Mahashivratri Festival 2020

Mahashivratri (????????????) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva, and in particular, marks the day of the consummation of the marriage of Shiva. There is a Shivratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month’s 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or Phalguna) and before the arrival of Summer, marks Mahashivratri which means “the Great Night of Shiva”. Mahashivratri in the year 2020 falls on date 21st February. It is a major festival in Hinduism, and this festival is solemn and marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin date is unknown. Having a great spiritual significance of the great and pious festival throughout the world, Siddha Spirituality of Swami Hardas Life System wishes our readers to know the history and significance.

Mahashivratri Description (???????????? ?? ?????)

History and significance of Mahashivratri (???????????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????)

The significance of dance tradition to this festival has historical roots. The Mahashivratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at:

• Konark
• Khajuraho
• Pattadakal
• Modhera
• Chidambaram

This event is called Natyanjali, literally “worship through dance”, at the Chidambaram temple which is famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the ancient Hindu text of performance arts called Natya Shastra. Similarly, at Khajuraho Shiva temples, a major fair and dance festival on Mahashivratri, involving Shaiva pilgrims camped over miles around the temple complex, was documented by Alexander Cunningham in 1864.

Different Names of Lord Shiva (????? ??? ?? ??????? ???)

The Shiva Purana list 1008 names for Lord Shiva. Each of these names in Sanskrit signifies a certain attribute of the Lord. Given here are 108 names of Lord Shiva with their meaning:

1. Aashutosh: One who fulfills wishes instantly
2. Aja: Unborn
3. Akshayaguna: God with limitless attributes
4. Anagha: Without any fault
5. Anantadrishti: Of infinite vision
6. Augadh: One who revels all the time
7. Avyayaprabhu: Imperishable Lord
8. Bhairav: Lord of terror
9. Bhalanetra: One who has an eye in the forehead
10. Bholenath: Kind-hearted Lord
11. Bhudeva: Lord of the earth
12. Bhooteshwara: Lord of ghosts and evil beings
13. Bhutapala: Protector of the ghosts
14. Chandrapal: Master of the moon
15. Chandraprakash: One who has moon as a crest
16. Dayalu: Compassionate
17. Devadhideva: Lord of the Lords
18. Dhanadeepa: Lord of wealth
19. Dhyanadeep: Icon of meditation and concentration
20. Dhyutidhara: Lord of brilliance
21. Digambara: One who has the skies as his clothes
22. Durjaneeya: Difficult to be known
23. Durjaya: Unvanquished
24. Gangadhara: Lord of river Ganga
25. Girijapati: Consort of Girija
26. Gunagrahin: Acceptor of Gunas
27. Gurudeva: Master of All
28. Hara: Remover of sins
29. Jagadisha: Master of the Universe
30. Jaradhishamana: Redeemer from afflictions
31. Jatin: One who has matted hair
32. Kailas: One Who bestows peace
33. Kailashadhipati: Lord of Mount Kailash
34. Kailashnath: Master of Mount Kailash
35. Kamalakshana: Lotus-eyed Lord
36. Kantha: Ever-radiant
37. Kapalin: One who wears a necklace of skulls
38. Khatvangin: One who has the missile Khatvangin in his hand
39. Kundalin: One who wears earrings
40. Lalataksha: One who has an eye in the forehead
41. Lingadhyaksha: Lord of the Lingas
42. Lingaraja: Lord of the Lingas
43. Lokankara: Creator of the Three Worlds
44. Lokpal: One who takes care of the world
45. Mahabuddhi: Extremely intelligent
46. Mahadeva: Greatest God
47. Mahakal: Lord of all times
48. Mahamaya: Of great illusions
49. Mahamrityunjay: Great victor of death
50. Mahanidhi: Great storehouse
51. Mahashaktimaya: One who has boundless energies
52. Mahayogi: Greatest of all Gods
53. Mahesh: Supreme Lord
54. Maheshwar: Lord of Gods
55. Nagabhushan: One who has serpents as ornaments
56. Nataraj: King of the art of dancing
57. Nilakanth: The one with a blue throat
58. Nityasundar: Ever beautiful
59. Nrutyapriy: Lover of dance
60. Omkar: Creator of OM
61. Palanhaar: One who protects everyone
62. Parameshwar: First among all gods
63. Paramjyoti: Greatest splendor
64. Pashupati: Lord of all living beings
65. Pinakin: One who has a bow in his hand
66. Pranav: Originator of the syllable of OM
67. Priyabhakt: Favorite of the devotees
68. Priyadarshan: Of loving vision
69. Pushkar: One who gives nourishment
70. Pushpalochan: One who has eyes like flowers
71. Ravilochan: Having sun as the eye
72. Rudra: The terrible
73. Rudraksha: One who has eyes like Rudra
74. Sadashiv: Eternal God
75. Sanatan: Eternal Lord
76. Sarvacharya: Preceptor of all
77. Sarvashiv: Always pure
78. Sarvatapan: Scorcher of all
79. Sarvayoni: Source of everything
80. Sarveshwar: Lord of all Gods
81. Shambhu: Abode of joy
82. Shankar: Giver of joy
83. Shiva: Always pure
84. Shoolin: One who has a trident
85. Shrikant: Of glorious neck
86. Shrutiprakash: Illuminator of the Vedas
87. Shuddhavigrah: One who has a pure body
88. Skandaguru: Preceptor of the Skanda
89. Someshwar: Lord of all Gods
90. Sukhad: Bestower of happiness
91. Suprit: Well pleased
92. Suragana: Having Gods as attendants
93. Sureshwar: Lord of all Gods
94. Swayambhu: Self-manifested
95. Tejaswani: One who spreads illumination
96. Trilochan: Three-eyed Lord
97. Trilokpati: Master of all the three worlds
98. Tripurari: Enemy of Tripura
99. Trishoolin: One who has a trident in his hands
100. Umapati: Consort of Uma
101. Vachaspati: Lord of speech
102. Vajrahast: One who has a thunderbolt in his hands
103. Varad: Granter of boons
104. Vedakarta: Originator of the Vedas
105. Veerabhadra: Supreme Lord of the Nether World
106. Vishalaksha: Wide-eyed Lord
107. Vishveshwar: Lord of the Universe
108. Vrishavahan: One who has the bull as his vehicle

