Shiv Abhishek Samagri

The list

Abhishek (= ritual bathing) of the Shiva linga (= the rounded stone form of Shiva) is a simple act. Items and the order of offerings vary by family, temple and region, so ask your priest about anything beyond these basics.

• A small Shiva linga on a base with a spout, or a picture of Shiva.
• A tray with a rim or a wide basin to catch the liquids, a small bowl, a pouring vessel (lota) and a clean cloth to dry the linga.
• Clean water, about a quart (one liter).
• Panchamrit (= five nectars): milk, curd, honey, ghee and sugar. About a cup of milk and a spoonful or two of each of the others is enough. Many families use only water and milk.
• Optional: coconut water and a few drops of rose water.
• Bilva (bel) leaves, whole, three-leafed if possible.
• White flowers.
• Vibhuti (= sacred ash), sandalwood paste, unbroken rice and, if you wish, a rudraksha bead.
• Fruit, a ghee lamp, incense, camphor and a bell.
• Datura (dhatura) is offered in some traditions. It is poisonous, so skip it unless your priest advises, and keep it away from children and pets.

Preparation

Bathe and wear clean clothes. Set the linga on its base in the tray. Wash the bilva leaves and pat them dry. Warm the ghee until it is liquid, thin the curd with a little water, and dissolve the sugar in warm water. Put each in its own small bowl, in the order your family uses.

A common order is water, milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar, and then a last rinse with clean water. Afterward comes vibhuti, sandalwood, bilva leaves and flowers, then the lamp and aarti. Ask a priest or elder to guide the mantra, often Om Namah Shivaya.

Families differ on what to do with the liquid that ran over the linga. Some take a little as prasad, while others do not. Pour any used water on a plant or garden rather than down the drain.

Substitutes

• No linga: a picture of Shiva, or a manasa abhisheka, in which the bathing is done in the mind.
• Curd: plain, unsweetened yogurt.
• Gangajal: clean fresh water.
• Milk: plain whole milk, which is widely used where raw milk is hard to buy.
• Bilva: if fresh leaves are not available, ask your temple. Several guides say that water and bilva alone make a complete simple abhishek.
• White flowers: jasmine, or any clean white flowers.

Where to buy in the USA

• Temples: often the best place for a linga, bilva leaves and vibhuti. Ask the temple office.
• Indian grocery: vibhuti, sandalwood powder, incense, rudraksha and coconut. Some stores sometimes carry bilva leaves, frozen or dried. Ask in advance.
• Ordinary supermarket: milk, yogurt, honey, sugar, ghee, coconut water, white flowers, and rose water in the international aisle.
• Online: lingas and bases, brass vessels and bilva from Indian shops. Check what the seller ships, and order early.