Mahanishitha
Every question on the site tagged Mahanishitha, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
The deep-midnight hour, around 12:00 AM, considered the most potent time for Sadhana aimed at Tantric knowledge and wisdom.
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Mahashivratri worship across the four prahars of the night
The speaker says that on Mahashivratri there is a vidhan of worshipping in all four prahars of the night, and that worshipping Sadashiva at the right time within those four prahars brings Shiva's boundless grace and special blessing. What is prescribed is a fast (Vrat, upavas) that day and, in each of the four prahars, puja with Panchopachara or dashopachara as far as one can manage, Aarti, and japa of Shiva's name or mantra or the paath of a stuti. The timings of the four prahars, of the Mahanishitha kaal and of the Paran were shown on screen in the video rather than spoken.
What are the rules for the Mahabhairava mantra rosary and Havan hand technique during extensive offerings?
The rosary from the first Mahabhairava mantra Anushthan is worn around the neck for protection, with subsequent Anushthans requiring a separate dedicated mala; for extensive Havan offerings, the mala is held in the left hand (covered) while offerings are made with the right, and smaller counts can use Kar-mala or 11 raisins.
Why is the Kumbh time exceptional, especially for those staying at home?
He takes up the chief subject for those who are not going and are at home. The first thing, he says, is like the parva of Mahashivratri: as we see at Mahashivratri, as we see in the mahanisha of Holika, at the Ashtami tithi, the Chaitra Ashtami, the Chaitra Navami, the Chaitra Purnima, and whatever other tithis of the ten Mahavidyas come, which are times of mahanisha, and the Navratri time of the mahashaktis.
On which night must a sadhak stay awake all night?
On the Monday night, when the mahanisha pujan takes place — no sadhak or sadhika should sleep on that night; they should stay awake all night. Sleep and rest during the day so that sleep does not come at night. Do your japa and tapa at night, complete the prasaran you have to do, do the havan in the last prahar, bathe again in brahma muhurta by 4:30 or 5:00, do the morning pujan and arti, and only then rest. On that morning the broom is also not to be used.
How should Bhagavati Mahasaraswati be worshipped on the morning of Diwali?
Asked how the pujan of Bhagavati Mahasaraswati should be done on the morning of Diwali, the speaker says the pujan of all of them will take place at night, in the maharatri kaal itself. If you wish to do something separately in the early morning, that is a different matter.
Until when is the broom not to be used after a night vigil?
Confirming a listener who recalls being told at Shivratri that the broom is not to be used until twelve o'clock, the speaker says: absolutely — whenever you perform the mahanisha pujan and keep the night vigil, do not sweep with the broom early in the morning, up to the midday period.
Should one stay on fruit for all five days?
It is not that people should now stay on fruit for the whole five days; that too would be wrong, the speaker says. The evening pujan means that one meal is to be taken at night. But on the day of the Diwali mahanisha — this time the Monday — whichever year you are listening in, on the day on which the Diwali mahanisha pujan will take place, you should keep a full fast and stay on phalahar, as much as the body supports.
What is the order of the day on Diwali itself?
After that comes Diwali, on which you have to fast the whole way from morning to the mahanisha, and to do your pujan at whatever times are convenient for you. For the morning pujan, worship Bhagavati Lakshmi especially in the sthir lagna that is obtained. After that do your sadhana, whatever japa and tapa are to be done, and in the mahanisha, after one or one-thirty or as is convenient, your havan will then take place, and the ratri jagaran.
The purnahuti may fall in the Diwali maharatri itself, or up to the Dwitiya — but a havan in the Diwali mahanisha is not to be missed.
The vigil runs from the Monday night to the Tuesday morning. After that, do your sadhana for the two days that follow. The purnahuti you may, if you wish, do in the Diwali maharatri itself; or if you have further havan and the like to do, you can do it according to your convenience up to the Dwitiya tithi, on the Wednesday. But do this much without fail: perform a havan in the Diwali mahanisha.
Why is the Diwali mahanisha not an ordinary night?
This is not an ordinary day, the speaker says; it is the pujan of the mahanisha. This is the very time when the divine forms of Jagadamba — whether the protective form or the wealth-bestowing form — are all fully present. If you go to sleep at that very time and do nothing, then what is the benefit? There is no need to be so frightened.
