The auspicious Mahasivaratri was celebrated at all Sivanandashrams on Wednesday, 26 February 2025. At Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills, Ganga Arati commenced at 5.30pm, followed by the Mahasivaratri Satsang which concluded the next morning at 5am. The multi-faceted programme, which catered for all, comprised readings, Kirtans, Bhajans, musical items, guest artistes, videos, offerings at the shrine and chanting of the sacred Om Namah Sivaya Mantra while circumambulating the Ganga Rani pool. The four Praharas were intensely spiritual and nurtured the spiritual aspirations of devotees, many of whom stayed until the closure.
Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message on the Power of Namasivaya (Parts 1 and 2) featured in both the First and Fourth Praharas. These recordings by Pujya Swamiji, in which he related the account of an American devotee, Sharon Brown, whose amazing experience exemplified the power of the most sacred Om Namah Sivaya Mantra. Sharon had aplastic anaemia (a disease that attacks the bone marrow). In desperation, she sought Divine help and was advised by a devotee of Swami Muktananda of New York to chant the Om Namah Sivaya Mantra. The mere mention of the Mantra instilled miraculous, curative waves in her. On simply hearing the Mantra even once, Sharon experienced extraordinary exhilaration. The Mantra and the world appeared as one, and the fear of death faded by the power of its repetition. At one point, she felt that cancer came to her as a blessing so as to bring her into contact with the Mantra. She said that through the chanting of the Om Namah Sivaya Mantra, poison can be turned into nectar. Sharon experienced innate peace, bliss and courage during the illness as well as during the operation that was performed on her. To her, the Mantra was a “living form of God” and the “supreme truth”. The audio recording was an excellent example of the power and potency of the sacred Om Namah Sivaya Mantra.
The First Prahara also comprised a track of the video, Wisdom of Sivananda on the power of prayer which portrayed Sri Swami Sivananda’s deep love and reverence for Lord Siva. Guest artiste Kashmira Bhajan, is a student of the Kala Darshan, Institute of Classical Indian Dance and Music, under tutelage of Guru Sri Manesh Maharaj. Her offering, a Kathak Dance to the cosmic dancer, Lord Nataraj, was both inspirational and deeply spiritual. Dhivya Chetty, a young emerging artist, passionately explores various musical forms, including vocals, tabla, keyboards, and violin. She was accompanied by her father who has performed alongside many local and international musicians.
The reading from Glory of Sivaratri from Lord Siva and His Worship by Sri Swami Sivananda, captured the essence of Mahasivaratri. Sri Gurudev said, ‘Sivaratri’ means ‘night of Lord Siva’. The important features of this religious function are rigid fasting for twenty-four hours and vigil throughout the night. Every true devotee of Lord Siva spends the night of Sivaratri in deep meditation, keeps vigil and observes fast. The worship of Lord Siva consists in offering flowers, Bilva leaves and other gifts on the Linga which is a symbol of Lord Siva, and bathing it with milk, honey, butter, ghee, rose- water, etc.
“When creation had been completed, Siva and Parvati had been living on the top of Kailas. Parvati asked; “O venerable Lord, which of the many rituals observed in ‘Thy honour doth please Thee most?’ Lord Siva replied: ‘The thirteenth night of the new moon, Krishna Paksha, in the month of Phalguna (February-March) is known as Sivaratri, and is My most favourable Tithi. My devotee gives Me greater happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths, and offerings of flowers, sweets, incense, etc’.”
The First Prahara concluded with the recital of the Ganesha Arati – Jay Ganesha Deva, chanting of the Om Namah Sivaya Mantra and offerings.
The Second Prahara was resplendent with an array of soul-elevating items. Extracts from Sivananda’s Gospel of Divine Life, highlighted the Master’s deep love for Lord Siva, as is indicative in the following excerpt, entitled The Master’s Worship, “It was the Viswanath Mandir Pratishtha Anniversary Day. A programme of worship was being conducted in the temple. Several aspirants and Sadhus were sitting inside the temple, worshipping the Lord with flowers and bael leaves. The Shiva Lingam was fully covered with a thick shawl of flowers. The Master was circumambulating the temple. As he appeared at the threshold of the shrine, one of the aspirants offered him some flowers and bael leaves with which to worship the Lord. As the Sannyasin outside was going on with his recitation of the Mantras, the Master also joined the devotees in offering flowers to the Lord. This went on for some minutes. In a mood of complete self-forgetfulness, the Master now turned to the Sadhus and aspirants sitting around the Lingam and began worshipping them with the flowers intended for the Lord. There seemed to be not a trace in his eyes or face indicating his recognition of who exactly the individuals were. The eyes seemed to gaze on, but only he could say what he saw”.
