Mahasivaratri celebrated on February 16 at Datta Temple in Baton Rouge

[Guest guest]

You are cordially invited to attend

 

a night long

 

Mahasivaratri Celebration

 

at Datta Temple and hall of Trinity, Baton Rouge

 

on February 16 (Friday)

 

starts at 7:00pm

 

 

If you want SPONSOR, please click on:

 

_http://www.dattatemple.com/calendar/index.php_

(http://www.dattatemple.com/calendar/index.php)

 

 

What is Mahasivaratri

 

 

 

Mahasivaratri falls on the 15th or 14th day of the Krishna paksha of the

month of Magha and is celebrated all over the country. This festival is

celebrated on February 16 in 2007 to honor Lord Shiva, the third Hindu God of the

Trinity, the first two being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Mahasivaratri means

the “the great auspicious night.â€

Devotees of Lord Shiva fast during the day and maintain a long vigil during

the night. In temples all across the country, bells ring, and sacred texts

are chanted and traditional offerings of leaves and milk are made to the Shiva

lingam, the phallic symbol of the God.

Siva Linga Worship in Mysore

The Shiva Lingam in the Ashram was found many years ago and named

Sachchidanandeshwara by His Holiness Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji. During Maha

Shivaratri the devotees themselves can do water abishekam to this Lingam with

water collected from the holy rivers of India. It is followed by Ekadasha

Rudrabishekam (pouring different ingredients on the sacred Lingam: milk, honey,

ghee, curds, coconut water, sugar, flowers and bay leaves). Lingam is

beautifully decorated with flowers, vibhuti, sandalpaste, turmeric, kumkum,

rudrakshas, butter etc. following the abishekam. Everything has a deep meaning.

During the ceremonies you can hear the huge crowd of devotees chanting the famous

Shiva‑mantra: Om Namah Shivaya... Om Namah Shivaya...

The Story Behind the worship of Linga

It is the duty of every worshipper to worship this lingam with at least one

bael leaf. There is a legend behind Shiva's phallic form. It is believed that

once Brahma and Vishnu, the two pillars of the holy Trinity were having an

argument as to who was supreme. At that moment a huge lingam ablaze with flames

appeared from nowhere. Both the gods were so overwhelmed by its constantly

increasing size, that they forgot their quarrel and decided to determine its

size.

Vishnu took the form of a boar and went to the netherworld while Brahma in

the form of a swan ascended to the skies. Neither could ascertain the size.

Just then, Shiva then appeared out of this column of fiery lingam, with a

thousand arms and legs, with the sun, moon and fire as his three eyes, bearing the

pinaka bow, wearing the hide of an elephant, bearing the trishul, and

addressed Vishnu and Brahma in a thunderous voice, explaining that the two were

born out of him, and that the three were then separated out into three different

aspects of divinity. He proclaimed that he was the progenitor of both of

them. He was the Creator, Preserver and the Destroyer. He demanded that

thereafter he be worshipped in his phallic form, the lingam.

The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every

three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the

Mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the

Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred, for it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi

resides in them.

On the day of Shivaratri, the lingam is bathed with the five sacred

offerings of a cow, called the panchagavya ‑ milk, curds, urine, butter and dung.

Thereafter panchamruta (the five foods of immortality) ‑ milk, ghee, curd, honey

and sugar are placed before the lingam.

[Guest guest]

Jai Guru Datta. This is just a reminder of Mahasivaratri Program at Datta

Temple in Baton Rouge on February 16 at 7:00pm. Thanks (V. V. Prakasa Rao)