MAHASHIVARATRI YAGYA

• June 20, 2017
• Pt. Telluckram Maharaj

OVERVIEW OF MAHASHIVARATRI YAGYA

THEORY OF SHIVARATRI
The 14 th. lunar day of each fortnight of the month is governed by Lord Shiva. In the dark half of every month, the influence of the moon on the mind of the individual decreases progressively from full moon to dark night. On the night preceding dark night, when the brightness of the moon is smallest, the influence of the moon is also minimal. Thus the mind can be easily controlled at this time by prayer and devotion. Since this day/night is presided over by Lord Shiva, it is called Shivaratri. Therefore every month has Shivaratri, and once a year this day is celebrated in a grand way as Mahashivaratri.

POPULAR KATHAS OF MAHASHIVARATRI
There are 3 popular kathas showing the greatness of Mahashivaratri. In the Shiva Purana there are the story of GUNANIDHI and the story of GURUDRUHA in different sections of the Purana. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma narrated the story of SUSWARA to the Pandavas while he was on his bed of arrows awaiting the auspicious time for his death.
In each of these kathas, the individual is shown as earning his living, albeit in an evil and wicked manner. In each case circumstances forced the individual to abandon his wicked ways by spending the night of Mahashivaratri inadvertently in the worship of The Lord.

Gunanidhi waited all night in a temple for the puja to be completed, and lit a deeya by the Shiva Lingam to better see the food and delicacies he had come to steal. His time in the temple earned him sufficient merit to go to the abode of Lord Shiva on his death and be reborn as a great king.
Gurudruha was lost in the forest and spent the night perched in the bilwa tree waiting for animals to come to drink in the pond so he can hunt them. On four occasions during the night he unknowingly worshipped Lord Shiva by dropping bilwa leaves and water on a Lingam at the base of the tree when a deer approached. Each time he had mercy on the deer and by not taking their lives, his transformation gave him a vision of The Lord as he descended the tree next morning.
Suswara’s Katha is similar to that of Gurudruha. He too was a hunter who was far away from home and perched himself high on a bilwa tree to spend the night in safety. To keep awake he also unknowingly worshipped the Lord by dropping water and bilwa leaves on the Lingam at the base of the tree. His all night vigil and the worship he performed brought about a change in his life and the blessing of this night caused his rebirth as great king.

SYMBOLISM OF THE KATHAS
These kathas of the greatness of worship on the night of Mahashivaratri are perfect examples of how the Puranas use stories to teach about spiritual development. If taken literally, it is not logical that a person can earn such great blessing by unknowingly worshipping God for only one night in their lives. But when looked at as an allegory for a lifetime of spiritual development, each story shows how devotees can bring about the same type of transformation in their lives as well.
Describing the characters of the kathas as earning their livelihood is the Puranic way of describing a live governed by rules and regulations. In yoga systems this is called YAM/NIYAM – prohibited actions and prescribed actions. They were described as evil and wicked, which means they focused mainly on material enjoyment rather than spiritual practices. In time they gained the realization that this type of life style does not bring the happiness that they seek. Gunanidhi spends the night in the temple, Gurudruha and Suswara each spent the night in the bilwa tree. This is a description of the yogic practices of AASAN/PRANAYAAM/PRATYAHAAR/DHARANA/DHYAAN – i.e., the process of meditation. The gradual evolution of the devotee along this pathway ultimately results in the bliss of SAMADHI or communion with God, which in the story is represented by the transformation and higher birth of the individual in later lives. Interpreted in this way each of these kathas of Shivaratri really is an allegory of the Astanga Yoga system or the eight step system of spiritual development. Also known as Raja Yoga, it shows a lifetime of spiritual development condensed in the single night of the Katha.

PURPOSE OF THE WORSHIP
One of the reasons why Mahashivaratri is such a popular festival in the Hindu calendar is that is marks the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi. After her long period of tapasya, her devotion gains His hand in marriage. Symbolically this represents the union of devotee and God. The Lord Himself comes to ask for the hand of the devotee, giving the assurance that He will never again forsake the individual now that the transformation is complete. May we have that type of discipline to follow the spiritual path so that we also achieve the same goal.