The story of Kancha Prabhu, portrays the mundaneness and mysteriousness of attachment and human nature. Instances of this description can be found even today. Those who are ever watchful can see clearly the folly of clinging to mundane things. The story reveals that one cannot take even a single material possession from this world when life departs.
Srimathi Siddharthiya Pillay, a classically-trained Bharathanatyam dancer, presented a dance based on a Malayalam song praising Lord Siva, wherein she depicted the worship of Lord Siva by a gathering of women in the wilderness of the forest and the Lord's manifestation to his devotees. Sri Thiru Solly Pillay, founder of Agni-swaram, a group of highly talented musicians, accompanied by the well-known Tansen Nepaul, performed with passion, devotion and intense Bhakti. The songs by Sri Gurudev, a video entitled, Lord Shiva visits Baby Krishna, and singing of melodious Thevarams also featured in this Prahara The readings of Nayanar Saints and the Story of Kannappa Nayanar, An Ode to Arunachala and singing of Arunachala Verses, complemented the Second Prahara as well. The An Ode to Arunachala, the Akshara Mana Malai is an inspired poetical composition by Sri Ramana Maharishi. It is an exceptional outpouring of devotion for the Lord of Arunachala in which the Maharishi assumes the role of a lover (seeker) seeking her beloved (the Supreme Being). It is said that anyone who recites the work with devotion will merge with Lord Arunachaleshwara and attain salvation, the goal of human existence. Melodious Kirtans and Bhajans added to the divine and spiritual ambience of the Second Prahara, which concluded with the Siva Arati, chanting and offerings.
In the Third Prahara, the Lilas of Lord Shiva were aptly portrayed in the inspiring story, Old Drum, New Palace, an audio recording by devotees of the Society. Jay Udith and troupe of Jai Ho Satsang made their love offerings through melodious Kirtans and Bhajans. A video, Lord Rama sings on Sivaratri, Pujya Swamiji’s audio Kirtans and Bhajans, a video on the Om Namah Shiva Series, and a reading of the story, Chipak Mahadev complemented the Third Prahara. The story Chipak Mahadev, brought to the fore, Lord Siva’s miraculous and mysterious powers bestowed upon ardent devotees. The Prahara concluded with the Sivananda Arati, chanting and offerings.
The Fourth and final Prahara comprised Pujya Swamiji’s audio message (Part 2), recounting the American devotee, Sharon Brown’s experiences and the power of the Om Namah Sivaya Mantra, a video on the Vishnu Puran, recital of the Sri Hanuman Chalisa, Ram Bhajan, and an open-time when devotees were given the opportunity to sing Kirtans and Bhajans. The Fourth Prahara brought the Mahasivaratri celebrations to a great spiritual end with the final chanting, offerings and Arati at 5am.
The Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, extols the virtues and powers of Lord Siva, in the following advice to aspirants:
“Blessed Aspirants,
Lord Siva is the God of Love. His Grace is boundless. He is the Saviour and Guru. He is the Beloved of Uma. He is Satyam, Sivam, Subham, Sundaram, Kantam. He is the Supreme Light that shines in your heart.
Meditate on His Form. Hear His Lilas. Repeat His Mantra ‘Om Namah Sivaya’. Study Siva Purana. Do His worship daily. Behold Him in all names and forms. He will bless you with His Vision”.
As we celebrate another Mahasivaratri, let us reflect, introspect and dive deep into the spiritual realms of our own beings. The importance of the worship of Lord Siva and the popularity and auspiciousness of Mahasivaratri throughout the world cannot be over emphasised. Its glory is ineffable.
May the blessings of Lord Siva, Gurudev, Sri Swami Sivananda and Pujya Swami Sahajananda be upon us all
