Maha
Siva Ratri commemorates the day when the great Lingam of Siva appeared before all
the gods and demons. Since the Lingam extended from the netherworlds to
the ends of far galaxies, all the gods and demons were utterly
perplexed, as they could not discover it’s beginning or end. In a
spirit of competition, Brahma set out to find the top of the Lingam, and
Vishnu went to find the bottom, but however far they traveled, they
could not find the ends of the Lingam. Then Brahma saw a leaf falling
down, and he asked the leaf, “From where have you fallen?” The leaf
replied, “I don't know.” Brahma requested the leaf to tell a lie
that it had fallen from the top of the Lingam. When Brahma and Vishnu
met again, Vishnu admitted that he had not found the bottom of the
Lingam. Then Brahma told Vishnu, “Neither have I seen the top of the
Lingam, but I have seen this
leaf which has fallen from the top. Therefore, it is equivalent to
seeing the top.” Vishnu agreed that he had been defeated. With his
divine vision, however, Siva saw that Brahma had lied about the leaf’s
falling from the top of his Lingam. Enraged at the lie, Siva cut off the
top head of the five heads of Brahma. Since then, Brahma came to be
known in his four-headed form. Brahma cursed Siva that he would not be
entitled to receive puja in his total form, but should receive puja only
in the form of his Lingam. After all this had occurred, all the gods and
demons prayed to Siva, chanting the vedic mantras of Rudra Prasna.
Pleased with their devotion, Siva spoke these words of assurance: “If
anyone worships me with devotion at the time of my linga's arising, they
will be freed from all the limitations and bondage of samsara, and they
will be absorbed into my cosmic Lingam, which is ever blissful.”
This
story is from the Linga Purana. The day commemorating this great
occurrence is known as “Maha Siva Ratri,” and the time is called
“Lingodbhava Kalam.” On this night, everyone worships the Lingam
with vedic, non-vedic, or no mantras, keeping awake all night in the
presence of the Lord. There is also the story of a lascivious person who
worshipped Siva’s Lingam in the form of the breast of a prostitute.
That person attained liberation, and the village in Andhra Pradesh where
he lived came to be known as “Achanta,” which means “breast.”
These stories of Siva as the procreative force and destroyer of evil are
well-known.
What
is the meaning and moral of this story? Brahma represents the
five-dimensional world, which was its original form. The four dimensions
of time and space are commonly known. The fifth dimension of total
awareness is denied to Brahma, because he violated the principle of
truth by telling a lie. Henceforth, Brahma could only make creations of
limited intelligence. Total truth can only be known by accepting the
Lingam that goes from the depths of the netherworlds to the heights of
space. This feeling is echoed in the Isavasya Upanishad, where it is
said: By avidya (external worship), cross the bounds of death, and by
vidya (internal worship), attain immortality. Both are needed. The
Upanishad warns that if you follow only one way, either internal or
external worship, you will enter a great abyss-like void of darkness. In
this life, only Siva Puja on Maha Siva Ratri can take you out of the
cosmic abyss.Maha Siva
Ratri is the day when people will be lifted from the void and made into
“light” beings. Hence, the Jyotir (light) Linga Pujas are performed.
Special Maha Siva Ratri Pujas at
Devipuram, India
Sri Devi’s sacred Shakti Peetham, the
Devipuram Temple
in India, is offering the opportunity to sponsor special Sri Vidya Pujas in
your name and gotram. These Pujas will be performed under the direct
supervision of the founder - Guruji, Sri Amritananda Saraswati,
Devipuram.
Devipuram
is unique in many respects; it admits everyone into the fold of worship,
regardless of caste or gender. A number of young female devotees from
the Sudra community have been trained by Guruji to recite the powerful
Rudra Mantras. They have learnt the Ganapati, Shyama, Varahi, and Lalita
Upasanas. They also recite the sacred Lalita Sahasranamam, Lalita
Trishati, Lalita Astottaram, and Sri Devi Khadgamala Stotram by heart.
Every day, they perform Lalita Navavarana Puja in the Sri Chakra
Meru Temple and the Kamakhya Shakti Peetham. They also
perform daily Rudrabhishekam at the Siva temple. These young ladies will
be performing the Pujas and Abhishekams mentioned below under the
guidance of Guruji.
We
here at Devipuram believe that everyone, including unmarried girls from
the Sudra caste, has the right to personally perform Abhishekam to the
Siva Lingam while chanting Vedic mantras. By sponsoring these pujas, you
are not just helping yourself, but also helping the cause of restoring
to women and girls, everywhere, the fundamental right to learn and
perform temple pujas, regardless of caste, marital status or age. We are
inspired by the true spirit of the Upanishads, "Sarvam
Khalvidam Brahma," or "All indeed, without any exception,
is Brahman".
