Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri
Lord Shiva
Observed by	Hindus in general and Shaivites in particular
Type	Hindu
Observances	Fasting, worship of Lingam
Date	February/March
2024 date

Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha (as per Shalivahana or Gujarati Vikrama) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night before and day of the new moon). The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil. Cannabis is traditionally used as an offering for Lord Shiva and his followers.

Per scriptural and discipleship traditions, the penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation, in order to reach the goal more swiftly and avoid rebirth.

Shiva's Favourite Day

After creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is his most favourite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation. Shivratri Glorifies KaamDev Procedure swamiram.com Did you know that the base of the shivalingam reperesents the uterus of the woman and the phallic part embedded in it reprsents the male sexual organ. The Snake or cobra represents the Brain and spine or what is called the Kundalini Energy or Body’s chakra system. These three together in the form of a shiva-lingam represents THE LOVE CONNECTION that creates love, marraiage , children , the world and the Universe. The very existence of the Universe depends on this connection between male and female and that is why sexuality is divine in the eyes of a Hindu worshipper. If a woman worships this shiva lingam stone, she will never have marriage problems.

It is best worshiped on Tuesdays by pouring a small container of mixture called “a DAR” on the top while saying OM NAMA SHIVAYA as much as she can. This “DAR’ contains 7 ingredients . They are MILK - to create wealth in your love life, HONEY - to create sweet words for lovers, TUMERIC - to create peace in marriage life, MUSTARD SEED - to keep away enemies of the marriage, COCONUT WATER - to create higher consciousness of each other in marriage, and YOGURT - to create sexual Bliss beween couples.

Thhis ritual has helped many Hindus, Chinese, Spanish, Caucasion and Black couples achieved success in their marriage life, when performed at the recommedation of Swami Ram’s advice to cure love problems. There are many types of shiva lingams, bu the one with the Cobra represting Love Desire is most important, as shown in the picture. You can obtain these shivlingams from Heendu Learning centrer. Prices range from $10.00 to $100.00 depending on the size of the Shiva Lingam stone. You can order these directly from Heendu Learning center.

As most of you may know, Lord Shiva represents the Male energy. Here, at the Heendu Learning Center, we recommend Rudraksh Mala to be used for meditation by male devotees. Females are advised to use Sandalwood Malas, which are linked to the Shakti Power of Female Beauty and Shakti. Each Mala contains 108 Beads, representing the 108 elements of the Universe; and when used for chanting, controls all 108 Gods of Power and Fertility. If females use the Rudraksha Mala for chanting, they will experience problems in marriage life. Other Malas beneficial to women in their meditation include Tulsi, rosewood and lotus Malas. HERBAL CURES FOR DISEASES THAT DOCTORS CANNOT CURE!! April 13, 2009 DIABETES - can be cured by Neem & Gymnema Powder Capsules HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE - can be cured by Ashwagahanda Roots powder Capsules STOMACH PROBLEMS (even if it has been there for years) can be cured by special Ayurvedic Oils BLOOD DISEASES cured by Blood cleansers such as Fenucreek, Neem and Amla powder Capsules MS or LOU GARRETTS DISEASE -{detected early) can be cured by Ginger, and Neem preparation FIBROIDS AND MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS - cured by Nutmeg and Clove preparations PSAD and other strange sexual afflictions can be cured special herbal preparations and diets SOME TYPES OF CANCERS can also be cured by Blood cleansers and Herbal anibiotics like Neem CHRONIC BACK PAINS can be cured by specific Oils and massages LACK OF SEXUAL DESIRE IN MEN AND WOMEN can be cure by special diets and herbal preparations ALL THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE HEENDU LEARNING CENTER CALL OR SEND AN EMAIL OF YOUR ILLNESS AND WE WILL SEND YOU THE PRODUCTS YOU ORDER……. READ MORE ABOUT THESE DISEASES IN SWAMI RAM’S BOOK; “THE SECRET TO GREAT HEALTH”

The Story Of King Chitrabhanu

In the Shanti Parva (chapter) of the Mahabharata epic, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma (righteousness), refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows:

Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa (India), was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.

The lord asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his past birth, and in his previous life he had been a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. The day before the new moon, while roaming through forests in search of animals, he saw a deer, but before his arrow flew he noticed the deer's family and their sadness at its impending death. So he let it live. He had still not caught anything when he was overtaken by nightfall and climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. His canteen leaked water, so he was both hungry and thirsty. These two torments kept him awake throughout the night, thinking of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time he engaged himself in plucking the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.

The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.

At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, sent to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there had been a Lingam (a symbol for the worship of Shiva) at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped had fallen on the Lingam, in imitation of its ritual worship. The water from his leaky canteen had washed the Lingam (also a ritual action), and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously had worshipped the Lord.

As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he had lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages and now he was reborn as Chitrabhanu.

This story is also told in the Garuda Purana.

See also

• Shivaratri in Assam