What to do on Mahashivratri day (???????????? ?? ??? ???? ????)

Mahashivratri is the day to honor and celebrate Shiva-honor’s life and celebrate existence. Most people spend the day of Mahashivratri in prayer, meditation, and celebration. Here are a few activities you could participate in:

Observe Fast (????? ????)

Fasting detoxifies the body and curtails the restlessness of the mind. A mind that is not restless slips into meditation easily. Therefore, fasting on Mahashivratri serves to detoxify the body and aid meditation. It is recommended to fast with fruits or easily digestible food.

Meditate (????? ????)

The constellations on the night of Mahashivratri are in a position considered very auspicious for meditation, and so, it is very useful for people to keep awake and meditate on Mahashivratri. In ancient times, people used to say, ‘If you cannot meditate every day, do so at least one day in a year, on this pious day; keep awake and do meditation’. Wake the Divinity that is deep within you – this is the message. The Divinity is within you, let it wake up!

Chant the Mantra – Om Siddheshwaray Namaha (|| ?? ???????????? ??? || ????? ?? ??? ????)

‘Om Siddheshwaray Namaha’ is the perfect mantra to chant on Mahashivratri as it immediately elevates your energy.

‘Om’ in the mantra refers to the sound of the universe. It means peace and love. The five letters, ‘Si’, ‘Ddhe’, ‘Sh’, ‘Va’, ‘Ray’ indicate the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether.

The easiest way to chant is to continue chanting within mind the day before you go to sleep, which will also help you sleep troublefree as well as the mantra chanting will continue even during sleep hours. The next day i.e. on Mahashivratri, the same mantra can be chanted even while working, doing household work, or any activity undertaken but also visit some Shiv Temple and avail the benefits of Darshana.

Attend Puja/Rudra Puja/Mahayadnya (???? / ????? ???? / ??????? ??? ??? ???)

Rudra Puja or Mahashivratri Puja is a special ceremony performed to honor Shiva. It involves singing of special Vedic mantras accompanied by certain rituals. Rudra Puja brings positivity and purity to the environment and transforms negative emotions. Participating in the Puja and listening to the chants helps the mind slip into meditation effortlessly.

Worship the Shivalinga (??????? ?? ???? ????)

The Shivalinga is a symbolic representation of the formless Shiva. Worshipping the Shivalinga includes offering ‘Bel Patra’ (leaves of the bel tree) to it. Offering ‘Bel Patra’ represents offering three aspects of your being – rajas (the aspect of you that is responsible for activity), tamas (the aspect of you that brings inertia) and sattva (the aspect of you that brings positivity, peace, and creativity). These three aspects affect your mind and actions. Surrendering the three to the Divine brings peace and freedom.

Mahashivratri and Tantra (???????????? ?? ?????)

Mahashivratri is considered the day when Adiyogi or the first guru awakened his consciousness at the material level of existence. According to Tantra, at this stage of consciousness, no objective experience takes place and the mind is transcended. The meditator transcends time, space and causation. It is regarded as the brightest night of the soul when the Yogi attains the state of Shoonya or Nirvana, the stage succeeding Samadhi or illumination.

Mahashivratri festival in India (???? ??? ???????????? ????)

The major Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India, such as in Varanasi and Somanatha, are particularly frequented on Mahashivratri. They serve also as sites for fairs and special events.

Mahashivratri festival in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana (????? ?????? ?? ???????? ??? ???????????? ????)

In Andhra and Telangana, Shivratri Yatras are held at:

• Mallayya gutta near Kambhalapalle
• Gundlakamma Kona near Railway Koduru
• Penchalakona
• Bhairavakona
• Uma Maheswaram amongst others

Special Pujas are held at Pancharamas – Amararamam of Amaravati, Somaramam of Bhimavaram, Draksharamam, Kumararama of Samarlakota and Ksheerarama of Palakollu. The days immediately after Shivratri are celebrated as Brahmotsavaalu at Srisailam, one of 12 Jyotirlinga sites.

