MAHA SHIVARATRI HISTORY, SIGNIFICANCE, BRAHMOTSAV AT SRIKALAHASTI
The Maha Shivaratri is an important festival among Hindus. The (Majority)People of India worship God Shiva on this day. As per Calander, there is a Shivaratri in every month. That comes to twelve Shiva Ratri in a year. Shiva Ratri means "the night of God Shiva". But Maha Shivaratri comes only once in a year. The Maha Shiva Ratri falls on Magha Bahula Chaturdashi when Moon enters in Lord Shiva's birth star Arudra, falls on 21st Feb, 2020. As per Shiva Purana, Lord Shiva transformed into the shape of Linga on Maha Shiva Ratri.
On this auspicious day, devotees worship Lord Shiva by chanting "Ome Namah Shivaya" and visiting Shiva temples. After wake up early in the morning, having a head bath, wearing traditional clothes, devotees rush into visit Lord Shiva Temples for darshan and abhisheka. Several devotees bring leaves of BilvaPatra, fresh cow milk, honey, panchamruta and coconut as offerings to God Shiva.
Many Devotees perform Upavasa Deeksha (No Diet/ Fasting) and Jagarana Deeksha (sleepless night) by chanting "Ome Namah Shivaya" all night. Youngsters spend the night by playing different games and watching movies and television shows.
MAHA SHIVA RATRI HISTORY :
There are many stories available in Puranas. The best-known stories are as follows.
KSHEERA SAGARA MADHANA :
During the churning of the Ocean(Ksheera Sagara Mdahana) by the Angles(Devatas) and Demons(Rakshas), Several items were found. One of them is a Pot of Poison. The Poison had the power of spoiling the entire universe. Then Angles and Demons were confused and worried about decomposing the poison. All of them rushed in a hurry to God Shiva and urged his help. Then Lord Shiva drank the poison to save the entire universe from its destructive effects and saved the entire universe.
In order to reduce the effect of the poison on God Shiva, the angles and demons danced the entire night and made God Shiva awake entire the night. The effect of poison (kalakoota visha) did not harm God Shiva but made his neck dark blue. That is why God Shiva is known as "Neelakhanta". So the great night that saved the universe is celebrated as a grand festival "Maha Shiv Ratri".
HUNTER GETTING SHIVA DARSHAN:
Another storytelling about the occurrence of Maha Shiva Ratri (Great Night of God Shiva) is the hunter who found shiva linga. A sharp hunter who lived in a mountain valley(Gudem/Thanda) near a thick forest, used to hunt an animal daily for his family as food. One day he went into the forest for bringing food. He did not sight any animal or bird on that day. The hunter worried and went deeper and deeper. But the result is negative and he found the forest became dark as the night entered. He became worried again and he thought he could not return safely. Moreover, he heard the screams of wild animals. He became fearful after screams. Keeping in view of the risk he climbed a tree. Out of fear, he extracted the leaves of the tree one by one and dropped them after chanting the name of god shiva. He did this till the sunrise. When the sun rose, Shiva appeared to the hunter and blessed him to enter shivalokam. The Hunter Got Shiva darshan because he unknowingly performed the rituals of Shivaratri. The Hunter climbed the bel-fruit tree(bilva vruksha) and the leaves he dropped unknowingly on a shiva linga down there, which was invisible to him because of the dark. And God Shiva likes the leaves of a bel-fruit tree. Also, the hunter chanted Shiva nama all night and performed jagarana. Thus he is entitled to God Shiva darshan.
MAHA SHIVA RATRI AT SRIKALAHASTI TEMPLE:
God Shiva stayed in Srikalahasti temple (which is in Chittor district, A.P.) as Sri Vayulingeswara. Epic facts show that Bhakta Kannppa worshipped God Shiva from this epic place. There are sevela other stories related to this historical temple.
The Devasthanam board is conducting a 13-day Brahmotsav from Feb, 16th to Feb, 29th, 2020. Various programmes are being conducted during this period such as vahana seva, pooja and rathotsav.
MAHA SHIVA RATRI AT ISHA FOUNDATION:
The celebrations of Maha Shiva Ratri, a Great Night of God Shiva, is celebrated vibrantly at Isha Foundation under the leadership of Sadguru Shri.Jaggi Vasudev. It is not a surprise that lakhs devotees of all class attend before Sadguru. The television audience is also massively following the speeches of Shri.Jaggi Vasudev. The massive call of Shri.Jaggi Vasudev is to attend directly at Isha Foundation, Coimbatore. None the less do not miss the telecasting with different channels.
For further more details on Isha Foundation programees on Maha Shiva Ratri Please visit through the link.
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