On the occasion of Maha Shivaraathri, it is a habit for millions of devotees to spend the day and the night in devotion to Shiva.
Getting up early in the morning, having a headbath, offering prayers to Lord Shiva, doing chants and abhishekam, spending the day in japa, meditation, listening to or discussing the magnificence of Shiva, reading about Shiva, visiting temple, doing abhishekam at the temple, roaming around the temple taking into ourselves the devotional fervour, watching lots of devotees expressing their devotion in each unique way, visiting Gurus and ashrams, doing charity like feeding the poor, donating something to them as per one’s own possibility, staying awake all night doing all these activities over and over again in solitude or in company and so on till the next day.
You can do all these, or few of these or any permutations and combinations you may think of.
But, what is the significance of doing these on this particular day? What if you cannot do it due to your own commitments? What is the way if you are very busy to allot such long times to these activities?
Let us discuss one by one.
In Sanatana Dharma, it has been well recognised that our body (including mind and soul) is a microcosmos and the universe a macrocosmos. In other words, the whole universe is represented in the human body just like the ocean is represented in each single drop. There is no qualitative difference, only quantitative. And the nature and human body are so inextricably linked with each other.
Extrapolating this, changes in nature (cyclical or man-made) influence the understanding and behaviour of human body.
Every single individual tries to elevate himself to a higher level. Let it be spiritual, personal or professional. How do you do that? By improving yourself, your knowledge, thinking, maturity, balance etc. Sometimes, you are successful and sometimes you are not. Yet, we keep trying to become better and better.
On these special days, there are changes in the Universe (call it planetary alignment, call it frequency of vibrations or whatever) that allow you to achieve what you wanted to within yourself much better than on other days. You can simply think that it is like special offer days (in retail chain stores nowadays) on which the same amount of purchase gives you double the bonus points !!
How does this happen on these days is beyond the scope of this discussion, so let us skip that. It just happens.
Hence, these days are marked as special days to offer our prayers, do all our efforts in a co-ordinated, concentrated and amplified manner so that results are much more multiplied. Even if you do your regular effort, it is multiplied. But, if you know the results are manifold, won’t you make an attempt at doubling your effort or even stretching your efforts to the maximum extent you can? Yes, you can do that on these days.
And today, the Mahaa Shiva Raathri is one such phenomenally significant day (and night) where your efforts lead to results much beyond your imagination.
Some get a doubt. What if I am a Vishnu devotee? What if I am a Devi devotee? Doesn’t matter. You offer prayers to whatever name or form you are accustomed to. The result is the same. The God who answers is the same. May be He will answer in the form you are worshipping, but He Is The Same.
And more importantly, the forms and functions attributed to various Gods are the factors that appeal to you and attract you to one or the other name of God and Lord Shiva is one such personality which has the attributes of all possibilities. As I heard from Sadguru’s (Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation) speeches once, whatever quality you attribute to Shiva, the exact opposite is also true. For example, He is the most compassionate and the most violent. He is the most beautiful and the ugliest. He is the saint and the lover. He is all the extremes and the whole of wide gamut between the extremes of each attribute. So, whatever attribute that appeals to you and whatever combination of attributes that appeal to you, you can find it in Lord Shiva.
And once you realise this, you will experience HariHaraAdvaitha. (Hari and Hara are not two separate entities, they are just different names given to the Same)
Now, let us come to the question, ‘what to do if I cannot escape from the daily routine?’
Try to wake up a bit early. Have a nice relaxing bath. Offer your morning prayers. Try to meditate for sometime. Before going to work, try to read something related to spirituality (esp. related to Lord Shiva) - Lingashtakam, Siva Panchakshari, Nakshatramala stotram or any such. If you have already mastered these and want to delve further, try reading Nirvana Slokas or Dakshinamurthy Stotras along with explanations for the same. Try to imbibe the essence.
If you don’t have that much time, try reading for a few minutes about the Great Souls who were actually born and lived their entire lives with a singular purpose - to guide us. For example, Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya, Mahaswami Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi and such divine personalities. It is said that if you want to reach or realise God, the shortest, easiest and surest path to God is through the feet of such divinities (Daivam Maanusharupena). Read their life story, read a few or atleast one of their teachings. (Lot of books are there, you can also read about them simply by doing a Google Search on the go). Just close your eyes for a few moments. Think of them and what you read about them. Take deep breaths and imbibe the teachings into your very existence.
Now, go about doing your work.
But, this day, this single day, DO NOT indulge yourself in unnecessary chitchat, or WhatsApp or Facebook political discussions and debates. Do not do anything that is not absolutely essential or related to your line of work. Do not get into tussles. Let go any inconvenience with a simple smile. Practice doing this atleast for one day, Today.
And whoever you meet or interact with today, consider them to be God-sent. It is as if the God Himself has come that day to meet you in that form. You will see that new perspectives open up once you really see this way. Try this for one full day. Today.
Stay calm, gentle. Try recollecting and thinking on what you read in the morning. Try thinking of those great souls who have guided us and still are more than ready to guide us. Only we have to allow Him to.
Spend your day in this mood (Satva Guna) and if possible, try to come home earlier. Go to a temple. If not possible, spend time with your family. Read some more on your morning effort along with your family members. Educate your children on the significance of the day and the teachings of the Teachers. Remember that children imitate you and this is how you inculcate about spiritual practices to the next generation. By yourself practicing them. Meditate for some time on the teachings. Try to be awake for some more time in the night as is possible for you.
You may ask me, what difference does a single day make? Trust me, if you can do this religiously, you will be surprised at the difference it can make. The potential is huge.
Just give it a try.
May you be flooded with the Grace of Lord Shiva
HAPPY MAHA SHIVA RAATHRI
🙏🙏🙏
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