In 2022, Mahashivratri or ‘The Great night of Shiva’ is on the 1st of March. Though each New moon-eve is a Shivratri, amongst all such12 Shivratris, the grandest is the Mahashivratri, falling in February/March. This post covers the significance of Mahashivratri, the legends and the reasons behind the celebrations and the mantras and the pooja rituals relevant to it
Mahashivratri is a grand festival in honor of the Lord Shiva. It is the most auspicious, also the most widely celebrated Indian festival for countless Shiva devotees across the world.
Further, as per the North Indian calendar it falls on the 13th/14th day of the dark half of the Krishnapaksha of Phalguna. And as per the South Indian calendar, on the Chaturdashi Tithi, Krishnapaksha of Magha month.
Spiritual Significance of Mahashivratri
1.Overcoming Maya Shakti, transitioning to Svatantraya shakti is the greatest spiritual significance of Mahashivratri
Lord Shiva is the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer of the Universe. He personifies 5 types of Svatantraya (Free) Shaktis (pure universal energies).
- Cit shakti or the energy of Consciousness
- Ananda shakti or the energy of Bliss
- Iccha shakti or the energy of Will
- Jnana shakti or the energy of Knowledge
- Kriya shakti or the energy of Action.
The Jivas (individual souls) come from Him, exist in Him, sustain in Him and finally merge back into Him . But tainted with impurities, these Jivas forget their Divine Nature and start residing in Maya Shakti instead of Shiva’s pure Svatantraya shakti
Maya shakti is nothing but Svatantraya Shakti tainted with 3 impurities (Malas)
- Karma mala: Here, connected with actions, an individual identifies with what he feels and the pain/ pleasure create bondage; eg : feelings of being happy, sad etc.
- Mayiya mala: Connected with possessiveness, an individual identifies with what he possesses and what he does not. Eg : my child, my car, his house etc causing bondage.
- Anavamala: Here the individual identifies with his gnawing sense of the incompleteness. And consequently has the the desire to act towards feeling complete. But no matter how much he procures or gains, this feeling stays and causes bondage.
So, the significance of Mahashivratri is in recognizing these mind-created limitations. And Mahashivratri should be the day we break these 3 Malas to enter the realm of the Divine. For this, austerities like quiet contemplation, reflection, meditation, fasting, chanting, perseverance and Universal Love helps find the true Shiva (Self) within. Then on its only about bridging this gap from Maya Shakti (delusion) to Svatantraya shakti (Freedom/Bliss/Self Realization)
2. Mahashivratri’s significance as being a uniquely special Hindu festival
Unlike most Hindu festivals, Mahashivratri celebrations happen in the night. Also, unlike the revelry in other festivals, Mahashivrati has a solemn theme of dispelling darkness and ignorance, achieved through practices that test the determination of a devotee e.g fasting, praying, meditating, continuous ‘abhishek’ of the Shivling. etc.
3. Mahashivatri guides us on austerity, subduing toxic Rajas and Tamas tendencies
Restlessness, Greed, Darkness, Ignorance, Inertia are some of the chief Rajasic and Tamasic ills that plague mankind. Mahashivratri’s significance is in detoxing and neutralizing the negative effects of these excesses. So, devotees keep rigid fasts, meditate and remain still through the night. Such practices along with a one pointed focus on Shiva, tame the restless Rajasic forces within. Further staying awake all night, keeping vigil, mindfully chanting and conducting the ceremonial baths of Shiva ling banishes dull, inert, lethargic Tamasic tendencies.
4.Leveraging the natural multifold power of the day
Again, this auspicious day brings with it a fortuitous alignment of the stars particularly the Sun, Moon and the Earth. The planetary positions and the directions make Mahashivratri a day with a natural elevation of spiritual energies. All spiritual practice taken up on day gives back manifold benefits. If one channelizes these energies right through austerities then the spiritual, physical and material planes can receive windfall gains.
