Maha Shivaratri (08.03.2024)
- Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
Pic MahShiv 1 Shivling in the main sanctorum, Kakanmath temple, Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated to mark the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Pic MahShiv 2 Snake on a Shivling in the main sanctorum, Kakanmath, Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India
महामृत्युंजय जप
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Devotees on trayodashi (13th day of Krishna paksha, the waning moon) worship Lord Shiva by fasting, performing rituals like offering of Bael (Bel Tree) leaves to Lord Shiva, chanting Om Namah Shivaya till Chaturdashi (14th day of the waning moon).
There is a Shivaratri on 13th night/14th day (trayodashi) of Krishna paksha (waning moon) of every month of the Hindu calendar. In Phalguna, (February/March), it is celebrated as Maha Shivaratri, in North India.
Chaturdashi Tithi during Krishna Paksha in Magha (February/March) is celebrated as Maha Shivaratri as per Amanta or Amavasyant calendar (month ending on Amavasya, i.e. no moon day), which is followed in South India.
In both the calendars, the name of the lunar month differs. However, both North Indians and South Indians, celebrate Maha Shivaratri on the same day.
Devotees visit the Shiva temples and/or go on pilgrimage to one of the Maha Jyotirlingams in [2]
i. Mallikarjuna (Srisailam) in Andhra Pradesh;
ii. Nageshwara (Dwarka) in Gujarat;
iii. Somanath (Gir) in Gujarat;
iv. Vaidyanath (Deoghar) in Jharkhand;
v. Mahakaleshwara (Ujjain) in Madhya Pradesh;
vi. Omkareshwara (Khandwa) in Madhya Pradesh;
vii. Bhimashankar (Pune), in Maharashtra;
viii. Ghrishneshwara (Aurangabad) in Maharashtra;
ix. Trayambakeshwara (Nashik) in Maharashtra;
x. Kedarnath (Rudraprayag) in Uttarakhand;
xi. Vishveshwara (Varanasi) in Uttar Pradesh;
xii. Rameshwara (Rameswaram) in Tamil Nadu;
Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas, including the Skanda, Linga and Padma Purana. Many legends with regional variations detail the significance of Maha Shivaratri.
It is believed that on Maha Shivaratri, Lord Shiva gulped Halahala (lethal poison) produced during Samudra manthan (churning of the seas) and held it in his throat/ neck which was bruised and turned blue, after which he is called Neel Kanth.
Pic MahShiv 3 Matangeshwar Temple, Western Group of Temples, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
At Khajuraho Shiva temples, a major fair and dance festival on Maha Shivaratri, involving Shiva pilgrims, camped over miles around the temple complex, was documented by Alexander Cunningham in 1864.
On Maha Shivaratri, fairs and special events are held around several Shiva temples. The famous Sidhlingappa's fair is observed during Maha Shivratri in Karnataka.
According to another legend, Shiva performs the dance of creation, preservation and destruction. Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at temples such as Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh), Konark (Odisha), Modhera (Gujrat), Pattadakal (Karnataka), and Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu).
At the Chidambaram temple, famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the ancient Hindu text and performing arts called Natya Shastra, the event is called Natyanjali (worship through dance).
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with great pomp and fanfare in the Annamalaiyar temple, (Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu). The worship entails Girivalam/Giri Pradakshina, a 14-kilometer bare foot walk around Lord Shiva's temple on top of the hill. A huge lamp of oil and camphor is lit on the hilltop at sunset.
In Telangana, Mahashivaratri Utsavalu is held at Rudreshwara Swamy's thousand pillar temple in Warangal.
The Mandi fair on the banks of Beas, is famous for Maha Shivaratri celebrations when devotees pour in. It is believed that more than 200 gods and goddesses of the area, assemble here on Maha Shivaratri.
In Kashmir, Mahashivaratri is celebrated as Har-ratri (Night of Hara) or Haerath or Herath on trayodashi or the thirteenth of Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of Phalguna (February/March) and not on chaturdashi as in other parts of India. The fortnight long festival is celebrated with elaborate rituals associated with appearance of Bhairava (Shiva) as jwala-linga or linga of flame, as described as Bhairavotsava in Tantric texts.
In Gujarat, Maha Shivaratri mela is held at Bhavnath near Junagadh where bathing in the Mrugi (Mrigi) kund is considered holy, since the myth that Lord Shiva himself comes to bathe in the Mrugi kund.