Can the Ekdant stotra or a Baglamukhi 108-name anushthan be done on these nights?
Asked whether the Ekdant stotra can be done on the night of the mahanisha, the speaker says it can absolutely be done. Asked whether an anushthan of the 108 names of Bhagavati Baglamukhi can certainly be done on the night of Chaudas, he takes the question as put.
Morning, evening or night — night is best — and the paath takes about one to two hours.
The speaker says the time for the paath should be kept either early in the morning, or else in the evening or at night — any of the three; and it is best of all if you do it at night. It will take about one to one and a half hours; at most, for someone quite new, it may take two hours, or it may be done in less.
At what hour should this paath be done?
This work has to be done after the rising of the Moon, the speaker says — although moonrise is occurring in the evening itself, do it at least after eight or nine o'clock. If there is a desire to do it at midnight, then do it then.
Is there danger in doing puja at night?
The speaker addresses the fear people keep seated in the mind — that if we do puja at night a bhoot or pret will take the puja. This is a divine night, he says; these are mahanisha, and in performing pujan on all these maharatris no bhoot or pret has the capacity to take your puja. A personal matter is different — if a bhoot is already seated in your house and is taking the puja you do there, that is another thing. But there is no dosha in performing pujan on these divine nights.
What is a householder told to do on Sharad Purnima night?
On the night of Sharad Purnima, he says, if it is possible one is to stay awake — awake the whole night. One ought to stay awake on the night of Purnima, on the night of Sharad Purnima. In the same way the night of Ashtami is also kept awake, when the mahapuja takes place. There is a mahatmya in staying awake on these nights.
For a devi sadhak, guru or no guru, sadhana belongs to the night kaal — become a veer sadhak rather than pleading that rakshasi sadhanas happen at night.
And if there is no guru, and your kuldevi is there, you are in the devi parampara, you are a devi sadhak doing it even without a guru, doing it by listening to this channel — then, he says, he has told you clearly: sadhana should be in the night kaal only. Become a sadhak, become a veer sadhak. Do not do all this saying no, we shall sleep at night, that rakshasi sadhanas take place at night.
Chamunda rules those very rakshasas and you are her servant; the whole Ratri Suktam is dedicated to Jagadamba, and Bhagavati is Ratri-swaroopa.
Which rakshasas, he asks. The one who rules over those rakshasas is Bhagavati Chamunda, and you are her servant. Bhagavati is Ratri-swaroopa. The whole Ratri Suktam is dedicated to Jagadamba — and here you are running away, saying no, we shall not do it at night. It is precisely at night that it will be done.
Is the full fruit of sadhana obtained only in the solitude of the night?
A listener says the full fruit of sadhana is obtained only in the solitude of the night, and that for the past twenty years he has wanted to do sadhana in the Rudra place there. Certainly do it, the speaker says, it is a very good thing; you can do it by day as well. At night you can do it in the courtyard of the temple — it is not necessary that you sit right before them, if there is room there.
What are the food and timing rules for that small practice?
In it you have to do the work at night, and you need have no worry about eating and drinking — eat food freely; only if it feels a little cold, heat the water before bathing at evening and bathe. On the evening or night of Chaturdashi, around nine at night, or later if you are allowed by the guardians at home and there is no such problem of quarrels among yourselves, you can do this work at night too — in the nishchit vyapam of Chaudas, in the mahanishchit vyapam, in the mahanishith kaal.
What should Bhairav sadhaks do on Amavasya night?
Those who have dedicated their life so far for the sake of Bhairav ji, who do the anushthan of Bhairav ji again and again, should certainly do the deep daan of one hundred and eight on the night of Amavasya — that is, on Sunday this time, at night, on 12 November. You can do it that day after the pujan and the rest, in the mahanisha kaal; it is to be done at home itself, there is no need to go outside to do it.
On which day should the havan of a five-day Ashtottar Shatnam anushthan be done?
On the night of Diwali there is an anushthan, so certainly do a havan; for the rest, you may also do it on the last day. The reason for a havan in the mahanisha kaal on the night of Diwali is that on that day the arrival of Bhagavati Lakshmi in the house, and of all the chief dev shaktis of the house, certainly happens; so on that day pujan and havan should all be done as well as possible. And if an anushthan is running and it is of five days, then do it on the last day too — that is better still.
