Mahashivratri is formed from three words. Maha means great or significant. Shiv refers to Lord Shiva and also signifies auspiciousness. Ratri means night. Together, Mahashivratri means the Great and Auspicious Night of Lord Shiva.
There are twelve Shivratris in a year. Each falls on the 14th day of the lunar month, just before the moonless night of Amavasya. Among them, Shivratri, which occurs in the month of Phalguna (February–March), holds particular importance. This is the night celebrated as Mahashivratri.
UNDERSTANDING SHIVA
I came across this explanation on The Art of Living website. It describes Shiva not merely as a deity but as a state of deep peace, calm, and inner stability. The word Shiva itself means Mangalam—that which is auspicious. Its meaning goes further: having potential, being capable, boding well, and holding promise.
The word Shiva can be broken into three parts: Sha + Ee + Va.
Sha stands for shareeram—the body.
Ee represents eeshwari—the life-giving energy.
Va signifies vayu—movement or motion.
Remove the Ee from Shiva, and it becomes Sha + Va, or Shava, which means a lifeless body. This is reflected in Shavasana in yoga, in which the body lies still and motionless at rest.
Shava is stillness without life. Shiva is stillness with potential.
Where there is Shiva, there is life. Where Shiva is absent, there is only shava—lifelessness.
Thus, Shiva represents auspiciousness, life, and possibility. Shiva is all-encompassing—the universal consciousness. Realising this eternal truth, that Shiva is energy and tattva, leads to ananda—pure bliss
Why is MahaShivratri celebrated?
The story most closely associated with the reason for the celebration of Mahashivratri is the story of Halahala.
During the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the cosmic ocean, many things emerged. One of them was Halahala (also known as Kalakuta), a deadly poison. Neither the gods nor the asuras were willing to accept it. The poison was so potent that it threatened to destroy the entire cosmos. As it rose from the ocean, it began spreading rapidly and uncontrollably.
Seeing the distress of both devas and asuras, Lord Shiva intervened. He gathered the raging poison, compressed it into a manageable form, and drank it. However, he did not let it pass through his body. He held it in his throat, which turned blue, earning him the name Neelkanth:- the Blue-Throated One.
It is believed that Shiva drank the poison on the 14th night of the lunar month of Phalguna. This night is therefore observed as Mahashivratri.
This act is remembered as one of Shiva’s greatest expressions of compassion. While celebrating Mahashivratri, we are invited to reflect on this selfless act—and to learn from it: to absorb negativity without passing it on, and to respond to the world with compassion toward all beings.
Other Stories Associated with Mahashivratri.
Two other significant events are linked to the celebration of Mahashivratri.
The first is the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, symbolising the union of consciousness and energy. The second is the night when Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the Tandava, representing creation, destruction, and renewal.
In agrarian societies, this period also marks the onset of spring. It is a time when the earth regains fertility, when flowers bloom, leaves return, and life renews itself. Nature itself seems to awaken.
The Art of Living captures the deeper purpose of the night beautifully:
“Mahashivratri is meant to wake up every particle of your body. The festival is a wake-up call to move away from conflict and towards truth, beauty, peace, and benevolence—the ethereal qualities of Shiva.”
How is Maha Shivaratri celebrated?
Devotees observe a daylong fast. Milk is poured over the Shiva Linga, symbolically cooling the effect of the poison that Shiva held in his throat. In many temples, this abhishek continues uninterrupted for hours.
Offerings of Bilva (stone apple) leaves are made. The three leaves represent creation, preservation, and destruction. Devotees sing bhajans, chant “Om Namah Shivaya” and the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, often continuously. In many parts of the country, Shiva’s devotees remain awake through the night in prayer and contemplation.
While Shivratri is primarily associated with Shiva devotees, Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu) also observe the night. They seek blessings from Shiva, regarded as the first Vaishnava, and pray for the strength and depth of devotion to the supreme Vaishnava, Krishna.
Shivratri is not merely a festival of ritual and celebration. It is a moment to honour Shiva’s boundless compassion, his act of saving existence by drinking the poison. It is also a time to express gratitude and to pray for even a drop of that compassion, so that we too may dedicate our lives to the welfare of the world, following his example.
SHIVA A REFLECTION.
Shiva is known by many names and is regarded as the Adi Purusha—the primordial being. He is also called Swayambhu, the self-created one. Shiva existed when there was nothing else. He did not come from creation; he emerged from himself. There is no lineage to trace, no parents to name. Shiva simply is.
MORE NAMES.
- Mahadeva, Maha and Deva (God), meaning the supreme God.
- Mahesha, Mahesh and Ishwara ( God), meaning the great god or the great lord.
- Nataraja. The cosmic dancer.
- Shambhu the Benign.
- Bholenath. Because it is easy to please him.
- TriNetra. Because of his third eye.
- Shankara one who helps others.
- Adiyogi. the God of yoga and meditation- one who has been practising yoga and meditation from time immemorial.
- Ardhanarishvara. The androgynous union of Half male and half female, Shiva and his consort, one depicts that only when Nar ( male ) and Nari ( female ) come together as complementary to each other, they make it whole. The master of fertility, the master of both poison and medicine.
- Pashupata– the god of cattle.
- Kala Bhairav – the Lord of times- who controls time.
- Rudra is the one who destroys evil and sorrow.
Project Ignorant Hindu
#IgnorantHindu is a project dedicated to collating and sharing knowledge about Indian festivals, deities, and the stories, episodes, and events associated with them. Some of the festivals and narratives covered include: Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Antim Sanskar, Yama- the lord of death, Baishakhi and Bihu, Holi, Makar Sankranti, Assthmangal Prasanam- the way of predicting future, Rahu-Ketu– the shadow planets, the 12 houses of horoscope, Maa NarmadaParikrama, Mahashivratri, BhaiDooj, Navratri, Diwali, Dhanteras, Karva Chauth, Dussehra or Vijyadashmi, Ram Navami, Adhik Mass– the Hindu leap year and Shradh And Pitra Shradh.
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*Thank you, Alok Lahoti, for catching the error and raising the flag. Yes, it is Amavasya and not a full-moon night. It is because of readers like you I blog on the subject.
Below is the video on the book- ENCHANTING NEELI- It can be viewed on YouTube.
