The World Community of Sanatana Dharma announces a solemn Shiva Homa to be held on February 14, 2026, timed to coincide with the preparations for Mahashivaratri. The ritual will be conducted in strict accordance with the canonical prescriptions of the tradition with the participation of Shri Guru Swami Vishnudevananda Giri

Homa (Skt. homa, from the root hu — "to offer as sacrifice," "to pour into the fire") is an ancient Vedic ritual of offering clarified butter (ghee) and sacred substances into the consecrated fire. In the tradition of Sanatana Dharma, Homa is regarded as the highest form of yajna (sacrificial action), intended to establish a connection between the practitioner's microcosm and the macrocosmic forces of the Universe.

Mahashivaratri (Skt. mahāśivarātri — "The Great Night of Shiva") is the most important annual festival of the Vedic calendar, falling on the night before the new moon of the month of Magha (February–March). This is a time of the highest concentration of spiritual energy, favorable for purifying karma and realizing the unity of the individual consciousness (jiva) with the Absolute (Brahman).

According to the principles of Karma-kanda (the section of the Vedas dedicated to ritual actions) and the prescriptions of the Shaiva Agamas, performing Homa on the eve of Mahashivaratri serves the function of purashcharana — a preliminary purification of space and consciousness before the main meditative vigil.

Fire (Agni) in this context acts as a divine mediator (Duta). In the Rigveda (1.1.1) it is said:

“Agniṃ īḷe purohitaṃ yajñasya devaṃ rtvijam” 

“I invoke Agni, the divine priest of the sacrifice, placed at the front.”

The ritual promotes the harmonization of elements (tattva-shuddhi) and the removal of obstacles on the path of spiritual ascension.

The live broadcast of the ritual provides the opportunity for contemplation (darshan) of the sacred fire and listening to Vedic mantras, which in itself is a powerful purifying practice.

Event Details:

• Ritual Leader: Guru Swami Vishnudevananda Giri Maharaj, successor in the lineage of Advaita Vedanta and Siddha Yoga.
• Location: "Shiva Prem Sagar" Ashram, Italy
• Date and Time: February 14, 09:00 (Central European Time / Rome).
• Format: Live online broadcast (Zoom, YouTube, VKontakte).

The most important part of the ritual is Sankalpa (Skt. saṅkalpa) — the conscious formulation of an intention. In the Vedic tradition, participation in a Homa through the mention of one's name is equated to direct presence by the sacred fire, allowing the practitioner to receive the spiritual fruits (phala) of the ritual from anywhere in the world.

To include your name or the names of your loved ones in the traditional commemoration during the ritual (reading of names for blessings and purification), it is necessary to provide the data to the administrator in advance.

Contact person for registration and Sankalpa arrangement: Lalita