Sivaratri Mahima 1

[Guest guest]

Om Namah Sivaya

Date of Maha Sivaratri 16/2/2007

Silent adorations to Lord Siva, consort of Parvati, the destructive aspect of Brahman, who is known by the names Sambhu, Sankara, Mahadeva, Sadasiva, Visvanatha, Hara, Tripurari, Gangadhara, Sulapani, Nilakantha, Dakshinamurti, Chandrasekhara, Nilalohita, etc., who is the bestower of auspiciousness, immortality and divine knowledge on His devotees, and who does Tandava Nritya or the Dance of Death at the end of Time or Cosmic Pralaya, and who is the real Regenerator but not the destroyer.

Maha Sivaratri means the great night consecrated to Lord Siva. Maha Sivaratri falls on Trayodasi or the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Kumbha month (February-March).

In the Santi Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma refers to the observance of the Maha Sivaratri, by king Chitrabhanu, when he was giving the discourse on Dharma, resting on his bed of arrows.

Once upon a time, king Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who was ruling over the whole of Jambudvipa, and his wife were observing a fast on the day of Maha Sivaratri. The Sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.

The Sage asked: “O king, why are you observing fast today?” King Chitrabhanu explained the reason for observing a fast on that day. He had the gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth.

He said to the Sage Ashtavakra: “I was a hunter by name Susvar in my previous birth. I eked out my livelihood by killing and selling birds and animals. One day, I was roaming in a forest in search of animals. I was overtaken by the darkness of night. I was not able to return home and so I climbed up a Bilva tree for shelter. I shot a deer that day but I had no time to take it home. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst, I kept awake throughout the night. I shed profuse tears when I thought of my poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously awaiting my return. I engaged myself in plucking and dropping down the Bilva leaves. There was a Siva Linga at the foot of the Bilva tree. The tears and the leaves fell upon the Siva Linga.

“The day dawned. I returned home and sold the deer. I got food for myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast. A stranger came to me and begged for food. I served him with food first and then I took my food. At the hour of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Siva. They were sent down for the sake of conducting my soul to the abode of Siva. I learnt there for the first time, of the great merit I had earned by the observance of the fast on the day of Maha Sivaratri, though I did it unconsciously by an accident. I lived in the abode of Siva and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages. I am now reborn on this earth as Chitrabhanu”.

------------Sri Swami Sivananda

Sivaya Namah

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

A very inspiring story! - enjoy it everytime I read..

 

but .. I request somebody to help me understand/correct me on this. I am

unable to comprehend as to how can somebody be credited with *doing*

good , if that person did not *intend* to ? Are we all not told that,

prayers without intentions are fruitless?

 

Thank you

-Padma.

________________________________

 

 

[] On Behalf Of Selvaratnam

Selvakumar

Sunday, February 11, 2007 12:07 PM

 

Sivaratri Mahima 1

 

 

 

Om Namah Sivaya

 

Date of Maha Sivaratri 16/2/2007

 

<http://www.informationcorner.com/images/shiva/shiva4.jpg>

 

Silent adorations to Lord Siva, consort of Parvati, the destructive

aspect of Brahman, who is known by the names Sambhu, Sankara, Mahadeva,

Sadasiva, Visvanatha, Hara, Tripurari, Gangadhara, Sulapani, Nilakantha,

Dakshinamurti, Chandrasekhara, Nilalohita, etc., who is the bestower of

auspiciousness, immortality and divine knowledge on His devotees, and

who does Tandava Nritya or the Dance of Death at the end of Time or

Cosmic Pralaya, and who is the real Regenerator but not the destroyer.

Maha Sivaratri means the great night consecrated to Lord Siva. Maha

Sivaratri falls on Trayodasi or the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight

of Kumbha month (February-March).

In the Santi Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma refers to the observance

of the Maha Sivaratri, by king Chitrabhanu, when he was giving the

discourse on Dharma, resting on his bed of arrows.

Once upon a time, king Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who was

ruling over the whole of Jambudvipa, and his wife were observing a fast

on the day of Maha Sivaratri. The Sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the

court of the king.

The Sage asked: "O king, why are you observing fast today?" King

Chitrabhanu explained the reason for observing a fast on that day. He

had the gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth.

He said to the Sage Ashtavakra: "I was a hunter by name Susvar in my

previous birth. I eked out my livelihood by killing and selling birds

and animals. One day, I was roaming in a forest in search of animals. I

was overtaken by the darkness of night. I was not able to return home

and so I climbed up a Bilva tree for shelter. I shot a deer that day but

I had no time to take it home. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst,

I kept awake throughout the night. I shed profuse tears when I thought

of my poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously awaiting my

return. I engaged myself in plucking and dropping down the Bilva leaves.

There was a Siva Linga at the foot of the Bilva tree. The tears and the

leaves fell upon the Siva Linga.

"The day dawned. I returned home and sold the deer. I got food for

myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast. A stranger came

to me and begged for food. I served him with food first and then I took

my food. At the hour of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Siva. They

were sent down for the sake of conducting my soul to the abode of Siva.

I learnt there for the first time, of the great merit I had earned by

the observance of the fast on the day of Maha Sivaratri, though I did it

unconsciously by an accident. I lived in the abode of Siva and enjoyed

divine bliss for long ages. I am now reborn on this earth as

Chitrabhanu".

 

------------Sri Swami Sivananda

Sivaya Namah

 

________________________________

 

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