Mahasivaratri

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dear shiv bhakts

om namo bhagawate rudraya

while searching on google, i came across this good article on

mahasivaratri posted by a member in a forum in a website. may lord

shiva bless this shivbhakt for writing this good article on lord

shiva.

in praise of lord shiva and with best wishes

arjun

.......................

Mahasivarathri

 

Sivarathri is a very auspicious day for all. It is the fourteenth

day of the lunar fortnight, when the moon is warming and the sun is

in the sign of Aquarius. The festival is however, related to the

moon rather than the sun. That is the reason why it is called

Sivarathri (the night of Siva).

 

The mind is intimately associated with the moon. Chandra (moon), is

the presiding deity of the mind. He loses one sixteenth of his

brilliance everyday after the full moon day and continues waning

until on this night he is left with just only one-sixteenth of his

power. The waned moon may be taken to stand for the mind with all

its vagaries and waywardness reduced after it has been conquered by

sadhana (spiritual discipline). On this night there is just a minute

part of the mind left to be conquered and that can be done by

keeping vigil dwelled on the glory of God.

 

According to numerology, the first three syllables of the world

Sivarathri - 's', 'va' and 'ra' - connote the numbers 5, 4 and 2 and

the sum makes one whole, one composite picture of the eleven

rudras. "Rudra" means "the one who makes man weep". The eleven

rudras are - The five senses of perception, The five senses of

action, and The mind. These, by leading him astray in trivial

pursuits and transitory pleasures, ruin him and make him weep. But

the Atman, if it is sought and relied upon, sheds its rays on the

eleven and makes them meaningful parents in the progress of man

towards self-realisation.

 

Another significance of Sivarathri is this : Siva, or the

Paramapurusha (the External Absolute Person), in His desire attracts

Prakrithi (objective world), engages himself in the 'Tandava' (the

cosmic dance). The dance is a divine plan to attract the material

creations. All miracles, like those of Rama and Krishna, are for

drawing people to the Divine presence, for the purpose of correcting

and cleaning them, or for confirming their faith and then leading

them on to the sadhana (spiritual effort) so that they may merge in

ecstasy, in the source of all ecstasy... Chamatkara (miracle)

results in Samskara (transformation), leading to Paropakara (helping

others) and finally conferring Saakshatkar a(direct vision of truth).

 

The 'Tandava' dance is so fast that fire emanates from Siva's body

because of the heat generated by activity. In order to comfort Siva,

Parvati, His consort, places the Ganga on his head, makes the

crescent moon rest amidst the coils of his matted hair, applies cold

sandalwood paste all over his body, winds round the joints of his

hands and feet cold blooded snakes, and finally being herself the

daughter of the Himalayas (the mountains with external snow), she

sits on his lap and becomes a part of Him. At this, Siva rises and

both Purusha and Prakrithi come together to the immense delight of

the Gods and of all creation. This happens, according to the

puranas, on the Sivarathri day.

 

Sivarathi is celebrated in all Siva temples; Srisailam is

particularly famous temple of Shiva. There is a story told about

this festival at Srisailam. At the foot of the Srisailam range of

hills there is a village, where a boy of nine years named Bala

Ramanna, attended primary school. He learnt from his friends at

school that their sisters and brothers-in-law were coming to their

homes in order to attend the Sivarathi celebrations on the Srisailam

hills.

 

Ramanna came home and wanted that his mother should send his sister

and brother-in-law too to the festival. His mother told him that he

had no sister and therefore no brother-in-law. But, he would not

listen. He said he must have a sister and a brother-in- law like his

friends. So his mother, just to quieten him, said, "You have a

sister and a brother-in-law, but they are already in the temple on

the Srisailam. Their names are Bhramaramba and Mallikarjuna." She

gave him the name by which Siva and his consort are known at

Srisailam. Bhramaramba meaning 'bee' and Mallikarjuna meaning

the 'white jasmine'. These names are very apt, because the consort

draws inspiration, instruction and wisdom from the Lord ever as the

bees draw its sustenance from the jasmine flowers.

 

When he was told that his sister was in the temple of the Srisailam,

Ramanna insisted that he would go and invite his sister and brother-

in-law to come home and stay there for some time. He wanted to take

some presents for them, but his mother said that they were far too

rich and that younger members of the family should not present

anything to the elders. The mother sent the boy with a neighbour who

was going to the temple to see the festival. She gave him some money

so that he could get presents for the boy.

