Our Celebrations

This years Mahashivratri celebrations were held on 21^st February at Moss Hall School.  We enjoyed a very good turnout with around 200 gnati members joining in with prayers and bhajans in honour of Bhagwan Shivshanker.

All attendees had the opportunity to perform an “abhisek” together with their family, whilst other samaj members continued recital of dhoons and bhajans in honour of Bhole Nath.

It was also a delight to see our young children recite the “Baar Jyotir Ling Shiv Stortram” which they had diligently practiced over the previous few weeks.

The celebrations ended with “Ganga Snan” ( sprinkling of Ganga Jal on all Satsangi) and thereafter to some delicious Mahaprashad.

Meaning

The festival of Mahashivratri (literally means the 'Grand Night dedicated for the worship of Lord Shiva'). It is looked upon with greatest reverence & respect by the devotees of Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated every year on the 13/14^th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon fortnight, just before the new moon) of the month of Phalgun (Feb/March).

The Significance of Mahashivratri

There are several stories which are associated with this special grand night of Lord Shiva:

1. Samudra Manthan Story:

During the Samudra Manthan by the demigods and demons, a highly toxic poison came out of the ocean. Afraid that this poison would destroy the universe, the demigods worshipped Bhagwan Shivshanker  who drank this poison and held it in his throat. Since then, on this day and night - devotees fast, keep vigil, sing glories of Lord and meditate.

2. Manifestation of Lord Shiv as a Jyotirlinga on this day:

On this day manifested the great & also the first ever effulgent (Jyotirmaya) form (Anala-skanda or a pillar of fire) of Lord Shiva in front of Lord Vishnu & Brahmaji.

 This manifestation of Lord Shiva in the form of the first effulgent linga was on this special day of Mahashivratri, and thus all devotees pray to the effulgent linga (jyotirlinga) of Lord Shiva.

3. Day of Reunion of Shiva & Parvati:

On this auspicious day, Sati was reunited with Bhole Nath as Parvatiji

4. Story of Chitrabhanu:

There is also the story of King Chitrabhanu who in a previous life and unknowingly placed bael leaves and water on a Shivling.  As a consequence, Chitrabhanu  lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages.

Spiritual Significance

Maha is the Big One, Shiv means auspiciousness, and Ratri means night; this is a day when we awake to the most auspicious truth within our self. Night stands for darkness i.e. ignorance, in which all beings sleep & then dream. Our present transmigratory existence and limited individuality is nothing but a big dream. Freedom is never by some unique or scintillating experiences in this dreamy realm of existence, but only by waking up to that which is not a product of mind. That which is not a product of mind is the Self, the Atma.  The Mandukya Upanishad calls that non-relative truth of Self as Shiva. That is referred to as the fourth state of the Self, the Turiya. It is the most auspicious one, knowing which one truly wakes up and gets 'as though' liberated. One who knows the Atma as Brahman alone is a liberated one.