Shivaratri - Greetings Of Shivaratri
Shivaratri 2008 is on March 06, Thursday
Auspicious festival of Mahashivaratri falls on the 13th or the 14th night of the new moon during Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Phalgun. The Sanskrit term, Krishna Paksha means the period of waning moon or the dark fortnight and Phalguna corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Shivaratri Festival is celebrated on a moonless night.According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Great Night' symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. Celebrating the festival in a customary manner, devotees give a ritual bath to the Lingam with the panchagavya - milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung. Celebrations of Shivaratri Festival mainly take place at night. Devotees of Lord Shiva throng Shiva temples across the country and spend 'the Night of Lord Shiva' by chanting verses and hymns in praise of the Lord. The festival holds special meaning for the ladies. They pray to Goddess Parvati also called 'Gaura', the giver of 'suhag' for good husbands, marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life.
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Congratulations for writing a very good article about Shivaratri.
ReplyDeleteWe have lot of Shivaratri greetings available for your user. All of them is free. Lot of Flash greetings are customizable where your name and sign will appear in Animation. Please visit
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I appreciate for the article thats written but when u r writing in a blog please be specific atleast for the religious stuff being written.Becasue an internet blog can be viewed by any paerson of any faith and the inadequacy of the information may lead to wrong belifs.
ReplyDeleteI am not criticozing but want u to be more precise in giving information.
In the above article u mentioned panchagavya and describe dits ingredients and there is urine and dung included in the ingredients. I feel u should have specified it has cows urine nad dung as cow is the holy mother in hinduism.
This is to clarify people about the ritulas and importance of the belifs we have.
I appologise if that hurt ur feelings but I wanted to correct this. As I am writing from Uk and a Non-hindu but respect all the religions.
dave.
Dear Friend,
ReplyDeleteHinduism is so diversified and all are allowed to do their own research for them-self without any limitation. In christianity and Islam you are allowed only to interpret or research whatever is written in holy bible and Holy Quran.
If you raise any doubt about its teaching you are in trouble. Where as in hinduism your view also taken to account.
Hinduism never said if you believe in Hinduism you will go to heaven. It said if you do good things you will get moksham (Final save of merging with God) irespective of your religion.
So as above Shivaratri also lot of saying and Lot of methods. Some people say
{Bathing of Shivling with water, milk and honey and wood apple or bel leaves added to it, represents purification of the soul.}
And I have gone for shivaratri in lot of times. I never seen Linga is Bathing in Urine of dung. May be there in some part of India.
Any way as a non Hindu You need not worry about Shivaratri method. If interested Try one shivaratri prayer and See the effect. It is not preaching or asking, Just try unless otherwise we will not know is it true or false . I also quote one of the story I found in wikipedia
The Story Of King Chitrabhanu
In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows -
Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa, was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.
The sage asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth.
The king said to the sage that in his previous he was a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day while roaming through forests in search of animals he was overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, he climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. He had seen a deer that day but let it live, after seeing the deer's sad family. As hunger and thirst tormented him, he was kept awake throughout the night. His canteen leaked water as he thought of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time that night he engaged himself in plucking the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.
The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.
At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva. They were sent down to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by the unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there was a Lingam at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped fell on the Lingam. His canteen, which leaked water, washed the Lingam and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously worshiped the Lord.
As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages and now he has reborn as Chitrabhanu.
Happy Shivarati-2009 to every readers of this blog. Very good shivaratri Blog. We are inviting you people to 365greetings.com for sending free free greeting cards to your friends and relatives
ReplyDeleteCheers
sajith