Shivaratri means “The Great Night of Lord Shiva.” As per Hindu calendar, it is celebrated in Varanasi in the dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha at the 13th night or 14th day of Maagha or Phalguna, i.e., February or March in reverence of Lord Shiva.
This year Maha Shivratri will be celebrated on 4th March. It is not just a festival, but a universal definition. The divine day is known to dispel ignorance, bring in light of knowledge, create awareness of the universe, and invoke the supreme Lord – Shiva to take cognizance of his creation. Read about Mahashivaratri…the most auspicious night.
There are many legends and stories associated with the auspicious day. Before we explore these stories, here are four main reasons why is Shivratri celebrated:
- Maha Shivratri marks overcoming darkness and ignorance in life by worshipping Shiva. The Lord is honored by chanting mantras, fasting and contemplating ethics and virtues of divine life.
- It is said that on the day of the absolute formless God Sadashiv appeared in the form of “Lingodbhavamurti” during the midnight. 180 days after Shivratri, Vishnu appeared as Lord Krishna at Gokul in midnight. That event is celebrated as Janmashtami. Thus, the entire year is divided into two by both these auspicious days of the Hindu Calendar.
- Shivratri is also celebrated as Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati’s wedding anniversary. It is said that without Parvati Shiva is pure ‘Nirguna Brahman’; with Parvati, he becomes the “Saguna Brahman.”
- It is believed that on Shivratri Lord Shiva gulped poison that arose during the churning of “Kshir Sagar.” The poison was so deadly that if its single drop fell into Shiva’s stomach, it would have poisoned the entire world. To safeguard the world, he held it in His neck, which turned blue. This is how Shiva came to be known as Neelkanth.
Read to know more about why vibhuti or holy ash is applied?
Other stories and legends that state why Maha Shivratri is celebrated:
Once Brahma and Vishnu were fighting to establish superiority; horrified at the intense battle, all the other deities asked Shiva to intervene. Shiva took the form of an infinite column of fire between Brahma and Vishnu so that they could realize how dangerous was their battle. Brahma took the form of a swan and accelerated upwards while Vishnu turned into Varaha and moved inside the earth. Since light is limitless, both the deities could not find an end to it.
While escalating upwards, Brahma encountered a Ketaki flower that moved down slowly. Upon asking where she had come from, the flower said that she was offered at the top of the fire column. Brahma took the flower to testify. At this Shiva got furious and punished Brahma for lying. Brahma was cursed that no one would ever worship him. The Ketaki flower too was banned as an offering. Since the battle pacified because of Shiva, the day is celebrated as Maha Shivratri in his honor.
Another story says that a hunter could not find anything to feed upon in a forest. He then decided to spend the night on a Wood Apple tree waiting for an animal that he could hunt. To stay awake, the hunter started plucking and throwing the Wood Apple tree leaves on the ground. He was unaware that there was a Shivling under the tree. Lord Shiva got pleased with the hunter’s patience and appeared in front of him to bless him with wisdom. That night is celebrated as Maha Shivaratri. Know about the importance of Pooja in our lives.
It is believed that on Maha Shivratri Shiva performs the divine dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. The hymns, the echo of scriptures joins this cosmic dance. Thus, on Maha Shivaratri, annual dance festivals are organized at major Hindu temples based in Konark, Khajuraho, Pattadakal, Modhera, and Chidambaram.
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Hari Om and a blessed Maha Shivratri!