A funny take on....Page 4 SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2019 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine Marriage Vs Spirituality...Page 3 WHAT TO DO ON MAHASHIVRATRI? Mahashivratri is the day to honor and celebrate Shiva- honor life and celebrate existence. Most people spend MAHASHIVRATRI the day of Mahashivratri in prayer, meditation and cele- bration. Here are a few activities you could participate in: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar FAST "Every Mahashivratri is meant to wake up every particle of Fasting detoxifies the body and curtails the restlessness of the mind. A mind that is not restless slips into medita- your body. The festival is a wake-up call to move away from tion easily. Therefore, fasting on Mahashivratri serves to conflicts and move towards truth, beauty, peace, and detoxify the body and aid meditation. It is recommend- ed to fast with fruits or easily digestible food. Know all benevolence - the ethereal qualities of Shiva." Mahashivratri fasting guidelines. Mahashivratri is a festival that honors Lord Shiva. Devotees of Lord Shiva stay awake MEDITATE all night on this auspicious night of Shivratri. They perform poojas, meditate and chant The constellations on the night of Mahashivratri are in a Vedic mantras. These sacred practices bestow a sense of peace and oneness within us position considered very auspicious for meditation, and and with the world. so, it is very useful for people to keep awake and medi- Shiva is not a person, but the very energy on which the entire creation rests. This tate on Shivaratri. energy pervades the entire universe and is present within every living being. This ener- In ancient times, people used to say, 'If you cannot med- gy is called the Shiva Tattva. itate every day, do so at least one day in a year, on MEANING OF MAHASHIVRATRI Shivratri day; keep awake and do meditation'. Ratri means 'night' and also 'to take refuge.' Shivratri is the night we take refuge in Wake the Divinity that is deep within you - this is the our spirit i.e., Shiva. It is the time to celebrate the soul or consciousness within. During message. The Divinity is within you, let it wake up! Shivratri, we take refuge in the divine consciousness. There are two ways to do this: med- CHANT 'OM NAMAH SHIVAYA' itation and surrender. Surrender is having the faith that there is a Divine power that is 'Om Namah Shivaya' is the perfect mantra to chant on taking care of us. Meditation and surrender bring peace and solace to us. Mahashivratri as it immediately elevates your energy. SYMBOLISM OF LORD SHIVA 'Om' in the mantra refers to the sound of the universe. It Lord Shiva is considered the soul of everything. There is no difference between our means peace and love. The five letters, 'Na', 'Ma', 'Shi', soul and Lord Shiva. Since Lord Shiva symbolizes truth, peace, beauty, and infinity, He 'Va', 'Ya' in 'Namah Shivaya' indicate the five elements - represents the essence of our soul as well. It is what we are made of. When we worship Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. Lord Shiva, we recognize these higher qualities within ourselves. 'Om Namah Shivaya' chanting harmonizes the five ele- UNDERSTANDING SHIVA TATTVA ments of the universe. When there are peace, love and har- Mahashivratri is a time to celebrate the Shiva Tattva. Spiritual seekers and devotees mony in all the five elements, then there is bliss and joy. of Lord Shiva meditate and rejoice in the Shiva energy. ATTEND MAHASHIVRATRI PUJA/RUDRA PUJA Shiva represents our soul, and Tattva is principle or truth. This is that time of year Rudra Puja or Mahashivratri Puja is a special ceremony when we rest in the truth or principle of our soul. It means we are seeking the higher performed to honor Shiva. It involves singing of special truths of life that are lying within us. It is believed that Mahashivratri is a time of deep rest for the body, mind, and ego. A Vedic mantras accompanied by certain rituals. Rudra deep rest that awakens a devotee to the highest knowledge of the Shiva Tattva. Puja brings positivity and purity to the environment and transforms negative emotions. Participating in the Puja MAHASHIVRATRI & MEDITATION and listening to the chants helps the mind slip into med- According to Indian astrology, there are certain days and time frames in a year that itation effortlessly. are conducive to spiritual growth and meditation. Mahashivaratri is one such day. Meditate to the chants of the auspicious Mahashivratri If you meditate on shivaratri then the power of meditation is 100 times more, it is Puja at The Art of Living International Center, said like that. At least do it