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·
LORD
SHIVA AND SIVAARATRI
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VRAT OR FASTS
How God and the Gods Help Us
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Visiting
a Hindu temple, receiving the Shakti from the majestic Gods of our
religion, can all together change the life of an individual. It alters the flow of the pranas or life currents within his
body.
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Shakti coming from the great temples of our Gods can change
the patterns of karma dating back many past lives, clearing and clarifying
conditions that were created hundreds of years ago and are but seeds now,
waiting to manifest in the future.
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If
a temple or shrine is not available for worship, then it is possible to
establish a communication with the Deity through visualization. Take for
example, Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed governor of nature, dharma, science
and knowledge.
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Worship
of Lord Ganesh is immediate; to think of His form is to contact Him. Close your
eyes for a second & visualize His murthi or form.
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According
to Vedas, to worship of Lord Vishnu in the Morning and Lord Shiva in the evening
Especially during Pradosh Kaala is highly beneficial to the Sadhaka.
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When the 12th tithi (Dwaadashi) in
Krishna Paksha or Shukla Paksha ends before midnight.
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When the 6th tithi (Shashti) ends before 1.5 Prahara (one
Prahara is equal to ¼ duration of night) of night or 3rd (Tritiya)
Tithi ends before 1 Prahara of Night, it is called Pradosh.
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But
generally people observe Pradosh Vrat on every Trayodashi tithi (i.e. 13th
lunar day falling in Krishna and Shukla Pakshas) during Sandhya Kaala (ie.
During or after sunset).
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The
Lord of 13th Trayodashi Tithi is Kaama Deva whereas the Lord of the
succeeding Tithi i.e. 14th Chaturdashi is Lord Rudra (Shiva) himself.
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The
14th day of the dark half of every month – is called Sivaratri or
Masa – sivaratri.
The
one in the month of Magh (Feb-Mar) is called Mahasivaratri, since it is the
greatest of all.
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The
origin of Mahasivaaratri as per Puranas
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When
Brahma and Vishnu were disputing each other’s greatness to establish their own
supremacy, a huge Linga or pillar of fire appeared suddenly that who ever finds
the starting or ending point of this Linga would be the greatest of all.
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Neither
of them succeeded and was hence obliged to accept the greatness of Siva who had
manifested as that pillar of light. This was the origin of Sivalinga and
Mahasivarati. It
is also attributed as being the day of marriage of Siva with Parvati.
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The
other example of the Siva’s Greatness
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Siva
Mahadeva, drank the halahala poison
that emerged out of the milky ocean (ksirasagara)
when it was being churned by devas and the danavas (gods and demons), and thus
saved the worlds from destruction.
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This
Vrat is open to all human beings. The basic disciplines to be kept up on this
day are:
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1.
Ahimasa (non-injury)
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2.Satya
(speaking the truth)
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3.Brahmacarya(continence)
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4.
Daya (compassion)
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5.
Ksama (forgiveness)
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6.
Anasuyata (Jealousy).
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Fasting
is one of the most essential aspects of this Vrat. So
also jagarana or keeping vigil in the night.
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Worship
of Siva throughout the night, bathing the Sivaalinga with pancamrta (five tasty
things – milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey), homa, japa of the mulamantra
(basic mantra – Aum Namah Sivaaya) and prayer for forgiveness are the other
items involved in its observance.
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The
person can then, at the end of Vrat, do parana (breaking the fast by partaking
of the offerings)
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One
may take a vow to observe this Vrat 24 or 14 or 12 years. At the end of this
period the person has to perform the udyapana, a concluding rite indicating the
completion of the vow.
Fasting,
visiting Siva temples and keeping awake in the night are common.
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