Transcript MAHASHIVARATHRI

MAHASHIVARATHRI
NIGHT DEDICATED TO
LORD SHIVA
SIGNIFICANCE
• CELEBRATED ALL OVER INDIA
• MOST AUSPICIOUS DAY FOR SHIVA’S
DEVOTEES
• SHRISTI……CREATION……BRAMHA
• STHITHI……MAINTAIN……VISHNU
• LAYA……DISSOLUTION…..SHIVA
• ALSO RHYTHM….NATARAJA
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• Om Tryambhakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam |
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat
• Om. We worship The Three-Eyed Lord Shiva who is fragrant and
who increasingly nourishes the devotees. Worshipping him may we
be liberated from death for the sake of immortality just as the ripe
cucumber easily separates itself from the binding stalk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClxgIS-_X_g
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• The Lord in the form of Shivalinga
• worshipped by offering “Abhisheka” (sacred
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bath) each three hours period of night.
Archana is performed with “bilva” leaves to
invoke His grace.
Shivarathri is an important day for spiritual
seekers.
Lord Shiva is an embodiment of renunciation.
the seekers committed to pursuit of divine
knowledge.
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• In the second half of the (Krishna Paksha) of every
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Lunar month, the fourteenth day is dedicated to the
worship of Lord Shiva.
Shivarathri is celebrated in the month of Maagha the
11th Lunar month.
This Shivaraathri is called Maha Shivarathri.
This occurs in February or March.
The celebrations take place mainly in the evening and
night.
JYOTHIRLINGA
• The twelve Jyotirlingas are located in
twelve holy places in India and
symbolically in all Shiva temples. The Lord
who is believed to be manifested in the
form of light is worshipped as “Jyotirlinga:
JYOTHIRLINGA
• 1) Ramanatha temple at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
• 2) Mallikarjuneswara temple on the banks of the Krishna
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river at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh
3) Bheema Sankara temple at Daakini, near Poona in
Maharashtra,
4) Tryambakeswara temple on the banks of the Godavari
River near Nasik in Maharashtra,
5) *Gusmeswara temple near Aurangabad in
Maharashtra,
6) Omkaareswara temple on the banks of Narmada river
at Amaleswar in Madhya Pradesh,
JYOTHIRLINGA
• 7) Somanath temple at Somanath in Gujarat,
• 8) Naaganatha temple at Daarukavana near Dwaraka in
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Gujarat,
9) Mahakaaleswara temple on the banks of the Kshipra
river at Ujjain
10) Kedareswara temple in Kedarnath in Uttarachal
11) Kaasi Viswanath temple at Banares in Uttra Pradesh
12) Vaidyanatheswara temple near Jaisidh in Bihar
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• Devotees visit Shiva temples, specifically
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Jyotirlinga temples to seek the blessings of the
Lord on Mahashivarathri.
Observe a strict fast and
keep awake the whole night, chanting with
devotion,
the Pancha-akshara mantra (five letter
chanthing)
“Om Namaha Shivaaya”.
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• The most important in Mahashivarathri is
• Fasting…symbolically controlling of
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desires…Abstinence..
Abhisheka…symbolically purifying the BodyMind-Spirit
Jagaran…symbolicall awareness…Vigil and
control
Pancha-Akshara…symbolically for concentration
and focus on the Great Almighty
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• ALL ORNAMENTS WORN BY SHIVA IS
SYMBOLIC
• THREE CHARACTER TRAITS
• SATHVIKA
• RAJASIKA
• THAMASIKA
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• PANCHAMRUTHA
• PANCHA-AKSHARA JAPA
• Bathing of Shivalinga with water, milk and honey and wood apple or
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bel leaves added to it, represents purification of the soul.
The vermilion paste applied on the linga after the ritual bath
represents virtue.
Offering of fruits symbolizes longevity and gratification of desires.
Burning of incense sticks yields wealth.
The lighting of the lamp symbolizes attainment of knowledge.
Offering of betel leaves marks satisfaction with worldly pleasures
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• FOOD AFTER UPAVAS
• PHALA-AHARA
• FRUITS
• FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ALL OVER INDIA
• NORTH TO SOUTH AND OUTSIDE INDIA
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• The two great natural forces that afflict man are Rajas
(the quality of passionate activity) and Tamas (that of
inertia). The Shivaratri Vrata aims at the perfect control
of these two. The entire day is spent at the Feet of the
Lord. Continuous worship of the Lord necessitates the
devotee's constant presence in the place of worship.
Motion is controlled. Evils like lust, anger, and jealousy,
born of Rajas are ignored and subdued. The devotee
observes vigil throughout the night and thus conquers
Tamas also. Constant vigilance is imposed on the mind.
Every three hours a round of worship of the Shiva
Lingam is conducted. Shivaratri is a perfect Vrata.
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• Saathvik Guna recognized by:
• Fearlessness, pure heartedness,
discrimination of spirit and matter, charity,
self-restraint, austerity, uprightness, nonviolence, truthfulness, aversion to fault
finding, compassion to all being, absence
of avarice (insatiable desire for wealth),
gentleness, modesty and determination
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• Rajo guna qualities are:
• Maintain the action, change and mutation
passion excitement, birth, creation and
generation—If a person with
preponderance of Rajo guna is extremely
active and passionate
MAHASHIVARATHRI
• Tamo guna qualities are:
• Inactivity, darkness, laziness, inertia,
negative, dull, slow, delusion, ignorance.
• A balance of Tamo-Rajo to become a
saatvika.