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

Sadashiv's Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra, used when a household falls short of food, wealth, clothing and even its smallest wishes

The speaker says that when daridrata (poverty) takes hold of a household, people fall short not only of food, wealth and clothing but even of fulfilling their smallest wishes, and the head of the household becomes unable to provide for daily needs. For this, he recommends the sadhana and anushthan of Lord Sadashiv's Daridra Dahan (poverty-burning) Shiv Stotra.

The speaker says that when poverty settles into a home, the family is left wanting not just for food, wealth and clothing, but is unable to fulfil even its smallest desires. The means of daily life, he says, go unmet, and the head of the household (griha swami) is unable to provide for them. So, to burn away this daridrata, he recommends using Lord Sadashiv's Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra — its sadhana, its anushthan — and says he will explain the complete vidhi-vidhan for doing so.

Any month's Shivratri or a Pradosh day, and best of all if the timing falls on Mahashivratri

The speaker says this anushthan can be started on any month's Shivratri or on a Pradosh day, but it is best of all if the timing coincides with Mahashivratri.

This anushthan can be begun on the monthly Shivratri of any month, or from a Pradosha day, the speaker says. If the timing works out such that it can be started on Mahashivratri, he says that is the very best of all.

Does the Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra need to be made siddha before use, and when should it be recited?

The speaker says there is no need to first make the stotra siddha — it only needs to be recited continuously. He adds that a certain vidhan, if followed alongside the recitation, makes the effect come faster, and that the stotra should mainly be recited at two times each day: in the morning before 8am, and in the evening during godhuli bela, around pradosh kaal.

There is no need to first attain siddhi over this stotra, the speaker says — what is actually needed is to keep reciting it continuously (lagataar path). He adds that there is a certain vidhan alongside which, if followed, the stotra begins showing its effect much sooner. It should mainly be recited at two times of day: if reciting in the morning, it should be done before 8am; if in the evening, it should be done around Godhuli BelaThe evening twilight period around dusk, traditionally favoured for Akarshana (attraction) rites., that is, around Pradosha kaal.

The household's daily puja first, then a sankalp naming daridrata and rog together, since disease too is a form of poverty

The speaker says the household's regular daily puja should be completed first. After that, a sankalp should be taken addressing Sadashiv, asking that the poverty present in one's home and family come to an end and that, by his grace, wealth and grain increase. He adds that disease, too, is in some sense a form of poverty, so freedom from disease and sorrow should also be prayed for in the same sankalp.

First, whatever daily puja (dainik poojan) is being done in the household should be completed, the speaker says. After that, a SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. should be taken: addressing Sadashiv, asking that the daridrata present in one's home and family come to an end, and that by his grace dhan-dhanya (wealth and grain) increase. He adds that disease (rog), too, is in some way a form of daridrata. So in the same sankalp, freedom from rog and from sorrow should also be sought, and only after this should the path (recitation) be done.

One fistful of nag kesar held in the fist on the asan while the stotra is recited 8 times, or 16 for best results

The speaker says nag kesar, available at a puja-items shop, should be kept ready — either in a small yellow cloth pouch or on a piece of yellow cloth, using one fistful each day. Sitting on one's asan and holding the nag kesar in the fist, the Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra should be recited at least 8 times, or 16 times for best results, after which the nag kesar is tied up in the yellow cloth.

Nag kesar is needed for this, the speaker says, and it is available at a poojan-samagri shop. Either a small, neat pouch of yellow cloth should be made, or a piece of yellow cloth kept ready; one fistful (mutthi) of nag kesar is needed for each day's use, and enough should be bought at once to cover as many days as are needed, since one mutthi will be required daily. Sitting at one's own place, on one's asan, the nag kesar should be held in the fist, and then the Daridra Dhan (Dahan) Stotra should be recited. It should be recited at least eight times; sixteen times is best. After reciting it eight or sixteen times, the nag kesar should be tied up inside the yellow cloth, with a knot.

