Jai Maata di!Om Nama Shivaya!
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Harr Harr Mahadev
Bole Har Jann
Ho manokamana Poori
Mille Sukh Samriddhi Aur Dhan
Happy Mahashivratri 2010
Wishing you and all your loved ones, - A very Happy and Blessed MahaShivratri from Sai Bhakt Deepa H and Family
Mahashivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.
There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.
Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband. To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc. On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.
Shivaratri Fast is considered to be the most important fast for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Shiva Purana goes on to say that if a devotee observes Shivaratri Vrata with sincerity, pure devotion and love he is blessed with the divine grace of Lord Shiva. Every year devotees observe Maha Shivaratri fast with devotion and sincerity. Though many go on a diet of fruits and milk, some do not consume even a drop of water all through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival.
According to Hindu mythology, observance of mahashivratri Vrat with discipline helps a devotee to control the two great natural forces that afflict a man, rajas guna (the quality of passionate activity) and tamas guna (the quality of inertia). When a devotee spends an entire day in the Feet of Lord and worships with sincerity, his motion is controlled and evils like lust, anger and jealousy, born of Rajas are ignored and subdued. Besides, when a devotee observes vigil throughout the night (jaagran) he manages to conquer the evils of Tamas Guna too. It has also been mentioned that when a devotee observes a round of worship every three hours, the Shivaratri Vrata becomes perfect. Devotees of Lord Shiva believe consider Shivratri fast to be extremely auspicious and rate it equal or more than performing an Ashwamedha Yagna. Some believe that a devotee who observes a Shivaratri Fast with sincerity and utters the name of Lord Shiva with perfect devotion is absolved from all sins. Such a devotee reaches the abode of Lord Shiva and lives there happily. He is also liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Shiva Purana further says that performing abhisheka of Shiva Linga with six different dravyas including milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water while chanting Sri Rudram, Chamakam and Dasa Shanthi pleases Lord Shiva the most. According to the mythology, each of these dravya used in the abhisheka blesses a unique quality:
Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness.
Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny.
Honey is for sweet speech.
Ghee is for victory.
Sugar is for happiness.
Water is for purity.
Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness.
Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny.
Honey is for sweet speech.
Ghee is for victory.
Sugar is for happiness.
Water is for purity.
On this day devotees have to get up early in the morning, take bath and wear preferably new clothes. Then they need to go to a shiva temple and offer these 6 items to Lord Shiva as mentioned in Shiva Purana:·
Bael leaves for soul purification,
Sindoor for virtue,
Fruits and rice to ask for long life and fulfillment of wishes
Incense sticks for wealth
Diya for knowledge
Pan patta to enjoy worldly goods
Devotees fast whole day as well as night on Mahashivratri 2010 keeping a night vigil by singing shiva bhajans..
May Lord Shiva shower His kind grace on all of us and bless our souls with purity, love, compassion and above all devotion.
Pictures that you will surely love to see again
God always watches us with thousand eyes. The merciful Father will not sink us in grief. But, now and then He tests our faith, patience and dedication. When troubles surround us, we hasten to accuse God. We doubt His quality of mercy. We fail to recognize the illusion created by God. The true devotee, with unshakable faith in God and who knows that God's ways are for his own good, is not shaken by sorrows or upset by hardships. One has to strive in order to attain the heights of honour. And will not God test us to assess how worthier and stronger we are to deserve His Divine Grace? Indeed, hardships take us nearer to God. Just as a piece of gold gets brighter when burnt in a furnace, so too adversities make us spiritually wiser and stronger. Although subjected to several troubles and insults, the Pandavas and Draupadi did not lose their strong faith in Lord Krishna. One who is seriously injured in the accident would be surely healed if he thinks that Baba, his God is there to care for him. A confident devotee believes that Baba will pull him out from the bed-ridden state and make him stand on his legs. If we endure trials, troubles and tribulations cheerfully, we have passed God's tests and have gone nearer to Him. Faith in Baba is our sheet-anchor.
"Shri SaiSatCharita ---> Leads you in Sai's unique Path"
Shree SatChidananda Sadguru Sainadh Maharaj Ki Jai
"Shri SaiSatCharita ---> Leads you in Sai's unique Path"
Shree SatChidananda Sadguru Sainadh Maharaj Ki Jai
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