In West Bengal, Maha Shivaratri is observed devoutly by unmarried girls seeking a suitable husband, often visiting Tarakeswar.
Maha Shivaratri is widely celebrated in temples across Nepal, especially in Pashupatinath temple. Maha Shivaratri is celebrated as Nepali Army Day amid a spectacular ceremony.
In Nepal on Maha Shivaratri married women pray for the well-being of their husbands, while unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, considered as the ideal husband.
All across India, Lord Shiva is worshipped in different temples of which the notably famous are Kalahasteswara temple in Kalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, Umananda Temple located in the peacock island amidst the Brahmaputra rives in Assam, Bhutnath Temple in Himachal Pradesh, Matangeswar temple in Madhya Pradesh and Tarakeswar temple in West Bengal.
Hindus in Pakistan visit Shiva temples during Shivratri. The most important is the three-day Shivratri festival in the Umarkot Shiv Mandir.
सार्थशिवताण्डवस्तोत्रम्
॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले
गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम् ।
डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं
चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ॥१॥
जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी
विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि ।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके
किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥२॥
धराधरेन्द्रनंदिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर
स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे ।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि
क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे(क्वचिच्चिदम्बरे) मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ॥३॥
जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा
कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे ।
मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे
मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ॥४॥
सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखर
प्रसूनधूलिधोरणी विधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः ।
भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटक
श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः ॥५॥
ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा
निपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम् ।
सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं
महाकपालिसम्पदेशिरोजटालमस्तु नः ॥६॥
करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वल
द्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके ।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक
प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम ॥७॥
नवीनमेघमण्डली निरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्
कुहूनिशीथिनीतमः प्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः ।
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः
कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरंधरः ॥८॥
प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा
वलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम् ।
स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं
गजच्छिदांधकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे ॥९॥
अगर्व सर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी
रसप्रवाहमाधुरी विजृम्भणामधुव्रतम् ।
स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं
गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे ॥१०॥
जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वस
द्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट् ।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल
ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तित प्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः ॥११॥
दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्
गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः ।
तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः
समं प्रव्रितिक: कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम ॥१२॥
कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन्
विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरः स्थमञ्जलिं वहन् ।