A lota of water with mishri, two ghee lamps, flowers and bilva patra, carried out after touching the lota to the home's chaukhat

If performing this in the morning, the speaker says to take a lota of water with a little mishri (and milk, if possible), two ghee lamps, flowers and bilva patra, and head to a Shiva temple. Before leaving, the lota should be touched to the chaukhat of the home one lives in — even a rented one — the threshold of the area one occupies and pays for.

If this is being done in the morning, a lota of water should now be taken, the speaker says. A little mishri should be added to the water — milk too, if possible. Two ghee lamps should be taken, along with flowers and bilva patra, and one should head towards a Shiva temple. Before going to the temple, the Chaukhat of the home one is living in should be touched with the lota — even if the home is a rented one, the chaukhat of the portion one occupies and pays rent for should be touched — and only after that should one go to the temple.

Both lamps lit, abhishek and shringar done, Ganpati, Gauri, Nandi and Skanda worshipped, then the whole nag kesar offered on the shivling

At the temple, the speaker says to first light both ghee lamps, then carry the cloth-tied nag kesar in, perform abhishek of Shiva followed by shringar, and worship Ganpati, Gauri, Nandi and Skanda with a stream of water, offering durva to Ganpati and bilva patra and flowers to the others — and a shami leaf on the shivling if it can be found. The nag kesar pouch is then opened, one's wish restated aloud, and the whole of the nag kesar offered onto the shivling.

On reaching the Shiva temple, both ghee lamps should first be lit, the speaker says. The nag kesar that was tied in cloth should be carried in. abhishekaA ceremonial bathing of a deity’s image or symbol, usually with water and other prescribed substances. of Shiva ji is then done; after lighting the lamps, his shringar is done. Ganpati ji must also be worshipped — water should be poured over Ganpati, Gauri, Nandi and Skanda ji all. 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. should be offered to Ganpati, and bilva patra and flowers to the rest, according to what is available and affordable. 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 can be found, that too should certainly be offered on the shivling. After this, the potli of nag kesar should be opened, one's wish (kamana) restated aloud once more, and the nag kesar untied from its cloth and offered in full onto the ShivlingThe aniconic form of Lord Shiva worshipped at home and in temples..

A few grains picked back up and kept where the house stores its money, with the same yellow cloth reused each day

After offering the nag kesar, the speaker says a few grains of it should be picked back up, put into the pouch, and carried home to be kept at the place where money is stored in the house. The cloth used on a given day is set aside, and from the next day onward the same piece of cloth can be reused repeatedly for the daily practice, with two or three grains added back to that same place each day after returning from the temple.

After offering it, some grains of the nag kesar should be picked back up from the shivling and put into the potli again, the speaker says, and this should be carried home. It should be kept at the place in the house where money is stored. Each day, the same procedure is followed: from the next day onward, the same piece of cloth used today can be reused again and again, rather than taking a fresh one each time. When returning from offering the nag kesar, whatever two or three grains are picked up should be placed at that same spot in the house.

Daily from one Shivratri until the next month's Shivratri — a full month, as from Phalgun's Mahashivratri to the Shivratri falling in Chaitra

The speaker says this practice should be started from a Shivratri and continued at least until the following month's monthly Shivratri — that is, for a full month. If begun on Mahashivratri, it is best to continue until the next monthly Shivratri after that; for example, starting from Phalgun's Mahashivratri, it should be completed by the monthly Shivratri that falls in Chaitra.

This work should be started from a Shivratri, the speaker says, and continued at least until the next monthly Shivratri — that is, this practice should be done for a full month. If it is done starting from Mahashivratri, that is best of all; even then, it should certainly be continued from that day until the next monthly Shivratri. For instance, he says, if it is started from the Mahashivratri of Phalgun month, it should be completed at the monthly Shivratri that falls in Chaitra month.

Gau vansh fed on the closing day according to capacity — even a hundred rupees is enough, and stray cattle are best of all

On the day the anushthan is completed, the speaker says, cows (gau vansh) should be fed according to one's yathashakti (capacity) — it need not be ten thousand or five thousand rupees' worth, even a hundred rupees is enough, so long as something is given. He adds that it is best of all if the food is given to stray cattle, whether bail, saand or gau mata.

