Mahashivaratri

Sattvik picture of Shiva made by
Sanatan Sanstha Seekers

This year Mahashivaratri falls on 12th Feb, which is Magh Krushna Chaturdashi. The Shiva principle descends to Earth a thousand times more than usual, on this day so to obtain the full benefit of the Shiva principle, one should chant 'Om Namah Shivay' as much as possible.

Shivratri is the time when Shiva takes a rest. Shiva rests for one 'prahar' (three hours) of the night. This prahar is referred to as the Shivratri. When Shiva takes rest, the function of Shivtattva (Shiva Principle) ceases, i.e. Shiva goes into a meditative state. Shiva's meditative state is the time when He is engrossed in His own spiritual practice. During that time, the Shivtattva does not accept any tamogun (the most base of the 3 elements in us - Tama) or any halahal (venom churned from the ocean) coming from the Universe. As a result, the ratio of halahal or the pressure of the negative energies increases. For protection from this pressure, things like bilvapatra (leaves of the bel tree), white flowers, rudraksh beads, etc. are offered to Shiva. These things attract the Shivtattva from the atmosphere, thus providing protection from the increasing effect of the negative energies. The Earth is a gross object. Gross objects have very low velocities i.e. they require more time to cover a specific distance in space. Gods on the other hand, are subtle hence they are capable of traversing space within a few seconds. That is why one year on Earth is equivalent to just one day in heaven. -

Science in the worship of Lord Shiva on Mahashivaratri

The function of the Shivpindi

1. Emitting waves of Knowledge, devotion and renunciation

Predominantly Sattva waves of Knowledge, Raja waves of devotion and Tama waves of renunciation (vairagya) are emitted by the Shivpindi. During Mahashivaratri, the emission increases by 30 percent.

2. Emission of subtle vibrations of Chaitanya, Bliss and Peace

The Shivpindi emits subtle vibrations of Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness), Bliss and Peace. During the Mahashivaratri, the emission increases by 25 percent. This helps purify the subtle-body of one who worships the Shivpindi on this day. The sun or the moon channels in the body get activated as per necessity. The capacity to absorb the Sattva component and Chaitanya also increases. Due to the presence of the unmanifest Shiva principle in the Shivpindi and the vibrations of Peace emitted, the Shivpindi remains cool and the mind too experiences peace. Worship of Shivpindi with devotion, activates the dormant Shiva principle. An offering of puffed rice and milk reaches Shiva in the subtle form.

3. Receiving the tarak or marak tattva (element) as required

There is a confluence of the manifest and the unmanifest elements along with the tarak and marak tattva in the Shivpindi (tarak = saviour; marak = destroyer). That is how worshipers receive the required element. The temperature of the Shivpindi increases due to the emission of the marak tattva and there one experiences Bliss. Similarly, when the tarak tattva is emitted, the temperature drops and one experiences Peace and Bliss.

Bilvapatra (Bel leaves)

Bilvapatra (leaves of the bel tree) contain 2% Shiva tattva. By offering bilvapatra to the Shivpindi on Mahashivaratri, the manifest Shiva tattva near the stalk of the bilvapatra gets activated. Due to this, the waves of Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness) as well as Shiva tattva are emitted by the bilvapatra. The bilvapatra attracts 20% of the Shiva tattva present in the Shivpindi towards itself on that day. By immersing this bilvapatra in water or by placing it in grains, the Shiva tattva present in the bilvapatra is transmitted to them. Generally, the Shiva tattva in the bilvapatra is activated to a larger extent on Mondays when it transmits 10% of the Shiva tattva and sattvikta. On other days only 1% of the Shiva tattva is activated in the bilvapatra.

Bilvarchan

Offering bilvapatra to the Shivpindi and chanting the mantra 'Om Namah Shivay' with each offering is known as bilvarchan. Continue offering the bilvapatra until the pindi is completely covered. Offer the bilvapatra from the lower part of the pindi. By starting from the feet of the idol, more benefit is derived and the idol can be covered completely. -

Chanting on Mahashivaratri 'Om Namah Shivay'

Om represents an unmanifest state beyond the 3 gunas (elements of Sattva, Raja & Tama). We bow to Shiva, from whom Om was created.

Naampatti (chanting strip) made by Sanatan Sanstha seekers to remind them to do Naamjap (chanting)

What does the word 'Shiva' mean?

a.The word Shiva has been derived by reversing the letters of the word vash. Vash means to enlighten; thus the one who enlightens is Shiva. He remains radiant and also illuminates the universe.

b. He is the auspicious and prosperity-bestowing principle.

Some unique attributes

1. Physical attributes

a. Ganga : Just as the sun is the focal point of the solar system and the soul that of the body, the focal point of Divine Consciousness (Chaitanya) in every object and pure particles (pavitraks) is ga-aum. The flow from which ga-aum originates is gan gaha = Ganga. Ga-aum flows from Shiva's head. This is called the descent of the Ganga from Shiva's head. Since the river Ganga has a fraction of the Principle of the spiritual Ganga, no matter how polluted it becomes, its purity is perpetually retained. Hence, when compared to any other water in the world, the water from the Ganga is the purest. This is realised not only by those who can perceive the subtle dimension but also by scientific researchers.

b. Moon : Shiva adorns the chandra (moon) on His forehead. The point where the three frequencies - affection (mamata), mercifulness (kshamashilata) and motherly love (vatsalya) originate is referred to as the chandra (moon). Thus, one can conclude that chandrama (the moon Principle) is the state in which the three attributes of affection, mercifulness and motherly love are present.

