Why is Shiva Ratri celebrated?
All over India and abroad, Maha Shiva Ratri is celebrated on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Falgun. On a moonless night in February occurs the night of Shiva, the destroyer. This is the night when he is said to have performed the Tandava or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. As described in the story above, moksha is attained by devotees who worship him on this day and night. Devotees fast during the day, and maintain a long vigil during the night. In Shiva temples across the world, bells ring, mantras are recited, bhajans are sung and Shiva Dhun is repeated throughout the night. Traditional offerings of bel leaves and milk are made to the Shiva lingum.

Is Shiva worshipped in other cultures?
In Greece, this image of Lingum is worshipped and called Phallos. Phallos is a derivative of the Sanskrit word, Phalesh meaning the giver of boons. In Greece this symbol is also worshipped on the darkest night as in India. This image of Shiva Lingum is not isolated in India and Greece only. Recent research has revealed that this has been a form of worship in the Sumerian valley, Java, Sumatra, Rome, Germany, Egypt, France, Syria, America, Brazil, Hawaii and aboriginal Australia. Jews used to take an oval shaped stone in their hands when taking a solemn oath. Abraham, regarded equally by Jews, Christians and Moslems as a messenger of God, built for his wife and son the place of worship called Kaba in Mecca, where a black oval shaped stone was kept. Prophet Mohammad took possession of Kaba and destroyed all other idols. It is now the pilgrimage place for Moslems. The people wear white and encircle the stone just as Hindus wear a white dhoti and do pradeekshana of the Shiva Lingum. All religions represent God in the form of light, the sun or an oval shaped image symbolic of the supreme energy. Rather than debate about image worship and the surrounding rituals, there is an undercurrent of similarity in all religions.

God is beyond birth and death. He is Swayambu, the one who takes self-birth. He is the soul within each of us. The soul is Mahakala, Shiva himself or herself.
“Brahmahnah” loka, the “Swarga” loka and the “Bhumi” loka are three spheres of existences namely the celestial, the spiritual and the terrestrial worlds of existence. In the realm, the Bhumi-loka, or the earth is the breathing pranna-swaroop or the manifestation of the “RUDRA-SHIVOHA” in the Himalayas and therefore the lingam is the representation of shiva’s infinite macro-cosmic rudra-somamm as a Somma-Passupattayeh nathah.

Narmada Shiva Lingams come from the Narmada River in India, which is one of the seven sacred holy places of pilgrimage in India and the collection of these stones is passed down from generation to generation.
The Narmada River is considered to be very sacred. The Narmada River is considered the mother and giver of peace. Legend has it that the mere sight of this river is enough to cleanse one’s soul, as against a dip in the Ganga or seven in the Yamuna. The Ganga is believed to visit this river once a year, in the guise of a black cow to cleanse herself of all her collected sins.
The Shivalings are made of crypto crystalline quartz, and are said to have been formed from a meteorite that fell to Earth several million years ago. They contain one of the loftiest vibrations of all stones on Earth. The Narmada shivalingas represents the blending of male and female energy, with the shape of the stone representing the male (knowledge), and the markings representing the female (wisdom). Shiva and Shakti (consort of Lord Shiva represent this union of male and female energies - essential for the growth of the human race. The shivlings works with the breath and the fluids of the body creating a harmony in the body’s flow. The Shiva of Narmadeshawara Lingam stones are sacred in both Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. They are gathered one sacred day a year from an area near the source of the Narmada River about 300 miles north of Mumbai. Of the stones gathered, the most beautiful are polished into this traditional egg/oval shape by the action of the river. Shiva is the dissolver, the destroyer of dying decay, the diminishing powerful cosmic force of destruction for enacting a new form. Lord Brahma’s first creation-Rudra had manifested himself as Ardha narishwar(half male and half female). At the request of Brahma,Rudra dismembered his female part resulting into the creation of two distinct forms- one male and the other female.Later on,ten more Rudras manifested from the male form and all of them collectively came to be known as ‘Eleven Rudras’. Similarly, goddess Rudrani, who had manifested from lord Shiva and had gone to Nilgiri mountain to do her penance had killed a mighty demon named ‘Ruru’. Ruru was a very powerful demon king.He ruled over Ratnapuri, which was situated in the middle of the ocean.He had become invincible on account of a boon received from lord Brahma.After being defeated by him,all the deities went to seek the help of goddess Rudrani. Goddess Rudrani, who is also known as ‘Chamunda’ finally killed Ruru-the dreaded demon.
One who observes purity and recites the mantra of the Rudra, and observes the “vratha” of Shiva-Rudra: Every five days ruling the Vad-Ekadashi [eleventh day of the dark cycle of the moon] to the Vad-Amavassya [darkest day of the dark cycle of the moon]; firstly liberates one’s obligatory karma with the terrestrial world, secondly one is freed from the burdens of the “Pitru-pitri-Swarga-Pitari” loka, and thirdly one is invited by Shiva to the Akshaar-Mokshadhama - to be granted emancipation and to be crowned the liberated soul. Thus ends the Varaha Purana as Lord Varaha blesses Mataji Paravatee and returns to celestial. One tenth of the recitations are offered as hommamm; one tenth in flowers, one tenth in oblation of milk, one tenth in oblation of grains, one tenth in oblation of charity, one tenth in oblation of water to the NANDI COW, one tenth in oblation of the rice to the poorest, one tenth in oblation of the Lord SuryaNarayana for pitri, one tenth in oblation towards all the rivers, one tenth in oblation towards all the oceans, one tenth in oblation towards the divine air, one tenth in oblation towards the earthen clay, one tenth in oblation towards the spiritual spheres and finally only one tenth for our own atman. This is the most interesting analogy of Varaha Purana: Why we are entitled to reap proliferation only in one tenth of everything we do, collect, or own? It is something, we need to understand that only when we apportion our wealth appropriately will good health follow us and our children. Therefore reciting the holy scriptures and reciting the holy hymns offering our homage to Shiva-Lingam in the name of our ancestors and Lord Sun all bring us good health in the food and grains that we eat from our kitchen. Hara is the remover of all fears!
The five days from ekadashi to amavashya are most auspicious time to recite
“AUM NAMOH NAMAH SHIVAYA SHIVAYAH NAMAH AUM”
Hara Hara Hara MahaDeva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambhoo
Bamm Bamm Bamm Bhole

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