5. Other spiritual Mahashivratri significances
Mahashivratri is a preferred day for student initiation or sanyasi dikhsas. Also Mahashivratri is significant for girls wishing to tie the knot. the belief is that austerities on this day bless them with a good spouse. Further, married women too observe austerities for general welfare.
The Legends, Reasons, Folk lore and Pauranik storied significant to Mahashivratri
Legend 1 : Marriage to his consort Goddess Paravati
Lord Shiva is believed to have tied the knot with Goddess Parvati on this day.
The legend also says that the Goddess queried her husband as to which prayer ritual was dearest to him. Lord Shiva replied that the 14th night of the New Moon during the dark fortnight of Phalgun was his favourite. What he loved the most was fasting by devotees and the ceremonial baths in milk, curd, clarified butter and honey and the offering of the bilva leaves. So, the excited Goddess broadcast this to her friends. Thus the word spread out and Mahashivratri became significant.
Legend 2 : Samudra manthan as a reason significant to Mahashivratri
The Devas and Asuras were once engaged in a prolonged fight that took many lives. On this day, the Devas finally decided to churn the Ocean to acquire the famed ‘nectar of immortality’. So with Vasuki (Lord Vishnu’s serpent) as the rope and the Mandaragiri (hill) as the churning rod they started churning the Ocean.
But instead of nectar a deadly poison emanated that started taking lives.
Lord Shiva came to the rescue and drank up all the poison. This allowed the nectar to finally emerge and nourish the Devas. Also, the bluish tinge in his throat is this poison and this is why he is called Neelkantan.
Legend 3 : Tandav Nritya as significant to Mahashivratri
One more legend says that on this night Shiva does the Tandav i.e the cosmic dance of Creation, Preservation and Destruction.
Legend 4 : Jyotirlingas of great significance to Mahashivratri
On this day long ago, Brahma and Vishnu were having a debate over their supremacy, Shiva intervened. He pierced the three worlds with an infinite pillar of light. Further, he declared that whosoever first finds the beginning or the end of this fiery pillar (Stambh) of light is superior. Both Vishnu and Brahma split and searched in opposite directions but were unable to find it. However Lord Brahma lied that he did find the beginning. Enraged by his lie, Shiva cursed that no one will worship Brahma ever.
Jyotirlingas are the places where Shiva manifested through such columns of light. Temples constructed here have significantly grand celebrations for Mahashivratri. Out of 64 Jyotirlingas across the country, 12 are the holiest.
Legend 5 : The Story of King Chitrabhanu (This one is the longest)
In Mahabharata, Pitamaha Bhishma on his deathbed of arrows, told this story to aid his discourse on Dharma
Once a great king Chitrabhanu was observing a fast for Mahashivratri when a sage asked him why he was doing so.
Then the king started relating the story of his past life. At that time, he was a hunter by profession from Varanasi named Suswara. One evening after collecting his game (of wild animals), he realized it was too dark to return home. So, he bundled up the animals by a Bael tree, closeby and climbed up that tree to spend the night. Sleepless with worry, he kept weeping for his hungry family back home. He also kept plucking and dropping the Bael leaves down, anxiously awaiting dawn. Unknowingly he had been putting Bael leaves on a Shivling at the bottom of the tree and also washing it with his tears.
In the morning, he rushed home with the food procured by the sale of the game. But before eating himself, he fed a stranger at his door begging for food.
When he died, Shiva’s attendants escorted him to heaven. He enjoyed bliss for many ages before being reborn as a king.
The king says that all the acts of his past-life avatar does, in that desperate night, endears him to Shiva. So that’s why he performs the same austerities in this life too for Mahashivratri. This story goes to show the ritualistic-significance of Mahashivratri.
But there is a deeper spiritual Significance of this story for Mahashivratri
The hunter is a metaphor for a Yogi here. Just like the hunter captures wild animals, the Yogi captures the Manas, Ahamkara and Buddhi. Also, the hunters name Suswara indicates a melodious voice. This is exactly like a Yogi who has developed beauty of body, thought and speech through the practice of Yama and Niyama. Further, the hunter comes from Varanasi, considered a synonym for Ajna Chakras by Yogis.
