|
MAHASHIVARATRI: The Great Night of Shiva
Literally ‘the great night of Shiva’, celebrated on the moonless night of the month of Phalguna (February/March). This day is dedicated to Shiva, the destroyer. On this day, devotees, mostly women come to Shiva temples ery early morning.
The
day is considered to be especially auspicious for women. According to one myth, Parvati
performed tapasya, and prayed and meditated on this day to
ward off any evil that may befall her husband on the moonless night.
Since then, Mahashivaratri is also believed to bean auspicious occasion
for women to pray for the well being of their husbands and sons. An
unmarried woman prays for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be
the ideal husband.
Devotees
bathe at sunrise, preferably in the Ganga, or any other holy water
source. They offer prayers to the sun, Vishnu and Shiva. After this
purifying rite, devotees wear clean clothes and carry holy water to the
temple to bathe the Shivalinga.
Devotees walk around the linga, three or seven times, and then
pour water over it. Some also pour milk.
According
to a legend in the Ramayana, once King Bhagiratha left his kingdom to
mediate for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. He observed a
penance to Brahma for a thousand years, requesting Ganga to come
down to earth from heaven. He wanted her to wash over his ancestor’s
ashes to release them from a curse and allow them to go to heaven.
Brahma granted his wish but told him to pray to Shiva, who alone could
sustain the weight of Ganga’s descent. Accordingly, Ganga
descended on Shiva's head and reached the earth. Bathing the shivalinga is believed to be a re-enactment of this story. The shivalinga is bathed with milk, water and honey. It is then anointed with sandalwood paste. People offer wood apple or bel leaves and fruit, milk, sandalwood and jujube fruit or ber to the linga. People decorate the linga with flowers and garlands and offer incense sticks and fruit.
The Puranas contain many stories and legends describing the origin of this festival. According to one, during the samudra manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. This terrified the gods and demons as the poison was capable of destroying the entire world, and they ran to Shiva for help. To protect the world from its evil effects, Shiva drank the deathly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. Because of it, his throat turned blue, and he was given the name Neelakantha, the blue-throated one. Shivaratri is the celebration of this event by which Shiva saved the world. |
