Maha Shivaratri Festival - 03 March 2011

[Eva Libre]

Maha Shivaratri Celebrations

Mahashivaratri is celebrated with gusto by the Hindus all over India. It is an important day for the followers of Lord Shiva, as it honors their favorite deity. The celebrations are marked by fasting and the observance of a number of rituals. The festival is significant in many aspects. For instance, it bears mythological importance, because Lord Shiva is considered one of the deities of Hindu Trinity, the other two being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. On Maha Shivaratri, the devotees of Lord Shiva observe a stringent fast, which is broken only during the next morning, after prasad is offered to the deity. Know more about the celebrations of Mahashivratri, in the article.
Maha Shivratri Festival Celebrations

In the Morning
The devotees of Lord Shiva wake up early in the morning to take a ceremonious bath, after which, they would wear new clothes, smear bhasm (holy ashes) on their forehead and head towards the nearest Lord Shiva temple to take part in the celebrations. On the other hand, if they are at home, they would conduct a puja in the morning, by offering Bilwa leaves, flowers and garlands to the deity and thereafter, observe a fast for the entire day. A certain diet is formulated especially for the day, which consists of fruits and beverages (including tea, milk and coffee) as the food for the day.

Celebrations At Temple
Lord Shiva temples are decorated beautifully with festoons, on the wonderful occasion of Mahashivaratri. Apart from the usual pujas of the temple, special pujas are conducted to make the day different from the ordinary. On the festival, as many as six types of Abhisheks can be witnessed, each using milk, ghee, sugar, honey, water and sandalwood paste. The priest would chant mantras and conduct the pooja, while the devotees would queue up to have a glimpse of the rituals performed at the altar and offer prayers to the deity. The devotees would often offer incense sticks, dhoop, Bilwa leaves and garlands to the temple, which are offered to the Shiva Linga.

Celebrations In the Night
The merrymaking reaches its peak in the night of Mahashivratri, when devotees of Lord Shiva would sing songs, bhajans, chant mantras and offer prayers to the Almighty. The devotees would continue to observe their fast. In fact, they would remain at the temple premises all through the night, to take part in the keertans or jaagrans that are arranged by the temple authorities, for the festival. The devotees are served tea occasionally, to keep them awake during the night. Either the devotees themselves would sing the bhajans or professional singers are called upon on the festival, to serve the purpose. The celebrations of Maha Shivaratri would culminate only in the dawn of the next day, when the devotees would break their fast by eating the prasad that was offered to the deity in the previous night.

 

 

 

Maha Shivaratri Legends

Marriage of Shiva and Shakti One of the most popular legends of Maha Shivratri is related to the marriage of Shiva and Shakti. The day Lord Shiva got married to Parvati is celebrated as Shivratri - the Night of Lord Shiva. It tells us how Lord Shiva got married a second time to Shakti, his divine consort. There is another version of the legend, according to which Goddess Parvati performed tapas and prayers on the auspicious moonless night of Shivratri, for the well being of her husband. Believing in this legend, married women began the custom of praying for the well being of their husbands and sons on Maha Shivratri, while, unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be the ideal partner.

Samudra Manthan
There is another very popular Shivratri legend from Puranas, which explains why people stay awake all night on Shivratri and why Lord Shiva is also known as Neelakantha. According to the story, when the battle between devas and asuras took place, a pot of poison came out of the ocean and on the request of gods, Lord Shiva drank the poison. The poison was so potent that it changed the color of His neck to blue. For this reason, Lord Shiva is also called Neelkanth, where ‘Neela’ means blue and ‘Kantha’ means neck or throat. As part of the therapy, Lord Shiva was advised to awake during the night. Thus, to keep Shiva awake, the gods performed various dances and played music. Pleased with their devotion, He blessed them all, the next morning. Therefore, Shivratri is the celebration of this event in which Lord Shiva saved the world.

Legend of Shiva Linga
The legend of Shiva Linga is also deeply related to Maha Shivratri. According to the story, Brahma and Vishnu searched hard to discover the Aadi (beginning) and the Antha (end) of Lord Shiva. It has been believed that on the 14th day in the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna, Shiva first manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Since then, the day is considered to be extremely auspicious and is celebrated as Maha Shivratri - the grand night of Shiva. To celebrate this occasion, devotees of Lord Shiva keeps fast during the day and worship the Lord throughout the night. It is said that worshipping Lord Shiva on Shivratri bestows one with happiness and prosperity.

