Skip to main content

Meaning of Maha Shivaratri: Significance of Tripurandaka, Vibhuti and Gangaajal

Maha Shivaratri is a festival of great spiritual significance to Hindus. Prayers are undertaken by devotees throughout the night. Yet how many of us understand what makes it a holy occasion? It doesn't have anyt marketing jazz or feel-great frenzy to it like many other festivals. Yet Maha Shivaratri is one of the most spiritually powerful festivals you just shouldn't miss.

According to Hindu scriptures, observing night long prayer has been declared by Lord Shiva himself. This is cited as His answer when Parvati Devi asked him which rituals performed by his devotees pleases him most. It is also believed that those who observe Maha Shivratri correctly will be greatly blessed and that they will attain moksha.



Here are some interesting points to explain the spiritual significance of Maha Shivaratri, .taken from various discourses rendered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

1. Shiva means 'auspiciousness.' Maha Shivaratri should be spent in the constant contemplation of God.

 2. According to Hindu scriptures, the moon is the presiding deity of the mind. It keeps waning. That is why all the Chaturdashis (14th days of the dark half of every month) are called Shivaraathris. The Chaturdashi of the Magha month is called Maha Shivaratri. This is a day of special dedication to Lord Shiva. 

3. On Chaturdashi day (14th day after the full moon), the moon sheds fifteen of its sixteen digits/aspects. This makes it a most auspicious time for contemplating on the Eternal Divine. 

4. Maha Shivaratri is an auspicious night because the mind can be made to lose its hold on man by night long prayer. The energy that is received by the devotee is tremendous and divine, particularly at midnight. 

5. The three horizontal ash lines across Lord Shiva's forehead has a spiritual significance for humanity. These lines are called Tripurandaka. As mentioned in the Brihajjabaalopanishad, the three lines represent the Trinity, the three fires and the three worlds.

6.  Vibhuti (sacred ash) is the mark of Lord Shiva. As per Hindu scriptures, Lord Shiva smeared himself with ash after he reduced Manmadha (demi god of Desire/Kama) to ashes.When one wears Vibhuti, the belief is that He (Lord Shiva) has applied it to our brow to remind us that we are Divine by nature and we should burn away material desires and ego.  

7. Also, wearing Vibhuti is a gentle reminder to give up desires, ego, sense of ownership over possessions/relationships and to prepare oneself for Moksha.

 8. The significance of Gangaajal is that it represents the controlled outpouring of life-sustaining holy waters for the benefit of all creatures in the Universe. 

♥♥  I thank you with all my heart for reading my post. I dedicate this post with love and gratitude to all those who chant the Mahamrirtyunjaya mantra with sincerity and faith. REQUEST: Please SHARE this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach out to more people who are in various phases of finding their own mantras to move and grow in life. I am grateful and I appreciate you for doing so. ♥♥
Labels:

Comments

Ajith said…
nice writeup .Last yr i attended webcast of Sivarathri celebrations over nite and stayed till 3 AM ...Even via the webcast it was a profound experience as they were doing overnite chanting starting from 8 PM till next day morning 6 AM


https://www.facebook.com/events/1416161218632190/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
February 27, 2014 at 9:00 AM
Ajith said…
Link for the web cast is https://www.facebook.com/events/1416161218632190/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
February 27, 2014 at 9:01 AM
Pooja said…
Beautiful blog. I love the way you have brought out everything about Bholenath and Mahashivratri in whole. In a world where people give very less thought to devotion and everything. Here you are writing about it all Swapna. Thought I would share a few words about how I carry out my pooja. Every pooja is incomplete without aarti and every aarti is incomplete without the essence of incense sticks that has been prevalent since the ancient times. I light incense sticks not only because of my devotion towards God but also because it keeps me positive spirited throughout! Try out chandanam essence as a routine while you pray, you'll feel the difference! Happy Mahashivratri Swapna. :)
February 27, 2014 at 2:49 PM
Asha said…
a very holy post, dear swapna. Loved the spiritual significance of vibhuti and the tripurandaka( did'nt know it was called so). I got to know so many things in this post. Thanks to you.

We make 'puttu' at home, we offer bilva leaves to god, visit temples and do puja. Generally, we go for the night concerts where bhajans and carnatic music is sung. But today we will avoid since the final exam of my children are starting from saturday.
February 27, 2014 at 6:06 PM
Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born
180 comments
Read more

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v
1 comment
Read more

Gayatri Mantra as Panchamukhi: Get it right or let it go

Most people do not understand the importance of chanting the Gayatri mantra because they are not aware of its power. It is only when I began to read Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings that I learned how sacred and powerful the chanting of the Gayatri mantra is.    The Vedas represent the breath of God. The Gayatri mantra is the very basis of the Vedas. Try not to undertake chanting the Gayatri mantra as a light endeavor or as a hobby. It has to be chanted with faith, discipline and purity of mind and body. Be steady with your sadhana if you want to reap the spiritual dividend associated with the Gayatri mantra  and never once hesitate once you decide to do it.  Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that the Gayatri Mantra is referred to as Pancha Mukhi, the Goddess with five faces that represent the five pranas or life forces. Here's more on it. .  Also read: The Power of OM   Chant the Gayatri Mantra correctly: Pause Five Times Here are some important thi
39 comments
Read more

What is the story of Shivaji? The great son of a great mother called Jijabai

Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks!   [ READ: Significance of Surya Argya  and How do you Light Deepam? ] Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter  Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj,   the more fascinated I am.   I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books! As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to great mothers who
1 comment
Read more

Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini asks serious questions but fails to deliver a meaningful impact

I like movies that show strong women.  I had great expectations from Aashiq Abu's latest Malayalam movie - Rani Padmini.  The two heroines Manju Warrier and Rima Kallingal demonstrate commendable chemistry despite a poorly paced script and badly written screenplay.  W hile Jinu Joseph is impressive as the racer, there is no chemistry with Manju Warrier. The vibes are sangfroid between the two actors.  The first half of the movie puts you on edge. You keep waiting for a spectacular story but the second half is where the story "begins."  The pace of the film is inconsistent. The 'Ant" story and also the 'paragliding' scenes were stretched to too slow. Then suddenly, the narrative becomes too pacy. Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini Story The story goes like this: Padmini  (starring Manju Warrier)   is a Malayali girl married to a Delhi based racing car driver, whose name is Giri (starring Jinu Joseph). The couple love
1 comment
Read more