Shivarathri

Banishing darkness from our lives

Lord Shiva occupies a central role in Hinduism. Shiva is usually worshipped in the form of ‘Linga’ symbolizing ‘purusha’.

FESTIVE SPIRIT

                While most festivals are celebrated at daytime, Shivarathri is celebrated at night as Lord Shiva saved the universe from darkness.

               The 14th day of every month, Krishna Chaturdasi, is Shivarathri. But during the month of Magha, the day is observed as Mahashivarathri.

               On this day, Lord Shiva drank poison, halahala, which emerged during the churning the ocean of milk. With this, He saved the universe. Lord Shiva also married Goddess Parvathi on this day and performed Shiva Tandava Nrithya, better known as Natyasastra.

              The main themes of the festival are ahimsa, sathya, compassion and forgiveness, and absence of jealousy. Devotees worship by fasting and jagarana (keeping vigil in at night).

               On this day, the ‘Linga’ is bathed with Panchamrutha – a mixture of milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey. This accompanied by chanting of Vedic hymns (chanting of Rudra Mantra), and showering the ‘Linga’ with ‘Bhilva Patre’ and flowers.

               Next day morning, the fast is broken after making offerings to the God. Next, devotees perform the Rudra Homa at temples and homes. Delicious food is prepared and offered as ‘naivedhyam’ to the deity. Later, it’s distributed to devotees as ‘annadhanam’. By worshipping Lord Shiva, one attains peace and prosperity and absolved of sins.

Magha Krishna Trayodashi

         

             There is a subtle difference between the Supreme Soul Shiva and Shankar the deity. The Supreme has been worshipped in the oval or egg-shaped form of the Shivalinga. The Linga Purana says that the one who destroys the world and re-establishes the same with Divine Power is called ‘Linga’. In Shiva temples throughout India – including at Amarnath, Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar – and Nepal Pashupatinath, He is depicted as the linga, an elliptical representation in stone.

             According to legend, Rama invoked Shiva at Rameshwaram and Krishna offered prayers to Him at Gopeshwar in Vrindavan. Shiva Temples have been erected here honouring that memory. Shiva is worshipped at the Supreme Father of all deities and of Rama and Krishna.

             Shiva’s representation as linga is to show His incorporeal nature. He does not have any male or female human-like form like the deities; His is the incorporeal point of light. The 12 renowned Shiva temples in India are also known as Jyotirlinga Maths, signifying His form of Light. Incorporeal Shiva is also known as Trimurti, the creator of the three subtle deities – Bramha, Vishnu and Shankar.

The three lines marked on the Shivalinga symbolise His triple characteristics of Trimurti:

Trinetri – the one with the third eye of wisdom,

Trikaladarshi - the one who sees the three aspects of time, &

Trilokinath - the lord of three words.

               Shiva is also known as Shambhu or Swayambhu and Sadashiva meaning that Shiva is the eternal Soul who has no creator above Him.

               Swami Daanand Saraswathi says Shiva is the “One who is bliss and the giver of happiness to all”. Supreme Soul Shiva brings liberation or mukti and salvation or jeevan mukti to all.

               In South India, Lingayats believe that Shiva is the Supreme God. The Istalinga worn by the Veerashivas on their body is technically a miniature of Linga and is considered to be an amorphous representation of Shiva which also proves that Shiva was worshipped in the oval-shaped figure. It was much later that Shiva and deity Shankar came to be presumed as one. In Vaishik Darshan and Vedanta, Linga is mentioned as the image of the body-less Supreme God. It is free of personal characteristics.

               The ignorance about Shiva is on account of confusing Shankar with Shiva. Deity Shankar has an angelic body whereas Shiva is oval shaped and worshipped as Shiva Linga. Shankar has a human form residing in the subtle world region called Sankarpuri; he is responsible for destruction of the old world order. In some paintings and sculptures, Shankar is shown meditating in front of the Shiva linga, which also indicates that the two are different from each other.

               The festival of Shivaratri symbolises the divine incarnation of Shiva on the earth. The night indicates the moral degradation in souls that sets in due to the ignorance in this world. The true fasting (upvaas plus close company) on Shivaratri is that we link our intellect with Shiva and stay in His company. The true Jagran or awakening means to awaken from the slumber of ignorance and to protect the self from the negative influence of vices such as lust, anger, greed and ego. Absolute formless God, Sadashiva appeared in the form of Lingodbhav Moorti exactly at midnight on Shivaratri.