Legend of Ganga
The legend of Ganga is another popular legend which is related to Shivratri. Ganga's descent from the heavens to the earth has been narrated in the Hindu mythological epic of Ramayana. This legend explains the popular custom of giving bath to Shiv Linga on Shivratri festival. According to this legend, Lord Shiva held out his thick matted hair to catch the river ganga, as she descended from heaven. The meandering through Shiva’s lock softened Ganga’s journey to the earth and the holy waters washed away the ashes of Bhagirath’s ancestors. The Ganga, thus, became an attribute of Shiva and therefore Shiva is also known as Gangadhara. Believing in this legend, Shiva is given a bath with gangajal and devotees take a dip in the holy water of river Ganga, on Shivratri.

 

 

Significance Of Maha Shivratri

Importance In Hinduism
According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva declared that the rituals performed by his devotees on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun please him the most. Therefore, year by year, the day is observed as Mahashivratri, wherein devotees observe fast, sing songs and bhajans and offer prayers to the Almighty to seek his blessings. Pujas conducted in Lord Shiva temples during the day have significance too. This is because the rituals are conducted strictly in accordance with the method that is prescribed in Shiva Purana, a Hindu epic. According to the Purana, poojas are conducted once in every three hours, on Maha Shivaratri.

Importance In Human Lives
It is believed that the devotion of Lord Shiva on Mahashivaratri would freed the devotee from the past sins. Moreover, the devotee would reach the adobe of Lord Shiva and live there happily, because he/she is liberated from the cycle of birth and death, once he/she attains moksha or salvation. Therefore, all the devotees of Lord Shiva would flock the temples to offer their prayers. To serve the purpose, jujube fruits, stalks of Bilwa leaves, flowers and garlands are offered to the Shiva Linga by the devotees. If the devotee celebrates the festival at home, he/she would perform the Mahashivratri Puja by taking a holy bath (in warm water) early in the morning, wearing new clothes and then smearing bhasm (holy ash) on their forehead.

Importance For Women
Maha Shivaratri is especially important for women. Ladies, both married and unmarried, would perform Shiva Puja and observe fast with great devotion and sincerity. This is predominantly done to appease Lord Shiva along with his consort Goddess Parvati, who is often called Ma Gauri. It is believed that Ma Gauri bestows marital bliss on unmarried women and blesses the married women with healthy and blissful married life. Since Lord Shiva is regarded as the ideal husband by the Hindu women, the unmarried women would not miss to observe the stringent fast on Shivaratri.

 

 

Maha Shivratri Bhajans

Arunaachala Shiva Sai Shankara

Arunaachala Shiva Sai Shankara
Nacho Hey Nataraaj
Bhasma Bhooshana Naagaabharana Nacho Hey Shiva Raaj
Thaandava Priya Kara, Natana Nateshwara, Nacho Hey Nataraaj
Nacho Hey Nataraaj
Dama Dama Dama Dama Damaroo Bajaavo
Jhana Jhana Jhana Jhana Paayaliyaa
Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhimi, Dhimiki Dhimiki Dhimi,
Nacho Hey Nataraaj
Nacho Hey Nataraaj

Bhola Naathha Hare Jagadeesha

Bhola Naathha Hare Jagadeesha
Shaileshwara Hara Uma Mahesha
Bhola Naathha Hare Jagadeesha
Bhava Bhaya Haari Hey Tripuraari
Shiva Gangaadhara Sai Muraari
Bhola Naath Bhola Naath
Sai Naath Sai Naath

Darshana Do Shiva Shankara Deva

Darshana Do Shiva Shankara Deva
Darshana Do Sai Shankara Deva... (Darshana Do…)
Gaja Charmaambara Hey Pralayankara
Hey Pralayankara, Hey Abhayankara... (Gaja Charmaamnara…)
Hey Tripuraari Trinetra Dhaari
Parvathi Ramana Paataka Harana
Hey Bhuvaneshwara Dayaa Karo

Brahma Murari Sadaa Poojitha

Brahma Murari Sadaa Poojitha
Namah Shivaaya Namah Shivaaya
Bilvaacharana Priya Bhavaani Shankara
Namah Shivaaya Namah Shivaaya
Mruthyunjaya Mahadeva Maheshwara
Namah Shivaaya Namah Shivaaya
Bhasmo Dhulitha Thejo Vigraha
Namah Shivaaya Namaha Shivaaya
Lingodbhavakara Sai Maheshwara
Namah Shivaaya Namah Shivaaya
Namah Shivaaya, Namah Shivaaya
Om Namah Shivaaya, Shivaaya Nama Om


