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Thread: Maha Shivaratri

  1. #1
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    Maha Shivaratri

    Namaste All,

    The festival of Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Shiva) is almost upon us once again. This year Shivaratri will be Feb 16 (into the 17th) in the Indian subcontinent, and Feb 15 (into the 16th) in North America. The temple I attend plans to celebrate on Feb 15. I was wondering from those who celebrate this festival, how you plan to observe it, and what is your practice. Do you plan to fast? Do you plan to keep vigil through the night?

    OM Shanti,
    A.



  2. #2
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    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    One thing that is recommended for Shivaratri is the chanting of the Rudradhyaya hymn from the Yajurveda. However, most of us don’t know how to chant this long hymn, so we just chant the panchakshara mantra, which is found in the center of the Rudradhyaya. I found this piece (below) on the panchakshara mantra written by Swami Sivananda particularly informative. I’ve edited it slightly for spelling and clarification. There is already a thread here on the panchakshara mantra, and Sarabhanga-ji has covered almost all of these points, but I thought it might be useful to review these points, especially for those of us who are planning to chant this mantra on Shivaratri.

    OM Shanti,
    A.

    -----

    SECRET OF PANCHAKSHARA
    Swami Sivananda
    Part of a larger article called Siva Yoga Sadhana.

    Panchakshara is a maha-mantra, which is composed of five letters: na-maH-shi-vA-ya. A mantra is that which removes all obstacles and miseries of one who reflects on it, and bestows eternal bliss and immortality. Panchakshara is the best among seven crores of mantras.

    There are seven skandhas (sections) in the Yajurveda. The Rudradhyaya is in the centre of the middle skandha. In this Rudradhyaya, there are one thousand Rudra mantras. namaH shivAya or the Shiva Panchakshara mantra shines in the centre of these one thousand Rudra mantras.

    Yajurveda is the head of Parameshvara, who is the Veda Purusha (Supreme Being). The Rudram (Rudradhyaya), which is in the middle of the Yajurveda, is the face, and the panchakshara is His eye. ‘Shiva’, which is in the centre of the namaH shivAya, is the apple of the eye. He who does japa of this panchakshara is freed from births and deaths, and attains eternal bliss. This is the emphatic declaration of the Vedas. This panchakshara is the body of Lord Nataraja. This is the abode of Lord Shiva. If you add aum to namaH shivAya in the beginning, then it becomes shadakshara or ‘six-lettered’ mantra.

    Panchakshara is of six kinds:
    1. Sthula panchakshara (namaH shivAya)
    2. Sukshma panchakshara (shivAya namaH)
    3. Karana panchakshara (shivAya shiva)
    4. Mahakarana panchakshara (shivAya)
    5. Mahamanu or 6. mukti panchakshara (shi)

    namaH’ means prostration. ‘shivAya namaH’ means prostration unto Lord Shiva.

    The jiva (individual) is the servant of Lord Shiva from the deha-drishti (viewpoint of the body). ‘namaH’ represents the jivatman (individual soul). ‘Shiva’ represents Paramatman (Supreme Soul). ‘Aya’ denotes aikyam or identity of jivatman and Paramatman. Hence, shivAya namaH is a Mahavakya, like Tat Tvam Asi, which signifies the identity between the individual and the Supreme Soul.

    Pranava (aum) denotes the external form (husk) of the Lord (paddy), and panchakshara, the internal form (rice). Pranava and panchakshara are one.

    The five letters denote the five actions or Pancha Krityas of the Lord, viz., Srishti (creation), Sthiti (preservation), Samhara (destruction), Tirodhana (veiling) and Anugraha (blessing/revealing). They also denote the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) and all creations through the combination of the five elements.

    na’ represents Tirodhana (veiling); ‘ma’, the mala or impurity; ‘shi’, Lord Shiva; ‘vA’, the Arul Shakti (grace); and ‘ya’, the individual soul.

    Take a bath, or wash your face, hands and feet. Wear bhasma (holy ash) and rudraksha mala. Sit on padmasana or sukhasana, facing east or north, in a quiet place or room. Repeat silently the panchakshara and meditate on the form of Lord Shiva. Keep the image in the heart, or space between the eyebrows.

    If you practise meditation regularly, your heart will be purified. All samskaras and sins will be burnt in toto. You will attain Shiva-Yoga-Nishtha or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. You will attain the glorious Shiva-Pada or Shiva-Gati and become one with Lord Shiva. You will enjoy the eternal bliss of Shivanandam and become immortal.

    May Lord Shiva bless you all!





