The twilight hours of a day are known as Prasdosham. This refers to a period of about 2 to 3 hours of sunset time that occurs on the 13th lunar day of Triyodashi, during both, the waxing and waning phases of the Moon. It is regarded as an auspicious time, highly suitable for worshipping Lord Shiva, the supreme God of destruction.
Pradosham Legend
Pradosham is believed to be the time when the God of destruction played the role of the God of protection.
Once, it so happened that the Devas took the help of the Asuras and churned the vast ocean of milk for obtaining from it the Amrut, the elixir of immortality. Many precious things came out of the ocean in the course of churning, and one of them was the lethal poison Alahala. The deadly toxin was so potent that it could cause severe harm to the entire universe, and the frightened beings took shelter in Shiva for saving themselves from this catastrophe. The Lord was compassionate, and he stepped in to accept the poison and drink it himself so that the world could be relieved of its evil effects. But Devi Parvathi feared for his life and stopped the poison in his throat itself. This turned the Lord’s neck region blue and got him the name Neelkant, the blue-throated one.
Pradoshan is said to be the time when this momentous event took place when Shiva risked his own life for saving other lives from destruction.
Pradosham Days
Pradosham can fall on any day of the week, and each of them is unique in its own respect. Of these, three Pradoshams stand out. These are the ones falling on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays, and are known as Soma Pradosham, Bhauma Pradosham, and Shani Pradosham respectively. Monday is a special day for Shiva worship, and hence Soma Pradosham is said to be quite significant. And so is the one falling on Saturday too. It is said that the Pradosham Vrat observed on these two occasions will prove highly beneficial for the devotees.
Usually, a Pradosham occurs twice a month and 24 times a year.
Pradosham Vrat
The word ‘Pradosham’ means removal of sins and hence this time is considered most appropriate for seeking divine blessings to clear the karmic baggage of sins, that we carry across birth after birth. It is also believed that the divine couple Shiva and Parvathi will be in the most propitious frame of mind during these twilight hours and hence, will readily grant the sincere prayers of the devotees.
Pradoshan Vrat consists mainly of observing fasts and offering prayers to the Lord, which legends like Shiva Purana regard as very auspicious. Many are the ways people do fasting on these days. Some fast from morning to evening on a Pradosham day, breaking it after Shiva worship in the evening, while some others do this for 24 hours, from that morning to the one of the next day. There are devotees who observe complete fasts, taking only water during the fasting hours, while some others accept fruits. However, cooked rice is strictly avoided during fasting, whatever be the duration.
While people devote the day to prayers and other spiritual activities, they all offer worship to Lord Shiva positively during the sunset hours. Many also offer to the Lord the Bael or Bilva leaves, which are said to be especially auspicious for Shiva worship. A large number of people visit temples too, to take part in the Pradosha Poojas.
The austerities and worship done during Pradosham can relieve people of sins and purify their souls. These can also bestow people with material benefits like progeny, prosperity, respect, and joy. Women undertaking such Pradosham observances can hope to get blessed with virtuous male children.
Read more : https://www.astroved.com/remedies/pradosham