Happy Mahashivratri:

The festival ofMaha Shivratriis one of the most important festivals in Hinduism. The festival of Mahashivratri is dedicated to Mahadev Lord Shiva.

The day ofMahashivratriis celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion by Hindu devotees all over India as well as from all over the world. On this day devotees who believe in Hinduism worship Lord Shiva.

On the day of Maha Shivratri, fasting is observed and bhajans and kirtans are performed throughout the night. According to the Hindu calendar, this auspicious day is celebrated on the Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalgun.This year Mahashivratri is celebrated on 18 February 2023.

According to the belief of Hindu religion, the creation was born on this day. According to beliefs, on this day the creation started with the divine and gigantic form of Lord Shiva “Agnilinga”.

It is also believed that Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati got married on the day of Maha Shivratri. There are a total of 12 Shivratris in the whole year, out of which “Mahashivratri” is the most prominent.

The followers of Shaivism living in Kashmir call this day “Har Ratri” or “Herath” and celebrate this day with great enthusiasm. Similarly, this day is celebrated with great pomp in North and South India.

In this article, we will get detailed information about Maha Shivratri and also learn about other facts related to Maha Shivratri.

What is Maha Shivratri?

Shivratri means “the night of Shiva”. As the name suggests, this night is dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to the Hindu calendar, there is a Shivratri in every month.

In every month of the Hindu calendar, the day before the new moon is the day of Shivratri. But the festival of “Mahashivratri” is celebrated on the Chaturdashi date of Krishna Paksha of Phalgun month.

Most Hindu festivals are celebrated during the day, but the festival of Shivratri is celebrated at night. In Hinduism, this day is considered very important by the devotees of the Shaivite community.

Why is the Festival of Maha Shivratri celebrated?

1. If we see from a scientific point of view, then on this night the condition of the northern hemisphere of the earth is such that there is a natural upliftment of energy in human beings. On this day nature with its divine power takes man towards his spiritual peak. That’s why by celebrating the festival of Maha Shivratri on this day, devotees also meditate to energize their spiritual power.

But along with this, there are some special beliefs associated with Mahashivratri, due to which this important festival is celebrated.

2. Following are the beliefs associated with Maha Shivratri. It is believed that the marriage of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati took place on this day.

3. When poison appeared during the churning of the ocean, none of the gods and demons accepted the poison. Then Lord Shiva drank the poison and stopped it on his throat for the salvation of the world. Because of the poison, Lord Shiva’s throat turned blue. That’s why Lord Shiva is also called Neelkanth. The day of Maha Shivratri is celebrated in the honor of Lord Shiva to save the world.

4. According to another belief, when Mother Ganga was about to descend from heaven on earth, Lord Shiva moved her on his hair to save the earth from her unbearable speed, then the speed of Mother Ganga got entangled in Lord Shiva’s hair become less. Then mother Ganga reached the earth passing through the matted hair. So also The day of Maha Shivratri is celebrated and water is offered to the Shivling.

Story of Maha Shivratri (Katha of Mahashivratri):

It is a matter of ancient times that there was a hunter named Chitrabhanu. He used to feed his family by killing animals. He had taken a loan from a moneylender but he was unable to repay the loan on time. Because of this the moneylender got angry and imprisoned him in his old house. There was also a Shiv Math near this house. the day he was imprisoned

The day on which he was kept captive coincidentally happened to be Shivratri. The glory of Lord Shiva was being described in Shivmath on that day and the Shivratri Vrat Katha was also recited. The hunter heard the glory of Lord Shiva while in captivity and also heard the story of Shivratri fast. When it was evening, the moneylender again called the hunter to him and asked him to repay the loan.

The hunter assured him that he would repay all money the next day. The moneylender accepted the hunter and released him and gave him time till the next day to repay the loan.

After this the hunter went to the forest to hunt. He was suffering from hunger and thirst due to being imprisoned all day and was very distraught.

Sunset was about to happen. In search of prey in the forest, he reached near a reservoir. There was a tree near the reservoir. The hunter climbed that tree. The hunter climbed that tree because he had the hope that at sunset some animal would definitely come to drink water and he would hunt it seeing the opportunity.

The tree on which the hunter climbed was a belpatra tree and there was also a Shivling under that tree. Due to the dried belpatra lying on the Shivling, that Shivling was covered by them and was not visible. But while climbing some belpatra coincidentally fell on the Shivling. In this way, unknowingly the hunter’s fast of Maha Shivratri was completed.

After an hour of night, a pregnant deer reached the reservoir to drink water. As soon as the hunter put the arrow on his bow and pulled the string, some belt leaves fell on the Shivling by the touch of his arm. Due to accumulation of night dew on the belt leaves, both belt leaves and water were offered on Shivling and in this way the worship of Lord Shiva in the first phase of the hunter was done unknowingly.

Just then the gaze of the deer fell on the hunter and she immediately ran away and disappeared in the bushes. The hunter was very sad to see this and started waiting for the prey to come again.

