Sivarathri

Thiruchitambalam

Sivarathri

It is widely spoken in Hindu culture that one should observe vrata atleast on certain occasions. Among all the Virathams,  Sivarathri (Shiva’s night) is the foremost and the supreme one.

            In Tamil month MASI, krishnapatcha, chadhurdhasi day is observed as Sivarathri every year. Chadhurdhasi means fourteenth day, a day before New moon or full moon.  It is on the MahaSivarathri  night ,Lord Siva  known for grace and affection, who is personified as love (love is Siva), gives Darsan(coming to the sight) to his devotees along with Goddess Parvathi seating on Rishabam (Bull).

            It is the most admiring significance of our thought that, we see the God with his spouse. The principle behind this philosophy is that the entire humanity enjoys full protection from a father and heartfelt love from a mother. The young devotee Thiru gnana sampanthar ,during his visit to Madurai had the vision of lord Siva and goddess parvathi sitting together on “ rishabam” and he sang “Pennin nallaalodum perunthagai irunthathe”( His almighty lord Siva is seated beside the gem of a lady). That’s why Lord Siva is affectionately called “Ammai appan”(mother and father) and even more “Thayumanavan”(becoming a mother also). God Siva ,on several occasions  placed his devotees in severe  ordeals to let them heartfully feel and enjoy His grace and love.

        The River  Cauvery which flows through the city of Trichy(Tiruchirapalli),once was heavily flooded due to nonstop rain and storm. Roaring thunder and flashing light frightened the whole city and made everyone confined at home. In such a situation, a lady who was in her advanced stage of pregnancy was  suffering hard in her labour in that stormy night. She could not expect her mother who was a resident of  the other side of the river Cauvery to come and help her. Being left helpless she was moaning for her mother’s help. Suddenly her very old mother came to the scene and helped her in her labour. The lady was safely rescued  with a baby.

       Next morning when the lady woke up, she only saw her mother just entering the house with her packages ,in a hurry with a worry of her daughter’s delivery. Knowing from her mother, that the latter could not even move out of the house in the previous night in storm and thunder, they apprehended it was  none but Lord Siva who came and helped her in the dark. So Lord Siva of Trichy is affectionately known as ‘Thaayumanavan’( a father who became a mother also).

 

     On Sivarathri, all the devotees of Siva should observe viratham on that day and night , to be blessed with His grace. There are many instances, say for example, when a hunter namely Guruthrugan, unknowingly  spent Sivrathri sleepless, sitting on a” vilvam" tree,attained Mukti (moktcha) with lord’s grace.

Even NANDI DEVA who was blessed to be always in front of Lord Siva was a downtrodden and low rated human in his earlier birth. Unknowingly with only an intention to protect the paddy bags in the field, he spent the entire night sleepless, simply throwing some vilvam leaves on the stone nearby. Lord Siva-Parvathy gave him darsan and blessed him to be the Nandi deva later.

Not only the devotees, all those, who unknowingly observed Sivarathri vrata were entitled for the blessings and holy vision. If it is so in their case, how about a person who observes  Sivarathri vrata offering specific Nivadya and flowers in four jaamaas.(a period of night).

               

                 Ariyum Ayanum munthedum

                 Av vanal giri anal giri

                 Enumbadi nintathaal

                 Avvoli kilarntha

                 Eravathe Shivaratri  ayinathu.

                                         --------------Skantha puranam

Naarayana and Brammha

Searched for head and feet of  Shiva

Who stood firm on the ground,his feet even under

Up and above the sky his head

Like a mountain of fire

That night is Sivarathri

--------------- Aum  Namashivaya

S. Nagarajan M.A.M.Ed

President, 

Sekhizhar Aranari Eyakam

KK DT. TN. India