How to appease Lord Shiv on Mahashivratri

We have Maha Shivaratri on the 23rd. There are many Devi Bhaktas in the group. How can Devi Bhaktas please Shiv Ji? On this day or night (actually at all or any of the four prahars), it will be good to recite the Siddha Kunjika Strotam which is the favourite Stotram of Shiv ji. It contains a mantra which can be chanted 108 times to invite the grace of the Lord and Devi. And don’t forget to offer some handpicked and cleaned Bilva leaves to Lord either at home or in the temple.

For those who want to go a step further, there is a unique opportunity on 24th Feb after 19.44 hrs, when moon enters satabhisha, which is a  rare occasion this time. The shloka at the end of Durga Ashtottarshatnam stotram is the guide in this direction and tells us what to do on this day to get the benign grace. This time when moon enters satabhisha nakshatra, it is a Tuesday which falls on amavasya night.

Baumavasyanishegre chandre shatbhisham gate,

Vilikhya prapathet stotram sa bhavet sampadam padam

One can please all the planets including mangal with one shot. Here’s the little technique to do it. Write Durga Ashtottarshatnam stotram on a sheet of paper with red ink. Read it at least 3 times on 24 Feb at the time of ingress of moon in satabhisha. Then chant the mantra given in Siddka Kunjika Stotram 108 times. 

Ask DEVI MAA to grant you your wish. I am sure she will not say no.

|| shrI durgAyai namaH||

|| shrI durgAshhTottarashatanAmastotram.h ||

Ishvara uvAcha |

shatanAma pravaxyAmi shR^iNushhva kamalAnane |
yasya prasAdamAtreNa durgA prItA bhavet.h satI || 1||

OM satI sAdhvI bhavaprItA bhavAnI bhavamochanI |
AryA durgA jayA chAdyA trinetrA shUladhAriNI || 2||

pinAkadhAriNI chitrA chaNDaghaNTA mahAtapAH |
mano buddhiraha.nkArA chittarUpA chitA chitiH || 3||

sarvamantramayI sattA satyAnanda svarUpiNI |
anantA bhAvinI bhAvyA bhavyAbhavyA sadAgatiH || 4||

shAmbhavI devamAtA cha chintA ratnapriyA sadA |
sarvavidyA daxakanyA daxayaGYavinAshinI || 5||

aparNAnekavarNA cha pATalA pATalAvatI |
paTTAmbara parIdhAnA kalamaJNjIraraJNjinI || 6||

ameyavikramA krurA sundarI surasundarI |
vanadurgA cha mAtaN^gI mataN^gamunipUjitA || 7||

brAhmI mAheshvarI chaindrI kaumArI vaishhNavI tathA |
chAmuNDA chaiva vArAhI laxmIshcha purushhAkR^itiH || 8||

vimalotkarshhiNI GYAnA kriyA nityA cha buddhidA |
bahulA bahulapremA sarvavAhana vAhanA || 9||

nishumbhashumbhahananI mahishhAsuramardinI |
madhukaiTabhahantrI cha chaNDamuNDavinAshinI || 10||

sarvAsuravinAshA cha sarvadAnavaghAtinI |
sarvashAstramayI satyA sarvAstradhAriNI tathA || 11||

anekashastrahastA cha anekAstrasya dhAriNI |
kumArI chaikakanyA cha kaishorI yuvatI yatiH || 12||

aprauDhA chaiva prauDhA cha vR^iddhamAtA balapradA |
mahodarI muktakeshI ghorarUpA mahAbalA || 13||

agnijvAlA raudramukhI kAlarAtristapasvinI |
nArAyaNI bhadrakAlI vishhNumAyA jalodarI || 14||

shivadUtI karAlI cha anantA parameshvarI |
kAtyAyanI cha sAvitrI pratyaxA brahmavAdinI || 15||

ya idaM prapaThennityaM durgAnAmashatAshhTakam.h |
nAsAdhyaM vidyate devi trishhu lokeshhu pArvati || 16||

dhanaM dhAnyaM sutaM jAyAM hayaM hastinameva cha |
chaturvargaM tathA chAnte labhenmuktiM cha shAshvatIm.h || 17||

kumArIM pUjayitvA tu dhyAtvA devIM sureshvarIm.h |
pUjayet.h parayA bhaktyA paThennAmashatAshhTakam.h || 18||

tasya siddhirbhaved.h devi sarvaiH suravarairapi |
rAjAno dAsatAM yAnti rAjyashriyamavApnuyAt.h || 19||

gorochanAlaktakakuN^kumeva sindhUrakarpUramadhutrayeNa |
vilikhya yantraM vidhinA vidhiGYo bhavet.h sadA dhArayate purAriH ||
20||

bhaumAvAsyAnishAmagre chandre shatabhishhAM gate |
vilikhya prapaThet.h stotraM sa bhavet.h saMpadAM padam.h || 21||