Mahashivaratri
6/3/2008
Festival of lord Shiva....
Guru Nanak Jayanti
Tulasi Vivah
Bakri-Id Datta Jayanti
Mahashivaratri
Holi Ranga Panchami
Gudi padwa
About Maha Shivaratri...Once
when everything in all the worlds got reduced into Lord shiva, in that
darkness of nothing present, the mother pArvati worshipped Lord shiva
in the Agamic way with great devotion. The parameshwar pleased by Her
prayer blessed Her. She asked for the benefit of all the creatures
that in future whoever worships the Lord on the shiva rAtri day with
devotion, they should be blessed and should be given the ultimate
liberation. The pashupati granted that showing way for all of us to
get blessed easily.
When
Brahma and Vishnu fought between themselves as "who is the greatest",
Lord Shiva appeared before them as a pillar of fire. They were not
able to find the starting and end of that pillar. This day is
Thirukkaarthikai.(1)
Then
Brahma and Mahavishnu repented for their mistake and prayed to Lord
Shiva for forgiving their sin worshiping the shiva li.ngam which is
the form of the flame. In the night of Shiva rathri Lord Shiva
appeared before them and blessed them. Devotees pray the God
throughout the night of Shiva rathri by performing Abisheka, chanting
and other holy deeds.
Every
month in Krishna paksha chathurdhasi (fourteenth moonday) is called
masa Shiva rathri. The one that comes in the month of "Masi" (mid
February to mid March) is called Maha Shiva rathri. This is considered
as the most important vrata by the devotees.
There
are many incidents told about the greatness of this day. Once a hunter
in a jungle after searching throughout the jungle, was quite tired and
could not get any animal. In the nightfall a tiger started chasing
him. to escape from that he climbed a tree. That was a Bilva tree. The
tiger sat under the tree waiting for him to come down. The hunter who
sat on a branch of the tree was quite tense and didn't want to sleep.
He was plucking the leaves and putting down as he was not able to be
idle. Below the tree there was a Shiva lingam. The whole night went on
like this. God was pleased with the Upavasa (hunger) and the Pooja the
hunter and the tiger did even without knowledge. He is the peak of the
grace. He gave the hunter and the tiger "Moksha".
In a
Shiva temple on a Maha Shiva rathri day the lamp kept in the altar was
very dim. That time a mouse which came take its prey touched the
flame. Due to the heat it moved its head immediately. In the process
it kindled the lamp and the altar was illuminated well. Lord Shiva,
pleased by this deed made the mouse Mahabali, the renowned asura king.
There
are many incidents like this told in our Puraanas. If we do the vrata
with pure devotion and love there can be no doubt about getting the
Grace of the Almighty.
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