on that day, its okay if you don't do it on other days, at least Bengaluru. wishes. Shivaratri is a rest which is so deep. When the mind rests with the Divine, that do it one day. It's said for the sake of saying. So that which is always (nitya) and which WORSHIP THE SHIVALINGA is (shashwat), that is shiva tattva. It's said beautiful in that shloka: is the real rest, only in the Divine lap. Any meditation we do on this day has a manifold effect, for this is the day when spirit touches the earth. Meditation gives access to some- The Shivalinga is a symbolic representation of the form- Shivaratri is the day of Lord Shiva. Shiva is the lord of meditation and therefore the less Shiva. Worshipping the Shivalinga includes offering lord of awakening. Shiva Tatva means to be awakened. Shivratri is thus an occasion to thing beyond the scope of the mind and intellect. There is a point during meditation when we experience space: a space of nothingness and love. This experience takes us to 'Bel Patra' (leaves of the bel tree) to it. Offering 'Bel Patra' awaken one's self from all sorts of slumber. Shivaratri is not a night to be slept over. One represents offering three aspects of your being - rajas should try and be up through the night. It signifies being aware of everything you have the fourth level of consciousness that is also called Shiva. (the aspect of you that is responsible for activity), tamas and being grateful about it. Be grateful for the happiness which leads to growth, and also SHIVRATRI FOR A SPIRITUAL SEEKER (the aspect of you that brings inertia) and sattva (the for sadness which gives a depth to life. This is the right way of observing Shivaratri. Mahashivratri is the day when the Shiva Tattva is believed to come in contact with For the pious, the following method of Shiva worship is advisable - sit down in lotus the earth. It is believed that our consciousness or aura is, generally, ten inches above the aspect of you that brings positivity, peace, and creativi- posture, do some Pranayam to stabilize your breath, and then indulge in Dhyana, fol- material ground. On this day, this consciousness descends and touches the earth ele- ty). These three aspects affect your mind and actions. lowed by chanting of "Om Namah Shivaya". It is the greatest mantra and the devout ment. It is a good time for our inner consciousness to come alive within our body. That Surrendering the three to the Divine brings peace and should drown himself in its Kirtan. Shivaratri worship leads to fulfillment of a devotee's is why Mahashivratri is celebrated - it is the wedding of the material with the spiritual. freedom. SHIV KHORI MELA A socio-religious event Dr. Banarsi Lal and Dr. Pawan Sharma chamber is low and small; at one spot it divides itself into two parts. One of these is believed to have led to Kashmir where Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir is an Swami Amarnath cave is located. It is now closed as it is said abode of various religious shrines such as that some saints who went ahead never returned back. In order to reach the sanctum sanctorum, one has to keep low Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori, Baba Jitto, and adjust the body according to the shape of cave. Natural Dera Baba Banda Bahadur, Baba Dhansar, image of Lord Shiva is visible inside the cave. This holy cave has a number of other natural objects which resemble God- Nau Devian etc. Shiv Khori is one of the dess Parvati, Ganesha and Nandigan. The cave roof is etched most important shrines in Reasi district of with snake formations and the water trickles through these J&K and is visited by thousands of pilgrims formations on Shiv Lingam. Pigeons are also seen here like Swami Amarnath cave which also creates interest among the across the nation every year. devotees. This holy shrine is situated in Ransoo village of Pouni block There are different stories about the discovery of this holy in Reasi district which is about 45 Kms away from Reasi town. cave. It is said that a demon named Bhasmasur worshipped The shrine is surrounded by green luscious hills and is about the Lord Shiva for a long time and was blessed to end the life 3.5 kms away from Ransoo village. This shrine has its own of anybody with those blessings . But he ultimately also tried significance, charm and attraction. This shrine is about 80 to end the Lord Shiva. It is said the Lord Shiva ran to save himself from the fear of the demon and entered this cave kms from religious spot Katra and most of the pilgrims who which is known as Shiv Khori shrine. After that Lord Vishnu pay homage to Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine also visit this shrine.