Maha Shivratri 2018 Celebrated on February 13
Maha
Shivratri,The Great Night of Shiva, is on February 24, 2017 Friday.
In the views of spiritualists and meditators (yogis), this is the most
auspicious night for anyone seeking stability in their nature, humility in
their behaviour, complete detachment from the disturbing elements of the world
or prosperity in their professional undertakings. It is that time of the year where holy places
of India brim with rituals such as Shiv puja, Abhishek Vidhi and Shiv
Abhisheka. The central point of performing these rituals is the attainment of
Shiva’s blessings.
Lord Shiva:
Dearest to the saintly and the humble
Sastras, the Vedic scriptures, regard Lord
Shiva as Aashutosh, the One who is
easily pleased by the devotees. A question may arise that if He is ‘Aashutosh’
then why doesn’t He fulfil desires of people in moments? Why not all of us have
our wishes fulfilled? The answer lies in the Vedas that state He is easily
pleased with ‘devotees’ who undergo sever penances or austerities in order to
please Him. There is a difference between a person full of materialistic
tendencies and a devotee who is calm and composed not hankering after material
possessions. If you are humble and saintly, you will find Lord Shiva very
attractive for He Himself is humble and divine. Peace is found where divinity
dwells.
To be
saintly does not mean giving up family or community affairs and becoming a
sadhak or a Sage. A person of saintly or humble nature is far better than the
one who gives up their social position whimsically (out of frustration) in
order to search Shiva. Lord Shiva is Himself an ideal husband and father but
from within He is the unsurpassable Yogi. Externally one may engage in their
occupational duties but internally one should always be in touch with the All-auspicious
Shiva.
Bestower of everything:
Lord Shiva
is the Bestower of everything that can possibly be wished or sought. This is
the unique quality of His. It is given in the Bhagvat Purana (4:6:34) that
Shiva resides in the Kailasha Hill which is glorified by all the Vedas as the
most sanctified dhama (abode) in the
spiritual world. Atop the Hill He is found in meditation under a baniyan tree
which is also described as the banyan
tree is eight hundred miles high, and its branches spread over six hundred
miles around. The tree cast a fine shade which permanently cooled the
temperature, yet there was no noise of birds.
He sits
there surrounded by the Four Kumaras,
the divine celibates who represent the absolute spiritual purity and Lord
Kuvera, the treasurer of demigods who represent the opulence of the highest
order. These personalities always stay by the side of Shiva who controls both,
divinity and material opulence. It indicates the Shiva can liberate a seeker
from the clutches of Maya and can bestow upon the desirous of material opulence
a treasure of wealth. This is Lord Shiva’s unique position.
Therefore
whatever one’s wish is, one must by all means worship Lord Shiva for He is the
Controller of everything that exits. A Yogi can achieve meditational
perfection, a seeker can read scriptures of Shiva and attain self-realization
and the one seeking success their professional undertakings can be blessed by
Shiva.
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