विमुक्तलोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः
शिवेति मंत्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम् ॥१३॥
निलिम्प नाथनागरी कदम्ब मौलमल्लिका-
निगुम्फनिर्भक्षरन्म धूष्णिकामनोहरः ।
तनोतु नो मनोमुदं विनोदिनींमहनिशं
परिश्रय परं पदं तदङ्गजत्विषां चयः ॥१४॥
प्रचण्ड वाडवानल प्रभाशुभप्रचारणी
महाष्टसिद्धिकामिनी जनावहूत जल्पना ।
विमुक्त वाम लोचनो विवाहकालिकध्वनिः
शिवेति मन्त्रभूषगो जगज्जयाय जायताम् ॥१५॥
इमं हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं
पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेतिसंततम् ।
हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं
विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिंतनम् ॥१६॥
पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं
यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे ।
तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां
लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखिं प्रददाति शम्भुः ॥१७॥
इति श्रीरावण कृतम्
शिव ताण्डव स्तोत्रम्स म्पूर्णम्
शिव जी के 108 नाम
1. ऊं रुद्राय नमः।
2. ऊं शर्वाय नमः।
3. ऊं भवाय नमः।
4. ऊं उग्राय नमः।
5. ऊं भीमाय नमः।
6. ऊं पशुपतये नमः।
7. ऊं ईशानाय नमः।
8. ऊं महादेवाय नमः।
9. ऊं शिवाय नमः।
10. ऊं महेश्वराय नमः।
11. ऊं शंभवे नमः।
12. ऊं पिनाकिने नमः।
13. ऊं शशिशेखराय नमः।
14. ऊं वामदेवाय नमः।
15. ऊं विरूपाक्षाय नमः।
16. ऊं कपर्दिने नमः।
17. ऊं नीललोहिताय नमः।
18. ऊं शंकराय नमः।
19. ऊं शूलपाणये नमः।
20. ऊं खट्वांगिने नमः।
21. ऊं विष्णुवल्लभाय नमः।
22. ऊं शिपिविष्टाय नमः।
23. ऊं अंबिकानाथाय नमः।
24. ऊं श्रीकण्ठाय नमः।
25. ऊं भक्तवत्सलाय नमः।
26. ऊं त्रिलोकेशाय नमः।
27. ऊं शितिकण्ठाय नमः।
28. ऊं शिवा प्रियाय नमः।
29. ऊं कपालिने नमः।
30. ऊं कामारये नमः।
31. ऊं अन्धकासुरसूदनाय नमः।
32. ऊं गंगाधराय नमः।
33. ऊं ललाटाक्षाय नमः।
34. ऊं कालकालाय नमः।
35. ऊं कृपानिधये नमः।
36. ऊं परशुहस्ताय नमः।
37. ऊं मृगपाणये नमः।
38. ऊं जटाधराय नमः।
39. ऊं कैलाशवासिने नमः।
40. ऊं कवचिने नमः।
41. ऊं कठोराय नमः।
42. ऊं त्रिपुरान्तकाय नमः।
43. ऊं वृषांकाय नमः।
44. ऊं वृषभारूढाय नमः।
45. ऊं भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाय नमः।
46. ऊं सामप्रियाय नमः।
47. ऊं स्वरमयाय नमः।
48. ऊं त्रयीमूर्तये नमः।
49. ऊं अनीश्वराय नमः।
50. ऊं सर्वज्ञाय नमः।
51. ऊं परमात्मने नमः।
52. ऊं सोमसूर्याग्निलोचनाय नमः।
53. ऊं हविषे नमः।
54. ऊं यज्ञमयाय नमः।
55. ऊं सोमाय नमः।
56. ऊं पंचवक्त्राय नमः।
57. ऊं सदाशिवाय नमः।
58. ऊं विश्वेश्वराय नमः।
59. ऊं वीरभद्राय नमः।
60. ऊं गणनाथाय नमः।
61. ऊं प्रजापतये नमः।
62. ऊं हिरण्यरेतसे नमः।
63. ऊं दुर्धर्षाय नमः।
64. ऊं गिरीशाय नमः।
65. ऊं अनघाय नमः।
66. ऊं भुजंगभूषणाय नमः।
67. ऊं भर्गाय नमः।
68. ऊं गिरिधन्वने नमः।
69. ऊं गिरिप्रियाय नमः।
70. ऊं कृत्तिवाससे नमः।
71. ऊं पुरारातये नमः।
72. ऊं भगवते नमः।
73. ऊं प्रमथाधिपाय नमः।
74. ऊं मृत्युंजयाय नमः।
75. ऊं सूक्ष्मतनवे नमः।
76. ऊं जगद्व्यापिने नमः।
77. ऊं जगद्गुरुवे नमः।
78. ऊं व्योमकेशाय नमः।
79. ऊं महासेनजनकाय नमः।
80. ऊं चारुविक्रमाय नमः।
81. ऊं भूतपतये नमः।
82. ऊं स्थाणवे नमः।
83. ऊं अहिर्बुध्न्याय नमः।
84. ऊं दिगंबराय नमः।
85. ऊं अष्टमूर्तये नमः।
86. ऊं अनेकात्मने नमः।
87. ऊं सात्विकाय नमः।
88. ऊं शुद्धविग्रहाय नमः।
89. ऊं शाश्वताय नमः।
90. ऊं खण्डपरशवे नमः।
91. ऊं अजाय नमः।
92. ऊं पाशविमोचकाय नमः।
93. ऊं मृडाय नमः।
94. ऊं देवाय नमः।
95. ऊं अव्ययाय नमः।
96. ऊं हरये नमः।
97. ऊं भगनेत्रभिदे नमः।
98. ऊं अव्यक्ताय नमः।
99. ऊं दक्षाध्वरहराय नमः।
100. ऊं हराय नमः।
101. ऊं पूषदन्तभिदे नमः।
102. ऊं अव्यग्राय नमः।
103. ऊं सहस्राक्षाय नमः।
104. ऊं सहस्रपदे नमः।
105. ऊं अपवर्गप्रदाय नमः।
106. ऊं अनन्ताय नमः।
107. ऊं तारकाय नमः।
108. ऊं परमेश्वराय नमः।
The marriage of Shiva has also found a place in Indian Bollywood as `Shivji Vihane Chale’ , Munimji (1955)
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service (Retired), former Senior Economic Adviser, Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts
on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site),
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been writing/sharing varied topics and
can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com.
[2] The list of 12 Jyotirlingams differs. In some lists, Vaidhyanath temple in Maharashtra is included.
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