July 16, 2024
Mahashivratri festival has great importance in the Hindu religion. According to the Hindu calendar, Mahashivratri is celebrated 2 times every year. The first Mahashivratri is celebrated on Krishna Chaturdashi Tithi in the month of Phalgun and the second is celebrated on the Chaturdashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Sawan. There is a religious belief that in the month of Phalgun, Lord Shiva was married to Goddess Parvati. Therefore, every year Mahashivratri is celebrated with great pomp in the month of Phalgun. On this day, Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva are worshiped in four Prahars. It is believed that doing this removes all the troubles of life and brings happiness, prosperity, and prosperity in the house.
Mahashivratri will be celebrated on 26 February 2025. On this day, there is a tradition of worshiping Shiva by keeping vigil from night. The festival of Maha Shivratri is celebrated on the Chaturdashi date of Krishna Paksha of Magh month. the monthly Shivaratri falling in the month of Phalgun is celebrated as Maha Shivaratri.
In the year 2025, Chaturdashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha of Phalgun month will start on Feb 26, 2025, at 11:08 am and will end on the next day i.e. Feb 27, 2025, at 08:54 am.
Time of worship of the first Prahar of Mahashivratri: 06:19 PM to 09:26 PM.
Time of worship of the second Prahar of Mahashivratri: 09:26 PM to 12:34 AM, Feb 27.
Time of worship of the third Prahar of Mahashivratri: 12:34 AM to 03:41 AM, Feb 27.
Time of worship of Chauche Prahar of Mahashivratri: 03:41 AM to 06:48 AM, Feb 27.
In ancient times, there was a hunter named Chitrabhanu. He used to support his family by killing animals. He was indebted to a moneylender, but could not repay his loan on time. The angry moneylender imprisoned the hunter in Shivmath. Coincidentally that day was Shivratri. The hunter kept listening to religious talks related to Shiva while meditating. He also heard the story of Shivratri fast on Chaturdashi.
As soon as the evening came, the moneylender called him to him and talked about repaying the loan. The hunter was released from bondage by promising to return the entire debt the next day. As per his daily routine, he went out into the forest for hunting. But due to being in prison all day long, he was suffering from hunger and thirst. The hunter went far in search of prey. When it got dark, he thought that he would have to spend the night in the forest. He climbed a vine tree on the bank of a forest pond and started waiting for the night to pass.
There was a Shivalinga under the Bilva tree which was covered with Bilva leaves. The hunter did not know about Shivalinga. The branches he broke while making the camp accidentally fell on Shivalinga. In this way, the fast of the hungry and thirsty hunter was observed throughout the day and Bilva leaves were also placed on the Shivalinga. After one o’clock in the night, a pregnant deer came to the pond to drink water.
As soon as the hunter put the arrow on the bow and pulled the string, the deer said – ‘I am pregnant. You will be killing two creatures at once, which is not right. I will soon give birth to a child and appear before you, then kill me.’
The hunter loosened the string and the deer disappeared into the wild bushes. While hoisting and loosening the string, some Bilva leaves spontaneously broke and fell on the Shivalinga. In this way, the worship of the first Prahar was also completed unknowingly.
After some time, another deer came out from there. The hunter was on cloud nine After coming close, he put the bow on the arrow. Then seeing him the deer humbly requested – ‘O hunter! I am a lustful deer. I am roaming in search of my beloved. I will meet my husband and get back to you soon. The hunter listened to her and let her go too.
He became worried after losing his prey twice. It was the last hour of the night. This time too, some Bel leaves fell on the Shivling after being hit by the bow and the worship of the second phase was also completed.
Just then another deer passed by with her children. This was a golden opportunity for the hunter. He did not waste any time in loading the arrow on the bow. He was about to release the arrow when the deer said – ‘Hey hunter! I will return after handing over these children to their father. Don’t hit me this time.’
The hunter laughed and said, ‘I am not such a fool to leave the prey in front of me. I have lost my prey twice before. My children must be suffering from hunger and thirst.
In reply, Hirani again said – Just as you are being tormented by love for your children, similarly I too am being tormented. Hey hunter! Believe me, I promise to leave them with his father and return immediately.
Hearing the sad voice of the deer, the hunter felt pity for her. He let that chicken escape too Due to lack of prey and distressed by hunger and thirst, the hunter unknowingly kept plucking the leaves of the vine sitting on the vine tree and throwing them down. When his courage was feeling, a strong deer came on the same path. The hunter thought that he would surely hunt it. Seeing the hunter’s tense stance, the deer said in a polite voice – ‘O hunter! If you have killed the three deer and small children who came before me, then do not delay in killing me also, so that I do not have to suffer even for a moment in their separation. I am the husband of those deers. If you have given him life then please give me a few moments of life too. I will meet him and present myself before you.
As soon as the hunter heard the deer’s words, the entire night’s events flashed before the hunter. He told the whole story to the deer. Then the deer said – ‘Just as my three wives have gone as promised, they will not be able to follow their dharma due to my death. Therefore, just as you have left him as a confidant, let me go in the same way. I will appear before you soon with all of them.’
The hunter let him go as well Thus the morning came. The worship of Shivratri was completed unknowingly by fasting, night vigil, and offering Belpatra on Shivalinga. But he got the results of the worship done unknowingly immediately. The hunter’s violent heart became pure.
After some time, the deer appeared before the hunter along with his family, so that he could hunt them, but seeing such truthfulness, honesty, and collective love of wild animals, the hunter felt very guilty. He gave life to the deer family.
The hunter attained salvation even after unknowingly observing the fast of Shivratri. When the Yamdoots came to take his soul at the time of death, the Lord Shiva sent them back and took the hunter to Shivlok. It was only by the grace of Lord Shiva that King Chitrabhanu was able to remember his previous birth and after knowing the importance of Mahashivratri, he was able to follow it in his next birth also.
The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm across the country. The day of Maha Shivratri is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the trinity. This day is known for the life-long commitment of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This was the auspicious day when both of them got married.
Maha Shivratri is the day of celebration when all the Lord Shiva devotees stay awake all night to worship Lord Shiva, perform Abhishek, and Rudrabhishek, and chant various Shiva mantras to seek blessings of the Lord. This is a great day for devotees to attain spiritual awakening and liberation.
The festival of Mahashivratri is special for two important reasons. It is said that on this date Mahadev left the life of renunciation and entered household life. The marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place on this day and night. According to another belief, Lord Shiva appeared for the first time on the day of Mahashivratri. On the day of Mahashivratri itself, Shivlinga appeared at 64 different places. It is believed that by worshiping Shiva on this day, all the troubles of a person go away. If you also want to know about the worship method of Mahashivratri, then talk to astrologers.
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