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    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    Namaste Agnideva,

    That namaH shivAya means I am Shiva is news to me and it would be very pleasing to chant the panchakshara mantra with this meaning. The relationship between aum, namaH, shivAya, and the six kinds of panchakshara mantra are also clear now.

    Thanks for an enlightening post.

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    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    namaskar Agni!
    Very nice posts.
    re what I will be doing on this auspicious day...if Lord allows, I will be fasting this year too. I am not sure the exact ritual of fasting and praying on this day but have been observing complete fast (no water, no food) on this day and night.

    Our temple here in the city will be opened all night and I think many stay all night to perform and observe pujas that go on all night (?). I have never been to the temple on this day or night so not sure what will happen this year...as HE instructs so shall happen and nothing else...

    Shivom!
    satay

  5. #5

    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    Quote Originally Posted by Agnideva View Post
    Namaste All,

    The festival of Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Shiva) is almost upon us once again. This year Shivaratri will be Feb 16 (into the 17th) in the Indian subcontinent, and Feb 15 (into the 16th) in North America. The temple I attend plans to celebrate on Feb 15. I was wondering from those who celebrate this festival, how you plan to observe it, and what is your practice. Do you plan to fast? Do you plan to keep vigil through the night?

    OM Shanti,
    A.
    Thanks Agnideva for sharing this.

    I have plans to fullfill my wish to do the whole puja, which I haven't been able to able to do till now for various reasons ... let's see if grace of shiva allows it this time.

    I also don't know the how to recite Rudri ... however Shiv Ratri pujanam is an extension of the Parthiva Shiva Linga Archanam where all aspects of Shiva are worshipped at various points of time of the auspicious day.

  6. #6

    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    More info here ...

    http://www.mahashivratri.org

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    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    Namaste All,

    Thanks for your responses. It is also my intention this year to fast for the whole day and night, Lord willing. I don’t keep away from water as this present body doesn’t deal well with dehydration. I am also planning to visit temple. They have pujas and group chants of the panchakshara. I also plan to stay up through the night until sunrise. I have the Rudram and Chamakam hymns on mp3 so I will listen to those as well.

    Quote Originally Posted by “Saidevo”
    That namaH shivAya means I am Shiva is news to me and it would be very pleasing to chant the panchakshara mantra with this meaning. The relationship between aum, namaH, shivAya, and the six kinds of panchakshara mantra are also clear now.
    I didn’t realize that namaH shivAya is a mahavAkya either. I also really liked the explanation of how pranava mantra (aum) is the external mantra, and namaH shivAya is internal. I was looking up more information on this. It turns out that in the Shaiva Agamas, pranava is also a panchakshara! Pranava is said to have five parts: a-kAra, u-kAra, ma-kAra, nAda and bindu. So, aum is the manifest panchakshara, and namaH shivAya is the unmanifest panchakshara. Fits together beautifully .

    OM Shanti,
    A.



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    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    Quote Originally Posted by MysticalGypsi View Post
    So, the "aum" represents the Supreme Soul and the panchakshara represents the individual soul and that they are one. What are they saying through the "paddy" symbolism, that the Lord is everywhere, in all things, all encompassing?
    Namaste MG,

    There are two analogies that Swami Sivananda uses in the article. The first analogy is that of equating individual soul and the Supreme Soul, which is often made in non-dualistic philosophies of Hinduism. Here, he says that namaH is the individual soul, and shiva = Supreme Soul, and Aya = indicates the oneness between them. So, namaH shivAya is just like saying Tat Tvam Asi (Thou art That) which is one of the four mahavakyas or “great statements” of the Upanishads used extensively in non-dualistic philosophies.

    The second analogy he makes is that of the internal and external forms. The internal form here denotes the non-differentiated or unmanifest Oneness. The external form denotes the differentiated or manifest states. The aum (pranava) is the external manifest form, the namaH shivAya (panchakshara) is the internal unmanifest Oneness that holds all external differences together. The aum is the external husk, the rice is the namaH shivAya. Together aum namaH shivAya encompasses the manifest and the unmanifest Divine.

    Hope that makes sense .

    OM Shanti,
    A.



  9. #9

    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    Can you tell me is there anything I should definitely do or not do! I don't want to inadvertantly offend someone.
    Last edited by MysticalGypsi; 28 May 2007 at 07:30 PM.
    Those who in penance and faith dwell in the forest, peaceful and wise,living a mendicant's life, free from passion depart through the door ofthe sun to the place of the immortal Person, the imperishable Self.Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.11. ve p. 415

  10. #10

    Re: Maha Shivaratri

    The only thing I can think of not doing is going inside the temple without taking off your footwear. Temples should entered with naked feet.

    Apart from that nothing else should be rigid.

    It could be much easier on you to go with someone who has been there.

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