In my previous post, I had talked about Maha Shivratri 2021 and mentioned how and why we celebrate Maha Shivratri. We saw how Shiva bhakta (devotees of Lord Shiva) celebrates Mahashivaratri with great enthusiasm. Devotees keep fast, visit Shivalaya, offer bilva leaves on the Shivling, and chant Shiva’s Mantra Om Namah Shivaya and night-vigil to please Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri. Maha Shivratri is believed to be the day Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. In this post, I will share with you different stories associated with Maha Shivratri.
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According to Bhagavata Purana, The deities and the demons attacked each other in the churning process to obtain the Amrit ( the nectar of immortality). Serpent king Vasuki volunteered himself as a string between them and wrapped around Mount Mandara to churn the ocean. A very toxic poison Halahala emerged during Samudra Manthan. It is believed that Mahashivaratri was the day Lord Shiva gulped this poison to protect the universe. Goddess Parvati tries to relieve Lord Shiva and place her hand on his neck to prevent the poison from entering his full body. As a result, the poison got stuck into shiva’s throat and his neck turned blue in color. Because of this event, Lord Shiva became popular as Neelkantha which means the one with a blue neck. Since then, this day is marked as Maha Shivaratri.
According to mythology, Maha Shivaratri was the night when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati’s marriage was a grand event because Parvati was a princess and a daughter of Himavant, the king of mountains. The marriage procession took place in the night. It was the darkest of moon night when Lord Shiva went to the Himalayas, the house of Goddess Parvati to marry her. Since then, Mahashivratri is celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess.
According to Shiva Mahapurana, once there rose a conflict between Lord Vishnu and Brahma about their superiority. They started arguing which turned into a fierce fight. Browbeaten by their fierce combat, deities pleaded to Lord Shiva to interrupt and stop their fight. Lord Shiva then emerged in the form of Jyotirlinga (radiance lingam) before Lord Vishnu and Brahma. This astonishing event intervenes in the fight between Lord Vishnu and Brahma. Astonished by this radiance figure, they decided to discover the purpose of this huge radiant pillar.
Vishnu proceeded towards the underworld in Varaha (boar) form, while Brahma traveled upwards in hamsa form in search of the end and purpose of that radiant pillar. However, Lord Vishnu missed finding it and returned, while Brahma on his way up saw screwpine (Ketaki ) flowers falling from the top. Brahma tricked and requested Ketaki flower to lie that he had seen the origin of the pillar. Brahma met Lord Vishnu and lied that he had got to know about the origin of the huge radiant pillar. The ketli flower supported his statement. Consequently, the middle section of the pillar bursts and Lord Shiva emerged with his full glory.
Lord Shiva got annoyed with Brahma’s trick and cursed him that he will never be worshipped. Also, Lord shiva banned the ketaki flower from offering in any kind of worship. Finally, Brahma and Vishnu admit lord Shiva’s supremacy. Further, Lord Shiva explains to them that they were born from him with three different aspects of divine perspectives. This manifestation of Lord Shiva as a Jyotirling happened on the 14th dark fortnight of the Magha month. On this day Brahma and Lord Vishnu had worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of Shivling for the first time and that day became known as Mahashivratri. There are twelve jyotirlingas in India.
Once a hunter went on a hunt. As soon as he reached the banks of a lake, he climbed a tree and hide in the leaves. That tree was a Biva tree. Sitting on the branch of the tree and waiting for his prey, he broke some leaves and vines obstructing his vision and threw them down. Accidentally, the leaves fell on a Shivling located under the tree. After some time he heard the sound of some animal drinking water in the lake. He saw a female deer and aimed his arrow toward her. The female deer saw the hunter aiming towards her and pleaded to let her go and see her children for the last time before killing her. The hunter allowed her to go and sat on the tree branch waiting for the deer.
The whole night passed and he did not even eat food that night. To keep himself awake he kept plucking bilva leaves and throw down. Unknowingly, he was offering those to the Shivling and while waiting for deer, he had also fasted overnight. It was Mahashivaratri and he fulfilled all the conditions and rituals of the Mahashivaratri fast. Just before dawn, the female deer came back and seeing her honesty the hunter decided to let her go. His heart changed and abandoned the idea of killing her. Lord Shiva pleased with this gesture blessed him. After the hunter died he was reborn as a king by the grace of Lord Shiva.
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