After some time, in the second half of the night, another deer came there to drink water and the hunter immediately put an arrow on his bow. While offering the arrow, some bel leaves fell on the Shivling due to the movement of the hunter.

In this way unknowingly again the hunter worshiped Lord Shiva in the second phase. But this time again the deer was able to escape and the hunter could not catch the deer.

The hunter got worried after losing his prey twice. The last watch of the night had come to pass and only then another deer came to drink water at the reservoir along with her cubs.

Seeing the prey, the hunter again put the arrow on the bow. As soon as the hunter was about to aim, he remembered his children after seeing the deer’s children.

By mercy the arrow was not fired by the hunter. This happened to the hunter for the first time that out of mercy he could not shoot the arrow. This was the effect of worshiping Lord Shiva.

The hunter could not understand how this kindness arose in him. This time also the hunter was not able to hunt and the deer went away after drinking water with her children.

The hunter again started waiting for the prey and this time he decided that this time he would definitely hunt. While waiting for the prey, the hunter used to pluck the betel leaf from the tree and drop it down. In this way, those Belpatra would have been offered on the Shivling.

In this way unknowingly the third and last Prahar of Lord Shiva was also worshiped by the hunter. The hunter was waiting for the prey, that’s why a deer came there to drink water with its deer and children.

This time, as soon as the hunter put the arrow on the bow, a voice came from his inner heart not to commit this sin. The hunter’s heart had become clean and pure by fasting, night vigil and pouring belpatra and water on the Shivling.

Compassion had arisen in him and the energy of devotion to God had resided in him. Out of mercy, he let the deer go from there with his kids and the doe.

The hunter felt very self-conscious about the animal killings done in his life and started crying loudly. The hunter’s heart had become soft now.

Lord Shiva was pleased and gave divine darshan to the hunter and blessed the hunter with happiness and prosperity. By the grace of Lord Shiva, the hunter became rich with money and grains and he repaid the loan of the moneylender.

This time, as soon as the hunter put the arrow on the bow, a voice came from his inner heart not to commit this sin. The hunter’s heart had become clean and pure by fasting, night vigil and pouring belpatra and water on the Shivling.

Compassion had arisen in him and the energy of devotion to God had resided in him. Out of mercy, he let the deer go from there with his kids and the doe.

The hunter felt very self-conscious about the animal killings done in his life and started crying loudly. The hunter’s heart had become soft now.

Lord Shiva was pleased and gave divine darshan to the hunter and blessed the hunter with happiness and prosperity. By the grace of Lord Shiva, the hunter became rich with money and grains and he repaid the loan of the moneylender.

Now the hunter started doing business in his village and started living happily with his family.

When is Mahashivratri? (On which day is Maha Shivratri?)

According to the English calendar,Maha Shivratri is on 18 February, 2023this year. According to the Hindu calendar, the day of Maha Shivratri will be celebrated on the Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalgun.

Devotees who believe in Hinduism keep a dedicated fast for Lord Shiva on the day of Maha Shivratri and worship him. It is believed that the person who fasts on this day gets virtue and gets happiness and prosperity in life.

Puja Vidhi of Maha Shivratri:

• The worship method of Maha Shivratri is as follows:
• On this day special care should be taken of cleanliness and truthfulness.
• On the day of Maha Shivratri, one should wake up early in the morning and take a bath and resolve to fast.
• Light incense and lamps in front of Lord Shiva’s idol and Shivling and offer flowers to God.
• Keep in mind that Ketaki flowers are not offered to Lord Shiva.
• Apply sandalwood paste on the brain at the time of worship.
• Chant Mahamrityunjaya Mantra.
• Offer food to God.
• Follow the fast for the whole day and take fruits only.
• In the evening, go to the Shiva temple and do Jalabhishek of Shivling with Ganges water and offer Belpatra on Shivling. Belpatra is very dear to Lord Shiva. Offer 3 or 5 belpatra on Shivling.
• Maha Shivratri Vrat Katha Recite Shiv Aarti of Lord Shiva.
• Offer Prasad to Lord Shiva and after offering Prasad, distribute Prasad among others.
• Next day in the morning break the fast by donating to Brahmins.

Religious Significance of Maha Shivratri?

Lord Shiva has a lot of prestige in Hindu religion. Lord Shiva is the chief among the trinity(Brahma, Vishnu And Mahesh) and has the status of Mahadev. Worshiping Lord Shiva and fasting on the day of Maha Shivratri has special significance in Hinduism.

According to the beliefs of Hindu religion, Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of Shivling on this day. According to another belief, Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati got married on this day.

On Maha Shivratri, unmarried girls observe fast for the whole day and worship Lord Shiva and wish for a suitable groom from Shiva.

On the day of Maha Shivratri, performing Jalabhishek and Rudrabhishek on the Shivling in the temple fulfills all kinds of happiness and wishes.

The day of Mahashivratri is so important for the Hindus that the devotees of Shiva start thronging the Shiva temples from early morning itself.