Maha Shivaratri Festival - Om Namah Shivaya

in hinduism •  6 years ago 

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Story behind Maha Shivaratri

  • Maha Shivaratri is one of the biggest festival of Hindus celebrated annually in honour of the Lord Shiva.
  • A smaller version of the celebration, simply called Shivaratri, takes place every month on the day before the new moon, i.e Masa Shivaratri.
  • Maha Shivaratri takes place from the 13th night to the 14th day of the Hindu calendar month of Magha (February or March).

Significance of Maha Shivaratri

  • Lord Shiva is also called Adiyogi or Adi Guru.
  • Maha Shivaratri holds special importance among yogis.
  • Maha Shivaratri is called "the Great Night of Shiva". God Sadashiva appeared in the form of "Lingodbhava Murthy" exactly at midnight.
  • Shivaratri is also considered as the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Matha Parvathi.
  • It is also believed that it was on Maha Shivaratri, that Lord Shiva performed tandava, a cosmic dance that signifies creation, destruction, support and grace.

Benefits of worship and mode of worshiping.

  • During this day, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, after wearing fresh new clothes, devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingam with milk, honey, water etc.
  • Shiva's devotees chant mantras & offer prayers in the temple. They fast during the day until the morning of the next day.
  • Shivaratri is considered auspicious especially for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands, unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.
  • On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shiva Lingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of "OmNamah Shivaya" and ringing of temple bells
  • Nightlong jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples, jagran is performed in honour of various Hindu goddesses (Devi), * Shiva Devotees worship the deity throughout night by singing bhajans, reciting aarti and listening to legends of the deity, where large number of devotees spend the night singing devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva.

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6 years ago by

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