Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated in the month of Phalgun every year. As per the Hindu panchang or calendar, the fourteenth day of the dark half of the Lunar month of Phalguna is observed as Maha Shivratri. This day is the day when two deities’ Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati entered into wedlock. The wedding of two immortals had many challenges and they reincarnated many times to become each other's soul mate. We all are on the verge of bidding goodbye to winter and with spring around the corner, Maha Shivaratri 2024 is also approaching.
In 2024, Maha Shiva Ratri is scheduled on the 08th of March, Friday. Devotees across the world fast and spend the day in the veneration of the most powerful couple, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Maha Shivaratri Importance
Maha means Great, Shiva refers to opportune or auspicious and Ratri denotes night. It is a great and auspicious night to celebrate the amorphous God with endless longevity. This is the best day to procure the blessings of the illustrious couple symbolizing Shakti and innocence. The spiritual energies on this day are at the top and reverence bestows fulfilled desire, positivity, happiness, and harmony.
Maha Shiva ratri is the most propitious Shiva ratri out of all 12 Shivratri falling in a year. It is said that the special alignment of the Sun and Moon facilitates self-consciousness, spiritual harmony, and showering of cosmic energies. Veneration at night, meditation, and mantra chanting bring blessings from the celestial duo directly. The notions about the night of lord Shiva, Shiva ratri in Puranas have distinct beliefs. Along with being the day of wedlock of the protector and power, this is the day when Lord Shiva curated Tandava Natyam form and added expressions to it. The day is considered to be a blessing for unmarried women seeking a match for themselves.
Maha Shivaratri Puja Customs
On Maha Shivaratri, Shiva and Parvati puja starts at the Brahma Muharat with a bath before dawn and marches to the Shiva temple in clean or new attire. The devotees of Shiva and Parvati observe the day and night fast abandoning the routine food. Temples are cleaned and decorated on the day and kept open around the clock. Unboiled milk, Ganga Jal, Tulsi leaves, Honey, and ghee are used to make panchamrit, the solution used for bathing of the Shiv Parivar. Bel leaves, fruits, rice, black sesame, kamalgatta, Supari, and white sacred thread (janeu) are offered to the lord after the bath. Thorn apples and Bel leaves are dear to lord Shiva and therefore are a must as per shastra during the reverence of the lord of destruction. Amongst fruits, Plum holds special importance during the pooja of Shivaratri.
Lord Ganesha is venerated first as per Hindu shastra during any puja, therefore give the bath first to lord Ganesha followed by the other members of the Shiva family including Kartikey and Nandi. Incense sticks or dhoops and diya are lit in front of the Shiva linga and various mantras are recited. Rudra Abhishek puja is commonly practiced in temples across the country to please the lord and attain his blessings. This day is also considered to be the best for people having KalSarp dosha in their birth chart and Rudra Abhishek of Shiva is said to unleash the person from dosha. Devotees chant Shiva and Parvati songs, and mantras and devote their whole night to deifying the couple.
Maha Shivaratri Vrat Fable
The story of God Shiva and goddess Parvati is said to be the first love story of earth as per Hindu religious books. It goes back to the time of Sati who was the daughter of Daksha who was the son of Brahma. Sati fell in love with Shiva against all the odds and went on to marry him against the wishes and command of his father. Sati out of the love of his father, visited King Daksha without an invitation without the consent of lord Shiva. Fumed from the disrespectful treatment of her father, she decided not to return to lord Shiva and gave up her life on the spot. Sati re-united lord Shiva after millions of years in the birth of Parvati and married him with the consent of the family. The day of union is celebrated as Maha Shivratri.
As per Garuda Purana, the story behind Maha Shiva Ratri is different. According to it, a hunter with a dog ignorantly performed all the rituals of Shiva veneration in a forest. He was then protected by Lord Shiva when Yama, the god of death came to take him. Since then, the day has been celebrated as Maha Shiva Ratri, and people fast on this day to procure blessings.
Things to donate on Maha Shiva Ratri:
• It is believed that Lord Shiva is fond of milk and distributing milk or milk products on this day will help you amuse your deity.
• Donate as per your affordability in temples or to poor people. It brings in fortune.
• On this auspicious occasion, distribute rice, sugar, and milk amongst needy and famished people.
• Donate cow milk to attract good fortune on this day.
• Donation or distribution of cereals and grains pleases the lord on this day and is a means to get the blessings of the almighty directly.
• Donate white clothes or white-coloured edibles or objects to find tranquillity in life.
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