Maha Shivaratri is a significant and holy festival in Hindu religion, celebrated every year across the country with full devotion and religious faith in the glory of the holy convergence of Lord Shiva and Shakti, goddess Parvati. ‘MahaShivaratri’ is literally translated to ‘the greatest night of Shiva’.
Significance of Maha Shivratri in India
Shivratri is a very great festival for devotees of Shiva and Shakti. In Hinduism, there is a belief regarding the importance of Mahashivratri. This is the divine period when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and Lord Shiva performed his cosmic dance, Tandava. The holy night is dedicated to worshipping Shiva.
Union of Shiva and Shakti
A couple of Shiv and Shakti is observed to be the sacred and true essence of love, energy, and affection. The festival indicates the beginning of their everlasting bond Therefore Maha Shivratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm across India.
Puja Timings of Maha Shivratri 2021
According to the Hindu Panchang, it is celebrated on the trayodashi or Chaturdashi of the Krishna Paksha of the month Magha or Phalguna, in between February or March to worship Lord Shiva and Shakti. This year, the festival will be celebrated in the nation on Thursday, March 11. The precise time or ‘Muhurat’ to perform the Shiva Pooja is
Maha Shivaratri Date– Thursday, March 11, 2021
Chaturdashi Tithi Begins– 02:39 PM on March 11, 2021
Chaturdashi Tithi Ends – 03:02 PM on Mar 12, 2021
Shivaratri Parana Time – 06:34 AM to 03:02 PM on Mar 12, 2021
Nishita Kaal Puja Time – 12:06 AM to 12:55 AM, Mar 12
Duration – 00 Hours 48 Mins
Note – If you wish to know all about Mahashivratri in Hindi then visit here – महाशिवरात्रि पूजा
How Maha Shivratri is Celebrated: Puja Vidhi
On the occasion of Shivratri, devotees observe fast all through the day and night of Shivaratri in the glory of Lord Shiva and visit Shiva temples in long queues chanting the mantra of Shiva, ‘Om Namah Shivay’ and ‘Har Har Mahadeva’ from early morning. Special prayers are offered in all Shiva temples throughout the whole day and night. Shivratri Puja is also performed at the devotee’s home. Traditionally, they perform a ritual bath of Shiva Lingam with Ganga Jal water, milk, curd, sugarcane syrup, sacred ash, panchamrit, honey, etc. Belpatra, garlands, flowers, fruits, sweets or special dishes, and many more are also offered to Lord Shiva. At the end of the puja, aarti and prasad distribution is performed to all.
Why do we celebrate Maha Shivratri?
The festival marks the wedding of Lord Shiva with the goddess of strength (Shakti) Parvati. According to Hinduism belief, on the night of the marriage, Lord Shiva had a very distinct group of acquaintances including Hindu gods, goddesses, animals, and demons accompanying him to the home of the goddess.
Apart from the celebration of the marriage of Shiva and Shakti, unmarried women pray and keep fasts on the day to wish for a partner as understanding and caring as Lord Shiva.
Importance of Maha Shivratri
According to Hindu’s belief, apart from the celebration of the marriage of Shiva and Shakti, The Shivratri is observed as auspicious for women. On this day, married women keep fasts and pray for the long lives of their husbands and unmarried women pray for an ideal, understanding, and caring husband like Shiva.
Deviation of Shivratri and Mahashivratri
The word Maha Shivratri is formed by the combination of three words, Maha, Shiv, and Ratri, where Shiv means ‘Lord Shiva’ and Ratri means Night. Hence, Shivratri indicates ‘the Great Night of Lord Shiva’.
Maha Shivratri Vrat Katha
According to Shivapuran, there was a king named Sundarsen. Once he went hunting in the forest with his dogs and did not find any animal after moving whole day while suffering from hunger and thirst he reached on the bank of a river at night.
Then he saw the Shivling with some leaves over it. He removed those leaves from the Shivling and cleaned the dust over it. The devotion took to an overnight awakening for the king. In the morning, the Nishad king went to his house and satisfied his hunger.
Later, when he died, the messengers of Yamraj tied him in the loop and took him to Yamlok, where Shivji’s Ganas fought with Yamdoot and released him from the loop. In this way, Nishad joined the beloved ganas of Lord Shiva.
The Ritual of Fasting and Rudra-Abhishek
According to the traditional values, a devotee keeps fasts and worships the ‘Shivling,’. On the occasion, some offers ‘Rudra-Abhishek’ in which they bath the ‘Shivling’ with different substances, and each of them has a specific significance. Devotees use gangajal water, curd, sugarcane syrup, milk, honey, and other things for ‘Rudra-Abhishek. Some other important offerings that are necessary for the ‘Abhishek’ are sacred ash, belpatra, datura flowers, and fruits.
Shivratri’s Fasting Food
The people who observe a fast on this day, eat fruits, sabudana kheer, ramdana, kuttu ka halwa, aloo jeera, and some other things are also consumed.
Shiv Mantra in English
Panchakshari Shiv Mantra –
[Om Namah Shivaya]
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra –
[Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam |
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan-Mrityormuksheeya Maamritaat ||]
Shiv Aarti in English
Om Jai Shiv Omkara, Swami Jai Shiv Omkara।
Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv, Ardhangi Dhara॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Ekanan Chaturanan Panchanan Raje।
Hansasan Garudasan Vrishvahan Saje॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Do Bhuj Chaar Chaturbhuj Dashbhuj Ati Sohe।
Trigun Roop Nirakhate Tribhuvan Jan Mohe॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Akshmala Vanmala Mundmala Dhari।
Tripurari Kansari Kar Mala Dhari॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Shvetambar Pitambar Baghambar Ange।
Sankadik Garunadik Bhootadik Sange॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Kar Ke Madhya Kamandalu Chakra Trishuldhari।
Sukhkari Dukhhari Jagpalan Kari॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv Janat Aviveka।
Pranavakshar Ke Madhye Yeh Teeno Eka॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
TrigunswamiJi Ki Aarti, Jo Koi Nar Gaave।
Kahat Shivanand Swami, Manvanchit Phal Paave॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara, Swami Jai Shiv Omkara।
Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv, Ardhangi Dhara॥
Om Jai Shiv Omkara॥