Dama Dama Damaru Damuru Naathha Shiva

Dhimika Dhimika Dhimi Gauri Naathha Shiva
Dama Dama Damaru Damuru Naathha Shiva
Natana Manohara Nataraja Shiva
Hara Hara Bhum Bhum Bhola Naathha Shiva
Shambho Shankara Viswanatha Shiva
Shivaya Namah Shiva Sai Naathha Shiva (low & high)

Jaago Jaago Shankara

Jaago Jaago Sayeeshwara
Jaago Jaago Jaago Shankara
Halahal Dhar Hey Parmesha
Hey Tripuraari Jai Partheesha
Ganga Dhara Shankara
Shiva Gauri Vara Shankara
Hara Ganga Dhara Shankara
Sathya Sayeeshwara Shankara

 

Maha Mrityunjay Mantra

One of the ancient Sanskrit mantras, Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is a verse of Yajurveda. It is the great death-conquering mantra, which is popularly referred to as Tryambakam Mantra, as it is identified with the three-eyed Hindu deity - Lord Shiva. The Mantra has many names and forms. It is sometimes called the Rudra Mantra, with reference to the furious face of Lord Shiva. On the other hand, when it is called the Tryambakam Mantra, then it is referred to the alluding three eyes of Lord Shiva. When it comes to life, it is Mrityunjaya Mantra is called the Mrita-Sanjivini Mantra.
Mrityunjaya Mantra holds the highest place among the Sanskrit mantras used for meditation. The recital of Mrityunjaya Mantra is beneficial for the body and soul in many ways. According to Yajurveda, if the mantra is chanted with immense concentration and devotion, then it purifies the karmas of the soul. Mental, emotional and physical health can be improvised by the regular chanting of Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. In the following lines, we have provided the Mrityunjaya Mantra.

Mrityunjaya Mantra

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat

English Translation

"OM. We worship and adore you, O three-eyed one, O Shiva. You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, who nourishes us, restores our health, and causes us to thrive. As, in due time, the stem of the cucumber weakens, and the gourd is freed from the vine, so free us from attachment and death, and do not withhold immortality." - by Arthur Berriedale Keith

Word By Word Translation

Tri-ambaka-m - The three-eyed-one
Yaja-mahe - We praise
Sugandhi-m - The fragrant
Pusti-vardhana-m - The prosperity-increaser
Urvaruka-m - Disease, attachment, obstacles in life, and resulting depression”
iva “-like
Bandhanat - From attachment Stem (of the gourd); but more generally, unhealthy attachment
Mrtyor - From death
Mukshiya - May you liberate
Ma - Not
Amritat - Realization of immortality

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shiva Aarti

Reciting Lord Shiva Aarti on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri is believed to invoke divine blessings of Lord Shiva. This aarti is sung in the praise of the Lord and is recited by Shiv bhakts (devotees) around the world. If daily recited at the time of puja, the aarti is said to provide you the special blessings of the Lord and help you liberate yourself from all the sins. It is also believed that this aarti makes the Lord happy and in return, He fills your live with happiness and prosperity. For better understanding of this aarti, we are providing English translation, along with the Hindi verses Aarti.
Lord Shiva Aarti

Jai Shiv Onkara Har Shiv Onkara,
Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv Arddhagni Dhara.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - Glory to you, O Shiva! Glory to you, O Omkaara! May Brahma, Vishnu and the assembly of other gods, including the great Lord Shiva, relieve me of my afflictions!

Ekanan Chaturanan Panchanan Rajai,
Hansanan Garudasan Vrishvahan Sajai.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - Being the Absolute, True being, Consciousness and Bliss, you play the roles of all the three Gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As Vishnu, you have but one face, as Brahma four and as Shiva five. They gladden the sight of all who behold them. As Brahma you prefer the back of the swan for your seat, as Vishnu you like to ensconce yourself on the back of Garuda (A large mythological eagle - like bird believed to be the vehicle of Lord Vishnu) and as Shiva you make the sacred bull your conveyance; all these stand ready. O Great Lord, pray rid me of my afflictions!

Do Bhuj Char Chaturbhuj Das Bhuj Te Sohai,
Tinon Roop Nirakhta Tribhuvan Jan Mohai.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - As Brahma, you possess two arms, as Vishnu four and as Shiva (Dashabaahu) ten, all of which look matchlessly lovely. No sooner do the inhabitants of the three spheres behold you than they are all enchanted. O great Lord Omkaara, pray rid me of my afflictions.

