In this auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri (26th Feb), Let us delve into the unavoidable depths of Śiva bhakti and celebrate devotion to him.
Let us refer to the Vedas (the supreme authority) themselves-
अचि᳚न्त्यं॒ चाप्र॑मेयं च व्यक्ताव्यक्तप॒रं च यत् ।
सूक्ष्मा॒त्सूक्ष्म॑तरं ध्या॒नं तन्मे॒ मनः॑ शि॒वस᳚ङ्क॒ल्पम॑स्तु ॥
He (Lord Shiva) is above the contemplation and is above the scope of knowledge; he is above the manifested and unmanifested; who is subtler than subtlest for meditation (or knowledge); may that mind of mine aspire towards Lord Śiva (or) Śiva thoughts.
-Rig Veda: Aśvalāyana Śakha: Śiva Saṇkalpa Suktam: Mantra 14
He exists and exists not, for he is the inconceivable entity-
अस्ति॒ नास्ति॑ विप॒री᳚तो प्रवा॒दोऽस्ति॑ नास्ति॒ सर्वं॒ वा इदं गुह्य᳚म् ।
अस्ति॒ नास्ति॒ परा॒त्परो॒ यत्परं॒ तन्मे॒ मनः॑ शि॒वस᳚ङ्क॒ल्पम॑स्तु ॥
There is no contradictory statement about whether he exists or does not exist; he exists and does not exist; all this is in secret; who exists and does not exist and who is greater than the great; may my mind aspire towards Lord Śiva.
-Rig Veda: Aśvalāyana Śakha: Śiva Saṇkalpa Suktam: Mantra 16
He is the greater than the greatest, the great of the great-
परा᳚त्परत॑रं य॒च्च॒ त॒त्परा॑च्चै॒व यत्प॑रम् ।
त॒त्परा᳚त्पर॑तो ज्ञे॒यं॒ तन्मे॒ मनः॑ शि॒वस᳚ङ्क॒ल्पम॑स्तु ॥
Who is greater than the great and again greater than that; he should be understood as greater than the greatest; may my mind aspire towards that Lord Śiva.
-Rig Veda: Śakala Śakha: Śiva Saṇkalpa Suktam: Mantra 19
- But, why do we Worship Lord Śiva?
Well..Let’s see what the Upanishads say-
स एको रुद्रो ध्येयः सर्वेषां सर्वसिद्धये ।
The one Rudra alone is to be meditated upon by all for the attainment of all perfections.
—Sharabha Upanishad: Verse 7
शिव एको ध्येयः II
Shiva is alone to be meditated upon.
—AtharvaShikha Upanishad
एको हि रुद्रो न द्वितीयाय तस्थु-
Rudra is indeed one; there exists no second alongside Him.
—Svetashvatara Upanishad: Chapter 3: Verse 2
Attaining devotion for the feet of Śiva Śankara is truly rare-
जन्मकोटिसहस्रेषु नानासंसारयोनिषु I जन्तोविंगतपापस्य भवे भक्तिः प्रजायते ॥
After wandering in different types of worldly Yonis for millions of births, when a living being becomes free from all his sins, then only he gets devotion towards the Lotus feet of Lord Shiva.
-Mahābhārata: Anuśaśana Parva: 17.164
बहूनां जनमनामंते शिवभक्तिः प्रजायते ॥ ९४ ॥
ज्ञानिनां कृतबुद्धीनां जन्मजन्मनिशंकरः ।
किं मया बहुनोक्तेन पूजनीयः सदाशिवः ॥ ९५ ॥
It is only after the end of many births that devotion to Śiva is born in Jñānins with great intellect. Śaṅkara should be worshipped in every birth. Of what avail is too much talk on my part? Sadāśiva should be worshipped.
-Śri Skanda Mahāpurana: 1.1.32.94–95
Shāstras even declare-
धिग्भस्मरहितं भालं धिग्ग्राममशिवालयम् ।
धिगनीशार्चनं जन्म धिग्विद्यामशिवाश्रयाम् ॥
Fie upon the forehead that is devoid of ash. Fie upon the village that has no Śiva temple. Fie upon that life that does not worship Śiva. Fie upon the lore that does not refer to Śiva.
-Śiva Mahāpurana: 1.24.45
- But, how to worship Lord Śiva?
- Do we chant his name, if so, what is the fruit of it?
Firstly, Lord Śambhu is so kind…that he does not need any fancy offering..all it takes is devotion-
By offering a single flower or leaf at your foot, one becomes released from the bondage of the world. By remembering the pair of your feet served by Siddhas and Yogins, one dispels all sins by means of your grace.
-Kurma Purāṇa: 1.25.63
Now, to his name. People underestimate the power of His name..well, Śrī Shankara’s names are immensely excellent-
विद्यासु श्रुतिरुत्कृष्टा रुद्रैकादशिनी श्रुतौ।
तत्र पञ्चाक्षरस्तत्र शिव इत्यक्षरदूयम् ।।
Among all forms of knowledge, the Vedas are supreme, and in the Vedas, the hymns dedicated to the eleven-formed Rudra are the highest. Within even those, the five-syllabled mantra (Pañcākṣara) is foremost, and among its syllables, 'Śiva' is the most excellent.
-Karana Śaiva Āagama: 8.4
शिवेति द्व्यक्षरं नाम यस्यामङ्गलनाशकम् ।।
केवलस्मरणेनैव पापराशीन्निवारयेत्।
The two-syllabled name 'Śiva' destroys inauspiciousness. By mere remembrance of it, all heaps of sins are removed."
-Brihaddharma Purana: 37.58b-59a
Even if uttered in accident, his name destroys ALL the sins-
यद्वयक्षरं नाम गिरेरितं नृणां सकृत्प्रसङ्गादघमाशु हन्ति तत् ।
The name of two syllables (Śi-va) if incidentally uttered by the tongue even once, destroys all the sins of those (who utter it).
-Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.4.14
Those devoted to Lord Śiva are blessed with salvation, material enjoyments and even worldly success-
अतः परतरं नास्ति किंचित्पापविशोधनम् ।
सर्वानंदकरं श्रीमत्सर्वकामार्थसाधम् ॥
दीर्घायुर्विजयारोग्यभुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम् ।
यदनन्येन भावेन महेशाराधनं परम् ॥
There is nothing more powerful than Śiva Bhakti in eradicating sins, bringing about delight to everyone, glorious and conducive to the acquisition of all desired objects. The ardent propitiation of Maheśā with exclusive devotional fervour, bestows longevity, success, health, enjoyment of worldly pleasures and attainment of salvation.
-Śrī Skanda Mahāpurāṇa: 3.3.2.2–3
For the entire existence is indeed Śiva:
इति ज्ञानं सदा ज्ञेयं सर्वं शिवमयं जगत् ।
शिवः सर्वमयो ज्ञेयस्सर्वज्ञेन विपश्चिता ॥
It shall be known that the entire existence is wholly Śiva. That Śiva is in everything, must be known by the learned scholar.
-Śiva Mahāpurāṇa: 4.43.3
This MahāŚivarātri, immerse yourself in the glory of Maheśvara and forget all your worries.
Śubha MahāŚivarātri to all brothers and sisters on this platform, May Śiva Śankara bless you, your family and the entire Viśva with endless devotion, peace, joy, and success.
~ Ram Lakhan Prasad Sinha (Aditya Raj Singh)
Har Har Mahadeva,
Hare Rama.