Mahashivaratri

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Greeting on the festival.

 

The Maha Shivratri Festival

 

Chant ‘Om Namah Shivay’ on the day of Mahashivaratri

 

The Hindu festival of Mahashivaratri is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark

fortnight of the Magh month, as per the Hindu lunar calendar. The Shiva

principle is most active on this day of the year.

 

Maha Shivaratri literally means 'the night (ratri) of the Supreme God principle

(Shiva)'. Accordingly, the various religious rituals and observances on this

festival take place chiefly at night. Hindus observe a strict fast on this day;

some devotees do not partake of even a drop of water. In observance of

MahaShivratri people repeat the Panchakshara mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’

throughout the night. Like all vowed religious observances, the observance of

MahaShivaratri aims to gain control over one’s raja (spiritual component of

action, passion) and tama (spiritual component of ignorance, darkness). This is

done by spending the entire day at the feet of Lord Shiva by continuously

worshipping Him, sitting in one place. This helps control motion or activity,

which is a manifestation of the raja component. Further, by observing vigil

throughout the night helps reduce the tama component and its manifestations such

as lust, anger, jealousy, etc.

 

Definition of Lord Shiva

 

The word Shiva has been derived from reversing the letters of the word 'vash'.

Vash means to enlighten; thus, one who enlightens is Shiva. Lord Shiva is

absolute, self-radiant and illuminates the universe. Lord Shiva is also called

Mahadev or Supreme God, since He possesses all the three principles – Absolute

Purity, Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Spiritual Practice (sadhana) –

underlying the Creation of the universe.

 

Attributes

 

According to the Shaiva sect (a major sect of Hinduism), Shiva experienced in

the nirbij samadhi state is the attributeless form (nirgun rupa) of Lord Shiva,

that is, Supreme God (Brahman) Himself. According to them, Shiva in the

meditative position is God (Ishwar), and Shiva's dancing form represents the

Great Illusion (Maya).

 

 

Functions

 

Creation of the universe: Lord Shiva can create the universe merely by His

resolve (sankalpa).

 

Master of the universe (Jagadguru): It is said that one must seek knowledge from

Lord Shiva and Liberation from Lord Vishnu.

 

Taking one beyond the three components (to the trigunatit state): Lord Shiva

completely destroys (spiritual) ignorance (that is, ignorance about one's true

nature).

 

Worship of Lord Shiva

 

Smearing ash (bhasma): The devotee worshipping Lord Shiva should smear holy ash

on his forehead in three horizontal stripes - Tripundra. The stripes symbolize

Absolute Knowledge, Purity and Penance (Yogasadhana).

 

Wearing rudraksha: The devotee should wear a rudraksha beads' mala while

worshipping Lord Shiva. The rudraksha is red in color with yellow stripes and

its shape is flat like that of a fish. On one side of each bead is a slight

opening, which appears like an open mouth.

 

Significance

 

The rudraksha converts the divine light frequencies into the sound frequencies

in the human body and vice versa. Hence, it facilitates the absorption of divine

frequencies and transformation of one's thoughts into divine language, so as to

reach one's divine Principle of worship.

 

Rudraksha absorbs sattvik frequencies and emits similar frequencies from its

mounds. When a genuine rudraksha is held in the hand, its vibrations can be felt

in the fingers. At that time, the body is absorbing the sattvik frequencies

emitted by the rudraksha

 

Fake rudraksha

 

To differentiate between a fake and the genuine rudraksha one can do a simple

test. When kept in water, the fake ones get discolored since they are colored by

keeping in an astringent extract.

 

Worship of the Shivalinga or pindi

 

Only cold water is poured on the pindi and bel (a sacred plant's leaf with three

petals) is offered. Since Shiva is the deity of Dissolution, the pindi is not

offered milk, panchamrut, or vermilion (kumkum), turmeric powder and akshata

(unbroken rice grains), as these represent the principles of Sustenance or

Creation.

 

Three horizontal stripes of holy ash are smeared on the visible side of the

pindi or a circle is drawn on the horizontal stripes.

 

A tender bel leaf can combine the gross language of sound (ahat) and the subtle

or divine language of light (anahat); hence, it should be offered to the pindi.

It is kept on the pindi with its back facing upwards and the stalk pointing

toward the worshipper. The intention is to draw the combined energy from these

three leaf petals towards oneself, leading to the reduction of one's trigunas.

 

Since the pindi contains both Shiva and Shakti, it generates considerable heat.

To prevent its adverse effects on the devotees, an arrangement of a continuous

flow of water is maintained on the pindi. Due to this stream of water on the

pindi, the subtle Om (lowest frequency of sound in the audible range, indicative

of the unmanifest God Principle) sound is generated. Similarly, when an embodied

soul (seeker) in search of Self-Realization chants continuously, it (he) is able

to progress beyond the barrier of time and attain God.

 

Attitude when worshipping the Shivalinga or pindi

 

The Symbol of Lord Shiva, the Shivalinga (lingam), represents the formless God

principle (Shiva) and it is worshiped with great splendor during MahaShivaratri.

While bathing the Lingam one can maintain the spiritual emotion (bhav) that may

it wash one of all sins, so that the scorching fire of worldliness may be put

out once for all and that one remains focused on God (Shiva) always.

 

One can contemplate upon the Lingam with due reverence, seeing it as the symbol

of the one who is All - Pure, All -Perfect, All - Bliss; Lord Shiva and a mirror

of one’s soul. Further, one should derive inspiration from the Shivalinga to

remind oneself to intensify spiritual practice and realize one’s true identity,

the Shivalinga that lies within.

 

MahaShivaratri implies the spiritual union of the seeker or the embodied soul

doing spiritual practice (Jivatma) with the God principle (Shiva or Paramatma).

It is a reminder to every seeker to attain the high state of God-realization or

lasting Bliss.

 

Thus, the observance of MahaShivaratri should be performed with the

understanding that though symbolic or ritualistic, it is an endeavor to progress

to The Real or The Truth (God).

 

Worship of the Shalunka (extension of the Shivalinga or pindi at its base)

 

Three horizontal stripes of holy ash are drawn on the Shalunka and a circle is

drawn on them. White rice and white flowers are offered, as white represents

purity. After offering flowers, bel leaves are offered by keeping the stalk

pointing towards oneself.

 

Circumbulation (pradakshina)

 

While performing the pradakshina around the Shivalinga one should begin from the

left side and walk till the Shalunka's extended outlet, through which the

continuous stream of water (abhishek) flows. Then one turns back without

crossing the starting point and completes the pradakshina in the reverse

direction. The reason for not crossing the extended portion of the shalunka is

that the energy flow at that point has an adverse effect on the production of

semen and the five internal airs (vayus).

 

Abhishek

 

Lord Shiva loves abhishek (sprinkling of holy water). Abhishek keeps the

Shivalinga wet continuously. The abhishek is offered to Lord Shiva while

chanting the rudra (sacred hymns).

 

For further details on Lord Shiva, refer to Vol. 9A: Shiva, compiled by H. H.

Dr. Jayant B. Athavale and Dr. Mrs. Kunda Athavale, published by the Sanatan.]

>From WWW.sanatan.org