Akshaymala Vanmala Mundmala Dhari,
Chadan Mrigmad Sohai Bhale Shashi Dhari.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - You are, O great Lord Omkaara, wearing a garland of Rudraaksha, another of forest flowers the third of skulls; your forehead, glistening in the moonlight which it holds, is smeared with sandal-paste and musk. Pray rid me of my afflictions.

Shvetambar Pitambar Baghambar Ange,
Sankadik Brahmadik Bhootadik Sange.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - O great Lord Omkaara, your body is attired in white and yellow silken clothes and in tiger skin, while in your company are troops of goblins, gods like Brahma and divine seers like Sanaka. Pray rid me of my afflictions.

Kar Men Shreshth Kamandalu Chakra Trishooldharta,
Jagkarta Jagharta Jag Palankarta.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - O great Lord Omkaara, you hold akamandalu (the mendicants water-jar) in one of your hands and in another a trident; you bring joy to all, destroy all distress and sustain the whole world. May you rid me of all my afflictions!

Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv Janat Aviveka,
Pranvakshar Ke Madhye Yah Tinon Eka.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - The ignorant (unwise and stupid) know Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as three individual gods, but they are all indistinguishably fused into a single mystic syllable ‘OM’. Pray rid me of my afflictions.

Trigun Shiv Ki Aarti Jo Koi Nar Gave,
Kahat Shivanand Swami Manvanchhit Phal Pave.
Om hara hara Mahaadevaa...

Meaning - Says Swami Shivananda, “He who recites this Aarti to the Lord of the three gunas-sattva, rajas and tamas - attains fulfillment of his heart’s desire”. O great Lord Omkaara, may you rid me of my afflictions.

 

 

 

 

Divine Lord bless me with your love

Divine Lord bless me with your love,
Divine Lord bless me so that I may lie at your feet,
Thou divine feet emits the glow of eternal joy
Divine Lord be my guide.
Divine Lord forgive my ignorance,
Divine Lord extend your blessings
so that I may bathe in your glorious light.

Divine Lord let me melt into the beauty,
Divine Lord thou are father and mother to me,
Like a naughty child please forgive my sins and my failings.
Lead me to your wisdom,
Let me bathe in your purity,
Offer my devotion to you in this
lifetime and others to come.

O Lord let me lie at your feet with devotion,
Bless me as your devotee evermore.
oh my Lord thou can heal my aching heart,
oh Lord let me lie at your feet for eternity.

 

Pilger an Shivaratri in Pashupatinath

 

 

Pilger an Shivaratri in Pashupatinath

 

 

Lord Shiva

On the white summit of eternity
A single Soul of bare infinities,
Guarded he keeps by a fire-screen of peace
His mystic loneliness of nude ecstasy.
But, touched by an immense delight to be,
He looks across unending depths and sees
Musing amid the inconscient silences
The Mighty Mother's dumb felicity.

Half now awake she rises to his glance;
Then, moved to circling by her heart-beats' will,
The rhythmic words describe that passion-dance.
Life springs in her and Mind is born; her face
She lifts to Him who is Herself, until
The Spirit leaps into the Spirit's embrace.

 

 

 

[Eva Libre]

Mahayogi Shiva

 

[Adolphus Francis Quintus Andradi]

My Dear friends please do forgive me for this intrusion, but may I please present something here for you to ponder and meditate on. Eva if you feel this is offensive in any way, please do delete it. I placed it here as most people here are open minded and is in search of the truth. If there is nothing here that one can benefit from, it needs only one click to delete it. You must understand that I was a Catholic by birth, and was so up to a mature age. What I write here is what I found in my search for the truth.

First and foremost there is no myth in Hinduism, for Hinduism comes closest to the truth as it is the tapering of the human world tree. The Deities, Hinduism speak of are the roots, the thirty three million gods that up hold and sustain the eternal world tree of humanity; they are not only from Hinduism but from every religion. When we speak of the tree, what part of the tree has the complete knowledge of the tree? It is the seed which is not seen anymore, after it gives of itself to the whole tree.  The meaning of the word “SHIVA” is the “SEED” or the “BENEVOLENT BENEFACTOR” Even in Hinduism, they are aware of one God the “SUPREME SOUL” who is incorporeal, hence bodiless, and is “LIGHT” a point source of spiritual light energy. Even a point has its own form and is supposed to be oval, like a flame.  In every religion we have either a light or a round or oval object that we venerate in remembrance of God.

