Mahashiva Ratri : Common festival of all religions
- Part 2 -

Dr Jayadeba Sahoo *

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

SHIVA-RATRI – Its Real Significance

So, Shiva-Ratri reminds mankind that He is not omnipresent but manifests Himself /descends on to this world drama stage from His Supreme Abode (Param Dham/Seventh or Highest Heaven) to awake the mankind from grave yard (death/slumber of ignorance ) at a time when there is RATRI – The Night or utter darkness of ignorance/complete irreligiousness (Gita,Ch-4/Verse-9) otherwise known as 'Kayamat Ka Samay' – period of destruction/end of time Cycle. God SHIVA comes to this world at the end of the cycle of world history, according to Rig Veda (1-161-14).

Unlike human beings taking birth from mothers' womb, as He is immune to and above birth and death. He is called Ajanma & Ajonijanma But as He manifests /descends Himself He is called Swayambhu/ Shambhu or Khuda (Khud+a ). Literally “Khud” means the 'One self and 'a' means 'to come'. Thus Khuda means One who comes Himself. Jesus also says, “But I tell you the truth : it is better for you that I go away because if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.

And when He comes He will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about what is right, and about God's judgment ……… I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to bear. But when the Sprit of Truth comes, He will lead you into all truth.”

The ordinary human person on whom Incorporeal God SHIVA descends incognito as per his promise in (Gita,Ch-4/Verse 8-9) & through whose mouth He reveals the Spiritual truth about Himself, the whole Creation and the process of communion with Him (Yoga) comes to be known as Brahma or Adi Dev, Adam or Abu Tani -The First Man. After descending in to this world, God imparts divine knowledge to humans through the mouth of Brahma, whose body he enters (Samveda 559). This incarnation of God happens after humans call out to Him to come and incarnate in the body of Brahma.

The Samveda (459) describes this prayer: O! Almighty God! Come to us from your faraway abode of Brahman, which, according to the Bhagawat Gita (8-2]), is the highest of all abodes, the place of salvation, where the souls go after death.

Athervaveda (7- 41-1) tells us that God Shiva comes to this world after crossing the whole universe for the sake of His beloved Brahma.

The Samveda (1276) further tells us that God Shiva comes flying fast like a falcon.

After entering the body of Brahma, God Shiva sits in the seat of the soul, between the eyebrows (Samveda 739).

Another hymn in the Samveda (1209) refers to the seat of the soul, saying “Please enter the interior of the forehead of Brahma”.

By means of this Spiritual wisdom, He establishes a new socio-politico and socio-spiritual order called as Golden Age or Satya Yuga – the Age of Truth/Enlightenment/Perfection. This period when Iron Age or Kaliyuga (Dark Age) is coming to an end and the Golden Age or Satya Yuga is about to commence, is the present time, called Confluence Age or Sangamyuga (Transition Period).

Jesus says, “When you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say 'It is going to get hot,' and it does. Hypocrites ! You can look at the earth and sky and tell what it means; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time.”

Now, Shiva Jayanti is the remembrance day of birth extraordinary of Incorporeal God father Shiva. When we celebrate the Birth Centenary of any person we call it a Birthday but question arises as why Shiva's birth is called as Shivaratri? Actually, 'Ratri' or night symbolizes utter darkness of ignorance shrouding and clouding the intellectual horizon of mankind.

The event of Shiva's divine birth is celebrated on the day before the darkest night of Phalgun, which is the last month of Indian calendar and ignorance at the end of one world cycle. At such time, superstition, blind faith, religious persecution of one sect by another, lawlessness, corruption, amorality is rampant in the society.

At such juncture of 'Dharma Glani' i.e. moral, religion and spiritual downfall, God Shiva-the Incorporeal Supreme soul, stop to the vicious trends and to create a world of high ideals and morals and noble acts called heaven, paradise.

God Shiva reveals very deep knowledge about the creator and creation. He remains us that we all are sparkling sentient point of light – Souls, different from the body. He explains that GOD is not omnipresent, which is the general misconception and that he has an abode called 'Paramdham' or the 'Seventh Sky' which is beyond this physical world of Sun, moon, stars and galaxies, etc.

He teaches the long lost art of Yoga called Raj -Yoga which purifies the mind, intellect habits of souls. He gives the charges of transformation of the world in the hands of woman, who were neglected and downplayed in the society.

He asks all human beings to be morally and spiritually elevated. He discloses that time is cyclic in nature and this world is a drama which repeats after every 5000 years (Kalpa).

In fact the greatest magic of God does is that he transforms this old world into a New one, called Paradise, by the power of Raja-Yoga (Supreme communion) and divine Wisdom.

At this fag end of RATRI – the Dark Age/Kaliyuga, this act of the same Supreme Soul is going on since 1936-37 descending into Dada Lekhraj Kripalini, a Sindhi Jeweler in Karachi, baptized him as Prajapita Brahma and imparting that spiritual wisdom to establish that Age of Perfection after the mass annihilation of this present degraded society of Dark Age.

The true way of celebrating Shivaratri would be to realize the significance of the present auspicious time (Sangam Yuga, which is end of Kaliyuga – Iron Age and the beginning of Satyuga – Golden Age) and by pledging to discard all negative traits such as anger, greed, ego and lust and by leading a life filled of love, compassion, respect, humility, cooperation, responsibility, divinity.

So, let us all irrespective of different religious faith, celebrate this 'SHIVA-RATRI' as 80th Anniversary of His birth extraordinary of our Supreme Father-Mother and empower our self through process of Supreme Communion (Raja Yoga ) with Him to inculcate His Supreme Commands of Universal Values to establish a “Value Based Happy Society of Culture of Peace & Non Violence ” – our most cherished desire.

The understanding of this eternal truth will usher in religious harmony &world peace. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University has been engaged in this task for last 78th years since its inception in 1936-37.

Let us all make use of their services for personal and universal transformation, and become partners in God's enterprise and thus ensure our presence in the forthcoming new world of spiritual and human values.

Happy greetings on the Divine Birthnight of God Shiva

—— Om Peace —–

Concluded...