Maha-Shivratri means most important night of lord Shiva. Shivratri is celebrated on 14th day of every month, one day before the new moon. Among the 12 shivratri celebrated in a year, Mahashivratri is the most important one generally celebrated in February or March depending upon the planetary position.
Adi yogi,- Viswanatha (lord of the universe)- Mahadeva- Mahesha- Maheshvara- Shankara- Shambhu- Rudra- Hara- Trilochana- Devendra (chief of the gods)- Neelakanta (blue throat)- Subhankara- Trilokinatha (lord of the three realms) and Ghrneshwar (lord of compassion).
Nataraja (Dancing form of Shiva), Rudra (Enraged form of Shiva), and Dhakshinamoorthy (Yoga form of Shiva). Nataraja is the only form of Shiva worshipped in a human figure format. Elsewhere he is worshipped in Lingam format.
The Vishnu sahasranama interprets Shiva to have multiple meanings: “The Pure One”, and “the One who is not affected by three Guṇas of Prakriti (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas)”.
This major festival marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world.
It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.
Shiva is considered the Great Yogi who is totally absorbed in himself – the transcendental reality. He is the Lord of Yogis, and the teacher of Yoga to sages. As Shiva Dakshinamurthi,
He is the supreme guru who “teaches in silence the oneness of one’s innermost self (atman) with the ultimate reality (brahman).”
On mahashivaratri ,The devotees keep awake all night to get the blessings of Shiva.
The celebration includes maintaining a “jaagaran“, an all-night awakens and prayers, because Shaiva Hindus mark this night as “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in one’s life and the world through Shiva. Offerings of fruits, Beal leaves, sweets and milk to Shiva are made, some perform all-day fasting with vedic or tantric worship of Shiva, and some perform meditative Yoga.
In Shiva temples, “Om Namah Shivaya“, the sacred mantra of Shiva, is chanted through the day.
A different legend states that the offering to Shiva icons such as the linga is an annual occasion to get over past sins if any, to restart on a virtuous path and thereby reach Mount Kailasha and liberation.
It is regarded as the brightest night of the soul, when the yogi attains the state of Shoonya or Nirvana, the stage succeeding samadhi or illumination.
Self-realization and Shaiva Upanishads
He who sees himself in all beings, And all beings in him, attains the highest Brahman, not by any other means.
Maha mrutunjay mantra
The great mantra dedicated to Shiva as Mrityunjaya is found in the Rig Veda. It is called the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, the Great Death-Conquering mantra. It is a mantra that has many names and forms. It is called the Rudra mantra, referring to the furious aspect of Shiva; the Tryambakam mantra, alluding to Shiva’s three eyes; and its is sometimes known as the Mrita-Sanjivini mantra because it is a component of the “life-restoring” practice given to the primordial sage Shukra after he had completed an exhausting period of austerity.
Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushtti-Vardhanam UrvaarukamIva Bandhanaan Mrtyor-Mukssiiya Maamrtaat.
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Dr. Pallavi Shinde is the director at Shree Vishwamukta Yog, Ayurved and Panchakarma Clinic at Pune, India. She always uses ayurvedic proprietary formulations for many chronic health diseases & many products for Skin Diseases & beauty products. She is a hardcore Researcher, Practitioner, Promoter of Ayurveda. Contact today to book an appointment. |
