How to Do Rudrabhishek (Shiva Abhishek) at Home

Rudrabhishek is the ritual bathing (abhishek) of the Shiva linga while reciting the Rudram or simple Shiva mantras. Rudra is the fierce, purifying form of Shiva, and abhishek means a sacred pouring. Pouring water, milk and panchamrit over the linga is believed to cool Shiva's intense energy and shower the devotee with peace, health and blessings. It can be performed grandly with priests or simply and lovingly at home.

Gather these items before you begin: 1. A Shiva linga (a small home linga or a Parad/stone linga) on a clean jaladhari plate. 2. Panchamrit - milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar. 3. Clean water, and Gangajal if available. 4. Bel (bilva) leaves, white flowers, dhatura and bhang if you wish. 5. Chandan (sandalwood paste), akshat (unbroken rice), and a ghee or oil lamp. 6. Incense, camphor, a copper or brass vessel (lota), and a spoon (achmani). Keep a vessel below the linga to collect the abhishek water, which becomes charanamrit.

1. Bathe, wear clean clothes and sit facing north or east with a calm mind. 2. Light the lamp and incense, then do achaman (sip water) and a short sankalp (intention). 3. Invoke Lord Ganesha first with Om Gam Ganapataye Namah to remove obstacles. 4. Begin the abhishek with plain water, chanting Om Namah Shivaya continuously. 5. Then bathe the linga in order with milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar, offering water after each. 6. Pour panchamrit and finally clean water or Gangajal to complete the abhishek. 7. Wipe the linga gently, apply chandan, and offer bel leaves, flowers, dhatura, akshat and a sweet bhog. 8. Light camphor, perform the Shiva aarti, and pray with folded hands.

The simplest and most powerful mantra to chant throughout is:

Om Namah Shivaya

Those who can recite the Rudrashtadhyayi (Sri Rudram) do so for the full Rudrabhishek, but it is not required at home. Another deeply protective mantra is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra:

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam, Urvarukamiva Bandhanan Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat.

Chant steadily and from the heart; the feeling matters more than perfect pronunciation.

Monday is Shiva's weekly day and the most popular for Rudrabhishek at home. The Pradosh period (the evening of the 13th tithi) and Maha Shivratri are exceptionally powerful. The entire month of Shravan is considered ideal, with each Monday (Shravan Somvar) bringing special blessings. Early morning, after a bath and on an empty stomach, is the best part of the day to perform the abhishek.

Do: keep everything clean, pour offerings gently, chant continuously, and offer the collected charanamrit as prasad. Always offer an odd, fresh number of bel leaves with the smooth side down. Dont: never offer tulsi, ketaki flowers, turmeric or coconut water on the Shiva linga, as tradition forbids these. Do not ring the bell loudly during the abhishek, do not let the linga go fully dry mid-ritual, and never step over the abhishek water.