Maha Shivratri
Pran C. Arjan (Editor)

Hindus around the world will be celebrating Maha Shivaratri

This auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of ‘Phalgun’ (February-March).

The name means "the night of Shiva” as the ceremonies take place chiefly at night. Maha Shivratri is the longest and darkest night of the month. Darkness and Light is worshipped as creation and destruction.

It is the night on which Shivji and Maa Parvati tied the knot and became 'One'.  Hence it is symbolic of the meeting of the Soul with the Almighty. This is a festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva and it is believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married to Parvati.

On this festival people worship 'Shiva - the Destroyer'.

About The Lord
Lord Shiva is one of the Hindu Trinity, comprising of Lord Brahma, the creator, Lord Vishnu, the preserver and Lord Shiva or Mahesh, the Destroyer and re-producer of life.

Shiva is known by many names like "Shankar", "Mahesh", "Bholenath", "Neelakanth", "Shambhu Kailasheshwar", "Umanath", "Nataraj" and others. Shivji is also called 'Rudra' which means 'The one who destroys evil and sorrow. Shivji is also called Pashupati: The Lord of all animals and Living Beings.

He is the most sought-after deity amongst the Hindus and they pray to him as the god of immense large-heartedness who they believe grants all their wishes.

Around him are weaved many interesting stories that reveal His magnanimous heart. Not only this, but these stories and legends also enrich the Indian culture and art.

Time is invisible and formless. Therefore Mahakal Shiva, as per the Vedas, manifested himself as "LINGUM" to make mankind aware of the presence of Eternal Time. That day when Shiva manifested himself in the form of "Lingum" was the fourth day of the dark night in the month of 'Magha' i.e. February-March. Maha Shivratri continues to be celebrated forever and ever

On Maha Shivrati, the Divine Union takes place.

Shivji is called 'Bhola' (innocent, kind hearted, easily pleased) because it is believed that He is easily pleased and grants boons instantly (hence he is called Ashutosh).

Shivji is also called ‘Mahadev’. Maha means ‘great’. ‘Dev’ is a Divine Being.

Shivji is likened to a pillar of light, which has neither a beginning nor an end. 

The ash smeared on His body, denotes His complete Vairaagya (detachment from the world and its pleasures.

The snakes are Shivji’s ornaments. That is the extent of His indifference towards whether He adorns Himself with snakes or precious metals and jewels. Snakes on ones body would force one to remain alert at all times. Snakes could also denote unleashed controlled energy.

Lord Shiva has been called the Nataraja. The Lord of the Dance. This night marks the night when Lord Shiva danced the 'Tandav'.

The above is symbolised in the dance of Shiva. It denotes that one can never separate the dancer from the dance. Similarly one cannot separate God and His creation.

Birth and death, formation and decay, change and movement occur all the time as it is the law of the universe.

Let us look at the 4 hands of Nataraja.

• His upper right hand holds the ‘damru’ (a small drum). The ‘damru’ represents the heartbeat of creation. It also stands for the vibration, the sound that creates and annihilates the universe. Shivji is called: Omkara, the Creator of the sound 'Om'
• Shivji’s lower right hand is in a blessing posture. It seems to be telling us that we are well protected.
• Shivji’s upper left hand holds ‘fire’. Fire is an element that stands for divinity. There are various reasons for it, and all religions worship it in one form or another.

a)      Even if you hold a lamp upside down, the flame will rise upwards. Human nature tends to be like water, flowing to lower levels. The flame that we light reminds us to soar upwards. 

b)      Fire destroys the impure.

c)      As one moves forward on the Spiritual path, the darkness of ignorance is replaced by the Light of knowledge. The fire is symbolic of this light which brightens as we journey within.

• Shivji’s lower left hand points to the foot. He is telling us to rise. Under Shivji’s foot there is a demon which is being crushed. One could easily believe that the demon stands for attachment, ego, forgetfulness (that man is divine)

The flying cloth of Shivji introduces Him as a Spiritual teacher. If you look closely, you will notice that one earring of Shivji is masculine, the other is feminine. Both the energies in Shivji are in immaculate perfect balance!

May the Shiva and Parvati spirits be in us and unite us on this Maha Shiv ratri

May we all recognise our Divine Nature.

Karpoor Gauram Karunnaavataram Sansaar Saaram Bhujgendra Haaram.
Sadaa Vasantam Hridyaarvrinde Bhavam Bhavaani Sahitam Namaami.

II Meaning of  Shree Shiv-Parvati Stuti II

I Bow to Bhavani as well as  to Lord Shiva who is white as camphor, who is compassion incarnate, who is the essence of the world, who wears a garland of a large snake and who always dwells in the lotus like hearts of his devote.

Shivji is also called Nilkanth

Kanchan Zala, Toronto, Canada

The Shivratri is also celebrated because of ‘samudra manthan’ and the poison that came out, Shivji drank the poison and saved everyone. His throat became green from the poison, and hence he is called Nilkanth or Nileshwer. 

The story of the hunter is also very popular. He was hiding on a bilva tree and the whole night he kept on throwing a bilipatra on a shivling under the tree. Without being aware of it, he did char prahar ni shiva puja with bilipatra.

"The Greatness of Shivaraatri"

Umesh Mahendra Kara, London. U.K.

After Shiva thus became his usual benign all powerful deity, the ranks of both the creator and the sustainers drew near and paid him their tributes.

Shiva was pleased; he declared that this particular day shall be remembered forever as Shivaraati. The night would be remembered as Shivaraati (Shiva’s night). On that day, anyone who worships him by fasting and keeping awake all night  (observing jagaran) would get the fruit of a whole year's worship. That day would be auspicious for shiva lingam pratishtha (installation) and celebrating shiva kalyan, for founding and building temples. The fourteenthday of the second fortnight of Margashirsha month under the Arudra star would be the best day to worship and propitiate shiva. The spot where shiva manifested as a pillar of fire and light would come to be known as lingasthan - the place of lingam. The column of fire too would be shiva lingam. The place where it came up would be called Arunachal - the red mountain. Thus would be the most renowned among all Shiva Kshetras. Those who worship shiva there would eventually find a place in Shivaloka thus getting saalokya, sameepya and saayujya (habitation in the same loka,  nearness and unity). At the end of explaining the efficacy of the worship on Shivaraati, shiva told Brahma and Vishnu that he manifested as the column of fire just to reveal to them Parabrahma Tattwa - the nature and quality of the absolute reality. He could manifest also in the quality-less and formless, incomparable and unlimited form. The dual qualities of one with form and shape and the other without those are called Niraakaara Nirguna and Saakara Saguna. One is Nishkala and the other Sakala. Shiva is both. He further told them that there was no difference between him and the lingam. He said that he wouldn't stay in a single place, he was all-pervading.

The one who "plants" a shiva lingam would be in Kailash as shiva himself. That is saayujya. The most fruitful thing would be "planting" a shiva lingam. This is called Pratishthan. When for lack of a lingam, even if an idol is "planted" it would get renown as a shiva Kshetra.

(Extract from the Shiv Puran)