Mahashivaratri: Where is Kailasham?

Are you wondering why is Mahashivaratri so powerful? Since childhood, Mahashivaratri is a festival that I hold closest to my heart. My grandmother used to tell me so many stories about her Ishta Devata, Lord Shiva and describe the grandeur of his divine abode in 'Kailasham'. 'Om Namah Shivaya' used to be my grandmother's constant and continuous chant throughout her life.

[READ: Adi Shankaracharya's teaching will change your life]

Mahashivratri: Meaning and Significance

At home, we used to have bhajans that begin from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am every year. People used to come and sing the glory of Lord Mahadeva and we used to stay wide awake.

As a child, this festival excited me because I could listen to beautiful bhajans throughout the night and sing as well.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai says, 'It is said that Lord Shiva lives in Kailasham. Where is Kailasham? It is not somewhere near Mt. Abu. Kailasham refers to our own joy, our own bliss...if one has a mind full of worries, even if one goes to Manasasarovar, one will not enjoy any happiness. If we can develop a sense of delight in our own minds, that itself is Kailasham." [Divine Discourse, February 15,1985]

Swami emphasises that 'Kailasham has been described as 'One which is Himachala'. 'Hima' means 'Ice' and it is symbolic of purity. 'Achalam' refers to 'Steadiness', which is sacredness and coolness. [Divine Discourse, February 15,1985]

'Purity, Sacredness and Steadiness is the crux of Himachalam' - this is when our hearts transform into 'Deham becomes Devalayam', the abode of true Kailasa.

Swami reiterates again, "Your body is a temple of God. How sacredly you have to keep it."

How sacred the human body is and how do we treat it? Time to reflect on this.

READ: What is the meaning of Mahashivaratri?

Mahashivaratri is a sacred and precious experience to understand this transformation into the divine energy of Lord Shiva. Through the night, each 'yamam' has a deep spiritual awakening and deeper significance. On the night of Mahashivaratri, if one is able to undertake the fast, concentrate solely on the sacred name and the form of Lord Shiva, it is considered an important milestone.

[READ: Who is Thirumoolar?]

In life, it is often our minds that mislead and miscommunicate with us. Mastery of the mind is what brings joy and releases us from the pain of suffering, attachments to family and materialistic pleasures.

Lord Mahadeva, revered as 'Adi Yogi', is symbolic of our aspirations of transforming our energies in the physical real from 'Deha into Devalaya'.

If you enjoyed reading this post, do read my post on 'Significance of Om' as well.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA.

Comments

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are also considered auspicious for lighting at home. When lighting diyas on Fridays, it is better to use ghee than oil, if possible. [ Connect with Svara on Facebook ] [Read: Vidyarambham - The Labyrinth Within] When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. At what time should we light diya today? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before or at sunset. An ideal time would be to light the diya at least half an hour before sunset. Can we light diya after 12 PM? In Hindu homes, the diya is lit early morning at around sunrise and towards evening sunset. Can ...

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 bor...

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ] [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] Why Did My Lamp Suddenly Turn Off? Where there is faith, there should be no scope for fear - this is Bhagawan Krishna's message to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. That represents strength of Bhakti. [READ: Bhakti: Meera's Greatest Wealth] Consider another example in the tradition of Bhakti. When Prahlada, a young lad, is targeted by his own father, he remains calm under every situation. When he is thrown into the sea, the wise lad is reminded that the sea is the abode of Shriman Narayana. [ READ: Amazing Stories of Lord Shiva ] H...

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. [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] 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. The most essential factor is unwavering focus and concentration when you light the lamp every eve...

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...

Petals!

Search This Blog