Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra Anushthan — A Month-Long Ritual to Burn Away Poverty

When daridrata takes hold of a house, the speaker says, the family is left craving not only for anna, dhan and vastra but even for the fulfilment of its smallest wishes; the griha swami becomes unable to provide even the means of daily life. For the burning of this daridrya, he says, one should use Bhagavan Sadashiva's Daridra Dahan StotraA hymn of praise to a deity, recitable without initiation, as distinct from a mantra which is not. — its sadhana, its AnushthanaAn extended ritual observance — such as 108 recitations of a scripture — carrying its own strict rules. — and he sets out the full vidhi-vidhan for it. It can be begun, he says, from the masik Shivratri of any month or from a Pradosha; and if the sanyog of Mahashivratri is available, that is ati uttam. There is no need to make the stotra siddh first, he says — what is actually needed is to keep reciting it continuously. There is a certain vidhan alongside which, if done, it begins to give its effect much sooner. The path should be done mainly at two times: if in the morning, before 8 o'clock; if in the evening, in Godhuli BelaThe evening twilight period around dusk, traditionally favoured for Akarshana (attraction) rites., that is, in pradosh kaal — around the time of godhuli and pradosh.

First, the speaker says, complete whatever daily pujan is done in the house. Then take a SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit.: "O Sadashiv, may the daridrata present in my home and family end, and by your kripa may dhan-dhanya increase." Rog too, he says, is somewhere a kind of daridrata, so in the same sankalp ask for mukti from rog and dukh as well. Only after this is the path done. For it, Nag KesarA dried flower-bud used in prosperity rites, often kept with stored wealth or offered in havan. from a pujan shop is used: make a small pouch of yellow cloth or keep a yellow cloth ready, and buy enough for one fistful per day. Sit at your place, on your asan, hold the nag kesar in your fist and recite the Daridra Dahan Stotra — at least 8 times, 16 is ati uttam. Then tie the nag kesar in the yellow cloth with a knot. If doing this in the morning, he says, now take a lota of water with a little MishriCrystallised sugar, offered as naivedya. in it — milk too if possible — two ghee lamps, flowers and BilvaThe sacred Bael tree associated with Lord Shiva — sadhana is undertaken beneath it, its wood is used as fuel for Havan offerings of ghee and sesame seeds during a release ritual, and its trifoliate leaf (Bilvapatra) is the offering proper to Him. patra, and set out for a Shiva temple. Before going, touch the lota to the Chaukhat of the house you live in — even if it is rented, the threshold of the portion that is yours, that you pay for. At the temple, first light both ghee lamps, carrying the cloth-tied nag kesar in with you. Then do abhishekaA ceremonial bathing of a deity’s image or symbol, usually with water and other prescribed substances. of Shiv ji and, after the lamps, his shringar. Ganpati ji must certainly be worshipped: give a stream of water over Ganesha, Gauri, Nandi and Kartikeya ji all; offer Durva GrassA sacred grass offered to deities — especially Ganesha — and included among the items used to formally invite a deity before moving to a new location. to Ganpati and bilva patra and flowers to the rest, as one can afford and has available. If a ShamiA leaf used in remedy rituals — conventionally not to be picked on a Saturday; if needed for a Saturday rite, it's picked the Friday before. leaf is found, offer that too on the ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples. without fail. Then open the potli of nag kesar, speak your kamana once more, untie it and offer the whole of it on the shivling. After offering, pick up a few grains of the nag kesar, put them back in the potli and carry them home; keep the potli at the place in the house where money is kept. Each day, when returning after the offering, the two or three grains picked up are placed at that same spot. From the next day on, he says, the same cloth used today can be reused again and again. This work, he says, is begun from a Shivratri and continued at least until the next masik Shivratri — a full month. If begun on Mahashivratri, ati uttam; even then it must be carried through to the next masik Shivratri — so starting from Phalgun's Mahashivratri, it is completed on the masik Shivratri falling in Chaitra. On the last day, at that next Shivratri, feed Gau vansh according to yathashakti, directly or at some gaushala; it need not be ₹10,000 or ₹5,000 worth — give ₹100 worth, but give. If the food goes to stray cattle — a bail, a saand or a gau mata, whichever is found — that is ati uttam.

The second Prayoga, the speaker says, is to be used specially when rog is very great — when illness simply will not let go of a person. Here the gooda of the BilvaThe sacred Bael tree associated with Lord Shiva — sadhana is undertaken beneath it, its wood is used as fuel for Havan offerings of ghee and sesame seeds during a release ritual, and its trifoliate leaf (Bilvapatra) is the offering proper to Him. tree is used: the dried bel gond, called bilva giri, which is available at the shop where pujan samagri is sold. One bilva giri is needed each day, along with the nag kesar. If disease is very heavy, if everyone in the house has some affliction of the body — or if, he says, there is also Abhichara badha — this same prayog is to be done. That is, if along with the money trouble there is abhichar badha, the same prayog still applies. The only thing to keep in mind is that when the nag kesar is taken in the fist, one bilva giri is taken with it, placed on the cloth as well, and carried to the temple together. But the bilva giri is not to be brought back: after it is offered on the ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples. it is left there, and a kamana for mukti from the rog is also made.

Along with the Daridra Dahan path, if possible, the speaker says, one should also do the abhishekaA ceremonial bathing of a deity’s image or symbol, usually with water and other prescribed substances. of Shiv ji at the temple while reciting the 108 NamavaliA written list of a deity's names — such as Durga's 108 names written out separately for ease of offering individual Havan oblations to each. of Mahamrityunjay Mahadev. For this the lota must be somewhat bigger. First light both lamps before the ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples. in the temple; then, when pouring the water, keep the stream thin and recite the 108 names of Mahamrityunjay Mahadev as you pour. It is easy, he says — you can do it. Or else, the jalhari that hangs over Shiv ji has a hole in it: fill that lota with water from a bucket — the temple's own water — and put in the water brought from home as well, and then do the path. If this too is done, he says, Bhagavan Shiva will hear you very quickly.

Doing this work in the morning is ati uttam, the speaker says, because in the evening many temples do not allow abhishekaA ceremonial bathing of a deity’s image or symbol, usually with water and other prescribed substances. to be done. In such a situation, he says, one can still go, light the lamp, and offer the Nag KesarA dried flower-bud used in prosperity rites, often kept with stored wealth or offered in havan. and bilva giri there and come back. If they do not allow even water to be offered, that too is no matter. So, according to convenience, do this prayog for a full month and make your nivedan to Mahadev; he will hear it very soon and fulfil the kamana, and the path to obtaining wealth will open. You and your family, he says, will certainly be freed from daridrata.