MAHASHIVASRATRI

 

MAHASHIVARATRI

Mahashivratri is  one of the significant festivals of the Hindus. It is celebrated annually in India and Nepal, in honour of Lord Shiva.

It is believed that  Shivratri  is celebrated as the day when Lord Shiva  saved the world from the poison that emerged from the ocean during Samudhra Manthan.

Shivaratri means the " Great  night

Of Lord Shiva ".

Samudhra Manthan

The Samudhra Manthan  has a very important role in the  in the Hindu mythology.

The Samudhra Manthan was a battle between the asuras and the Devas( evil and good)  .  In this battle the asuras gained victory over the Devas. Disheartened ,the Devas  went to Lord Vishnu for advise. Lord Vishnu  advised them to get the nectar  from beneath the ocean to become mortal.

For this , the Ocean had to be churned and this could not be done alone.So the Devas joined hands with the asuras , who agreed for a mutual benefit. The mountain and  Vasuki , the king of the snakes were used. (The serpent who sat on Lord Shiva's neck).

The Ocean was churned for several  thousand years. After a lot of effort the first thing that came out was poison. The Devas and Asuras sensed the danger and knew that only Lord Shiva could  save them.

Lord Shiva drank all the poison  and saved them. Meanwhile Goddess Parwati, wife of Shiva was worried that the poison would spread  in his body. She  held his throat to stop the poison from spreading, for one day and night.This is why Lord Shiva turned blue.

 

On this day  Lord Shiva is worshipped and fasts are kept . Prayers are chanted. Many visit the temples  and offer flowers,milk, water, mango leaves, peepal,tulsi and bel  too are said to be auspicious to offer to the Shivalinga and chant Om Namo Shivay. It is believed that chanting  of the mantras infuse  positive energy  and helps to get rid of negative one. One finds inner peace by chanting this mantra. It can be considered a stress buster in the modern times.

                  The Shivling  - Flowers and leaves offered here.

                  India is a land of temples and Lord Shiva's temple are found in every city and town. 

Some of the most famous Shiv temples in India are the

1. Amarnath Temple- Jammu and Kashmir

It is situated in Anantnag. Annual pilgrimage centre.

2. KEDARNATH TEMPLE

Situated in Utharakhand. 

Built by the Pandavas, near the Mandakini river.

Holiest of the Hindu Shrines.

One of the 12 jyotirlingas.

3. Kashivishwanath Temple -

 Varanasi

Located on the banks of river Ganga, it is one of the oldest  temples of Lord Shiva. People all over the world visit the temple. It is believed that visiting once in life time  can attain moksha.

4. Somnath Temple

The Somnath Temple is located in the Saurashtra region of the west coast of Gujarat. It is one of the first Jyotirlinga temple. It is one of the major tourist destination , dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Somnath means - The Shrine of the Eternal . 

 5.  The Mahakaleshwar temple is located at ujjain, on the banks of the rivers Shipra in  Madhya Pradesh. It is also one of the most famous of Shiv temples. 

The rich glory and heritage of these temples is  worth the visit. It gives a sense of spirituality. 

To sum up I would add  verse that describes the real meaning of Shivratri-