Maha Shiva Raatri

This year The Maha Sivaratri falls on Sunday 10th March 2013.We will celebrate this auspiscious Festival on 10th of March 2013 in IHS Temple.It is said that Lord Shiva married his consort Parvati on this day.

Devotees of Lord Shiva always regard Him, not just as the graet devotee of lord Vishnu, but also as God himself. As Lord Vishnu explains in Bhagvatam (Canto 4) Brahma, Shiva and I are the supreme cause of this material world. There is no difference between Me, Brahma and shiva, as they are all Avtaar (Incarnations).

Lord Shiva is one of the Trinity's of the Hindu traditions. Brahama, Vishnu & Mahesh i.e, Creator, Preserver and destroyer. All three personalities are considered various aspects of teh same Godhaed.

Lord Shiva is known by 1,008 names, but however, the most important are: Mahadev, Neelkanth, Rudra, Bholenath and Shambu. Thee are stories attached to all these names.

Lord Shiva is worshiped in the form of lingham, as the procreation, even though in the Trinity, He is referred as the destroyer. It is said that Parvati, the wifw of Lord Shiva, did tapayasa/meditation fro 100 years to marry Lord Shiva. And according to Siv Purana, Lord Shiva married Parvati on this day. All night puja is performed in temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, where Shiv Ling is worshipped. Many Hindu married women and unmarried girls worship Shivling for procreation and for a husband like Shiva respectively.

In Shiva are embodied the dualities of male and female, death and life, ascetic withdrawl and passionate involvement, greativity and destruction, love and anger.

Lord Shiva is also known as Mahadev i.e. graeter of all the Devtas is revered for creation, sustenance and nourishment of all mankind. The way he controlled the fiery ganges descending from the mountains, and of drinking the poison, as a gift of the first fruits of the churning of Akshir sagar, as if it were the necter of immortality. The venom left the dark blue colour on His throat, and that is why hHe is known as Neelkanth.

The Shivling embodies the truth, between the suffering and joy, that makes possible the unending peace and freedom of Moksha. Finally God is truth, truth is Shiva and Shiva is Beautiful, that resides in every one's heart. The Mantra "OM NAMAHA SHIVAYA" is the ultimate call for truth & Moksha.

Significance of Shivaraatri in Hinduism

Festyival of maha shiva raatri has tremendous significence in hinduism. According to sacred scriptures, ritual worship of Lord Shiva on Shiv Raatri festival, that falls on the 14th day of the dark fornight in the month of Phalgun pleases Lord Shiva the most. This fact has said to be declared by Lord Shiva himself, when his consort Parvatiasked him as to which ritual performed by his devotees pleased him the most.

Devotees of Lord shiva perform the ritual worship of Shiv Raatri with care and devotion. They observe day and night fast and give sacred bath to Shivling with hiney, milk water etc. Hindus consider it extremely auspicious to worship Lord Shiva on a Shiv Raatri as it is beleived that worship of lord Shiva with devotion and sincerety absolves a devotee of past sins. He is also liberated from the cycle of birth and death and attains moksha or salvation.

Significance of Shivraatri for Women

Mahashivraatri Festival is also considered to be an extremely significant festival by women. Married & unmarried women observe fast and perform SHIVA PUJA with sinceety to appease Goddess Parvati, who is also regarded as "Gaura", one who bestows marital bliss and long and prosperous married life. Unmarried women also pray for a husband like Lord Shiva who is regarded as the ideal husband.

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