WHY MAHA SHIV RATRI IS CELEBRATED
The name of this festival itself shows that this day is different from the other days. Mostly the birthday are celebrated but this is the festival which is celebrated with the name of RATRI means the night. We may make it clear that this day is not the birthday of the LORD SAMBH SADHA SHIV because the LORD SHIV has no father or mother and HE is AJANMA means who never took birth and even when the whole universe is destroyed then only HE remains and every thing got merged in to HIM at the end of this universe. This festival is named as RATRI because the LORD RUDHAR who is assigned the duty of destroying the universe at the end is suppose to be the SAKAR ROOP (having a definite shape) of the LORD SHIV. As explained in our blogs that the LORD SAMBH SADHA SHIV is NIRAKAR and the owner of this universe. The TRIDEV- BRAHMA VISHNU and SHANKAR or MAHESH or RUDHAR are assigned the duties of creation- BRAHMA, PALAN or smooth running by VISHNU and SANHAR or destruction of the universe by GOD RUDHAR or SHANKAR. In the SATYUG (time of the TRUTH) the GOD BRAHMA give the relief as in SATYUG the PAAP are negligible and in the TRETA YUG (2nd phase of the time) the GOD VISHNU give the relief as the PAAP are a little more but still not much but in DVAPAR the PAAP increases and in the KALYUG the PAAP (bad actions) reaches its maximum and the life become RATRI as the night represent the PAAP and ANACHAR (unwise). The MAHA SHIVRATRI is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark days of the PHALGUN ( name of the month in the HINDU CALENDER). Immediately from next day the moon started increasing and the light started coming symbolically this means that the MAHASHIVRATRI is the end of the PAAP and start of the new light of PUNAY KARM (good actions).
One reason of celebrating the MAHASHIV RATRI is that once out of the three GODS created by the LORD SHIV the two GOD BRAHMA and GOD VISHNU fell in the dispute that who is superior among the two. Then the LORD SHIV appears in the shape of a LING (coloumn)of fire and light. Both the GODS got confused and could not under stand WHAT WAS THAT and ultimately the GOD BRAHMA started moving upwards and the GOD VISHNU started moving downwards. When they did not find the end of the LING of fire then they prayed to the LORD SHIV and then the LORD SHIV came and told Them that it is only LORD SHIV who is the owner of this universe and both of Them are assigned a duty to do and They should do Their duty with. On that day the LORD SHIV for first time appear as the LING and that day was MAHA SHIV RATRI. It is also believed that on this day the LORD SHIV married to the DEVI PARVATI. It is also believed that on this day at the end of every KALP the GOD SHANKAR do the TANDAV NAACH (dance of destruction) when the PAAP and ANACHAR in this universe reach its extreme. After the destruction the new KALP (time between the start of life and the end of life in this universe) starts with the SATYUG and being the YOGI RAJ (GOD of the YOG) the GOD SHANKAR goes into the SAMADHI (meditation position). That is why the GOD SHANKAR is also known as the NATRAJ (GOD of dance) and YOGIRAJ.
It is also believed that at the time of SAMUNDAR MANTHAN (charring the sea) by the DEVTA (representatives of the GOD) and the ASUR (representative of the devil) the first thing which came out was the DEADLY POISION and all the DEVTAS and the ASURS went to the GOD SHANKAR to save this universe and the GOD SHANKAR kept that poison in HIS neck and due to the effect of that poison the throat of the GOD SHANKAR became blue and from that day the GOD SHANKAR is also known as the NEEL KANTH (blue neck). This incident also happened on MAHASHIVRATRI. So MAHA SHIV RATRI is one of most auspicious festival of HINDU religion which shows that when the darkness in the night reaches its extreme then it should be under stood that the morning is not far.
