Charanamrit.com

Charanamrit.com
Charanamrit.com

Wednesday 21 January 2015

Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri – The night of awakening

Maha Shivratri is one of the most important festival celebrated in India as well as in Nepal. It is celebrated on the 14th night during the waxing phase of the Hindu month Phalguna that falls in the month (Feburary- March). In this festival Hindus offer special prayer to the lord Shiva, the God of destruction.

In 2015, it will be celebrated on 17th February. The best time to offer prayers and chant mantras is
18:08 to 21:21. The people who are keeping fast must break it on the next day at 07:01 to 09:03.

Many Legends are associated with Maha Shivratri


According to Hindu Mythology, Goddess Parvati had a severe penance to have Lord Shiva as her husband. Goddess Parvati’s mother, Menaka saw Lord Shiva, she fell unconscious. When she saw Lord Shiva, he had three eyes, five faces and ten arms. He had smeared his body with ashes and his forehead was adorned by the moon. He was dressed in a tiger’s skin and a garland of skulls hung around his neck. He was riding on the bull. He was surrounded by the group of people with fierce faces. No wonder if there was any other mother in the place Manaka, would not agree to marry her dear daughter to such a person. Menuka when regained her consciousness said that she could kill her daughter  Parvati, but she would never agree to marry her daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu tried to pacify Manaka but his efforts went in vain. Later, God Narada requested Lord Shiva to appear in his beautiful form. Once Lord Shiva appeared in his beautiful form, his body had a glitter that was equivalent to the shine of million of suns and his clothes embedded with gems had such a luster that stars were feeling embarrassed. Everyone was enamored with his most beautiful form and Manuka realized her mistake and  happily agreed to marry her daughter on the day of Maha Shivratri.


According to another legend that once Gods and Demon decided to churn the ocean with the help of Mount Mandara as the churning rod, and the shiva’s serpent, Vasuki as the churning rope. During churning many treasures were being emerged which were divided between Gods and Demons. Gods and Demons were still churning the ocean when poison emerged then neither Gods were ready to take nor demons.At that time Lord Shiva drank the poison and saved the world from devastation.When Goddess Parvati came to know about it, she kept hand towards the Lord Shiva’s neck so that it would not enter into his body. Due to this position where Lord Shiva could not spit poison outside and Goddess Parwati was not allowing him to swallow poison that  turned Lord Shiva’s throat blue.He came to be known as 'Neelkantha' that literally means blue neck.


According to yet another legend that on the night of Mahashivratri Lord Shiva performed the Tandava, the dance of preservation, sustenance and destruction.


Importance of Maha Shivratri.

It is believed that the people who fast on this night and offer prayers to Lord Shiva bring good luck into their life. If anyone wants to catch the fervor of the festivity then he or she must visit Ujjain. According to Hindu epics, Ujjain is place of abode of Lord Shiva. Large processions are carried out throughout the city, ith people assemble in huge number to catch a glimpse of the revered idol of Lord Shiva. Now the similar possessions are carried in many parts of India such as Delhi, Uttaraknand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu... Read More

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