Shivaratri - Lord Shiva and you

Namaste everyone,

Maha Shivaratri is already at the door step- on March 2nd night and I am already in THAT mood of feeling the vibrations from Sri Rudram chanted in front of a Shivalinga during the pooja. Lord Shiva is unique- with so many facets which are often contradictory- for example- He carries the skull of His consort and applies ashes from the cremated bodies; yet He is the most auspicious. He is the Lord of "Mahakaal" and yet is very gentle in the form of a Guru. He is the destroyer and yet is the only one who drank and sustained the poison from Samudra Manthan to save this Universe. I started this thread so that we can pay salutations to Lord Mahadeva - please describe the way you see or have experienced Lord Shiva. Also state your plans for the Maha Shivaratri. Happy Maha Shivaratri to all!

Regards,

Awe, man, it's on the 2nd?! I have classes that night. I was hoping I could go to my local Temple, too. Oh, well.

I don't really have any plans, as this only my second Maha Sivaratri. I only know the first ten or so verses of Sri Rudram, too...

If nothing else, I should definitely clean my shrine beforehand.

त्रयम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् म्रुत्योर्मुक्षिय मामृतात् ॥

I'm a huge fan of Shiva. I can't put my finger on how to explain it, though, but I can say I love not only how he is pictured, but also his iconography. I'm also a big fan of Shaivism.


I have no plans [except going to evening class class...] for Maha Shivaratri--at least, not right now, as I'm still young to Sanatana Dharma and wouldn't know what to do. I'd like to know what others do.

Hi Riverwolf,

Your classes should be over in the evening, I guess. The Puja should continue at your local Temple till ATLEAST midnight. After "Lingodbhava" at midnight, many people continue the pooja till the sunrise.

Hi Odion,

The beauty of Lord Shiva is that He is pleased with the least. There is a story about a poor hunter who goes to hunt animals for his family and due to rains he had to spend the night on a tree which happens to be the bilva tree. Inadverently, he plucks the bilva leaves and throws them on the ground to pass time in the night. There happened to be a Shivalinga on the ground and thus without knowing he was worshipping Lord Shiva with Bilva tree while there was "abhishek" with rain going on. In the morning, Lord Shiva appears before him and grants him a boon making him rich as per his desire.

Many would do a "Trikaal Puja". Typically it involves doing "abhishek" with 11 different things while chanting Sri Rudram 11 times (typically the priests would chant). After that the Lingam is cleaned, decorated and Arti performed and some sing bhajans, Shiva Tandava etc. This is repeated during the three "Kaals" till morning.

If nothing of these is known/available, then pouring simple water/milk/honey/plain yogurt and sugar water on the Lingam (either physically or mentally in meditation) and chanting "Om Namah Shivaya" is enough!

Regards,

Satsangi said:

Hi Riverwolf,

Your classes should be over in the evening, I guess.

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Actually, my first class starts at 4 PM, and my last class gets out at 9:15 PM.

The Puja should continue at your local Temple till ATLEAST midnight. After "Lingodbhava" at midnight, many people continue the pooja till the sunrise.

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Well, the Temple is actually pretty close to the school; I can try to make it at least for part of it.

Fun! AUM Namo Shivaya...

[youtube]vyTUWvLVwnw[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyTUWvLVwnw

OM Triyambakam yajamahe
Sugandhim pushtivardhanam
Urva rukamiva bandhanam
Mrityormokshiye mamritat!

I do not celebrate Shivaratri as much, athough I remember that the temple would throw a celebration for it, since he is considered the best Vaishnava.

Also March the 2nd incidently begins the Baha'i Fast.

I'm going to local temple. Pujas at 7 12, 3 and 6. Have an austere Sivaratri, to those who celebrate.

Satsangi said:

Namaste everyone,

Maha Shivaratri is already at the door step- on March 2nd night and I am already in THAT mood of feeling the vibrations from Sri Rudram chanted in front of a Shivalinga during the pooja. Lord Shiva is unique- with so many facets which are often contradictory- for example- He carries the skull of His consort and applies ashes from the cremated bodies; yet He is the most auspicious. He is the Lord of "Mahakaal" and yet is very gentle in the form of a Guru. He is the destroyer and yet is the only one who drank and sustained the poison from Samudra Manthan to save this Universe. I started this thread so that we can pay salutations to Lord Mahadeva - please describe the way you see or have experienced Lord Shiva. Also state your plans for the Maha Shivaratri. Happy Maha Shivaratri to all!

