Lord Shiva Worship- Guidelines (According to Shiva Purana)

Sage Soota obliged about Shiva Worship

I will tell you the Shiva worship regime as revealed by Brahma. A faithful must wake up at early dawn. Remember Guru, Shiva, Vishnu, and then Brahma. After that invoke Shiva to pray for a blessing day. Get over with answering to natural duties before brushing teeth, washing, and cleaning oneself besides shaving in case of a male.

While bathing Chant mantras one’s accustomed to. After putting on a new dress, say a prayer at a peaceful place. Take a breather and enter the pooja room with a calm mind for the formal worship of Shiva. Sit cross-legged on an appointed seat on a spread on the floor.

First of all, invoke Ganesha and offer worship. Install Lingam bringing to mind the three-eyed divine form of Shiva. Start worship with Chants of Om and Om Namah Shiva mantra. Keep the bowl of water, oblation material, and flowers ready beside achamana. Invoke Shiva with Vasudeva and Ishana Mantras. His idol may be washed with water treated with sandalwood and aromatics. Oint the idol with Panchamrita (milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar) with a chant of “Om”. For lingam, put kusha grass, camphor, sandalwood, and flowers of any kind over it. Then, pour clean water or milk on it in a steady thin stream. While doing so, mantras dedicated to Shiva be incanted. Offer dhoop, deep, tambul, and naivedya with mantra chanting. After offering water pray to Lord Seeking forgiveness for lapses and errors and blessing for success and betterment.

The worship of Shiva is extremely rewarding and wish-fulfilling besides begetting one the salvation.