Also , the Bael tree that the hunter climbs is a metaphor for the spinal cord where the Kundalini Shakti ascends from the Muladhara to Ajna Chakra . Moreover, the Bael leaves with 3 leaves on each stalk are indicative of the meeting place of the 3 nerve currents (Nadis) Ida, Pingala and Sushumna.
Further, the bundling up of game means conquering of thoughts. Also spending the night waiting quietly is indicative of a Yogi’s meditation. In addition to this, shedding tears of sympathy is indicative of universal love; a pre-requisite for spiritual advancement. Also, the next morning the stranger he feeds is his own old self. Finally, the Linga that he sees when he descends from the tree is indicative of the Turiya state of consciousness. This is when Shiva is visible in his transcendental reality.
Knowing the Meaning of Shiva is of key significance for Mahashivratri
Meaning of Shiva
Shiva is the Omnipotent, All-pervading Transcendental Consciousness. Shiva means eternally auspicious, eternally joyous, eternally silent.
Mandukya Upanishad says: ‘Shantam Shivam Advaitam chaturtham manyante’
Meaning: Advaitam (oneness with Self) is the reality that is Shantam (peaceful) and Shivam (silent).
And this state is beyond the three states of consciousness (waking, dreaming and sleeping) i.e the fourth (chaturtham) state of Turiya (the realized/ enlightened state of being).
Thus, Shiva here stands for the Self. When we stay still, silent and attuned to our inner Self, we realize ourselves.
Peace, Silence, Oneness with God (non -duality), is the enlightened state of being (Turiya) . This state of being One with Shiva is the whole significance of the grand festival of Mahashivratri.
Swami Sivananda says, ‘When there is neither light nor darkness, neither form nor energy, neither sound nor matter, when there is no manifestation of phenomenal existence, Siva alone exists in Himself. He is timeless, spaceless, birthless, deathless, decayless. Lord Shiva is beyond the pairs of opposites like pleasure and pain, good and evil. Shiva is the personification of the Impersonal Absolute Brahman. He can only be realized through devotion and meditation. Shiva is the support, source and substratum of the whole world.’
Mahashivratri celebrations : Significant Mantras
The following 3 key Mantras are of great significance for Mahashivratri. ‘Hoam’ is the Bija Akshara of Lord Siva
1.The Panchakashara mantra, the number 1 significant mantra for Mahashivratri:
‘Om Namah Shivaya’
This is a powerful 5-lettered or a Panchakshara mantra. It is recommended that this be chanted aloud or silently, through Mahashivratri
Meaning : Om is the symbol of the Divine. ‘Namah Sivaya’ means ‘Prostration to Lord Siva.’
The five letters represent the five elements. They also represent the creations that set forth with the combination of these elements.
2.Rudra Gayatri Mantra, the second most significant mantra for Mahashivratri
‘Om Tatpurusaya vidmahe mahadevaya dhimahi, tanno rudrahprachodayat ‘
Meaning : We Realize the Supreme Transcendental Being and meditate upon Mahadeva, May Rudra help us do so.
3. Maha Mritunjaya Mantra:
‘Om tryambakam yajmahe sugandhim pushtivardanam, urvarukamiva bandhananmrtyormuksiya ma amrtat’
Meaning: I bow down to that three-eyed Lord Siva. He who is fragrant and sustainer of beings. Pray, he frees me from Bondage of (the cycle of) Life and death, the way a ripe cucumber is separated from the creeper. r fruit is separated from the creeper. May he bless me with Amrita (nectar of immortality)
Also read more on Mantra meditation benefits, Gayatri Mantra benefits, Gayatri mantra chanting rules, Om mantra benefits and Soham mantra benefits
Mahashivratri Celebrations: Significant Pooja rituals
- Shiva devotees observe a strict fast on this day. Some even go without water the whole day.
