Maha Shiva Ratri
Lord Shiv going to marry Mother Parvati with his bridal party (baraat)
Shivaratri or Maha Shiva Ratri is an important Hindu festival, celebrated all over India. Lord Shiva is a deity in the trinity. He is the divine manifestation of the Supreme God as the destroyer of the universe. On thid day devotees of Lord Shiva chant the Mantra “Om Namah Shivai”, all day long, to please Lord Shiva to receive His grace so they can cross the ocean of Maya. Maha Shivratri falls on the dark night of 14th day in the Hindu month Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February/ March according to the Roman calendar.
According to a popular legend, Shiva Ratri is the auspicious day of Lord Shiva’s marriage with Goddess Parvati. It was a unique night, when Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma appeared to perform their arts of Dance. All other gods and goddesses joined the procession of His marriage to present their special arts of dance and music. Other attendees were peculiar with having many heads or no heads or teeth on their stomach or many arms and so on. Any marriage procession (Baraat) of that kind is never seen in past or present. Some believe Lord Shiva performed His exclusive Tandav Dance on this day and Ling Puran asserts that Lord Shiva manifested Himself as Lingam on Maha Shivaratri.
According to a popular legend, Shiva Ratri is the auspicious day of Lord Shiva’s marriage with Goddess Parvati. It was a unique night, when Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma appeared to perform their arts of Dance. All other gods and goddesses joined the procession of His marriage to present their special arts of dance and music. Other attendees were peculiar with having many heads or no heads or teeth on their stomach or many arms and so on. Any marriage procession (Baraat) of that kind is never seen in past or present. Some believe Lord Shiva performed His exclusive Tandav Dance on this day and Ling Puran asserts that Lord Shiva manifested Himself as Lingam on Maha Shivaratri.
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The devotees of Lord Krishna celebrate Shivaratri because Lord Shiva manifested Himself in the form of a Gopi to attend the highest pastime of Shri Radha Krishna i.e. Maharas. He wanted to attend this pastime, but the chief deity of Maharas – Shri Radha Rani gave Him a message, “Although He is eligible to attend Maharas, yet there is an uncompromising rule of Maharas, only those gopis, who exclusively and selflessly love Shri Krishna as their beloved, can enter this pastime. Then He went to Yamuna Ji to get all habiliments and changed to female form. Thus He got access to Maharas. So, we learn exclusive devotion to Lord Krishna from Lord Shiva's pastime.
All the devotees of Shri Maharaj Ji celebrate this function in His Ashrams all over the world. Shri Maharaj Ji stays in Mangarh Ashram to celebrate Maha Shivratri. Here is a kirtan written by Shri Maharaj Ji for the occasion of Mahashivratri. ૐ नमः शिवाय, ૐ नमः शिवाय, ૐ नमः शिवाय, ૐ नमः शिवाय |
'Om namaḥ śivāya, 'om namaḥ śivāya, 'om namaḥ śivāya, 'om namaḥ śivāya. "I bow down to Lord Shankar again and again."
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धरे गोपिका भेष महेश, कृष्ण प्रेम दे दो लवलेश |
Dharē gōpikā bhēṣa mahēśa, kr̥ṣṇa prēma dē dō lavalēśa.
Dharē gōpikā bhēṣa mahēśa, kr̥ṣṇa prēma dē dō lavalēśa.
O Mahesh! You assumed the form of a Gopi. Please bless me with a droplet of the Divine Love of Shri Krishna.
तुम्हरी कृपा कोर लवलेश , हौं हूँ पइहौं रास प्रवेश |
Tumharī kr̥pā kōra lavalēśa, hauṁ hūm̐ pa'ihauṁ rāsa pravēśa.
Tumharī kr̥pā kōra lavalēśa, hauṁ hūm̐ pa'ihauṁ rāsa pravēśa.
Out of your grace, please cast upon me a glance, which will give me an opportunity to enter the Raas premises.
सुन लो भोले नाथ उमेश! मुक्ति न चह, चह प्रेम ब्रजेश |
Suna lō bhōlē nātha umēśa! Mukti na caha, caha prēma brajēśa.
Suna lō bhōlē nātha umēśa! Mukti na caha, caha prēma brajēśa.
Listen O Bhole Nath! I do not desire liberation, I only long for the Divine Love of Shri Krishna.
