Be blessed on the night of Lord Shiva with prayer and meditation

SHIVARATRI, often referred to as the spring festival of Lord Shiva and Maha Shivaratri, is a major annual observance that extends for 12 hours.

Maha Shivaratri, which means the great night of Shiva, would imply that there are other nights of vigil associated with Shiva. For instance, some devotees recognise Monday as Sivan Day. Hence Shivaratri assumes five forms in the course of a year:

Nitya-Shivaratri: daily observance of Shiva.

Paksha-Shivaratri: fortnightly observance.

Masa-Shivaratri: monthly observance.

Yoga-Shivaratri: night for the yogis.

Maha-Shivaratri: great night of observance.

This year, this great night of Lord Shiva will be observed tomorrow, from 6pm to 6am. It is recorded that on this auspicious night, Shiva manifests Himself in the form of a lingam.

As a divine and omnipresent being, he can be with or without form. So the sacred lingam that is worshipped simply denotes it represents neither a beginning nor an end, yet it connects with heaven and earth.

Shivalingam is therefore a manifestation of the earthly form of Shiva, while Nadarajah represents the cosmic identity.

The 12 hours are focused on the chanting of the supreme Shiva mantra identified as “Om Namah Shiva”. Some prefer to repeat the five syllable mantra as “Na Ma Si Va Ya”. The 12hour duration is divided into three0hour intervals called Jamum, during which an abeshagam (on the lingum) is conducted ritualistically.

Generally, in Hinduism, there are three types of universal prayers, which include offerings in the form of fruit and milk, singing devotional songs and meditation.

During Shivaratri the three practices are integrated, but the main emphasis is on meditation. The normal status of an individual is during consciousness. The mind becomes influenced externally by the five senses and internally by sleep.

During intense meditation one withdraws from the five senses and sleep, and becomes fully awake to the consistent chanting of “Om Namah Shiva”.

This consistent chanting elevates devotees to glimpses of ecstasy, which come into focus and the consciousness moves to the periphery. To experience such glimpses of this eternal light, one is expected to be in vigil throughout the 12-hour duration. Such a procedure of sense withdrawal is intensely practised by saints and sages as well by yogis to attain paranormal results.

Through this process of meditation, all forms of restlessness as well as dreams are subdued to enable one to have a peaceful sleep, even for a few hours. Hence saints and sages enjoy a few hours of sound sleep because of this technique of meditation.

Extrasensory perception can be achieved when the mind’s lower layers are stilled, which is popular in space programmes and even modern scientists are adopting this technique.

In this modern age, where life is rough and unpredictable, may you all be blessed on the important night of Lord Shiva.

Though the above practice may vary, the important principle is to be awake during the entire duration, chanting the name of the Lord.

A dedicated devotee who commits to chanting this sacred mantra for the duration will certainly experience glimpses of light that are the by-products of intense meditation.

Dori Moodley is deputy president of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha.