Shivaraatri Story Symbolism

When the creation had been completed, Lord Shiva and Parvati had been living on top of Kailas.  Parvati asked: “O Venerable Lord, which of the many rituals observed in Thy honour, pleases Thee the most?”  Lord Shiva replied, “The fourteenth night of the new moon, Krishna Paksha, in the month of Phalguna(February-March) is known as Shivaratri, my favourite Tithi.  I am highly pleased with those who fast on that day and are awake the whole night, worshipping me with bilva leaves.  Just hear my Beloved, of an episode which will give you an idea of the glory and power of this ritual.

Once, a hunter named Suswara from Varanasi went for the kill, in the forest.  He killed many animals and birds during the day.  While returning home, he felt tired and sat under a tree, to rest. But, he fell asleep.  It was already late evening when he woke-up.  It was very dark and he could not find his way back home.  So he decided to spend the night in the forest.  Fearing wild animals, he climbed up the tree.  He could not sleep, out of fear of falling down.  To keep awake, he started plucking the leaves of the tree, which had moistened with dew, and started throwing them down.  The leaves fell on a shivalinga which was below the tree.  The tree was a bilva tree.  That night was Shivaratri.  He had not eaten the entire day because he was busy in chasing and hunting the animals.  Thus, fasting also happened accidently.   Though done, unconsciously, I was pleased with this act.   Due to the merit that he gained by performing all these acts, unconsciously, at the time of death, when Lord Yama’s messengers came, they could not capture the hunters’ soul because my ganas came there and brought him to Me.”  

Symbolically, the hunter represents the Jiva whose job is to hunt pleasures.  With the arrows of sense-organs, he ‘shoots’ the animals, the sense objects.  When a Jiva is tired of such a life, the Jiva starts offering all the actions to the Lord.  The body is the Bilva Tree and each bilva leaf represents the three gunas which influence the Jiva’s life.  The Jiva offers these Guna-coloured-actions to the Gunatita – The Lord in the form of Shiva-Linga.  Thus, he becomes free of attachment and at the death of the body-identification, unites with Shiva – Pure Consciousness.

Fasting and keeping awake are the main rituals to be done for Shivaratri.  Let us see their symbolism:

Upavasa is defined as ‘aahaara nivrittihi.’  Not eating any food is Upavasa.  

That which is consumed, collected by us through the senses, mind and intellect is called Food or Ahara. “aahriyate manasaa budhyaa indriyairvaa iti aahaarah.”

Not to indulge with these is Upavasa.  Then what is to be done?

Upavasa means staying near.  In this context, it means staying near Lord Shiva by worship, meditation, japa of Lord Shiva. 

Keeping awake is symbolic of ‘being awake to the Self’ and asleep to the world of sense-pleasures.  Otherwise, night is symbolic of carnal pleasures.  But, on Shivaratri, one must perform Shiva-Pooja with the desire to unite with Lord Shiva – Ones’ Own Self.

If the unconscious acts of the hunter could gain the grace of Lord Shiva, how much more grace and blessings will be experienced by us if we fast, keep vigil and worship Lord Shiva, with devotion!

Let us invoke His Mighty Grace and realize that we are Shiva – Satyam Shivam Sundaram and not the miserable Jiva.

!! Om Namah Shivaya !!