Regards,

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In San Francisco It is March 3

Here is the "contradiction" that form the Shiva Swaroopa. He is the Lord of the lowest of the lowest demons as well as the highest of the highest Devas. But, He is unaffected by the "lowness" or the "highness".

Lord Vishnu once worshipped Lord Shiva with 1000 lotuses- one lotus for each name of Lord Shiva. While Lord Vishnu is worshipping, Lord Shiva makes the last lotus disappear. Instead of the lotus, Lord Vishnu begins to pluck His own eye to offer to Lord Shiva (Lord Vishnu is called "lotus eyed"). Lord Shiva is pleased at the devotion and He immediately appears before Him and gives Him the Sudarshan Chakra.

Lord Shiva is the greatest of all the renunciates; He is the epitome of renunciation. His name and remembrance invokes renunciation. He is the the Yogeshwara- the source of the Yoga, the Lord of the Yoga. He is the Guru of the Tapasvis. And He is the greatest of the Tantrics. He is the giver of boons irrespective of who is asking for it. He is the serene auspicious Dakshinamurthy Guru- whose mere SILENT presence is enough to realize the Atma Tattva; and yet He is the "Kaalagni" that devors the Universe in the end. He is the destroyer of the illusion in His devotees and yet gives anything that the devotees wish for.

Regards,

To be honest I have both respect and fear of Lord Shiva. He intimidates me very much. I do respect him, don't get me wrong, but it's hard for me to approach him. I may chant a mantra for him for Maha Sivaratri.

Egyptian Phoenix said:

To be honest I have both respect and fear of Lord Shiva. He intimidates me very much. I do respect him, don't get me wrong, but it's hard for me to approach him. I may chant a mantra for him for Maha Sivaratri.

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then there is the fearsome form of shiv called bhairav

Wannabe Yogi said:

In San Francisco It is March 3

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Oh, okay! I'm good, then. ^_^

Enjoy this Shiva Tandava Strotra which was composed by Ravana.

[youtube]ZZ-WoPkxpTA[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-WoPkxpTA

Regards,

Due to the fact that I am a rascal - I try to take shelter of Lord Shiva, with the understanding that he can take me closer to Lord Krsna...

Om Namo Shivaya

“O gatekeeper of Vrndavana! O Soma, O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipful for the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, and Narada, all glories to you! O Gopisvara! Desiring that you bestow upon me prema for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava who perform joyous pastimes in Vraja-dhama, I offer obeisances unto you time and time again.”

Have a blessed Maha Shivaratri.

Oh it is March 3rd here in the Pacific Northwest?

Egyptian Phoenix said:

Oh it is March 3rd here in the Pacific Northwest?

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I think so. some times Hindu holidays are a day off because it is based on the moon calendar.

Wannabe Yogi said:

I think so. some times Hindu holidays are a day off because it is based on the moon calendar.

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There are quite a few variations of Hindu calendars, although there is a general cohesion. Another reason for differing dates is that some people don't adjust the time zones. So they bring a calendar over to the west from India, and don't add 10 hours or whatever it is. At any point in time, there are two different dates going on. If you research a few temple sites in the west, you'll discover Sivaratri to be either 2nd or 3rd. I recall one year when Ganesh Chaturthi was off by 28 days from one temple to the other.

Wannabe Yogi said:

I think so. some times Hindu holidays are a day off because it is based on the moon calendar.

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"This holy night of Shiva is observed on the night before ‘amavasya’ in the Hindu month of Phalgun (February – March) as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India. The corresponding period in other regions is the night before Magh Amavasya.

Note - In 2011, there is a slight confusion regarding Shivratri date - this is because the night period during Chaturdashi tithi falls on March 2 instead of March 3 in India and western hemisphere. Amavasya starts during the night of March 3. Shivratri is observed during the night of Chaturdashi before Amavasi. But some ashrams and Hindu communities strictly stick to Chaturdashi Tithi and so they will observe the Shivratri on March 3."

Regards,