c. Third eye : Shankar (Shiva) is three-eyed, i.e. He can perceive events of the past, present and the future. According to the science of yoga, the third eye means the sushumna nadi (channel).

d. Serpent : One of the Names of Shankar is Bhujanga-patihari. Bhujang means a serpent or pure particles (pavitraks), pati means the nurturer and hari means one with a garland around His neck. Bhujanga-patihari thus means the One who nurtures pure particles and wears them like a garland. Various serpents represent groups of pure particles. Though externally they appear like serpents, internally they are a kind of ladder. To make spiritual progress one has to climb-up holding onto the tail of the serpent. Shankar adorns serpents at nine points on His body - one on the head, one around the neck, one on each arm, one on each wrist, one around the waist and one on each thigh. This implies that His body is comprised of pure particles or that serpents of pure particles play all over the body of Shankar who has the universe as His form.

2. Spiritual attributes

a. One performing severe austerities and the great yogi

Shiva is always seated in a bandha or a mudra (specific posture). His temperature rises due to heat generated by performing severe austerities. Hence, He uses the Ganga, the moon and serpents which endow a cooling effect and He lives on the snow-clad Kailas mountain.

b. Short-tempered

If someone disturbs His meditation, the radiance generated by spiritual practice will be suddenly expelled and whoever is in front of Him will not be able to tolerate it, and will get destroyed. This is referred to as being 'reduced to ashes by Shankar's opening of the third eye'.

c. One who is willing to undergo any distress for the sake of imparting happiness to others

The poison generated during the churning of the celestial ocean (samudra-manthan) was burning the entire Universe but no deity came forward to accept it. At that time Shiva drank that poison and saved the world from destruction.

d. One who has both, deities and demons, as His worshippers

Neither did demons like Banasur, Ravan, etc. worship Lord Vishnu nor did Lord Vishnu bestow any boon upon any demon. However, they worshipped Shiva who blessed them.

e. Master of the spirits

Since Shiva is the master of spirits, His worshippers are generally not possessed by them.

Shiva's mission

1. Jagadguru (Master of the Universe)

Meaning: One should worship Shiva for spiritual knowledge and Janardan (Vishnu) for the final liberation (moksha).

2. One leading to a state beyond the three components

Shankar destroys all the three components of prakruti (nature) - Sattva, Raja and Tama, in a jiva (embodied soul) simultaneously.

Science in the idol - in the Human form

In the human form, Shiva possesses the following four symbolic instruments in his hands.

1. Damaru (drum)

This represents the Brahman in the form of the word (shabda Brahman). Alphabets consisting of the sounds of fifty-two basic letters and the forms of fourteen Maheshvar verses (sutras) have generated from it. Later the universe was created from these.

2. Trident : represents the following -

• The three components - Sattva, Raja and Tama
• The root of creation, sustenance and dissolution
• Volition, knowledge and action

3. Noose (pash) : The noose represents the noose of time (kalpash) (The rope in Sree Ganapati's hand too is the same).

Worship

a. Application of holy ash (Bhasma)

Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead. These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of yoga), so also they represent the three eyes of Shiva.

b. Wearing a rudraksh

Wearing a rudraksh when worshipping Shiva is ideal. A rudraksha is reddish in colour with yellow stripes and is flat like a fish. On one side it has a slight opening which appears like an open mouth. The rudraksh converts the light frequencies of deities from the universe into sound frequencies in the body of humans and vice versa. As a result, humans can absorb frequencies of deities and thoughts can get converted into the language of deities.

A genuine rudraksh

The rudraksh absorbs sama (Sattva) frequencies. Similarly sama frequencies are emitted by its crests. A real rudraksh can be recognised by the vibrations felt by holding it in the hand. At that time the body absorbs the sama frequencies emitted by the rudraksh. (For more information on this, refer to the publication, named at the end of the article.) Nowadays, mostly Vikrutaksh is sold as a rudraksh. This is the seed of a type of wild berry. Vikrutaksh is used in the sacrificial fires of tantriks and black magic, etc. by sorcerers.

c. Ritualistic worship of the pindi

Only cold water and bel is offered to Shankar's pindi. Neither is it bathed with milk and panchamrut (a mixture of milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey) nor offered turmeric, vermilion (kumkum) or white consecrated rice (akshata). Milk and clarified butter (ghee) symbolise sustenance while turmeric is an underground stem and represents fertility of the soil, that is creation. Vermilion is prepared from turmeric. Since Shiva is the deity of dissolution, substances such as milk, vermilion and turmeric are not used in His worship.

d. Circumambulation (pradakshina)

When circumambulating one should begin from the left side and continue till the channel of the shalunka from where the water offered during the ritualistic bathing (abhishek) flows. Without crossing it one should complete a circumambulation by moving in the reverse direction up to the other side of the channel. The flow of a shalunka is not crossed as it is the flow of energy which adversely affects the formation of semen and the five internal vital energies (pran vayu).

e. Chanting the Name of Shiva

'Namaha Shivaya' is Shiva's five-syllabled mantra. The spiritual meaning of each of the five syllables is: Na = foremost deity of all the regions (lokas), ma = bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge (dnyan) and redeemer of the greatest of sins, shi = benevolent, serene and responsible for initiation by Shiva, va = symbolic of a bull as the vehicle and Vasuki and Vamangi energy (Shakti), ya = auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and Shiva. Hence, obeisance (namaskar) to these five syllables.