Maha Shivaratri: Essays

Maha Shivaratri: Essays

Mahashivratri literally means ‘the great might of Shiva’. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva symbolises Shakti or power. He is also known as Mahadev or Bholenath.

When is Mahashivratri celebrated?

The festival is celebrated in the month of Phagun in February or March. Mahashivratri heralds the beginning of the spring season. It falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon.

How is it celebrated?

Unlike other festivals which are celebrated during the day, Mahashivratri is celebrated during the night. Devotees offer Bel leaves to Shiva. They fast all day and all night. They meditate and chant ‘Om Namah Shivaay’.

Celebrations also include bathing the Shiva Linga in honey and milk in the temples. Worshippers apply holy ash on their forehead which represent spiritual knowledge, cleanliness and penance. They wear a garland made of the Rudraksha as it is believed that Rudraksha tree originated from the tears of Lord Shiva.

Why is Shivratri celebrated?

Some popular legends on Mahashivratri:

• It is believed that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married on this day.
• On the auspicious night of Shivratri, Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’ – the dance of creation, protection and destruction of the universe.
• On Shivratri, Lord Shiva transformed himself in the form of Linga – the most sacred symbol representing Lord Shiva.

The Significance of the bel leaves on Mahashivaratri

A tribal named Lubdhaka would go into the forest every day to collect firewood. One day, he lost his way and couldn’t return home. As darkness fell, Lubdhaka climbed on a (wood-apple) bel tree for safety. To stay awake, he plucked a leaf from the tree and kept dropping it, while chanting Om-Namah-Shivaay. At dawn, he saw that through the night, he had dropped a thousand leaves over a Shiva-linga that stood below the tree. His all-night worship pleased Lord Shiva who blessed him with happiness and prosperity.

Maha Shivaratri: Short Essay (439 words)

‘Maha Shivaratri’ is one of the most important festivals of Hindus. Maha Shivaratri literally means the great night of Shiva or the night of Shiva. It is the festival celebrating the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Maha Shivratri falls on 13th night/ 14th day of Krishna paksha of Phalgun month, according to the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India.

Shiva balances the nature by acting as a God of destruction. During the Samudra Manthan, Shiva gulped the poison and all the Gods performed dance and sang hymns to keep him awake. This day is celebrated as the wedding day of lord Shiva and Parvati.

On Maha Shivaratri, very early morning, Shiva temples are flocked by devotees. Shiva devotees observe fast throughout the day and night. On this day, they perform various rituals by doing rurdrabhishek and pour water and milk over the Shiva Lingam. Leaves of Bael tree are also offered. Religious songs and mantras are held. The devotees chant the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”.

Maha Shivaratri Essay (439 words)

Hindus consider Maha Shivaratri as one of their most auspicious festivals. Devotees of Lord Shiva celebrate the occasion with great enthusiasm and fervour all over India (and also in Nepal) . Maha Shivratri falls on 13th night/ 14th day of Krishna paksha (waning moon) in the month of Maagha, according to the Hindu calendar. The Hindu calendar is based on lunar movements in contrary to the modern solar calendar. So as per the modern calendar, this day roughly falls somewhere in February or March.

Shiva means kalyana or well-being. He balances the nature by acting as a God of destruction. He completes the trinity.

There are various tales that try to explain the significance of the festival. Significant among those are:

As per Garuda Purana, Chitrabhanu (ruler of Ikshvaku dynasty) could remember things from his previous birth. While in conversation with sage Ashtavakra, the king told that he was a hunter in previous life. He was forced to spend a night over tree top. Lack of food and water made his condition pathetic and he kept plucking the tree leaves and throwing them on ground so as to keep his mind engaged. The tree happened to be of the Bael and he was unknowingly throwing the leaves over Shiva Lingam. This is one of the rituals of Shiva Pujan. By default he had followed all the rituals of Shiva Pujan on the night that happened to be of Maha Shivaratri. Lord Shiva was pleased and awarded him the best of the mortal world by making him King of a huge dynasty.

The other references are during the Samudra Manthan, Shiva gulped the poison and all the Gods performed dance and sang hymns to keep him awake. This was also a way to keep a vigil on him.

This day is also celebrated as the wedding day of lord Shiva and Parvati. There is also another belief that this was the day when the effulgent Shiva Lingams appeared on the earth in the form of Jyotir Lingam.

Shiva devotees observe fast on this day, and perform rituals by doing rurdrabhishek and elaborative pujan and pour water (and milk) over the Shiva Lingam in the wee morning hours. Leaves of Bael tree are also offered. Devotees sing religious songs and recite mantras during the day time.

International Mandi Shivratri fair is held every year in Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the day.

It is also believed that on Maha Shivaratri, the planetary alignment is such that it infuses high energy in the inhabitants of earth. Meditation and observing introvert behaviour on this day is thus a direction to properly channelize the energy.

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