Hours of the day for Annapurna mantra japa
The speaker says japa of the Annapurna mantra done between evening and the Mahanishitha kaal gives infinite Punya, as does its recitation at sunrise or in the Brahma Muhurta; it must not be done at midday. The reason given is a devotee's bhava: from the end of the Brahma muhurta until evening Bhagavati is said to be visiting her devotees' homes, resolving their troubles of grain and wealth. In clock terms, he says, japa runs in the early morning up to about 7:00, or from after 6:00 in the evening until the Nisha kaal; both sittings may be used.
Why are Tuesday and Saturday treated as special days?
Tuesday and Saturday are the two special days, and the nishiddha-kaal night belonging to them in particular has been addressed as connected with veer and krura — veer ratri and krura ratri. When a nakshatra and a tithi combine with them as well, it becomes special, and then exceedingly special.
Should sadhana in Navratri be done at night?
The first subject was of time; and in Navratri, he says, one should do as many night-time sadhanas as possible. This does not at all mean that you should not sleep in the day — sleep in the day entirely according to the body's convenience, two, four or five hours, whatever you need.
At what time is Devi pujan mostly valid?
The special pujan of Ram Navami takes place at midday, he says, so that is a separate matter; but as regards the worship of the forms of Jagadamba, devi pujan and the like, it is the nishith-vyapini pujan that is mostly valid, or else the brahma muhurta.
The middle route up the hill, once used by tantrics at night, has been diverted.
Leaving Mukteshwar Mahadev makes it the mool trikon; after that, if people go for darshan of Kankal Kali — many, returning from Nandaja parvat, go by way of Kankal Kali and then to Ashtabhuja — that too is proper. The middle route, climbing the hill from the ghat of Ganga ji, is now no longer possible for everyone: a great deal of demolition has occurred and people have diverted the road, since it was not a main road but a road meant for sadhaks; mostly the journey that way was made at night, and it still is, only the road has changed a little.
If the day cannot be used, when should sadhana be done?
Perform the night-time sadhana: begin around 10 or 10:30 and go to 12:30, or from 11 to 12:30 or 1 — two hours, with midnight falling inside the sitting. That is the rule. Shiva too is worshipped at that hour, as are the Dasha Mahavidyas in the ordinary Stotra form.
At what hour of the day should the Navratri japa be done?
It is Navratri, so the matter is of the night hour. Sadhana done at night is excellent — become a Viracharin practitioner and try to do it at night in Navratri too. Do your Anushthan daily between nine at night and one in the morning; whatever recitation you do, if it falls in that span it is excellent.
Why is Navratri called nine nights if the japa belongs to the day?
It is written that the Saptashati is not to be recited at night, and nobody discusses the reason for which it was written — but because it is written, it will not be done. Brother, the speaker asks: why then is Navratri not Nine Days? The Mother would then have said it is nine days, do it by day and not by night.
Each of the fifteen shlokas of the Ratri Sukta has its own presiding Shakti among the Mahavidyas
A video on the channel sets out the whole prescription of all the Ratri Sukta's shlokas — fifteen in particular — according to each of the Mahavidyas, because Bhagavati Tara and Bhagavati Kali all have their special place in it. Each shloka has its own separate presiding Shakti. Perform their Anushthan at night, after nine.
Maha Ashtami falls on the Tuesday, but the Nishith-vyapini Maha Ashtami is obtained on the Monday night
Maha Ashtami is for everyone and falls on Tuesday the 30th — but the Nishith-vyapini Maha Ashtami, the one that pervades the middle of the night, will be obtained on the Monday night. So do not let the Monday night go empty.
Why does the midnight of Maha Ashtami matter so much?
Because in many Phalashrutis you will read that one who recites at that time — in the middle of the night of Maha Ashtami in the Sharadiya Navratri — has Bhagavati greatly pleased with him. Look at Baglamukhi's Kavach, at her five Anga Vidyas, at Lalitamba's; and the Devi Gita and the Parvati Gita say the same.
