Legend behind ShivaRathri

-




Festival of Mahashivaratri has remarkable significance in Hinduism. Worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri day that falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalguna or Phalgun. Phalguna month pleases Lord Shiva the most and falls on Februray end March Ist week every year.

As per one of the legend, Shiva got married to Parvati on this auspicious day. Lord Shiva appeared in the form of a linga or ling in front of Brahma and Vishnu on this day. It is said that whoever prays to the Shivalinga on this day attains salvation.

Again, it is also said as per puranas, Parvati performed tapas or to say penance, prayed and meditated on this day to ward off any evil that might befall her husband on the moonless night. Since then, Maha shivaratri is believed to be an auspicious occasion for women to pray for the well-being of their husbands and sons. An unmarried woman prays for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be the ideal husband. Another legend of the day is that Shiva and Shakti married each other.

There is one more myth associated with Samudra Manthan, a process in which the asuras or rakshas gana and the gods joined hands to churn out amrut (necter) from the depths of the ocean, using a mountain ‘Mandrachala Parvath’ and a snake named ‘Vasuki’ as a rope. Among many things that came out like Iravath elephant, Kamadhenu, Kalpavrush, Ujjaishrava horse and others, a pot of poison came out of the ocean and on the request of gods, Lord Shiva drank the poison. Parvathi arrested the poison at throat itself by placing her hand and stopped it entering Shivas body. The poison was so potent that it changed the color of His neck to blue. For this reason, Lord Shiva is also called Neelkanth. This also took on 14th day of dark fortninght in the month of Phalguna.

Another legend also states that the whole world was facing destruction and Goddess Parvati worshipped her husband Shiva to save it. She prayed for the jivas (living souls) remaining in sea during the long period of pralaya (deluge) night, that they should, upon becoming active again, have His blessings, but only if they worshipped Him just as she did. After getting the blessings from the Lord, Parvati named the night for the worship of Ishwar by mortals Maha-Sivaratri, or the great night of Shiva.

On this day to please Lord Parameshwar, people observe fast whole day and jagaran (night out) and performing Shiva Pooja. Few exceptions are that the one who is unable to fast can eat fruits, or light snacks. Old, impregnation women, children are exempted from observing fast.

On Shivarathri day, Rudra Abhishekh and Rudra Homa is performed throughout day and night.

!!Om Namah Shiva!!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tamasha Folk Theatre of Maharashtra

-
Image
Tamasha is a traditional Marathi folk art form. It includes both singing and dancing forms. It is widely performed theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India. It is in fact a mobile theatre that goes to different regions of Maharashtra. The word ‘Tamasha’ is Persian origin meaning ‘to have fun or to play’. Today, this word is commonly used in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada and Urdu. Again, some have researched the origin of the word Tamasha to Turkish langaugeand has entered into urdu and finally borrowed from Urdu to Marathi. In Marathi the word Tamasha means 'A mixtures of specialized performances like dance, music, different enactements or roles by women or girls, participation of women, and singing lavanis'. I wonder how Persian or Turkish languages have influence Marathi. This folk art from is so very deep rooted in rural Maharashtra for more than eight-nine centuries that it is quite difficult to say when this Tamasha was first staged. This art form is cal
Read more

Dakkebali -Sri Khadgeshwari Brahmasthana, Padubidre

-
Image
  Dakkebali is a form of snake worship also known as Nagaradhane. Dakkebali ritual is practiced in the town of Padubidri in the Udupi district, Karnataka, India. Padubidre Brahmastana as it is known as a place of Shakti worship in Parashurama Kshetra located on the west coast of Southern India in Tulunadu of Karnataka State. The festival is held once two years. This pooja is performed for Naga, Bramha, Raktheshwari, Nandikonna, Haygulli, Kshetrapala, Bagilu Bobbarya, Motukalu Bobbarya, and Yakshi. The festival starts from the Makara maasa (normally 14th January) and continues till the end of Meena maasa i.e., the 2nd week of March. It is a rare place of Shakti worship, which has retained the age-old custom and practices, which trace their origin back to the Vedic Ages. The belief system has manifested right from Vedic Age. However, there has been a transformation in a belief system that has gradually grown towards nature worship, naga worship, evolving customs, practices, and ritu
Read more

Panduga Sayanna-The Robinhood of Telangana

-
Image
“ Unnolani Kottindu, Lenolaku Pettindu Pandaga Sayanna Vadu Rajulaku Monagudu”                            ------------Telugu Verses “Grabbed from the haves Distributed to have-nots                                 That is Pandaga Sayanna Greater than Kings”. He grabbed, seized, robbed, and looted the wealth from big shots and distributed it equally among the poor, deprived, and have-nots. He along with his gang blocked the highways and looted the wealth. Who is he???? These are the first four lines of the first stanza of a heroic ballad on Pandugolla Sayanna sung by a Dakkali folk artist using the Kinnara Instrument. Pandugolla Sayanna or Pandaga Sayanna belongs to Palamooru also known as Mahaboobnagar District, Telangana Region, Andhra Pradesh. He was the Messiah of the poor. But for Pandugolla Sayanna   “The Poorest among the poor is not one”. Again, he called “women the poorest among the poor”. A Century ago, many poor could afford for two
Read more