Maha Shiva Ratri

The night of Fagun Krishnapancha Chaturdashi Tithi is called Shivaratri, which according to English calender is in the month of February. It is the main festival celebrated by the Hindus to offer their homage and worship to Lord Shiv a, who is considered to be one of the three greatest powers of the universe. That is why there are abundant descriptions of his powers not only in vedic literature but also in many other renowned literatures of the world. Shivaratri is being celebrated since vedic period.

Unlike other Hindu Gods who can be worshipped timing day time, Lord Shiva is strictly to be worshipped only at night because he is considered to be the symbol of Sahar Shakti and Tamogoon meaning inaction and dormancy of human energy as they are subjected to at 1\'1~hl when they falls asleep. Tamogoon symbolises darkness. With the fall of darkness energy in human
Being slakens and they feel sleepy and desire for deep slumber. That is why the deity associated with, should always be worshipped in the darkness of the night.

The other reason why Maha Shiva ratri is celebrated on the night nearing new moon is because nights on those days• are darker because of the waning phase of the moon when it reflects lesser light at night casting a substantial effect on earth. It is because, moon is considered to be the planet that controls human mind and it is believed that the waning phase of the moon makes mind weaker and acts as a stimulator thereby enhancing the chances of unexpected and unforeseen events to take place during this phase of the moon. This " effect of the moon is often linked with as the haunting of the ghosts or some other evil spirits at night.

It is because of this fact and in order to ward off ill effects of such Tomogoon and to make the entire atmosphere free and clean, Lord Shiva, who possesses the power to control evil spirits, is worshipped in the darkness of the night with great enthusiasm and reverence. Shiva ratri can be considered as very much scientific because, it is a preventive measure taken against evil powers of the darkness. And the reason why Shiv a ratri is celebrated only in the month of Fagun i.e. in the month of February and not in other months also has a definite explanation.

According to Bikram Sambat (era) the eleventh month is Fagun and Rudra, the embodiment of Lord Shiva is believed to embody eleven different forms. That is why there is the reference of Ekadashi Rudra in Hindu scripture.

The other reason for the observance of Maha Shiva Ratri in the eleventh month of the year is that, this month also has the effect of winter season. The winter season represents the weathered, dull and drab nature which is considered to be like the nature of Rudra. Therefore, it is not just whims and sweet will but a concrete reason that lie behind in celebrating Maha Shiv a Ratri in the eleventh month of the year.

Among the deities, like the peaks of the Himalayas, Mount Kailash has its importance because it is considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva, the greatest of all Gods, that is why Lord Shiva is also known as Mahadeo and the festival associated with him as Maha Shiva Ratri.

On the day of Maha Shiva Ratri, Lord Shiv a is worshipped and paid homage by all dedicated Hindus in all Shiva Temples and other places of worship. Along with Lord Shiva, Mata Parvati is also worshipped on this auspicious day by offering them sandal paste as tika, fruits, bail leaf, intoxicants etc. Shiva Lingam, the phalic symbol of Lord Shiva is bathed with water and milk. Among the prominent temples where Maha Shiva Ratri is celebrated with full fever and reverence are the Amarnath of Kashmir, Pashupatinath of Nepal, Kedarnath of UP, Rameshwar of Tamil Nadu, Somnath of Gujarat and the Baijnath of Bihar.

Shiva or Shankar means one who does good to all. He is believed to dwell in the vicinity of cemetery and smears ash all over his body and advocates repudiation of meterialistic World, Shiva is both the destroyer and the preserver of life. In every destruction there is new creation, in other words where there is death there is rebirth. When a seed falls from the tree on the ground a new tree with many more seeds come up thereby continuing the progenity of creation on earth. Shiva symbolises this aspect of nature. He destroys the old world and creates a new one. Death is important for rebirth and to replace the old with the new. Therefore, Lord Shiv a symbolises the practical aspect of nature.

The devotees of Shiva are known as Shaivces. Shaivees sport three lines on their forehead and other parts of their body either with sandal paste or with ash. The meaning behind this is that the world one day would be as worthless as ash, therefore, to derive the information that one should not waste his valuable life only in going after materialistic world, which in the long run will surely turn out to be only an illusion, the lines with ash is drawn on the forehead. The family members of Lord Shiva have taken different animals as their individual means of conveyance such as lion by Parvati Devi, mouse by Lord Ganesh, peacock by Lord Kartik and a bull by Lord Shiva and although there is snake round the neck of Lord Shiva yet the mouse nearby is not unsafe. The Lion and the bull are at case with each other. In other words, all these animals and birds, although, and of different nature and temperament are in complete, harmony and unison with each other under the guidance and supervision of their master Lord Shiva. Even if Shiva consumes poisons himself he carries the' blessed portion, like the moon and the Ganga for others. These things imply that only if we manage to co-ordinate and harmonize the contradictory things and aspects of nature, like Lord Shiva have done, we will be able to do good and justice to the world in the real sense of the term.

In order to remove darkness light is needed, and to supress the materilistic desire spiritual strength is needed. Therefore, the need to remain awaken in the night of Shiva ratri necessitated in order to drive away the evil effect and to light a candle to brighten up our life. With this intention the need to remain awaken is considered important during Shiva Ratri.

Lord Shiva was self originated and is omnicient and omnipresent, and as words and meanings go together and are inseperable so are Shiva and Parvati. Among the five essential elements Lord Shiva is water, that is why, water is offered to him. He is the greatest of all Gods, he is called Mahadeo and witch doctors pandits, fortune tellers etc. all take oath in the ntll1W of Shiva and Parvati.

The myth, as contained in Shivapuran, regarding I he origin of Shiva Ratri is as such.
Once a hunter goes out for hunting and as night falls he decides to spend the night in the jungle itself. He rltlllbs up a tree for safety. Fortunately the tree happens to be a bail tree grown near a pond that had a Shiva linga near by. The hunter when turns around in his sleep makes the bail leaves fall, some of which accidentally land upon the Shiva linga beneath, with the setting in of the dawn adoe comes grazing under the bail tree. On seeing the animal the hunter sets his arrow ready to shoot  at it but the doc requests the hunter to spare her life till she feeds her babies and promises to return back immediately after. With similar pleas few group of deer and doe disappear into the jungle. After sometimes all of them return and ask the hunter to kill them. But after having spent a sleepless night and having accidentally offered bail leaf on the Shiva linga, the hunter had unawarely grown religious so his mind fills with pity and generosity and he free all the animals and spare their lives

It shows that Shiva Ratri, even when observed unknowingly, bestows ample of blessings upon the individual, so the question of blessings does not, at all, arise when one' observes Shiv a Ratri with true reverence and whole heartedly, Maha Shiva Ratri, therefore, is a great Indian festival which is annually celebrated with much enthusiasm and true reverence throughout the country.