Maha Shivaratri: Great Night of Lord Shiva

Festival of Hindu’s in Nepal

Festivals: The rationale

Every festival in Nepal traditionally begins with something religious and proceeds with spontaneous spirit. Our festivals are rooted in history, mythology and religion. They honor and propitiate the multitude of gods and control malicious spirits.

A festival is a social occasion. It is an affirmation of the ancient and strong bonds of religion and culture. Festivals in Nepal are reckoned not only as occasions to indulge in eating, drinking and making merry but also as occasions when one is to devote some of one’s time to the worship of and meditation upon gods and goddesses in different forms.

Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri or Shivaratri (Night of Shiva) is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the month Phalguna (Normally later part of February, but not always) in the Hindu calendar. According to Hindu mythology Maha shivratri is the night when Lord Shiva himself was created by his own divine grace. The most significant practices on this day are offerings of Bel (Bilva or Wood Apple) leaves to Lord Shiva, fasting and all night long vigil. This popular festival dedicated to Lord Shiva is celebrated by Hindus all over the world and in Nepal it is celebrated with great fervor and gaiety at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. Any temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is a place to mark this festival, but as Pashupatinath is one of the highly placed Hindu shrines not only in Nepal but all over the world, it gets most of the anticipated attention. It is an incredible spectacle, with devotees paying tribute to Lord Shiva on this moonless night with ceremonies continuing late into the night. According to Hindu Mythology; Brahma is the creator, Bishnu is the preserver and Lord Shiva is the God of Destruction and thus is sometimes described as God of all Gods. In Maha Shivaratri, the devotees in their prayer ask Lord Shiva to sluice away all the sins they have committed.

At Pashupatinath

Hindus all over the world celebrate the festival with zeal and enthusiasm. The devotees from all parts of the country as well as neighboring countries throng to Pashupatinath. Literally ‘the lord of animals’ Pashupatinath is one of the many forms of Lord Shiva, and as mentioned earlier it is one of the highly placed Hindu shrines not only in Nepal but all over the world.

Legend say, most of the devotees go to worship literally to wrangle with the God for their wishes to be fulfilled. At Pashupatinath, in the dawn devotees take a holy bath in Bagmati River. Thereafter, they wear clean clothes (preferably new) and apply vibhuthi (sacred ash) on the forehead making a special mark of three horizontal stripes called tripundra. The three stripes symbolize spiritual knowledge, purity and penance. In a way, they are also said to represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva. Many people also wear a Rudraksha Mala (bead made with seeds of the Rudraksha tree). The Rudraksha tree is said to have sprung from the tears of Lord Shiva and is considered holy for the Hindus. And then they stand in a long queue for their turn to enter into the temple for worship. Since early hours, the vicinity of Pashupatinath is seen bustling with the crowd of devotees and spectators. For those who are not in the vicinity of Pashupatinath temple, they too perform these rituals locally and visit a local temple of Lord Shiva and do their prayers and offerings.

A magnificent light is the indication or identity of Lord Shiva and the Shiva Lingam is considered to be the symbol of it. Hence, the formal worship on Maha Shivratri consists of bathing the Shiva Lingam. Lord Shiva is said to be burning with the fire of austerity and so only those items are offered to him that have a cooling effect. A cool water bath is believed to propitiate him best. The devotee baths the Lingam and prays that to get wisdom. The Linga is decorated with flowers and garlands; incense sticks and fruit are offered; and devotees “Ring the Bell” around the temple.

About trifoliate Bel leaves offered to Lord Shiva

Also known as Bilva or Wood apple (Aegle marmelos), the Bel is a medium-sized deciduous tree. It has thorny branches and trifoliate leaves. Its fruit is large and round with a greenish-grey, woody shell. The Bel has medicinal properties. Its leaves make poultice for the eyes and are good for diabetes and the roots help reduce fever. Its fruit is a remedy for dysentery. It is also believed to promote fertility.

Its leaves are an important offering to Shiva, for their trifoliate shape signifies Shiva's three eyes. Since they have a cooling effect, they are offered to the Shivalinga to soothe this hot-tempered deity. Even a fallen Bel is never used as firewood, for fear of arousing Shiva's wrath. Its wood is used only in sacrificial fires.

Highlights

One of the highlights during Mahashivaratri is the number of sadhus who throng to Pashupatinath, not only from across the country but also from the neighboring countries. Smeared with ash, away from the everyday concerns of the world, they can be seen all around the vicinity, and are rare sights for many. They, naked with no sense of shame, have mastered cold and heat, hunger and sensual desire. These wanderers, thin but powerful, with fierce intelligent eyes, live a life detached, seeking union with Lord Shiva. They spend the night lighting sacred fires, singing praises of the deity, and keeping a constant vigil to greet his descent to earth on the grassy hills around the temple. HEMP, an intoxicating substance that Lord Shiva is touted to enjoy the most is considered to be prasad (a blessed or divine gift from God). Hence people believe that it is one of the constituent of holy prasad and some could be seen around in search of it – most of them requesting around the sadhus as they are supposed to be the main possessors of this holy prasad.

Concluding with Namaha Shivaya

'Namaha Shivaya (नम: शिवाय)' is Lord Shiva's five lettered (panchakshari) mantra. In a subdivision of the Yajurveda the Rudradhyay begins with these words. The mantra is taken from here. When it is prefixed with the sacred syllable (pranav) Om, it becomes 'Om namaha Shivaya (ॐ नम: शिवाय)', the six lettered (shadakshari) mantra. The spiritual meaning of each letter of the five lettered mantra is as follows:

n (न) : The foremost deity of all the regions (lokas)
m (म) : The bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge (dnyan) and destroyer of the greatest sins
Shi (शि) : Benevolent, serene and responsible for the initiation by Lord Shiva
va (वा) : The representation of a bull as the vehicle and the Vasuki and Vamangi Energies (Shakti)
y (य) : The auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and Lord Shiva.

Compiled By: Roshan Upadhyay

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