SHIV RATRI CELEBRATION;
MYTHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND,MYTH AND SUPERSTITION !
The Shiv Puran relates a story of Maha Shivaratri's glory. The most popular story associated to MahaShivaratri goes as follows:
A hunter was roaming in the jungle on the bank on the Kolidum River. He was chasing after a deer when he heard the growl of a tiger. He ran as fast as he could and climbed up a tree nearby.The tiger stood at the foot of the tree, and did not leave. All through the night, the hunter had to stay up in the tree. Afraid that he would fall if he fell asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down.
At the foot of the tree was a Shiva Linga (an image of Lord Shiva). Without realizing it, the hunter, who was sitting on a vilva tree, threw the leaves down at the Linga. The tiger left in at sunrise. The hunter looked down, and found that the tiger was gone, and in its place stood Lord Shiva. The hunter prostrated in front of Shiva and received mukti-the release from the cycle of birth and death.
The popular story of the union of Shiva and his consort, Parvati:
King Daksha, opposed Sati's marriage with Shiva. At a yagnya (holy sacrifice) the king ignored Shiva’s presence and thereby insulted the latter publicly. Sati was so angered by this that she jumped into the sacrificial fire and ended her life. Lord Shiva unleashed his fury at the death of his wife by performing the violent dance, Taandav. He wiped out Daksha’s kingdom, undertook rigorous penance and retired to the Himalayas. The Gods, who feared that the severity of Shiva’s penance might bring an end to the world, revived Sati in the new avatar of Parvati. Shiva-Parvati married and this reunion is celebrated on Maha Shivratri.
MYTHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND,MYTH AND SUPERSTITION !
The Shiv Puran relates a story of Maha Shivaratri's glory. The most popular story associated to MahaShivaratri goes as follows:
A hunter was roaming in the jungle on the bank on the Kolidum River. He was chasing after a deer when he heard the growl of a tiger. He ran as fast as he could and climbed up a tree nearby.The tiger stood at the foot of the tree, and did not leave. All through the night, the hunter had to stay up in the tree. Afraid that he would fall if he fell asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down.
At the foot of the tree was a Shiva Linga (an image of Lord Shiva). Without realizing it, the hunter, who was sitting on a vilva tree, threw the leaves down at the Linga. The tiger left in at sunrise. The hunter looked down, and found that the tiger was gone, and in its place stood Lord Shiva. The hunter prostrated in front of Shiva and received mukti-the release from the cycle of birth and death.
The popular story of the union of Shiva and his consort, Parvati:
King Daksha, opposed Sati's marriage with Shiva. At a yagnya (holy sacrifice) the king ignored Shiva’s presence and thereby insulted the latter publicly. Sati was so angered by this that she jumped into the sacrificial fire and ended her life. Lord Shiva unleashed his fury at the death of his wife by performing the violent dance, Taandav. He wiped out Daksha’s kingdom, undertook rigorous penance and retired to the Himalayas. The Gods, who feared that the severity of Shiva’s penance might bring an end to the world, revived Sati in the new avatar of Parvati. Shiva-Parvati married and this reunion is celebrated on Maha Shivratri.
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