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Mahashivratri is a Hindu festival that is celebrated with great devotion and
fervour by millions of people all over the world. The festival is dedicated to
Lord Shiva, one of the most revered gods in Hinduism, and is considered to be
one of the most important Hindu festivals.
The word ‘Mahashivratri’ literally means ‘the great night of Lord Shiva’ and it is
believed that on this day, Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati, who symbolizes
power, wisdom, and love. The festival is a celebration of the union between
the male and female energies, which represents the balance between the
masculine and feminine aspects of life.
IMPORTANCE OF MAHASHIVRATRI
Mahashivratri is not only a religious festival, but also a celebration of life and
its meaning. The festival is considered to be a day of great spiritual
significance, as it is believed that Lord Shiva performs the cosmic dance of
creation, preservation, and destruction on this day. This dance represents the
cycle of life and death, and the understanding that everything is transitory and
will eventually come to an end.
The festival is also a time for people to seek blessings and guidance from Lord
Shiva. It is believed that by worshiping Lord Shiva on this day, one can attain
inner peace, spiritual enlightenment, and liberation from the cycle of birth and
death. People fast, perform puja, and offer prayers to Lord Shiva to receive his
blessings and guidance.
10 SKILLS TO LEARN FROM LORD SHIVA
Lord Shiva is revered as the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, and power.
There are several qualities that one can learn from Lord Shiva and apply in
their daily life to achieve success and happiness.
1. DETACHMENT - Lord Shiva teaches us the importance of detachment
and how to remain calm and cantered in the face of life's challenges. He
reminds us that material possessions and worldly desires come and go,
and that true happiness and peace can only be found within.
2. SELF-CONTROL - Lord Shiva is known for his self-control and discipline,
which is a key ingredient for success and happiness in life. He teaches us
the importance of controlling our thoughts, emotions, and actions to
achieve inner peace and stability.
3. COMPASSION - Lord Shiva is considered to be the god of mercy and
compassion. He teaches us to have a heart full of love and compassion
for all beings, and to strive for the welfare of others.
4. CREATIVITY - Lord Shiva is known for his creative powers, and he
inspires us to tap into our own inner creativity to bring joy and beauty
into the world. He teaches us that life is a canvas, and we have the
power to paint it as we please.
5. NON-TOLERANT TO THE EVIL - Lord Shiva was known to be very tolerant
but the destroyer of evil. He supported the Devtas, and on their
complaint that the rakshas was torturing them, he destroyed them.
Therefore, he kept a vigil eye on all the happenings around him, and
whenever he found injustice being done, he stood up to the occasion
and destroyed the evil. Hence, one should always be vigilant and stand
against any misdeeds being done.
6. MATERIALISTIC HAPPINESS IS TEMPORARY - Lord Shiva was very
powerful and supreme yet remained away from worldly happiness. He
knew that nothing is immortal in life, and things change with time. He
did not acquire a big house and stayed in jungles. Instead of wearing
expensive clothes and ornaments, he wore animal skin and had his body
smeared with ashes. Hence he always remained grounded, free from
desires, away from wealth and otherworldly items. Hence, one should
not run after materialistic gains and instead find happiness in whatever
is available around us.
7. RESPECTING YOUR SPOUSE - Lord Shiva always treated her wife, Parvati,
with deep respect. Shiva was ‘Ardhanarishwar’, where half of him was
Parvati, his ‘shakti’. He always respected Parvati and tried to do
whatever he could to please her. Therefore, every human-like Lord Shiva
gives due importance and respect to one’s spouse to lead a pleased and
joyous life.
8. BEING EGOLESS & FEARLESS - Lord Shiva was very humble & egoless.
Wearing serpents around his neck symbolises his power to control his
ego, his fearless nature, and his ability to manipulate challenging
situations to his favour. His Trishul displayed his power to control his
mind and work well even in odd times. Hence, one should be fearless
and egoless. To attain success in life, one should keep mind and ego in
control.
9. DO NOT BE IGNORANT: Lord Shiva had kept Goddess Ganga trapped in
his hair. It represented the end of ego, ignorance and the dawn of
knowledge. Lord Shiva was the very vigil of all the happenings around,
and he always kept his facts rights. Moreover, he still acted very timely
and wisely.Hence, one should not be ignorant and, before doing
anything, should get the facts right. It will help in focussing on your
targets and reaching them faster.
10. SUPPRESSING NEGATIVITY GRACEFULLY: Lord Shiva is also called
Neelkanth. Once when poison emerged out of the ocean, Shiva drank
the same to save the world. Resultantly, his throat got blue. He
suppressed the evil and anger and turned it into positivity for the world.
Hence, one should control one’s anger and negativities and instead
convert and utilise it positively.
Mahashivratri is a celebration of life and its meaning, and a time for people to
seek blessings and guidance from Lord Shiva. The festival is not only a religious
observance, but also a time to reflect on the qualities that Lord Shiva embodies
and how they can be applied in our daily lives to achieve success and
happiness. By learning from Lord Shiva, we can become better, more
compassionate, and more enlightened individuals, and lead a life of peace,
wisdom, and fulfilment.
MahaShivRatri
A Night with the Divine
18 February 2023,
6 PM to 6 AM IST
Live from Isha Yoga Center
Join the Free Livestream
2023 MAHASHIVRATRI CELEBRATIONS
Mahashivratri is an exuberant nightlong festival with explosive meditations by
Sadhguru and spectacular musical performances by renowned artists.
- EXPLOSIVE GUIDED MEDITATIONS (WITH SADHGURU)
- NIGHTLONG SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCES (BY EMINENT ARTISTS)
- TRADITIONAL AND MARTIAL ARTS PERFORMANCE (BY ISHA SAMSKRITI
STUDENTS)
- ADIYOGI DIVYA DARSHANAM A POWERFUL VIDEO IMAGING SHOW
DEPICTING THE ORIGIN OF YOGA.
WAYS TO ATTEND
- ATTEND IN-PERSON AT ISHA YOGA CENTER
An exuberant nightlong festival, Mahashivratri happens at the Isha Yoga
Center, a powerful space for self-transformation.
- LIVE WEBSTREAM ON ISHA.SADHGURU.ORG
Stay tuned to the performances of the night and participate in the meditations
live, through our webstream.
- TELEVISION MAJOR TV CHANNELS IN INDIA
You can also watch the event live on television through our partners.
Guest Writer
Dr Niraalee Shah
Founder: Image Building and Etiquette Mapping
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