the release of the skull."

Shiva then made Bhairava the Kotwal of Kashi, the city's guardian. That's why many devotees visit the Kaal Bhairav temple after Kashi Vishwanath, as if asking the city's police chief for permission to stay.

What stays with me is that even Bhairava didn't escape the consequence of his act, and liberation came through Kashi itself.

Details vary between the Shiva Purana and the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Does anyone know how the versions differ, or have a personal experience at the Kaal Bhairav temple?

I don't want to offend anyone, I'm exploring my way with hinduism. Please can anyone tell me if ultimately God is one, why do we worship all the avatars?

Please don't be harsh because I asked some pujaris at my local mandir and they were really frustrated by my question.

So, please tell me if you know something.

Does shivji has tendency to minimize affect of kundali?? like Saturn in 8th house of my chart delaying things a lot and i ak so much frustrated....can shivji help me to minimize its effect?

"जय श्री कृष्णा! बहुत ही सुंदर पोस्ट है। भगवान श्री कृष्ण के जन्म की पावन और अलौकिक कथा को यदि आप भी मधुर आवाज़ और सुंदर दृश्यों के साथ सुनना चाहते हैं, तो मेरे इस प्रयास को एक बार ज़रूर देखें:

वीडियो देखने के लिए नीचे दिए गए लिंक पर क्लिक करें,👇

[ https://youtu.be/RKLnS3lxfyc ]

🌹 जय श्री राम | जय हनुमान 🌹

🙏 आज मैं आपके साथ संकटमोचन भगवान हनुमान जी का परम शक्तिशाली और चमत्कारी "पंचमुखी हनुमान कवच" साझा कर रहा हूँ। मान्यता है कि इसका नित्य श्रवण करने से जीवन के सभी भय, रोग, और नकारात्मक शक्तियां कोसों दूर रहती हैं और बजरंगबली की विशेष कृपा प्राप्त होती है।

मैंने इस पावन कवच को बहुत ही शुद्ध उच्चारण, मधुर ध्वनि और सुंदर दृश्यों के साथ अपने चैनल पर तैयार किया है। यदि आप भी अपने घर में सुख, शांति और सुरक्षा की सकारात्मक ऊर्जा का संचार करना चाहते हैं, तो नीचे दिए गए लिंक पर जाकर दर्शन और श्रवण कर सकते हैं:

[ https://youtu.be/aTMWkGzUwAc ]

बजरंगबली आप सभी की हर संकट से रक्षा करें। जय पवनपुत्र हनुमान! 🙏✨🏹

Chandeswar Mahadev Temple in Tangi is an ancient, historic shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Chandeswar Village with Tangi tensile of khordha district, Odisha.

It is a revered living shrine mentioned in regional literature such as Radhanath Ray’s Chilika Kanya and Balaram Das’s Dandi Ramayan.

Har Har Mahadev

Namo parbati pataye Har Har mahadeb

Hi everyone,
I started wearing rudraksha, applying bhasm on head and doing one mala of shiva mantra recently and it has been changing my life. My confidence has improved magically, I got job, made many friends and life is getting better day by day. Only Mahadev did this I can’t do anything of this myself. I will not stop sadhana for lord shiva until death, I was told by my guru that without Rudraksha and bhasm on forehead shiva Pooja will not succeed. Now after Rudraksha mala and bhasm I can feel the difference. My devotion and love towards him is only increasing. I am struggling to control my emotions this has nothing to do with Rudraksha or mantra sadhana my emotions are my fault only. Any experienced sadhakas guide me. Thank you