The reason why we do not know Him or see Him in every religion is because,  He is a Spiritual being and His abode is not in this material world, neither is it ours, for ours too is up there, and our image and likeness is also the same as His, our Father or Shiva Baba. That is the reason why we always look up into the heavens when we thing of God. Though we in every religion know there is a God a Supreme Spiritual being, yet we try to link or connect Him to some corporeal being because of our ignorance and limitations. We also know in every religion that God comes down to pass on the knowledge of good and evil.

Maha Shivaratri  is really the birth of God SHIVA into this world, the night He came down to enlighten the world in giving out the knowledge through his medium Brahma, the first man who was able to go beyond karma. The night He manifested Himself as a point source of light energy to give out the “Word” and re-create the Brahmins (the children of God) through the mouth of Brahma like the stars in the sky. Brahma literally had to have four heads to spread the word (knowledge) to the four corners of the world, and when he sang out the Word “OM” (I am) or rather when SHIVBABA sang out through the mouth of Brahma, everyone was drawn to him and started to worship him. But, he (Brahma) told them “Do not worship me, because I am not the one who is giving the knowledge, but SHIVBABA the father of all, I am only the bull that carries Him, the reason why the bull is sacred and Brahma is not worshipped.

The reason according to mythology why Brahma and Vishnu were not able to find the head or feet of SHIVBABA was because he being a point source of Spiritual light was invisible to the human eye. Parvati is another name for Jagadamba Saraswathi the mother of humanity, who as a little girl fell in love with both fathers, the Incorporeal Father Shivababa and the corporeal father BrahmaBaba and the one who was able to discern one from the other and teach the shaktis that flocked to listen to the murali (the song of God) and they all fell in love with God. Krishna was Brahma’s next incarnation in the Golden age who married Rahda, he was named Narayana, who’s wife Rahda was called Lakshmi.

 

[Eva Libre]

my beloved Francis,

 

thanks you so much for all these explanations which are such a contribution to a better understanding.

i am always very pleased to speak with you and especially when you give me more details.

 

my best wishes,

 

and a happy Maha Shivaratri !

 

[Adolphus Francis Quintus Andradi]

Thank you Eva, your message was so encouraging; I had misgivings as to whether anyone would be able to understand what I was saying. Most adherents of all religions abide by the last letter and do not want to give any thought to anything other than what the individual scriptures say. The criteria are to understand one, the human being or for that matter even an animal which is constituted of two forms of life. The body is made up of living matter and the soul that has consciousness and awareness.

 According to God’s versions, “Besides the body, there is an entity that has consciousness as its essential nature. This conscient entity uses its “living” body as an assemblage of instruments of perception and action. It experiences pleasure and pain also through the medium of a “living” enity. This is called “Soul”.  The body “lives” and dies but the soul lives forever.  Know yourself as a soul and your living body as a wonderful medium for manifestation”.  This knowledge passed down By God himself cycle after cycle at the end of every cycle of five thousand years, at five minutes to twelve. Knowledge imparted by God through the mouth of the purest soul who is known as Adam the first man, who is degenerated to almost dust and re-created by God with His breath of knowledge.  He was named Brahma, and promised that he would have children like the stars in the sky, who, I believe is the one and the same person as Abraham.

This is the basic knowledge that we need to understand and realize, one’s true identity as a soul “In this self-luminous minute point – the soul – lie the impressions of all incarnate existence of the self, and from this point emerge all thought and in this, occurs the feelings. The purification of this self is the key to peace”.  Due to our ignorance with the passing of time, we have lost the consciousness of the self as a soul, and not being aware of oneself as a spiritual being and one’s true abode; we identify as a body and are completely body conscious with the materialism of the world

Eva, please contemplate on this for the present and you may ask any questions to clarify, I shall try to answer to the best of my knowledge and ability. This knowledge I gained through the Brahma Kumaris Raja yoga Mediation, and I believe very much on the cycle of life.

 

[Eva Libre]

Maha Shivratri

[Adolphus Francis Quintus Andradi]

This is the adoration and veneration bestowed on Brahma, who was a sixty year old man, who had come to the age of retirement, by the shakthis who gathered around him. With the knowledge and awareness of his true identity as a soul, his third eye was opened and he was able to shed the poison from his body and become "karmateet" go beyond karma