MAHA SHIVARATRI
This falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of Phalgun
(February-March). The name means "the night of Shiva". The ceremonies
take place chiefly at night. This is a festival observed in honor of Lord
Shiva. Shiva was married to Parvati on this day.
In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on
the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha
Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows.
Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who
ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa, was observing a fast with his wife, it
being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the
court of the king.
The sage asked, "O king! why are you observing a fast
today?"
King Chitrabhanu explained why. He had the gift of remembering the
incidents of his previous birth.
The king said to the sage: "In my past birth I was a hunter
in Varanasi. My name was Suswara. My livelihood was to kill and sell birds and
animals. One day I was roaming the forests in search of animals. I was
overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, I climbed a tree for
shelter.
It happened to be a bael tree. I had shot a deer that day but I
had no time to take it home. I bundled it up and tied it to a branch on the
tree. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst, I kept awake throughout the
night.
I shed profuse tears when I thought of my poor wife and children who
were starving and anxiously awaiting my return. To pass away the time that
night I engaged myself in plucking the bael leaves and dropping them down onto
the ground.
"The day dawned. I returned home and sold the deer. I bought
some food for myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast when a
stranger came to me, begging for food. I served him first and then took my
food.
"At the time of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Shiva.
They were sent down to conduct my soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. I learnt
then for the first time of the great merit I had earned by the unconscious
worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri.
They told me that there
was a Lingam at the bottom of the tree. The leaves I dropped fell on the
Lingam. My tears which I had shed out of pure sorrow for my family fell onto
the Lingam and washed it. And I had fasted all day and all night. Thus did I unconsciously worship the Lord.
"I lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss
for long ages. I am now reborn as Chitrabhanu."
Lord Shiva's Assurance
When creation had been completed, Shiva and Parvati went out to
live on the top of Mount Kailas. Parvati asked, "O venerable Lord! which
of the many rituals observed in Thy honor doth please Thee most?"
The Lord replied,
" "The
14th night of the new moon, in the dark fortnight during the month of Phalgun,
is my most favourite day. It is known as Shivaratri.
]. My
devotees give me greater happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths and
offerings of flowers, sweets and incense.
"The
devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships Me in four
different forms during each of the four successive three-hour periods of the
night. The offering of a few bael leaves is more precious to Me than the
precious jewels and flowers.
]. My
devotee should bathe Me in milk at the first period, in curd at the second, in
clarified butter at the third, and in honey at the fourth and last. Next
morning, he should feed the Brahmins first and, after performing the prescribed
ceremonies, he can break his fast.
O
Parvati! there is no ritual which can compare with this simple routine in
sanctity."
Parvati was deeply impressed by the speech of Lord Shiva. She repeated
it to Her friends who in their turn passed it on to the ruling princes on
earth. Thus was the sanctity of Shivaratri broadcast all over the world.
The
two great natural forces that afflict man are Rajas (the quality of passionate
activity) and Tamas (that of inertia).
The Shivaratri Vrata aims at the perfect control of these two. The
entire day is spent at the Feet of the Lord. Continuous worship of the Lord
necessitates the devotee's constant presence in the place of worship. Motion is
controlled. Evils like lust, anger, and jealousy, born of Rajas are ignored and
subdued.
The devotee observes vigil throughout the night and thus conquers
Tamas also. Constant vigilance is imposed on the mind. Every three hours a
round of worship of the Shiva Lingam is conducted. Shivaratri is a perfect
Vrata.
The formal worship consists of bathing the Lord. Lord Shiva is
considered to be the Form of Light (which the Shiva Lingam represents). He is
burning with the fire of austerity.
He is therefore best propitiated with cool
bathing.
While
bathing the Lingam the devotee prays: "O Lord! I will bathe Thee with
water, milk, etc. Do Thou kindly bathe me with the milk of wisdom. Do Thou
kindly wash me of all my sins, so that the fire of worldliness which is
scorching me may be put out once for all, so that I may be one with Thee-the
One alone without a second."
OFFER THIS INNER WORSHIP TO LORD SHIVA DAILY:
"I
WORSHIP THE JEWEL OF MY SELF, THE SHIVA RESIDING IN THE LOTUS OF MY HEART. I
BATHE HIM WITH THE WATER OF MY PURE MIND BROUGHT FROM THE RIVER OF FAITH AND
DEVOTION. I WORSHIP HIM WITH THE FRAGRANT FLOWERS OF SAMADHI-ALL THIS SO THAT I
MAY NOT BE BORN AGAIN IN THIS WORLD."
HERE IS ANOTHER FORMULA FOR THE SUPREME WORSHIP OF THE LORD:
"O
SHIVA! YOU ARE MY SELF. MY MIND IS PARVATI. MY PRANAS ARE YOUR SERVANTS. MY
BODY IS YOUR HOUSE. MY ACTIONS IN THIS WORLD ARE YOUR WORSHIP. MY SLEEP IS
SAMADHI. MY WALK IS CIRCUMAMBULATION OF YOU. MY SPEECH IS YOUR PRAYER. THUS DO
I OFFER ALL THAT I AM TO YOU”.
Dear
ones,
In the sankhya yoga, it is given that prakriti could proceed to
create this universe only when there was disturbance / imbalance in the three
gunas- satva, rajas and tamas.
As learnt from the above message from SwamI Sivananda, a sincere
devotee balances the rajas and tamas within him and hence, symbolically, he
transcends/rises himself above this creation/ universe.
Keeping awake all night, singing bhajans and chanting namah
shivaya – all these things are very good but the devotee should be clear about
the purpose. His prayers should be so much sincere, he should be so immersed in
his worship/ dhyana on Shiva that he is able to actually rise above his rajas
and tamas and experience the alone ness of his SELF, exactly as God existed
prior to creating even the 5 elements.
Every prayer, every worship, every ritual observed on every
festival should be taken up with utmost sincerity with clarity of purpose so
that the benefit of such rituals / prayers/ bhajan singing/ chanting of Lord’s
name actually bestows on the devotee, the actual reward- BLISS/ ANANDA!!
Love
