Shivaratri
Mahashivaratri
Shivaratri or the night of Lord Shiva that falls sometime between February/March is one of the major festivals of Nepal. Maha ShivaRatri means “the night of Shiva”. The ceremonies take place chiefly at night.
This day is dedicated to the Lord of the Lords – Lord Shiva or Mahadev who lived in Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas. Shiva was married to Parvati on this day. Lord Shiva is the most worshiped God in the Hindu religion. More than 100,000 of Hindu devotees from India and Southeast Asia throng weeks ahead of the festival and gather in and around Pashupatinath temple – one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus in Kathmandu to pay their homage to Lord Shiva on his birthday. “Pashupatinath” literally means “the Lord of animals” as Lord Shiva is considered as the guardian and protector of everything that exists in the Himalayan Kingdom.
On this holy day, worshippers take dip and bath in the holy river at early dawn and fast for the whole day
and stay around fire to keep them warm as it is still winter in Nepal. People observe a strict fast on this day. Some devotees do not even take a drop of water. They keep vigil all night. The Shiva Lingam is worshiped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the Mantra Om Namah Shivaya continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred as, it is said, Lakshmi resides in them.
Hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, such as the Shiva Mahimna Stotra of Pushpadanta or Ravana’s Shiva Tandava Stotra are sung with great fervor and devotion. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya. He who utters the Names of Shiva during Shivaratri, with perfect devotion and concentration, is freed from all sins. He reaches the abode of Shiva and lives there happily. He is liberated from the wheel of births and deaths. Many pilgrims flock to the places where there are Shiva temples.
When is shivaratri observed
Skandha Puran describes about four ShivaRatris. The first one is Nitya ShivaRatri (daily ShivaRatri – every night). The second one is the Masa ShivaRatri which is observed on the Krishna Pakchhya Chaturdasi(fourteenth Monday on the moon’s diminishing phase). The third one is the Maga Prathamadi ShivaRatri which is observed for the thirteen days starting from Prathama tithi in the month Maagh (mAsi) and on the chaturdasi night the Lord is worshiped throughout the night.
The fourth one is observed on the Masi (Maagh) month Krishna Pakchhya Chaturdasi. This is the one observed in a widespread manner. It is also called Maha ShivaRatri.
Way of observing shivaratri
Getting up early in the morning one meditates on the Infinitely Auspicious, ornate with thousands of splendid garlands, who is in the form of the holy symbol of shiva (Maha Lingam). Bathing and staying clean the worship of Lord Shiva in the form of Shiva lingam is done in the four jamas of the night (four equal time intervals of the night).
Note that the linga worship is explicitly mentioned for this vratam as this is the time the God out of Its grace for the benefit of pashus appeared in a formless-form that is a symbol (lingam) from its true nature of formlessness
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (Transliteration)
Om Tryambhakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam |
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan
Mrityor Muksheeya Ma-Amritaat ||
Learn the meaning here
Related articles
- The Shiva Tandava Stotra (via Western Hindu) (hidf1.wordpress.com)
