Calendar of the Sun
1 Yulmonath
Shiva's Day
Colors: Blue and red
Elements: Fire and Air
Altar: On cloth of blue and red set a statue of Shiva, surrounded by snakeskins, incense, candles.
Offerings: Meditate on the truths of life. All the community should be in silence from the time of
arising to the time of Hesperis. The sole exception is chanting Shiva's chant during Mousika and
Sponde, and the invocation read.
Daily Meal: Fasting.
Invocation to Shiva
Om Namah Shivayah! Mahadeva!
Hail, Lord of Destruction,
You who dance the end of the Universe
With your great dance, Tandava,
One skull in each hand!
Whirling pillar of fire, we hail you!
When the Great Serpent came,
Pouring out all its venom onto the Earth,
All the Gods fled but you!
None had the courage to stand in its way,
None had the knowledge to reach out to the snake,
Save you! And you drank its poison,
Taking all that it could give and more,
Transmuting it with your own body,
Until your throat was burnt blue with it!
Then, when the Serpent had been entirely milked
Of all its power and pain, and made
Tame and tractable, you hung it around your neck
And made it your friend.
O Lord who is half woman,
Lover of Uma, Husband of Parvati,
Comrade-in-arms of Durga,
Bridegroom and sacrifice of Kali,
You who wear death like a necklace,
God of the high mountain of transcendence,
We hail you!
Chant: Om Namah Shivayah
[Pagan Book of Hours]