Happy Maha Shivratri. Mahashivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated by devotees of Lord Shiva annually. This festival is celebrated with much devotion. It is also known as the ‘Great Night Of Lord Shiva’ and according to Gregorian calendar, falls in February. According to Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated in the month of phaguna. The festival signifies the defeat of darkness and ignorance. This year, Mahashivratri will be celebrated February 13, 2018. To mark the day, devotees engage in remembering Lord Shiva, chanting his prayers, observing a fast, as well as meditating. It also includes offering prasad to the deity.
How Is Shivratri Celebrated?
There are certain perceptions about the festival. While some head to Shiva temples or go on pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams, some celebrate it as the day to observe stillness by chanting of shiva mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”, praying to Lord Shiva, keeping fast, practicing yoga, meditation and self-restraint. The ardent devotees keep awake all night, also called “jaagaran”.
The major Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India – in Varanasi and Somnatha – are frequented on Maha Shivaratri by the Shiva devotees. It is also celebrated in the temples all over Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
What Is Significance Of Shivratri?
There are several legends around Maha Shivratri. According to a legend, Maha Shivaratri was the day when Shiva drank poisonous negativity to protect the world. Another legend says that it is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation, and destruction, while some believe that this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married.
Mahashivratri 2018 Puja Vidhi
The practice of fasting on Mahashivratri is an old one, but the way the fast is performed has changed with time. Early on the morning of the main day, devotees visit a nearby Shiva temple after bathing and do the darshan or the witnessing of the idol to seek blessings. The visit gets over before noon as after that temples are shut for the evening darshan. The next day, an Abhishek is performed on Shiva idols in the temple. The Abhishek is performed using different ingredients including milk, rose water, sandalwood paste, yogurt, honey, ghee, sugar, and water.
The Shiva linga is offered various things like the bilva leaves, bilva fruits and dhatura. Devotees fast during the entire day and don’t eat anything except fruits and juices. Some devotees don’t have anything at all during the whole day. In the latter case, devotees generally have one meal in the evening, before the Puja that is to begin post-midnight.
वैसे तो शिवरात्रि हर माह की तिथि में शामिल होती है परन्तु फाल्गुन माह के कृष्ण पक्ष की त्रयोदशी को भगवन शिव को वरदान प्राप्त है और यह तिथि भगवन शिव को ही समर्पित है| कहा जाता है कि महाशिवरात्रि की रात देवी पार्वती और भगवन शिव का विवाह हुआ था|
आप सभी कर्म के साथ पूजा अर्चना में भी आस्था रखते होंगे और कई छात्रों ने भगवान शिव से अपनी सफलता के कामना हेतु उपवास भी रखा होगा| बहुत प्रसन्नता होती है जब आज कि युवा पीढ़ी लक्ष्य को ध्यान में रखते हुए संस्कारों को भी साथ लेकर चलती है|
Source – ndtv
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