Karpurgauram Karunavataram Sansarsaram Bhujagendraharam.Sadavasantam Hridyaravinde Bhavam Bhavanisahitam Namami.
Er. Prabhat Kishore
Indian culture is based on spiritual values, in which Bhagwan Shiva, the god of gods, pervades every particle. He is omniscient and is equally revered and venerated by both the gods and the demons. Shiva is the creator and Shiva is the destroyer; Shiva is the beginning and Shiva is the end; Shiva is the power and Shiva is the eternal. Shiva is the embodiment of power and also the eternal proof of the light of life on earth. He is both corporeal and formless. He is the first Guru of this world. Shiva is present in each and every particle of this universe.
Na Punyam Na Papam Na Saukhyam Na Dukham Na Mantro Na Teertham Na Vedas Na Yagyaam.
Aham Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhokta Chidananda Roopah Shivoaham Shivoaham.
(I am neither virtue nor sin, neither happiness nor sorrow, neither mantra nor pilgrimage, neither Veda nor Yagya. I am neither food, nor the eater, nor the act of eating. I am the form of consciousness and bliss—I am Shiva.)
The nature and personality of Lord Shiva teach positivity, simplicity, love, balance, and yoga in human life. All the Navaratnas possessed by Lord Shiva have their own relevance. Trishul represents three powers—knowledge, desire, and perfection; Damru represents creation and Brahmanad; Rudraksh represents purity and satvikta; Nandi represents righteousness; Ganga represents the stream of spirituality; Chandra symbolises the cycle from origin to end; the snake king Vasuki represents control over ego; the Third Eye is a symbol of intelligence; and the Vyaghra Chhal (tiger skin) is a symbol of fearlessness and perseverance.
Mahashivratri, which is celebrated on Falgun Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi Tithi, has been mentioned in various Puranas such as the Skanda Purana, Linga Purana, and Padma Purana. There are several legends, traditions, beliefs, and customs which make this occasion special among the festivals celebrated in the world. According to belief, on this day Bhagwan Shiva appeared in the form of a Linga at midnight, due to which he is considered the lord of Chaturdashi Tithi. Falgun Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi is celebrated as Mahashivratri, while other Chaturdashis are celebrated as Shivratri. Devotees celebrate the day with zeal and enthusiasm through locally featured traditions. This day is also said to mark the beginning of creation.
Mahashivratri is considered an auspicious day because the Moon (representing life) and the Sun (representing Shiva) are close to each other on this day. According to the mythological belief of Sanatan Dharma, on this day Mahadev, the saviour of the world, tied the nuptial knot with Mata Parvati, the mother of the world. This is the night of the union of Shiva and Shakti. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of the Linga, which reflects both Shiva and Shakti. The Shivling has two parts—the Linga, which represents the male principle (Shiva), and the Yoni, which represents the female principle (Shakti or Parvati). In their combined form, both the worldly and spiritual are emblematic of unity and completeness.
According to the Shiva Purana, once there was a heated argument between Brahma, the creator of the world, and Vishnu, the sustainer of the world, regarding their superiority over each other. Realising the devastating consequences of their ego, Bhagwan Shiva emerged as a ray of light in the form of a Jyotirlinga, i.e., an Agni Shivling, having the brilliance of crores of suns on the night of Phalguna Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi Tithi (Phalgun Krishna Chaturdashyam Adidevo Mahanishi, Shaivalinga Tyodbhavah Koti Surya Samprabhah). This had neither origin nor end, symbolising that ego has no end. He challenged both gods to locate the origin and end of the light. Brahma transformed into a swan and went upwards to find the upper end, while Vishnu took the form of a boar and went deep into the earth. But both gods failed in their efforts, and it became evident that no one but Shiva is supreme among the gods. This incident of Mahashivratri also teaches us to stay away from ego, anger, falsehood, and pride.
On the occasion of Mahashivratri, Adidev appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga at 64 holy places of the world, but due to human awareness of only 12 of these places, we worship the twelve Jyotirlingas—Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwar, and Grishneshwar. On Mahashivratri, a series of lamps are decorated in temples so that the flame of devotion glows like a lamp. On this auspicious occasion, fasting, night-long vigil, yoga, and Havan-pujan are performed by devotees, believed to remove planetary defects and obstacles, along with guiding the path toward salvation. Shivam Cha Mokshe Cha Mahadeve Sukhe.
On Mahashivratri itself, Lord Shiva consumed Halahal poison—the destroyer of the universe—which emerged during the Samudra Manthan, to protect the universe. Due to this, his throat turned blue and he came to be known as Neelkanth. As the poison was held in his throat, it caused severe burning throughout Shiva’s body. Devotees offer milk, water, honey, ghee, sugar, etc., on the Shivling to reduce this burning so that, by the grace of Shiva, happiness, peace, and progress may prevail in the world.
Like the Panch Bhuta (five great elements) of the earth—Kshiti (land), Jal (water), Pavak (fire), Gagan (sky), and Vayu (wind)—the five faces of Lord Shiva are described respectively as Ishaan, Tatpurush, Aghor, Vamadeva, and Sadyojata. On this night, the position of the northern hemisphere and the planets and constellations of the earth is believed to favour the awakening of Kundalini energy in the human body. Lord Shiva is revered by 108 names such as Pashupati, Rudra, Nataraj, Jagdish, Bhairav, Vishwanath, etc.
After being engaged in meditation in Yogamudra for centuries, Shiva became stable and united in Kailash Parvat on Mahashivratri. Shiva is the most supreme and divine ruler of the universe who acts as creator, preserver, and destroyer. Mahashivratri is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. It marks the remembrance of overcoming darkness and ignorance in life and in the world. It brings spiritual cleansing, blessings, and inner peace.
