Mahashiva Ratri : Common festival of all religions
- Part 1 -

Dr Jayadeba Sahoo *

Shopping List for Shivaratri at Singjamei Thong, Imphal on 8 March 2016 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

The cycle of time keeps rotating but its memory remains. To freshen these memories, memorials are made, stories are written, birthdays are observed, in which self-respect and love ceases and only rituals remain. It would not be an exaggeration to say that festivals now a days are being celebrated just to continue the tradition. India is a spiritual oriented country; the number of festivals celebrated here is hardly comparable to festivals celebrated by other countries.

Twelve months in a year filled with more than thirteen big festivals, Maha Shivratri has a special importance amongst them. Shivaratri is one of the most important festivals in the world, celebrating the time when God – the incorporeal Shiva – incarnated to establish heaven on earth.

The festival of Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with great reverence and devotion all over India. On this day, devotees visit Shiva temples to offer leaves of Bel upon the Shiva Linga, observe fast and are awake all night as a mark of devotion to God Shiva. In order to celebrate this festival in its true spirit, it is essential to know who is God Shiva and why is Shiva ratri [Shiva's night] commemorated by the devotees.

God Shiva and Shiva Ratri has always fascinated historians, researchers, intellectuals in India and abroad as the very name, form and symbol of God Shiva bear a unique similarity abroad in the ancient relics, reliefs and writings of early religions and civilizations. Out of His thousand attributive names, 'SHIVA' stands to be the most inspiring for its phonetic resemblance with the ancient names of God in different cultures and messages about His consummating cosmic character.

SHIVA – The universal name of God incorporeal

The ancient name of God such as 'SHIUN' in Babylon, 'Seva' or 'Sevajya' in Syria, in Egypt and Fiji; 'Sibru' in the land occupied by the progeny of Abraham, 'Jehova' to Moses and his followers seems very similar to the Sanskrit word 'Shiva' derived from two phonetic parts 'Shi' and 'Va' meaning 'Redeemer' and 'Liberator' of sins which Indicates to Almighty alone.

Literally “Shiva” also means the 'Benevolent' or 'Benefactor' or the benign or a divine dot i.e. who is beneficial to all and 'Linga' means 'symbol'. The characteristics which “Shiva” conveys clearly correspond to His form, attributes and actions as minutest than minutest subtle seed of creation, sustenance, the succour and as the Universal Benefactor.

Similarly, the Sanskrit suffix (to shiva) in Shiva Linga (m), i.e. 'Linga' or 'Lingam' means sign or symbol when subdivined into two phonetic constituents i.e. 'Li', 'Lin' or 'Laya' and 'ga', 'gam' or 'agaman' respectively refer to process of destruction and recreation. Thus the etymological composition and connotation of the triple lettered term 'G O D' meant His divine triple actions i.e. G-Generator, O – Operator and D – Destruction that perfectly coincides with that of 'Shiva Linga' or 'Shiva'.

Shiva is also called “Trimurti'' and “Trinath'' – 'The Lord of Tri Dev (Three Deights)' i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar whom He creates and performs His divine triple actions of Generation (Creation), Operation (Sustenance) and Destruction by them.. This is vindicated in Epic Shiv Puran when it reads “Brahma, Vishnu, Mahe-swar, Rudrama Srijayam”.

That means Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar (Shankar) are created by Rudra (Shiva). That is why it is called “Rudra Yajna” not “Shan-kar Yajna”; “ Rudra Avisheka not “ Shankar” Abhishek”. More over Shankar is depicted having human form and meditative posture before Shiva Linga – The oval shape of flame/light which clearly indicates the difference between Shiva and Shankar and SHIVA as Supreme Light-The Supreme Soul.

Again Sanskrit verse reads “Brahma Devatay Namah, Vishnu Devataya Namah, Shankar Devatay Namah, Shiva Paramatmaya Namah”. This indicates when Brahma, Vishnu, Shankar are revered as Devatas (Deities), Shiva is revered as Param Atma (Supreme Soul).

SHIVALINGA-The symbolic form of universal God

Moreover, 'Shiva Linga' was a symbol of worship common to almost all religions of the world. For example, the Jews used to worship 'Bailfago' in the form of 'Shiva Linga' called 'Baleswara' in India.

Abraham, whom Jews, Christians and Mohammedans regard as God's messenger, built Kaba in Mecca where he installed an oval shaped black stone (similar to Shiva Linga) called Sang-e-Ahswad (Liberator) as Shiva is known as Mukteswar (Liberator).

Sir Willam Jones depict that absolute God or Supreme soul is venerated in Egypt in the name of 'Osiris' & 'Ishis', a modified form of God's name in Sanskrit 'Ishwara' & 'Ish'. A stone bull is also kept before linga 'Osiris' as 'Nandi' before Shivalinga. The celebrated Vatican Museum in Rome has a cute 'Shivalinga' claimed by Vatican authority to be of Italian origin of Etruscan's heritage. Images of Shivalinga are also kept in Churches in Italy.

'God' – Incorporeal Point of Eternal Light

Description of Shivalinga as 'Jyotirlingam' (Jyoti & Lingam), the divine vision of flame like of God to Moses, whom Jew's, Christians and Mohammedans respect as messenger of God; Jesus Christ's reference to God as Light and the Christians' practice of burning the 'Sanctuary Lamp' – the 'Eternal Light' representing the living God; the holy flame 'Ner Tamid'; 'Eternal Light' raised above the 'Ark of Law' in the Jewish Synagogue; the image of God as a point of light radiating His illumination symbolized by Egyptian Pyramid; the worship of fire God advocated by Zoroastrians (parsees); asmal oval-shaped red stone called 'Chin-kon-Seki' (Peace giver) meditated upon by Buddhists in Japan; the light symbols associated with Egyptian, Babylonian, Druid, Norse & Donyi-Polo Faith (of Arunachal Pradesh) Supreme God lend enough credence to the identity of 'God' as an Incorporeal Point of Eternal Light.

Shivalinga and the Shivalinga like solid objects mentioned above, including Bailfago in Israel; “Sang-e-Aswad” in Mecca; “Phallos” in Greece; 'Periapus in Italy, Fassinum in France, Ekonis/Estergeries in Siam (Thailand) etc. are the symbolic prototypes of the Supreme Being – a conscient Point of Light radiating oval auro just as the candlelight emerges from a point source and takes an oval form wherefore Shivalinga is known as 'Jyotirlingam' (symbol of Light) i.e. of the form of neither a male nor a female, but of Light only.

To be continued ...