Shiva
Maha Shivratri
The great night of Shiva
The most kept of all Shaiva nights. Devotees fast and stay awake through four watches, and the whole observance is built on staying — with the name, through the night, past the point where the mind would rather stop. There is no night in the year better suited to long-form chanting.
Add Maha Shivratri to calendar (downloads an .ics file)
A recommended mantra for this sacred day
The Panchakshara is the mantra the night is kept with; a long recording lets it run through the watches without you having to restart anything.
Read the Sanskrit and meaning on the Om Namah Shivaya — Panchakshara Mantra page, or explore the full mantra library.
Date shown for New Delhi, India. Observance can differ by location because tithi, sunrise and timezone affect the applicable date — please confirm local temple or pañcāṅga timings if precise observance times matter to your practice.