‘Mahashivratri’ – As the name itself says, is the day of
Lord Shiva. We can break it up into three words – ‘Maha’ meaning Great, ‘Shiv’
meaning Lord Shiva, and ‘Ratri’ meaning night. Therefore, the word
‘Mahashivratri’ means the great night of worshipping Lord Shiva. This is the
most important day for all those who believe in and pray to Lord Shiva. It is
the biggest festival for Shiva devotees.
What is the
legend behind Mahashivratri?
There is not one, but two important legends associated with
this great day.
Samudra Mathan – The ‘Samudra Mathan’ is a very well-known
legend of Hinduism, wherein the churning of the oceans resulted in the emerging
of a pot of poison that could destroy the world. This is why to save the world,
Lord Shiva drank the poison from the pot, which was then held up in his throat.
This is why he is also known as ‘Neelkantha’ and is greatly worshipped on this
day revering him for what he did.
Shiv-Parvati wedding – Another common legend associated with
this day is that it is the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati, thus
marking their union. This is why it is not Lord Shiva alone, but also Goddess
Parvati who is worshipped on this day in every Shiva temple.
What do
devotees do on Mahashivratri?
There are various ways in which devotees can please Lord
Shiva on this day.
Through ‘Abhishek’
– Devotees are seen to be cleansing the Shivlinga in Shiva temples on this day
with milk and water. They then apply vermillion paste and adorn the Shivlinga
with wood apple or belpatra. Incense sticks and lamps are them lighted, and
fruits are offered to the Lord. All this is done to please Lord Shiva so that
he can bless his devotees with materialistic pleasures.
Through fasting – The devotees of Lord Shiva observe fast on
this day, where they are constrained from consuming certain types of foods.
There are some who keep a Nirjara Vrat, meaning they have nothing for the
entire day – not even water! Others observe fast where they can drink only
water. And then there are others who observe fast where they can consume only
milk, fruits and sago. Fasting in any of these ways with complete faith and
devotion helps attain the blessings of Lord Shiva, and also helps one get rid
of all past sins. Married women observe this fast for peace and prosperity of
her family members, and longevity of her husband. On the other hand, single
women do so for getting a husband like Lord Shiva himself.
Through meditation – Lord Shiva is considered as a great
practitioner of meditation. On the night of Mahashivratri, the position of the
celestial bodies in the Northern Hemisphere is said to encourage spiritual
energy of humans to extreme levels. So, those following the path of
spiritualism, meditate all night long to seek enlightenment of the soul and
blessings of the Lord.
Whatever your reason may be, and whichever way you decide to
please Lord Shiva, but if you are a true Shiva devotee, you must conduct the
holy Mahashivratri Puja. MakeMyPuja Pujaris will help you conduct this Puja in
the most righteous manner to attain the blessings of the Lord so that you are
blessed with peace, prosperity and harmony all your life.
Website: https://www.makemypuja.com/
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