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Who is Siva?For hundreds of millions of Hindus Sivais the Supreme Being, the absolute OneGod who both transcends creation andpervades itthus existing as our owninnermost essence. Siva is the power-ful Deity whose energetic dance cre-ates, sustains and dissolves the universein endless cycles. He is the master yogidelving into unfathomable mysteries,the supreme ascetic, the prime mystic,

the Light behind all light, the Life with-in all life. Siva is often called Mahadeva,

Great Being of Light, for He createdother, lesser Gods such as Ganesha andKarttikeya. Although Siva is usually de-picted as male, in reality God and theGods are beyond gender and form, asdepicted by His half-male, half-femaleform, Ardhanarishvara. Parvati, regard-ed as Sivas consort in village Hinduism,

is mystically understood as His manifestenergy, inseparable from Him. The an-cient Tirumantiram scripture says of Siva,

Himself creates. Himself preserves. Him-self destroys. Himself conceals. Himselfall of this He does and then grants libera-

tionHimself the all-pervading Lord.

What happens on Mahasivaratri?Many Hindus perform an all-night vigil,plunging the soul into its own essence,led by Siva, the supreme yogi, who is boththe guide and the goal of the search. Stay-ing awake through the night is a sacrificeand a break from lifes normal routine, atime out of time to be with God within, toreach for the realization of our true, im-mortal Self. Siva is known as AbhishekaPriya, He who loves sacred ablutions,and thus many temples and home shrineshave water always dripping on the Sival-inga. On this special night, Sivalingas are

bathed with special substances, some-times several times. Mahasivaratri oc-curs on the night before the new moon inFebruary/March.

What is the Sivalinga?Linga means mark, token or sign. ASivalinga, representing Siva, is found invirtually all of His temples. The Sivalingais the simplest and most ancient symbol

Sivas Great NightSivas Great NightMahasivaratris.rajam

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Mahasivaratri is the most important festival dedicated to Lord Siva.This holy day is observed by millions of Hindus all over the world.It is one of Hinduisms most esoteric holy days, when yoga practices,mantras and meditation take the devotee closer to Gods essence within the

core of himself. Hindus typically fast, maintain silence and stay up all night toperform spiritual practices, such as worshiping, chanting and singing. In someregions, devotees visit as many Siva temples as they can on this night.

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Fact & FictionFACT:Hindus undergo numerous traditional

rites of passage at critical junctures throughout

life. These ceremonies invoke divine blessings

for the individual and help bind him with

his community as he advances on the

path of virtue. Name-givin , fi rst feeding,commencement of learning, coming of age,

marriage and cremation are primary examples.

FICTION: It is commonly believed that

rituals are mandatory. In fact, there are no

absolute requirements within Hinduism. Each

devotee is free to practice his faith according to

his family tradition and personal preferences.

What is holy ash? Holy ash is a sacra-ment that is dear to devotees of Siva. Tak-en from sacred fires, it purifies and blessesthose who wear it. This fine, white pow-der is worn on the forehead as a reminderof the temporary nature of the physicalbody and the urgency to strive for spiri-tual attainment and closeness to God.

What is the special offering to Siva?Hindus believe that offering bilva leaves(Aegle marmelos) on Mahasivaratri ismost auspicious. Legend tells of a hunterwho was chased by a tiger. Scrambling upa thorny tree, he plucked and dropped itsleaves to stay alert. The tree was a bilva,The leaves happened to fall on a Sivalinga,and it was the night of Sivaratri. That all-night worship of God, though inadvertent,earned the hunter liberation from rebirth.

Siva accepts devotees irrespective of theirfaults and foibles, forgiving mans cogni-zant and innocent mistakes.

What is the Kumbha Mela? TheKumbha Mela is a grand festival heldevery few years in rotation at four placeswhere several sacred rivers converge:Haridwar, Prayag, Nasik and Ujjain. Thelargest melas, at Haridwar and Prayag,

fall in January to April and often includeMahasivaratri. Devotees come from nearand far to immerse themselves in theholy waters, with prayers for purificationand spiritual liberation on their lips. In2001, the Kumbha Mela at Prayag, heldon the river bank, was attended by morethan 60 million people. It was the biggesthuman gathering held on Earth, seventimes the population of New York City.

of the Divine. It is especially evocative of Parasiva,God beyond all forms and qualities, the unmani-fested Absolute. Sivalingas are commonly madeof stone, but may also be of metal, precious gems,crystal, wood, earth or even transitory materialslike sand or ice. Ardent devotees make special Si-valingas to worship during Mahasivaratri.

Is there a special mantra for Siva?Namah Sivaya is among the foremost Vedic man-tras. It means adoration to Siva and is called thePanchakshara, or five-letters. The five elements,too, are embodied in this ancient formula for invo-cation. Na is earth, Ma is water, Si is fire, Va is air,and Ya is ether, or space.

Tidbits About Mahasivaratri

Fasting & Silence

While virtually everyHindu festival comes witha sumptuous list of foods tofeast on, during Mahasivaratrimost Hindus fast. A spiritualpractice found in almost all ofthe worlds religions, fastingcalms the physical, mental

and emotional energies,helping the devotee drawnearer to the ineffable Selfwithin. While the most strictfast on nothing but water;others permit themselvesfruits, milk or rice.Many observe silence on thisnight, thinking of nothingbut God. Silence, known inSanskrit as mauna, quiets thedemands of the mind andbody, bringing forth spiritualclarity.

In Hinduism, God is notseparate from creation. A

virtuous life and certaintechniques, such as yoga andascetic practices, allow aperson to remove the veil thatmakes us think of ourselvesas separate from Him.

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