- Also the ceremonial yajna/havan is burnt at temples and homes.
- Most importantly, devotees throng Shiva temples.
- Devotees stay awake, keeping vigil, chanting, meditating all night
- The Shiva linga is made offerings (Abhishek) all through the night. Every three hours it is bathed in milk, curd, honey and rose water.
- Om Namah Shivaya is chanted ceaselessly.
- Bael leaves are offered to the Shivling or Lord Shiva. Bael leaves are considered sacred as Hindus believe Goddess Laxmi resides in them.
- Fragrant incense, dhoop, agarbatti, camphor are burnt. Lamps are lit and Arati is performed. Naivedya in the form of sweets, fruits are offered.
Why Meditation and Worshipping the form of Shiva is significant for Mahashivratri
Shiva means that which is eternally auspicious, happy.
Hindu scriptures such as the Upanishads prescribe worship of form/image but also speak of meditation on the Formless Infinite.
What this means is that for a beginner, an image of God fast-tracks his spiritual progress. helps him realize God faster. This is because it is easier to maintain steady concentration on say Lord Shiva with his divine qualities vis-à-vis an abstract idea of God.
But as he makes progress, his devotion becomes intense and soon one day the form of Shiva melts into pure consciousness. Shiva tattva becomes a visible reality in every atom inside and outside himself, for the devotee. History and even modern times are replete with saints, Yogis who attain enlightenment through concentrating and worshipping Shiva’s form in its full glory. That is why it is of great significance to maintain absolute concentration by following rituals prescribed for Mahashivratri.
Meditation on Lord Shiva: the significant aspect of Mahashivratri
- Make sure you have showered or washed up before praying.
- Wear a Rudraksha mala and ash tilak on the forehead if possible.
- Seat yourself in Sukhasana or Padmasana, facing East or North in a clean quiet room
- For Saguna (with form) meditation, imagine the form of Shiva in between the eyebrows (Ajna Chakra) or in the heart (Anahata or Heart Chakra) shining through radiantly. Mentally repeat ‘Om Namah Shivay’ Imagine his divine attributes like omnipotence, auspiciousness, bliss, silence flood your system.
- Nor Nirguna (formless) meditation, meditate on Lord Shiva as radiant, infinite, pure consciousness. Mentally repeat the mantra ‘Sivoham’ Now imagine yourself as that transcendental consciousness, inside out. Literally feel yourself as the Infinte, Absolute, Blissful Divine with every atom of your mind, body and soul. With every ‘Sivoham’ reaffirm that ‘I m Joy; ‘I am Divine’ I am Bliss’ I am beyond space and time’ ‘I am Shiva’ !
The Shiva Linga, as a symbol of Shiva induces great peace, great silence and great concentration in the mind of the devotee. That is why, Gurus/preceptors recommend it as a significant part of Mahashivratri worship, infact in all worship of Shiva.
Symbolism of Lord Shiva : Significant for Saguna worship during Mahashivratri
Lord Shiva maybe visualized as seated peacefully with eyes half-closed meditatively, with the crescent moon on his matted hair piled up on top of his head with a stream of ganga flowing out of it, third eye tightly shut, trident in one hand, a sword, axe and thunderbolt on the right, serpent around his neck, a noose, bell, damaru and spear on the left seated on a tiger skin.
Meaning of Shiva symbols, significant for Mahashivratri Saguna meditation
Trident (Trishul) : Sattva, Rajas and Tamas through which he rules the world
Damaru: Om, the sound of creation
Crescent moon : Perfect control of the mind
Ganges: Nectar of immortality
Elephant skin (on body) : Control of pride
Tiger skin (as a seat) : Conquest of lust.
Serpent: Eternal Wisdom, control of senses
Third eye : Eye of wisdom
Nandi Bull : Omkara
Linga : Singularity, Advaita.
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