 

Ramanna hastened up the hill and rushed into the temple

crying "sister..... brother-in-law", and fell at the feet of the

idol of Bhramaramba. He held the idol in embrace and began dragging

it, wanting it to accompany him. He clasped the idol of Mallikarjuna

and would not leave it. At last the priests in the temple drove him

away as a mad boy. In despair, he climbed a high rock and threatened

to jump from the height unless his sister and her husband come with

him. Just then he heard to loud voice from the temple. "Brother-in-

law!..... Ramanna!.... Don't jump!..... we are coming with ou. . ."

and soon Lord Siva and his consort presented themselves before him

and accompanied him to his cottage in the valley below. The mother

and son were so overwhelmed with Divine Bliss that they merged in

the Divine phenomenon and were seen no more. This story has added to

the sanctity of the shrine of Bhramaramba and Mallikarjuna at

Srisailam.

 

Among the festival days, Maha Sivarathri is of exceptional

importance. Today God is in close proximity to man. At midnight (on

Sivarathri), Divine vibrations are close to every human heart. At

such a time, when people are engaged in holy tasks, they get the

divine vibrations. The holy night of Maha Sivarathri is intended to

serve as a sacred occasion for turning the mind firmly towards God.

 

What is the specialty of Sivarathi? As this night precedes the new

moon day, it will be pitch dark everywhere outside, the heart will

be filled with bright effulgence on this sacred night. Light

represent auspiciousness (mangalam). That is why this day is

observed as Sivarathi. The significance of Sivarathi is that though

entire world is dark outside, if one keeps his heart filled with

divine thoughts, he will be filled with effulgence.

 

Sivarathi consists of eleven letters representing the five the five

organs of perception, the five organs of action and the mind. These

eleven are governed by eleven rudras. These eleven organs involve

man in sensual desires and drag him down to worldly existence. It is

an auspicious night. On this night, of the sixteen aspects of man,

fifteen are merged in man's divinity. It is an easy and convenient

time for experiencing the divine. At least on this one night, the

eleven senses are kept under control, one is bound to experience the

divine. If on this night, all bad thoughts are kept out and the mind

is concentrated on the name of the Lord, it will experience the

consciousness of the divine. This process has been described

as 'Jagarana' (nocturnal vigil). Jagarana doesn't mean to keep awake

alone.

 

Sivarathri, the Ratri (night) of Sivam (Goodness, godliness, Good

fortune) is an auspicious night because the mind can be made to lose

its hold on man by devoting the night to prayer. The moon is the

presiding deity of the mind, according to the scriptures. The mind

is kindred to the moon, as the eyes are to the sun. Sivarathri is

prescribed as the

fourteenth night of the dark half of the month, the night previous

to the new moon, where moon suffers from total black out. The moon

and the mind which it rules over are both drastically reduced every

month on the fourteenth night. When that night is devoted to

vigilant devotion and adoration of God, the remnant of the wayward

mind is over come and victory is ensured.

 

We have not only Maha Sivarathri once a year, we have Sivarathri

every month dedicated to the worship of Siva. Why is the rathri (the

night), so important? The night is dominated by moon. The moon has

sixteen kalas (fractions of divine glory), and each night, during

the dark fortnight, one fraction is reduced, until the entire moon

is annihilated on the new moon night. From then on, each night, a

fraction is added, until the moon is a full circle on full moon

night. The Chandra is the presiding deity of the mind, the mind

wanes and waxes like the moon. Chandrama-manaso Jathah out of the

manas of Purusha (supreme being), the moon was born.

 

It must be remembered that the chief aim of all sadhana is to

eliminate the mind, to become Amanaska. During the dark fortnight of

the month, Sadhana has to be done to eliminate each day a fraction

of mind, for everyday, a fraction of the moon too is being taken out

of cognisance. On the night of Chaturdasi, the fourteenth day, the

night of Siva, only a fraction remains. If some special effort is

made on this night, like puja, Japam or Dhyana success is ensured.

Siva alone has to be meditated upon that night, without the mind

straying towards thoughts of sleep or food. This has to be done

every month, once a year. On Maha Sivarathri a special spurt of

spiritual activity is recommended, so that what is shavam (corpse)

can become Sivam (God), by the perpetual awareness of its divine

indweller.

