Maha Shivratri

 

What is Shivratri

              Mahashivratri or Shivaratri is an important religious ritual for the Hindu Shiva community. This Mahashivratri is celebrated on the fourteenth Tithi of the Black Part (Krishna Paksha) of the month of Phalgun (February month). Mahashivaratri is the most adorable God Mahadev of Hinduism, the Great Night of Shiva. This vow is celebrated to remove darkness and ignorance. Countless devotees worship Shivling with Ganges water, milk, bel leaves, bel fruit, flowers etc.

Explanation

                  On the eve of the vow day, the devotees eat vegetarian. They lie in the ground not in bed at night. On the vow-day, they are fasting. Then in the night, Shivling was bathed with milk, curd, ghee, honey, and Ganges water. Then worship is done with flowers like Bel leaves, Nilkantha flower, Dhutura, Akanda flower, Aparajita flower. And 'Oh Namah Shivay' this maha-mantra is chanted for 108 times. The whole night was awakened and worship of Shiva's vow-speech, the mantra was performed. Twelve Jyotirlingas of India, as well as all the Shiva temples, perform this puja. The Great Night is usually held in February or March of the English month.

              According to the Hindu Mahapurana, Shiva Mahapurana, Shiva danced the Great Tantav of creation, status, and destruction in this night. Shiva and Parvati have married again this night. The deeper meaning of it is the union/couple of Shiva and Adi-Shakti, as well as the male and the primordial power. In this Mahashivratri, Shiva gave the path to destroy sin and liberation to the creature by appearing in the form of his Symbol Ling as well as Shivling.

       Twelve Jyotirlingas of India, and also Somnath, Mallikarjun, Mahakaleshwar, Onkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimshankar, Vishwaswar, Trayambakeshwar, Baidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwar and Ghushmeshwar,  all devotees present and worship at the time of Mahashivratri ceremony.

            It is worshipped all night and given offerings which are believed to have a sense of their own: 

1. Bathing the Shiva Linga with Ganges water, milk, honey, and bel leaves reflects the soul's sanitation.
2. Applied vermilion paste on the Shiva Linga is symbolic of a positive function.
3. Fruit offering reflects a long life and desire fulfillment.
4. Sticks of burning incense symbolize wealth.
5. The lamp's illumination implies information gain.

              The three horizontal stripes of holy ash that Lord Shiva's worshippers applied to the forehead are called tripundra. These lines symbolize spiritual knowledge, innocence, and fingertip.
Significance  

               The greatest Vaisnavab and Vaishnavi are father Bholanath (Lord Shiva) and mother Vaishnavi (Goddess Parbati). Lord Shiva always takes Hari Naam, Krishna names in His five heads (Panchanan) - He actually knows the meaning of the Krishna Name, even does not know Maharshi Narad himself. Always sitting in meditation & remembering the Name. He belongs to Tama of Swattagun. He destroys the evil spirit of our mind and creates the universe again in the same way. Understanding devotees will understand. So its symbol is shown as Linga.