In our Sanathan Dharma, we believe in the divine Trinity -Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Shiva is regarded as one of the primary forms among the Trimurti. He is also known as “the Destroyer” or “the Transformer.” He is responsible for change both in the form of death or destruction, and re-birth. The effort here is always in the positive sense of destroying one’s ego. Shiva means “The Auspicious One.” He is known by thousands of names, such as Parameshwara, Mahadeva, Mahesh, Mritunjay, Shankar, Neelakantha, and Bholenath.
Bholenath is a very popular name among his devotees because he can be easily pleased. He is the innocent Lord who fulfills our wishes at once. He is also regarded as the patron god of yoga and arts. Shiva at his highest level is limitless, transcendent, unchanging and formless.
All Vedas and Granthas say that Lord Shiva represents ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram.’ That is, He is the ultimate truth, trust, and beauty in the world. The beauty does not mean the somatic beauty but beauty of your divine inner qualities.
When we look at Shiva as a householder with wife Parvati and two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya, we also see Him having a snake around his neck, a third eye on his forehead, and Bhasma (ashes of dead bodies) on his body, the adorning crescent moon and the river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, and Nandi as his vahan.
Ma Parvati, Ganesh and Kartikeya are having lion, mouse and peacock respectively as their vahans. These animals are enemies of each other but they forget their hostility in the presence of Lord Shiva. His third eye symbolizes ‘Gyan’ and Ma Paravati symbolizes ‘Shraddha.’ They are incomplete without one another. When ‘Gyan’ joins ‘Shraddha,’ new creations take place and He loves the creations.
The Innocent Lord, Shiva accepts and embraces those things and people who are not accepted by others. During Samudra Manthan, the gods and Lord Vishnu took away all the precious things and amrit but when ‘Vish’ came out no one wanted to accept it. It was only Lord Shiva who came forward to drink the ‘Vish’ and saved the world.
When people die nobody likes to keep the dead bodies in their house but Shiva readily accepts those bodies when they come to Shivapuri (funeral ground), the real residence of Shiva. He blesses everyone in the same way whether he is manush, deva, or asura. He is omnipresent for his devotees.
We as Hindus believe that God is present equally in living and non-living things. Shiva is usually worshiped in the aniconic form of Lingam. Lingam stands for ‘yoga’ that is joining together. We connect our belief with Him by worshipping Him in this Lingam form. We perform His abhishekam with milk, holy water, honey, yogurt, ghee and other things to reduce the heat produced by the vish. Everyone in this world should offer Him thanks for saving our life and this universe by accepting ‘vish’ and holding it in His neck.
Maha-Shivratri is a Hindu festival observed on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna and corresponding to the English months ‘January-February’. Maha-Shivratri means “the big night of Lord Shiva” and during the entire night devotees worship Lord Shiva.
It was on this day of Maha Shivratri when Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati. Their wedding is a union of ‘Shradha’ and ‘Vishwas. To make our married life successful and fruitful there should be a pure dedication and firm trust between the couple.
The basic principle underlying the observance of the Maha-Shivaratri Vrata appears to be to shed hatred, ego, old habits, attachment with worldly life and become samdarsi by accepting and loving the downtrodden, needy, and the untouchables. Everyone should see the presence of God in all the living and non-living things.
To have a divine darshan on Lord Shiva on Maha-Shivratri day, take a bath in the early morning and wear washed or new clothes. If possible, observe fasting and visit the temple and perform at home or in the temple archana, jala or milk abhishekam, offer chandan, Bilva Patra, fruits, and home-made bhoga. Recite with utmost devotion the powerful Panchakshara Mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”, Rudra Ashtakam, Shiva Namakshar stotra, Shiv Chalisa and aarti along with other prayers in the morning or at the time of Maha Puja in the evening.
Generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva on Maha Shivratri day or night with pure devotion is freed from all sins. He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. It is suggested that married women pray for the wellbeing of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband.
By celebrating thefestival with family, relatives, and friends you will be blessed with peace of mind, get rid of all bad energies within you, obtain prosperity, harmony, loving energies and stability of faith.
Hindu Mandir of Lake County will celebrate this festival with glory and grace on Thursday, 27 February from morning till mid-night. Several attractive alankars and special archanas, and abhishekams will be performed. One unique attraction of the festival will be the darshan of Baba Amarnath in the Him-lingam form. On behalf of Hindu Mandir, I welcome every one of you to participate in the great Maha-Shivaratri festival.
Pt Anil Joshi
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
