WHO IS SHIVA?
The word “Shiva” literally means “that which is not.”
“That which is,” is existence and creation.
“That which is not” is Shiva.
It means, when you open your eyes and look around, if your vision is for small things, you will see lots of creation.
If your vision is really looking for big things, you will see the biggest presence in the existence is a vast emptiness.
A few spots which we call galaxies are generally much noticed, but the vast emptiness that holds them does not come into everybody’s notice. This vastness, this unbounded emptiness, is what is referred to as Shiva.
Today, modern science also proves that everything comes from nothing and goes back to nothing. It is in this context that Shiva, the vast emptiness or nothingness, is referred to as the great lord, or Mahadeva.
Shiva is not a person, but the very energy on which the entire creation rests. This energy pervades the entire universe and is present within every living being. This energy is called the Shiva Tattva.
Shiva can be split into:
Sha + ee + Va
Sha stands for shareeram or body
ee stands for eeshwari or life giving energy
Va stands for vayu or motion.
If the ee is removed from Shiva, it gets reduced to sha+va or shava, which means a lifeless body. We also use the term shavasana in yoga, where one is motionless and in an absolute state of rest.
While Shava is motionless or lifeless, Shiva is with the potential of life.
"Anything with Shiva is with life and anything without Shiva is shava i.e. lifeless."
What is Shivaratri?
The fourteenth day of every lunar month or the day before the new moon is known as Shivaratri. Among all the twelve Shivaratri that occur in a calendar year, Maha Shivaratri, the one that occurs in February-March is of the most spiritual significance.
Ratri means that which gives rest, and comforts you. Night is when all activities stop. Everything is quiet and peaceful. The environment becomes calm and the body naturally goes into sleep/ rest mode.
Ratri also means that which gives relief from the three types of problems i.e. to the body, to the mind and to the soul.
Adhyatmik - problems due to bodily suffering and mental agony.
Adhibhoutik - suffering due to living beings
Adidaivik- suffering due to fate, nature etc.
Hence, the three types of peace are needed, to even get that deep rest:
First is material peace. If there is fighting around you, or any disturbance around, then you can’t sleep/ rest.
Second, you need peace in the body and mind.
Third, you need peace in the soul.
Without any one of the three, deep rest is incomplete. So, that which gives rest from all three aspects- physical, mental and spiritual is ratri/ night.
Shivaratri is the night of that transcendental (a state of relaxed awareness) divine consciousness, which brings solace to all layers of consciousness.
This night is symbolic of the merging of Shiva and Shakti, making the environment more alive. Thus it is beneficial to stay awake on Maha Shivaratri.
ASTROLOGICAL BASIS OF SHIVARATRI
On this night, the northern hemisphere of the planet is positioned in such a way that there is a natural upsurge of energy in a human being. There is a profound influence on the chakras, the body's energy centers.
This is a day when nature is pushing one towards one’s spiritual peak. It is to make use of this, that in this tradition, we established a certain festival which is nightlong (Jagaran or Jagaram).
One of the fundamentals of this nightlong festival is to ensure that you remain awake with your spine vertical throughout the night to facilitate the energy upsurge.
Depicted as a yogi, Lord Shiva's third eye, associated with the sixth chakra, signifies the awakening of the spiritual eye. The alignment of planets and stars during Maha Shivaratri is thought to activate the chakras, facilitating the circulation of kundalini energy throughout the body.
Many millennials might have crossed 30 and started a family life, but sadly we aren't aware of how our festivals are celebrated.
Few of us may be aware of it but sadly most of us and even our elders don't know the profound meaning behind our rituals, traditions & culture.
Sanatana Dharma advocates everyone to be a spiritual seeker. It's high time we know our roots and grow in all aspects of life including spirituality.
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