On whichever day marks the end of the anushthan — that is, at the next Shivratri — food should be given to gau vansh (cows) according to one's yathashakti, the speaker says. It is not necessary to give ten thousand or five thousand rupees' worth. Even a hundred rupees is enough, but something should be given. Food should be arranged for gau vansh, and he says it is best of all if it is given to stray/wandering cattle — whether it is a bail (bullock), a saand (bull) or a gau mata (cow) that is found.

One bilva giri held with the nag kesar where disease or abhichar baadha is present, and left on the shivling rather than brought back

The speaker says a second prayog should be used especially when disease is very severe and simply will not go away: bilva giri (the dried resin/gum of the bilva tree, also available at a puja shop) should be added, one piece daily along with the nag kesar. He says this applies even if there is abhichar baadha (a hostile magical affliction) present alongside the wealth trouble — one bilva giri is held with the nag kesar and carried to the temple. Unlike the nag kesar, the bilva giri is not brought back — it is left on the shivling after being offered, along with a prayer for freedom from disease.

This second prayog should specially be used when disease has become very severe, the speaker says — when illness simply will not leave a person. Here, the gooda (resin/gum) of the bilva tree is used. The dried bel gond, also called bilva giri, is available at the same poojan-samagri shop, and one bilva giri is needed each day, along with the nag kesar. If disease is very heavy — if everyone in the house is suffering from some ailment or another — or even if, beyond illness, there is abhichar baadha present, this same prayog should still be done. That is, whether it is a wealth problem or an abhichar baadha alongside it, the same practice applies. The only difference is that when the nag kesar is taken in the fist, one bilva giri should be taken along with it and kept on the cloth as well, and carried to the temple together. But the bilva giri should not be brought back, the speaker says — after it is offered on the shivling, it is to be left there, and a prayer made for freedom (mukti) from the disease.

The Mahamrityunjay Mahadev 108-namavali recited while pouring a thin stream of water during Shiva's abhishek

If possible, the speaker suggests reciting the Mahamrityunjay Mahadev 108-namavali alongside the Daridra Dahan Shiv Stotra, while performing Shiva's abhishek — using a somewhat larger lota, lighting both lamps first, and then pouring a thin stream of water while reciting the 108 names.

Along with the Daridra Dhan (Dahan) path, if it is possible, the speaker suggests also reciting the 108-namavali of Mahamrityunjay Mahadev while doing Shiva's abhishekaA ceremonial bathing of a deity’s image or symbol, usually with water and other prescribed substances. there. For this, a somewhat bigger lota with water is needed. Both lamps should be lit in front of the shivling in the temple first, and then, while pouring the water in a thin stream, the 108 names of Mahamrityunjay Mahadev should be recited. He says it is a simple thing to do, well within reach.

The lota over the jalhari's hole filled from the temple's own water together with the water carried from home, and the path recited

As an alternative, the speaker describes filling the lota that sits over the shivling's jalhari (the water channel with a hole/spout) using a bucket of the temple's own water plus the water carried from home, and then reciting the path while it flows.

Or else, the speaker says, the jalhari that hangs over the shivling has a channel/hole in it — water can be poured into the lota positioned over that hole, filling it up using a bucket of the temple's own water together with the water carried from home, and the path can then be recited.

Morning is best since many temples bar evening abhishek; where they do, the lamp and the nag kesar offering alone still suffice

The speaker says doing this work in the morning is best of all, since many temples do not allow abhishek in the evening. In that situation, one can still go, light the lamp, and offer the nag kesar (and bilva giri, if applicable) — and if even water is not permitted, that is fine too. He says this should be done for a month according to one's convenience, and that Mahadev will hear the request quickly, fulfil the wish, and open the path to gaining wealth, bringing freedom from poverty to the person and their family.

Doing this work in the morning is best of all, the speaker says — in the evening, many temples do not allow abhishek to be performed. In such a situation, he says one can still go, light the lamp, and offer the nag kesar and bilva giri there. If even the water is not allowed to be offered, that too is not a problem. So, according to one's convenience, this prayog should be done for a full month, praying to Mahadev — he will hear it very soon and fulfil the wish, and the path to gaining wealth will open. The speaker says this will certainly bring freedom from daridrata for the person and their family.