Shivaratri And Its Secrets

[Guest guest]

[An editorial in today's edition of "Rising Nepal," by Braham Kumar

S.B. Ayer:]

 

Every year, the incarnation festival of the Supreme God, Shiva, is

celebrated as Shivaratri. If we were to realise the hidden spiritual

secrets of Shivaratri, then world transformation would become an

easy proposition. Shivaratri is not just a festival of Shiva's

devotees alone, but one of all the souls of the world, of all

religions, civilisations and cultures.

 

It is mentioned in the Gita that the thumb-shaped kindle light, the

Jyotirlingam of Shiva, emerged at the beginning of creation when the

world was fully plagued by extremities of impurities and darkness.

And it is this Jyotirlingam that became the main instrument for the

establishment of a new age by giving valuable sermons of knowledge

which gave birth to Prajapita Brahma through spiritual yogic power.

 

In the beginning of the world, an oval shaped light emerged in the

world, which shone and threw flames like thousands and thousands of

suns, as mentioned in the Manusmriti scripture. It is mentioned in

the religious code of conduct in the Shiva Puran that during the

last moment of the destruction, a unique Shivalingam emerged, which

shone like a killing fire. And from that came into existence the

world.

 

SIGNIFICANCE

 

In a day, during its 24 hours, there comes a time we call night. But

in the lives of the people of Aryavarta, three nights are important:

Shivaratri, Nawaratri and Deepawali. As regards Shivaratri it is

also celebrated as a night when the blessings of God are received by

staying awake and keeping vigil throughout the night.

 

This festival is celebrated to remember God Shiva's divine birth,

His divine descent into the world from the incorporeal world. But

then why is the festival of Shiva connected with the word ratri

(night)? Did Shiva's birth take place in this particular night?

Actually, there is no relation to that night which comes once during

the 24 hours of a day. The night here denotes a symbol of the

darkest age of ignorance, extreme impurity and the sinfulness and

laziness. Such a time comes during the last moments of the Iron Age,

or Kali Yug.

 

As we all know, the Supreme God-Father, Shiva, is beyond the cycle

of birth and death and is, thus, fully detached from the worldly

karmic bondage. Therefore, the question of His rebirth does not

arise. As mentioned in the Scriptures, it is, however, His duty to

come to the corporeal world during the last moments of the Kali Yug.

Kali Yug is signified by ignorance and absence of moral values -

everywhere there is absence of goodwill and honesty, use of science

and technology without wisdom, ruthless exercise of sovereign power

without any sensitivity, devotion based on blind faith, violence in

the name of so-called religion, and use of one's daughter in illicit

purposes to earn a livelihood by the father. It is a period when

there is prevalence of disharmony, injustice, violence and war,

adulteration, corruption, and the five negative tendencies - sex and

lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego, which make human beings

insensitive to the devil-like nature of the world.

 

Therefore today, we find the blatant misuse of science and

technology, for example, in the manufacture of weapons of mass

destruction such as hydrogen, atom and chemical bombs and missiles.

Nobody knows which will be the last moment for the world.

 

The period between the end of the above mentioned Kali Yug and the

beginning of Satya Yug (Golden Age, the age of the enlightened state

of human souls due to spiritual empowerment), is the time when God

descends in a reincarnated form in the human body, whom people

symbolically refer to as Nandigan (the Bull), the vehicle of God.

This Nandigan (Bhagirath) is, in fact, manifest in the Brahma.

 

Through His reincarnation in the physical body of Brahma, God

purifies the whole world for the welfare of humanity, by bestowing

divine wisdom based on spiritual knowledge and power of purity. For

this noble cause of His benevolence, the Supreme GodFather is

forever known by the name Shiva.

 

It is this very time when, on the one hand, there is enormous

decline in values, and Shiva transforms the human soul for the

betterment of the world. Thus, against this backdrop of extreme

impurities in human character, there is the emergence of a ray of

hope in the world. And if we follow the cycle of creation, it is

such that, 'if any end were about to come, then a new beginning is

just approaching.'

 

Shiva's divine birth night is celebrated in different ways

throughout the world as per people's faith and belief in the

incorporeal God. Those who get up from the sleep of ignorance in

this dark night and try to understand real spiritual knowledge

receive the blessings of God.

 

MEDITATION

 

During this festival, intense meditation is practised in a bid to

burn and destroy the past that is useless and all negative karmic

accounts accumulated during the previous births. Lighted lamps are

offered to God in devotion to Him and as a symbol of spiritual

enlightenment. In the same manner, intoxication of limitless

attainment can be experienced through the remembrance of God.

 

SOURCE: Rising Nepal

URL: http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?

file=2006/02/26/editorial/editorial2