The main recitation and japa of that night begins at about eleven and is completed by one or half past one
On Monday the 29th of September, at night, begin your main recitation and japa at about eleven o'clock, and complete it by one or half past one at night. Whether the Parvati Gita, the Devi Gita, whatever mantra Anushthan you are performing, a Kavach, the Saptashati — do it.
How are the sixty-four Yogini names to be recited?
Keep the Namavali with you, download it, and daily at the night hour repeat the names of the sixty-four Yoginis at least nine times over — from one to sixty-four once, then again from one to sixty-four, nine times in that way — and then give a bali of nine cloves and camphor.
May the Surya mantras be recited at night?
Ordinarily it is forbidden at night for the Vedic and the rest. Even going into the Tantrokta, if you must do it at night, then after three in the morning — at which hour it is still nearly night for you. But at the fixed night hour, the principal one, it should not be done.
May a mantra received from the guru be done at night?
A mantra obtained through the mouth of the guru, he says, you may absolutely do in the night-time.
What does it mean if sleep suddenly breaks between two and four?
A questioner doing puja between two and four says his sleep is suddenly breaking and asks what it means. It is a very good thing if sleep breaks between two and four, he says; but the first cause of it is that we people, according to nature, have our body most awake in that very period. Now we have changed our routine, so accordingly our body too becomes of another nature. If we sleep at one o'clock, from where will sleep break? The reality should be that a man goes to sleep by eight, which is not possible today, since a man's office itself ends at eleven at night. So if your sleep is breaking between two and four, the meaning is simply that your body has attained its natural state.
What can a sadhak with very little time do during the Navratra?
Those who cannot give much time, who are extremely short of time, should for the nine days of the Navratra alone — this time the Navratri is of ten days, so everyone will comfortably get nine days — take the time of 11:43 to 11:45 each day, a quarter to twelve at night. From a quarter to twelve until 1:30, sitting continuously through that stretch, doing the continuous japa of whatever stotra, stuti, kavach or mantra it may be, without rising and without moving. For them it becomes divine.
What is akshaya punya, and how can an akshaya sin cancel it?
The speaker points to Akshay Navami, Akshay Tritiya, the sandhi kaal puja and the maharatri of Maha Ashtami, the mahanisha, of which it is said that puja done in them gives akshaya punya and japa gives akshaya fruit. But a person may equally have committed an akshaya sin at the same time — stealing a lota into his bag on Akshay Navami while the shopkeeper turned away. His sin too became akshaya in that very time.
Why do such sadhaks want to take a household shakti away?
Because within these shaktis there is capacity, the speaker says: many kinds of upadeva-category shaktis run under them, obey their word and seek their refuge. So people wish to take shaktis of this kind away and keep them at their own place, and for this they perform various kinds of tantric prayogas — everyone has his own vidya. He then says that for protection from these vidyas, at all the tantric parvas — whether the mahanisha of the Ashtami that has just passed, or the mahanisha of Diwali that is coming —
At those parvas the full shringar, from head to nails, is made abhimantrit and offered on the vigraha.
At this very time, the speaker says, where people have established Bhagwati's shri vigraha or her pind at their own place, all the ornaments there are, made abhimantrit, are offered — the whole of it from head to nails, whether the bichhiya, the payal, the articles of her hands, the bala and the rest, the kamarghani, the mangalsutra at the neck put on, the haar put on, the nathiya, the maang tika, her entire shringar will be done. But all of it made abhimantrit by mantra, in full accordance with vidhi.
What does it mean when the Jiva leaves the body during sadhana?
An ordinary matter. When a practitioner begins to advance, this kind of circumstance and condition keeps coming and going. You should not be troubled by it, and you should not stop at so small an experience — nor should you hope for it. Go forward.
Can havan be done at midnight if the japa of an anushthan finishes then?
A tantrokta havan you may do at night, the speaker answers.
What should every household at least do in these nine days?
The second thing, the speaker says, is that at home you should at least perfect the Saptashloki within the nine days. The vidhi of Saptashloki siddhi will come on the channel the next day; look at it and do it — you, your wife, your sister, your mother. There are seven mantras; it is very easy. Looking at it you have only to read. If you wish, read it 108 times; if you wish, read it nine times. But if you recite it at night-time in Navratri then it certainly becomes chaitanya and siddha.
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