Showing posts with label lord shiva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lord shiva. Show all posts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Importance of Maha Shivaratri Festival

Importance Maha Shivaratri Festival

Mahashivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.

Legends of Mahashivratri

There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Traditions and Customs of Shivaratri

Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.

To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc.

On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Maha Mrityunjaya Stotram Of Lord Shiva


Rathna sanu sarasanam, rajathadri srunga nikethanam,
Sinchini,krutha pannageswarachyuthahana sayakam,
Kshipra dhagdha pura thrayam thri divalayairabhi vanditham,
Chandra shekaramasraye mama kim karishyathi vai yama.1

Atha dhyanam (Now the prayer)
Chandrarkagni vilochanam, smitha mukam,
Padmadwayantha sthitham,
Mudra pasa mrugakshasuthra vilasath paanim
Himaam suprabham,
Kotindu prakalathsudhaplutha thanum haaraathi,
Bhooshojwalam,
Kantham viswa vimohanam, pasupathim,
Mruthyunjayam bhavayeth.

I meditate on that victor over death,
Who has moon, sun and fire as eyes,
Who has a smiling face,
Who sits on two lotus flowers,
Whose hands shine with the sign the rope, 
The deer and the garland of rudraksha,
Who has the pleasant shine of the ice,
Who has a body drenched by nectar,
From billions of moons,
Who ornaments himself with several garlands,
Who is very handsome,
Who can attract the entire world,
And who is the lord of all beings.

Jape Viniyoga (Now the chant is being started)
Rudram, pasupathim, sthanum, neelakandam, umapathim,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 1
What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who is the angry one,
Who is the lord of all beings,
Who is stable,
Who has a blue neck,
And who is the consort of Uma.

Neelakandam, kalamoorthim kalagnamr kalanasanam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 2

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who is having a blue neck,
Who is the form of death,
Who knows paste, present and future,
And who destroyed the god of death.

Neelakandam, viroopaksham nirmalam vimalapradham,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 3

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who has a blue neck,
Who has a different eye,
Who is clean,
And who is dazzlingly bright.

Vamadevam mahadevam lokanadham jagatgurum,
Namami sirasa devam , kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 4

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who judges according to merit,
Who is the greatest god,
Who is the lord of the universe,
And who is the teacher of the world.

Devadevam jagannatham devesam vrushabhadwajam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 5

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who is the God of gods,
Who is the lord of the earth,
Who is the god of devas,
And who has a bull flag.

Traiksham chathurbhujam santham jata makuta dharanam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 6

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who has three eyes,
Who has four hands,
Who is peaceful,
And who wears matted hair and a crown.

Bhasmoddulitha sarvangam nagabharana bhooshitham,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 7

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Who is covered with ash,
All over his body,
And who wears the serpent,
As an ornament.

Anatham avyayam santham akshamala dharam haram,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 8

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who is limitless,
Who cannot be explained,
Who is peaceful,
Who is the killer,
And who wears the garland of eyes.

Aaandham paramam nithyam kaivalya pada dhayinam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 9

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Who is happiness,
Who is beyond thought,
Who is stable,
And who grants salvation.

Ardhanaareeswaram devam parvathy prana nayakam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 10

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Who is the god half male half female,
And who is the darling of Parvathy.

Pralaya sthithi karthaaram adhi kartharameeswaram,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 11

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Who creates the state of deluge,
And who is the god who made the beginning.

Vyomakesam viroopaksham chandrardha krutha shekaram,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 12

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Whose hair is the sky,
Who has a different eye,
And who has collected half of the moon.

Gangadharam sasidharam sankaram shoolapaninam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 13

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god
Who carries the river ganga,
Who keep moon as an ornament,
Who is Lord Shankara,
And who carries a trident.

Swargapavarga datharam srushti sthithyanthakarinam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 14

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that God,
Who grant heaven and salvation,
Who looks after creation, upkeep and destruction.

Kalpa ayur dehi mey punyam yavad ayur arogatham,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 15

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who can grant a life of an eon,
Who can bless you with a long life,
Bereft of any sickness.

Shivesanam mahadevam vamadevam sadashivam,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 16

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who is Shiva as well as Easwara,
Who is the great god,
Who gives correct judgments,
And who is always peaceful.

Uthpathi sthithi samhara karthara meeswaram gurum,
Namami sirasa devam, kim no mrutyu karishyathi. 17

What can death do to the one,
Who salutes with his head that god,
Who takes responsibility,
Of creation, upkeep and destruction, 
And who is a great teacher.

Markandeya krutham stotram ya padeth shiva sannidhou,
Thasya mruthyu bhayam nasthi na agni chora bhayaam kwachith. 18

Any one reading this prayer,
Written by Markandeya,
In front of Lord Shiva,
Would not have,
Fear of death,
Nr fear of fire and thieves.

Shathavrutham prakarthavyam sankate kashta nasanam,
Suchir bhoothwa padeth stotram sarva sidhi pradhayakam 19

Reading it one hundred times,
In times of misery,
Will get rid of it,
And reading it with a clean mind,
Would make one get all his wants.

Mruthyunjaya mahadeva thrahi maam saranagatham,
Janma mrutyu jara rogai, peeditham karma bandhanai. 20

Oh great god, Who has won over god of death,
Please save me as I am submitting to you,
From births, deaths, old age and disease,
And also the ties of Karma which affect me.

Thaavaka stvad gatha prana thawa chithoham sada mruda,
Ithi vignapya devesam thryambakakhyam japeth,
Nama sivaya Sambaya haraye paramathmane,
Pranatha klesa naasaya yoginaam pathaye nama. 21-22

I appeal to the God that,
“My soul goes towards you,
And my mind always meditates on you,”
And then chant of Trayambaka Mantra*,
And salute that Samba,
Who is the inner soul of the destroyer,
And pray, ”destroy all life’s problems,
Oh Lord of Yoga, I salute you.”
* Trayambaka Mantra is given in the translation of Chamakam.