Maha Sivarathri
| Maha Shivaratri | |
|---|---|
Meditating Shiva with lingam on Maha-Shivaratri
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| Also called |
महा शिवरात्रि (Sanskrit) |
| Observed by | Hindus in India, Nepal |
| Type | Religious |
| Significance | self study, Marriage of Shiva and Parvati, yoga, Shiva mounted Chandra on his head, Mahamrityunjaya mantra was made public, Shiva drank the poison created during samudra manthan |
| Observances | Fasting, yoga, all night vigil, worship of Lingam |
| Date | February 24 |
| 2017 date | 24 February (Friday) |
| 2018 date | 13 February (Tuesday) |
| Frequency | Annual |
महा शिवरात्रि (Sanskrit)
மகா சிவராத்திரி (Tamil)
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month's 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or Phalguna) and before the arrival of spring, marks Maha Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva".
It is a major festival in Hinduism, but one that is solemn and marks a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing Yoga, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, noninjury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. The ardent devotees keep awake all night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin date is unknown.
In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva faithfuls of the Kashmir region.
During the Vigil Night of Shiva, Mahashivaratri,
we are brought to the moment of interval
between destruction and regeneration;
it symbolizes the night
when we must contemplate on that which
watches the growth out of the decay.
During Mahashivaratri we have to be alone
with our sword, the Shiva in us.
We have to look behind and before,
to see what evil needs eradicating from our heart,
what growth of virtue we need to encourage.
Shiva is not only outside of us but within us.
To unite ourselves with the One Self
is to recognize the Shiva in us.
Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, and is particularly important in the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism. Unlike most Hindu festivals which are celebrated during the day, the Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. Furthermore, unlike most Hindu festivals which include expression of cultural revelry, the Maha Shivaratri is a solemn event notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva, self study, social harmony and an all night vigil at Shiva temples.
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Wikipedia