GIRI SPECIALS

MAHA SHIVARATHRI SPECIALS

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!

		Maha ShivaRathri is the festival of Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated in the month of Magha (falling in Feb-Mar), on the Bahula Chaturdasi day (fourteenth day after the full moon), during the night. In fact, there is one such Chaturdasi day in each of the twelve months, which are referred to as Masa Shiva Rathri (meaning Shiva Rathri of the month). However, various reasons are cited in mythologies for celebrating this festival only in the month of Magha.
It is said that on the midnight of Bahula Chaturdasi in the month of Magha, Lord Shiva took the form of the great Linga (cylindrical shape whose top surface is concave). This midnight time, called the Lingodbhava time (meaning the birth time of the Linga), is the time when the Lord is worshipped.
Another reason which is considered as most commonly accepted myth is that Lord Shiva became Neelkantham by swallowing the deadly poison that came up from the ocean during the churning of "Kshir Sagar". The poison was so deadly that even a drop in His stomach, which represents the universe, would have annihilated the entire world. Hence, He held it in His neck, which turned blue due to the effect of poison. Shivratri is therefore also a day of thanksgiving to the Lord for protecting us from annihilation.
On the night of Shivaratri, devotees observe vigil and spend their time in worship, japa, meditation, singing hymns and bhajans and also do fasting etc. and thus try to unite their minds with the Divine Lord for Salvation.