Maha Shivratri 2018: Know significance , meaning the great night of Shiva

Author yuvamind

NEW DELHI: The Maha Shivratri, particularly the great festival of Hindus is celebrated every year across India. Although, Shivratri which means “Night of Shiva’’ comes once in every month while Maha Shivratri (Great night of Shiva) comes once in a year before just coming of the spring season as well as in the month of February or March. On the occasion of Maha Shivratri, devotees of Lord Shiva worship both the Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva with a huge curiosity and offer them different types of fruits to demanding prosperity and happiness for the family as a blessing. The Shivaratri fast starts in the morning and continues till the next day morning --- the person observing the fast can have fruits and milk, along with regular "vrat" food. However, no food should be consumed after sunset.
In this year, The Maha Shivratri 2018 began on the night of February 13 (Tuesday) which will end on the night of February 14, 2018, Wednesday. Lord Shiva is known as several names like Maheshwara, Shambhu, Soma, Shashvata, Parameshwara and others. On this auspicious day, Devotees go to Shiva temple and pray to God Shiva with chanting mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" and offer milk and fruits on Jyotirlingams. The ardent devotees keep awake all night, also called "jaagaran". The major Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India - in Varanasi and Somnatha - are frequented on Maha Shivaratri by the Shiva devotees. It is also celebrated in the temples all over Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. There are various opinions on the subject of Maha Shivratri such as Maha Shivaratri was the day when Shiva drank poisonous negativity to protect the world. According to the mythology, it is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation, and destruction, while some believe that this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married. Shiva devotee should follow on this auspicious day which is given below:
  •  Bath: Devotees should take the early bath with warm water and sesame seeds.
  •  Lingam: You are supposed to bathe Shiva ' s lingam with water, milk and some honey. And offer the Belpatra, dhatura fruit, Akanda flowers, turmeric, kumkum and sandalwood.
  •  Chant Mantra:  Om Namah Shivaya.
Shiva devotee should keep off on this auspicious day which is given following:
  •  Bronze Pot: Devotees should offer milk, curd or water with a copper pot and not a bronzer one.
  • Basil leaves: Do not offer tulsi leaves as it might upset Lord Shiva. Tulsi leaves are usually known as symbolic to Goddess Laxmi.
  • Bael:  the paan leaf that you will offer is not cut or affected. Clean it thoroughly and only then offer it to the deity.
  • Rounds of Shivling: According to the Shiv Puran, the devotee isn’t supposed to take a full round around the Shivling. A full circle is said to offend the lord and the blame will be on you.
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