18th February, 2023
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Om, We Worship the Three-Eyed One (Lord Shiva),
Who is Fragrant (Spiritual Essence) and Who Nourishes all beings.
May He sever our Bondage of Samsara (Worldly Life), like a Cucumber (severed from the bondage of its Creeper),
and thus Liberate us from the Fear of Death, by making us realize that we are never separated from our Immortal Nature.
According to popular mythology, during Samudra Manthan, or when the gods and the demons churned the great ocean to obtain nectar out of it to become immortal, a pot of poison emerged out of the great waters first. The poison was so powerful that nobody even touched it. But Shiva agreed to get rid of the poison by consuming it.
He carefully held the poison in his throat, which turned blue due to its effect.
On Maha Shivaratri, devotees show their gratitude to Lord Shiva for thus having saved the world.
“The gist of all worship is to be pure & to do good to others.
He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak & in the diseased, really worships Shiva.
He, who sees Shiva only in the Image, his worship is but Preliminary.”
The festival of Shivratri symbolizes the divine incarnation of Shiva on this earth, when Shiva incarnates in order to open our third eye of Wisdom and helps us awaken from the slumber of ignorance & to protect the self from the negative influence of vices such as lust, greed, anger & ego.
Om Namey Shivaye!!!
Wish you and your family a Happy & Blissful Shivratri
Let’s Celebrate this festival in its true spirit & stay blessed forever!