 

This day should be dedicated to Siva since thousands pray here, and

elsewhere in lakhs and crores. The linga is emanating from Me, so

that you may derive the bliss that pervades the world through

Lingodhbva (emergence of linga). The manifestation of the linga is a

part of my nature. Pundits explain it as reminiscent of an epochal

event in the past. When challenged Brahma and Vishnu to gauge the

height and depth of the linga from the middle . They failed and had

to accept defeat. But, Linga emerges, as a result of prayer and

grace. Just as AUM is the sound symbol of God, the linga is the form

symbol or the visible symbol of God, the most meaningful, the

simplest and the least endowed with the appendages of attributes.

 

Lingam means, that in which this Jagath (world of change) attains

Laya (mergence or dissolution), Leeyathe. All forms merge in the

formless at last. Siva is the principle of the destruction of all

names and forms, of all entities and individuals. So, the linga is

the simplest sign of emergence and mergence.

 

Siva does not ride an animal, in human language, a bull. The bull is

the symbol of stability standing on four legs-Sathya, Dharma, Shanti

and Prema. Siva has three eyes that see the past, the present and

the future. The elephant skin which forms his cloak is a symbol of

the bestial primitive traits which, his grace destroys. He tears

them into pieces, skins them, and they become totally ineffective.

His four faces symbolise Shantam (equanimity), Roudram (terror)

Mangalam (grace) and Uthsaham (elevating energy). While adoring

Lingam on this Lingodhbhava day, you must contemplate on thoughts of

Siva that the Linga represents.

 

It is not this night alone that you should spend in the thought of

Siva. Your whole life must be lived in the constant presence of the

lord. Endeavour: that is the main thing, that is the inescapable

consummation for all mortals. If you make the slightest effort to

move along the path of your own liberation, the Lord will help you a

hundred-fold. This is what this day conveys to you. Man is so called

because, he has the skills to do manana; manana means. inner

meditation on meaning and significance of what one has heard.

 

You have given up even the little sadhana that Sivarathri demands.

The rigours is not like in the olden days. They used to keep vigil

at night, the entire night without a wink of sleep, repeating 'Om

Nama Sivaya' without intermission.

 

Resolve on this holy Sivarathri, in the presence of Siva Sai, to

visualise the Siva as the inner power of all. With each breath, you

are even now, asserting "Soham" - I am he. Not only you but

everything that breathes, every being that lives. When you watch

your breath and meditate on that magnificent truth, slowly, the I

and he will draw nearer and closer, until the feeling of

separateness will fade away and Soham will be transformed into AUM,

the primal sound, the Swaswarupa. The reality behind this relative

reality.

 

Sivarathri is a word that connotes the dual nature of man and his

duty to discriminate between the higher and lower. Siva means Jnana

(the higher wisdom, the unifying universal vision); it also means,

the lasting, the timeless, the beneficial, the holy, the auspicious.

And the second word rathri means darkness of ignorance, the blind

pursuit of tawdry pleasures, the bewildering wisp of sensory joys,

the fleeting pleasures, it connotes the maleficent, the

inauspicious, the sacrilegious. So the message of Sivarathi is:

discriminate between 'Siva' and 'rathri' - the prana(life energy)

and the body, the dehi (indwelling spirit) and deha (body), the

spiritual and material, the kshetrajna and kshetra. This is called

in the Geeta as Vairagya-Yoga (the yoga of discrimination between

matter and spirit)

 

Relying merely on the literal meaning of the words, people wait year

long for this holy day to come, in order to miss a meal and call it

a fast, to miss a night's sleep and call it a vigil! Upavasa (fast)

means living with or living near God. It means living in the

unbroken constant presence of the lord, by namasmarana (remembrance

of divinity). That is real fast- holding fast to Him.

 

On all such days set apart by tradition for the contemplation of

one's innate divinity, you must examine you own equipment and decide

on what to discard and what to retain. Do not treat a holy day like

Sivarathri as a holiday, set apart for picnic, cinema, game,

revelry, rivalry and fun. The rishis (sages) fixed these days in the

calendar for the contemplation of God and for service of God in man,

for the removal of the needs of vices and weakening habits.

Contemplate on the Atma-linga, the Jyothirlinga (the effulgent

form), which these days emerges from Me. Be convinced that the Linga

is in every one of you, for it is the mark of the Siva that resides

in the Sivam (body shell). Allow the vision of the Atma-Linga to

enter into your inner consciousness and elevate it into divine

heights.

