Mahasivarathri - day long fast and night - long vigil

by Chelvatamby MANICCAVASAGAR

Mahasivarathri which is one of the most important festivals of Hindus dedicated to Lord Siva falls on Saturday March 13. On this day devotees will fast and keep vigil throughout the night repeating the words "Om Sivaya Nama'.

Poojas will be conducted at Sivan Temples during the four quarters of the night accompanied with devotional songs, mantra recitation, the lighting of the Sacred homefire and the rendering of classical dances dedicated to Lord Siva.

God is omnipotent and all pervasive. By the nature of these qualities He is formless. But, in order to enlighten his devotees He assumes innumerable human like forms. On Mahasivarathri Day Lord Siva manifests Himself in the form of a Lingam. Further, Lord Siva assumes various forms in pursuance of His divine spirit.

The prime manifestation with the form of the formless Siva is known as Lingabhavanaz Moorthi and He is said to make His appearances in that form at Midnight on Mahasivarathri day. On the auspicious occasion of Mahasivarathri Lord Siva performs the ecstatic dance of Nataraja.

This Divine Dance is the thrilling expressions of God realisation by one who has transcended the limitation of the material layers of one's personality. This Divine Dance portrays the world being formed and dissolved. The cosmic activity is the central motive of the dance. Lord Siva's dance posture balancing as one foot signifies the single pointed attainment of a man of realisation with the absolute realisation.

The dwarfish demon which is crushed under Lord Siva's foot represents the ego. When the ego and desires are kept under control the man of perfection experiences within himself the pure transcendental essence of divinity.

The desires which constitute the limited ego or individuality represent the lower nature of man. This lower nature is likened to a serpent. A perfect control of the lower nature by the higher proclaims the dignity and glory of man/

This idea is symbolised by Lord Siva adorning himself with a coiling serpent around His neck. The continuous chain of creation and destruction maintains the entire universe. In other words, the universe itself exists because of the continuous process of creation and destruction.

Rathri means night when it is dark. Darkness stands for lack of knowledge. Lord Siva's dance on Mahasivarathri indicates that his transcendental experience of the reality is unknown to the rest of mankind.

Even Lord Siva's consort Parvathi was destroyed by one stare. This signifies that the man of perfection possesses the fire of pure knowledge, in the light of which ignorance, passion and egoistic arrogance disappears which leads to absolute beauty, peace and bliss.

Furthermore, in every Sivan Temple there is Nanthy (bull) which is the Vahana of Vehicle of Lord Siva. It is always found facing Shivalingam in the places of worship.

In fact, Nanthy represents Dharma. It is very often said that the world revolves not round the inventors of new noises, but round the inventors of values, thus said a German poet. It is by Dharma that civilisation is maintained. Therefore, the Nanthy which is the vehicle of Lord Siva represents Dharma.

Indeed, there is a flag for every nation, every religion and every political party without any exception. They hoist these flags on all important occasions and the whole world comes to know of their respective celebrations on account of their flags. But, there is no such flag common to Hindus to be hoisted during festivals anywhere in the world.

Realising this Divine Service the World Saiva Council's (Sri Lanka) Vice President and Trustee of the Colombo Saiva Munnetra Sangam Vidaikody Sinnadurai Dhanabalah and secretary of the world Saiva Council (Sri Lanka) M. Kathirgamanathan and several other eminent personalities like Subramaniam Chettiar, Trustees of the New Kathiresan Temple, Bambalapitiya have taken all possible steps to hoist the Nanthy Flag on Mahasivarathri Day.