Mahashivratri Utsavalu are held at the Rudreshwara Swamy’s 1000 pillar temple in Warangal. Devotees throng for the special poojas at Srikalahasti, Mahanandi, Yaganti, Antarvedi, Kattamanchi, Pattiseema, Bhairavakona, Hanmakonda, Keesaragutta, Vemulawada, Panagal, Kolanupaka amongst others.

Mahashivratri festival in Himachal Pradesh (?????? ?????? ??? ???????????? ????)

The Mandi fair is in the town of Mandi is particularly famous as a venue for Mahashivratri celebrations. It transforms the town as devotees pour in. It is believed that all Gods and Goddesses of the area, said to number more than 200, assemble here on the day of Mahashivratri. Mandi, located on the banks of Beas, is popularly known as the “Cathedral of Temples” and one of the oldest towns of Himachal Pradesh, with about 81 temples of different Gods and Goddesses on its periphery.

Mahashivratri festival in Kashmir (?????? ??? ???????????? ????)

In Kashmir Shaivism, Mahashivratri is celebrated by the Brahmins of Kashmir and is called, “Herath” in Kashmiri, a word derived from the Sanskrit word “Hararatri” the “Night of Hara” (another name of Shiva). Shivratri, regarded as the most important festival of the community, for instance, is celebrated by them on Trayodashi or the thirteenth of the dark half of the month of Phalguna (February–March) and not on Chaturdashi or the fourteenth as in the rest of the country. The reason for it is that this long drawn festival that is celebrated for one full fortnight as an elaborate ritual is associated with the appearance of Bhairava (Shiva) as a Jwala-linga or a linga of flame.

Mahashivratri festival in Maharashtra (?????????? ??? ???????????? ????)

Shaktidata, Pune is a pious place wherein Siddha Temple is established by Dr. Swami Hardas and various Pujas and Hawana, Homa, Mahaydnya are being performed regularly for the benefits of the devotees and betterment of the whole world. One among them is Siddheshwar Mahaydnya and Siddheswar Siddha Puja. Thousands of devotees avail of the benefits on this auspicious day of Mahashivratri.

Mahashivratri festival in Central India (???? ???? ??? ???????????? ????)

Central India has a large number of Shaiva followers. The Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain is one of the most venerated shrines consecrated to Shiva, where a large congregation of devotees gathers to offer prayers on the day of Mahashivratri. Tilwara Ghat in the city of Jabalpur and the Math Temple in the village of Jeonara, Seoni are two other places where the festival is celebrated with much religious fervor.

Mahashivratri festival in Punjab (????? ??? ???????????? ????)

In Punjab, Shobha Yatras would be organized by various Hindu organizations in different cities. It is a grand festival for Punjabi Hindus.

Mahashivratri festival in Gujarat (?????? ??? ???????????? ????)

In Gujarat, Mahashivratri Mela is held at Junagadh where bathing in the Murghi kund is considered holy. According to myth, Lord Shiva himself comes to bath in the Murghi kund.

Mahashivratri festival in West Bengal (?????? ????? ??? ???????????? ????)

In West Bengal, Mahashivratri is observed devoutly by unmarried girls seeking a suitable husband, often visiting Tarakeswar.

Mahashivratri Stories and Beliefs (???????????? ?? ???????? ?? ???????)

There are several stories and beliefs associated with this auspicious event. One among includes:

Samudra Manthan (??????? ????)

It is believed that on this particular day Lord Shiva gulped the Halahala produced during Samudra Manthan and beheld it in his neck which bruised and turned blue, after which he was named as Neelkanth. It is also believed that the famous Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is the place where this incident took place or where Lord Shiva consumed the poison as Dark matter and saved the universe.

Mahashivratri in Nepal (????? ??? ????????????)

Mahashivratri is a National Holiday in Nepal and celebrated widely in temples all over the country, but especially in the Pashupatinath temple. Thousands of devotees visit the famous Shiva Shakti Peetham nearby as well. Artists from various classical music and dance forms perform through the night.

On Mahashivratri, married women pray for the well being of their husbands, while unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, considered as the ideal husband. Shiva is also worshipped as the Adi Guru (first teacher) from whom the divine wisdom originates.

Mahashivratri in Pakistan (????????? ??? ????????????)

Mahashivratri Outside South Asia (???????????? ?????? ????? ?? ????)

Mahashivratri is the main Hindu festival among the Shaiva Hindu diaspora from Nepal and India. In Indo-Caribbean communities, thousands of Hindus spend the beautiful night in over four hundred temples across the country, offering special jhalls (an offering of milk and curd, flowers, sugarcane, and sweets) to Lord Shiva. In Mauritius, Hindus go on pilgrimage to Ganga Talao, a crater-lake.

Reference:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maha_Shivaratri
• https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/what-to-do-on-mahashivratri/
• https://www.mahashivratri.org/different-names-of-lord-shiva.html