 

Sivarathri is the day on which Maheswara takes up the linga form for

the benefit of spiritual seekers; what they have to seek from

Maheswara is Jnana (spiritual wisdom) "Jnanam Maheswara dhichcheth".

It is Jnanam that manifests the divinity latent in man. Siva has no

fear; only shavam (corpse) fears. This is Sivarathi, the night of

fearlessness, of auspiciousness and of mangalam. Your are happy you

have come on pilgrimage here; but let Me tell you one thing; Unless

you control the stream of desires that springs in the mind, this is

just a wasted opportunity.

 

What is the sanctity of Sivarathi? Linga emerges from Swami's udhara

(abdomen). The Linga is in everyone of you. In the Jungam (body)

there is Sangam (attachment). In the Sangam there is Lingam (through

attachment and consequent suffering, the individual learns the need

for and efficacy of linga). Today is the fourteenth day of the dark

half of the month, when the moon is all but invisible. Just a minute

fraction remains visible to man. The moon is the presiding deity of

the mind. The mind is the source of all the entangling desires and

emotions. The mind, therefore is almost powerless this day; if only

this night is spent in vigil and in the presence of the Divine, it

can be fully conquered and man can realise freedom.

 

So, every month, the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month is

prescribed for more intense sadhana and once a year, this

Mahasivarathi, the great night of Siva, is laid down for the great

consummation.

 

Every human being experiences three kinds of nights. One is moon-lit

night. A second is a dark night. Third is the night half-dark and

half-lit by the moon. Apart form these three there is one night

which is more sacred and unique. that is Sivarathri. This is the

night devoted to the chanting of the sacred name of Siva. This means

the entire might must be devoted to the recitation of the auspicious

name of Siva.

 

Unfortunately in the Kali age, people observe the vigil of

Sivarathri by seeing the cinema shows all through the night or

playing cards or seeing some dramas. This cannot be called

Sivarathri. What is true vigil on "Sivarathri" night. It is to

devote every moment of the night to thoughts of God and to the

recitation of His name. This alone is Sivarathri. Siva means

auspiciousness. Comprehending the significance of the name,

eschewing all differences, remembering the glories of the lord,

people should sanctify their lines by utilising sacred days like

Sivarathri for the purpose intended by the Bharatiya tradition.

 

Sivarathri as the day is denoted to the contemplation of God does

not come only once a year. Every night can be a Sivarathri. Even if

you are not able to contemplate on God all through the night, it is

enough if you think of God before going to bed and when you wake up

in the morning. Festivals like Sivarathri are intended to make

people cultivate auspicious and Godly qualities. To listen to a

divine discourse on Sivarathri day but to forget all about its

message after leaving the hall is not the way to observe Sivarathri.

It may will be called "Savarathri"

 

Sivarathri means auspicious Night. Who is this Siva and where is he

to be found? All kinds of answers are given. Kailasa or other places

that are mentioned are only care of addresses. The true answer is:

isavasyam idam Sarvam - All this is pervaded by Ishwara. He is

omnipresent. There is no place, object or being where God is not

present. You have to correct your outlook and recognise the unity in

the apparent diversity.

 

Holy days like Sivarathri are marked out in order to impress upon

the mind of man his duty to impose 'fast' on his senses and

vigilance on his intelligence to keep away polluting impulses and

inclinations. This is the day when Siva consumed the deadly poison

that threatened to destroy the world and saved mankind from

perdition.

 

Immerse your mind in good thought and world will be good; soak it in

bad thought and the world will be bad for you. So, recollect only

good. Think, plan and do only good. Speak and act only good. Then as

a result, you will approximate to God, the source of all good.

 

This is the message of Sivarathri.

 

You experience the night every day. These are ordinary nights. These

are nights of darkness. But Sivarathri is an auspiciousness night.

How is it auspicious? There are sixteen aspects for the mind. The

moon is the presiding deity of the mind. Darkness prevails at night.

But during Sivarathri, the night is not dark but full of light. The

light is experienced by contemplating on the glorious form of Siva,

on the Divine, reminding oneself of unity with the Divine and

attaining a state of pure holiness. Of the sixteen phases of the

moon, this night is the fourteenth night of the Margasirsa month,

fifteen f the phases are absent. On this night it is possible to get

full control on one's mental faculties. Hence it is considered an

auspicious night. Auspiciousness consists in diverting the mind

towards God. This calls for getting rid of the inherited animal

tendencies in man. This is the occasion to recognise the

Omnipresence of the Divine in all beings and in all objects.