That Shiva is one of our Trinity and in charge of the “moving on” of the pranakoti is well known. Shiva Ratri is that night on which one is embedded in pure consciousness. Shiva is the ultimate in terms of “what needs to be known”.
Ratri, appearing close to every month’s new moon day (Amavasya), is called Masa Shiva Ratri. That particular Shiva Ratri which comes during the month of Magha for the Amanta following is called Maha Shiva Ratri, typically happening in February.
Rituals and worship
On the celebratory front, people visit temples where Shiva is the main deity, offer abhishekam, recite the Vedic verse of “Rudram”, and offer bilva patram. Bilva is special in Shiva worship. It is said that the ultimate offering can be “eka bilvam Shivarpanam”.
Shiva as pure knowledge
Shiva indicates pure knowledge. He is “karpoora varnam karunavataram”, meaning camphor-coloured and merciful. Its description is physical and also figurative. Unlike the bluish depiction of Shiva, He is pure whitish. The colour white indicates Jnana.
As the Jnana-bestowing avatara, or form, Shiva is shown and worshipped as Dakshina Murthy, surrounded by four disciples and delivering a silent sermon.
Silence as the highest teaching
When the chaos increases beyond all imagination, it is a perfect order. When the area expands beyond all limitations, it is a bindu (dot). Similarly, when the vyakhya or pravachana is in words, it is bound by the limitations of the word. Beyond all words but encompassing all the wisdom of all words is mauna, or silence.
Path to bliss and union
Shiva Ratri gives us an opportunity to reflect on absorbing the Jnana Ganga. It reminds us of the need to be in the presence of Jnana circles. The ultimate teaching of Shiva is silence, and the ultimate condition is bliss.
Shiva is beyond material possessions and “putting up status”. He is infinite, beyond perception, beyond the reach of anything limited. Feeling Shiva in the real sense is by merging into Him.
The one who can help us in this path is the Mother herself, as she is known as “Shiva Jnana Pradayini”. The ultimate union happens when the Mother, in the form of Kundalini, inches up and joins Shiva at Sahasrara. In this deep state, one experiences bliss. The Trinity manifests as ONE, with the sadhaka dissolving into the merging Mother and Shiva.
Dr S Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of management and tradition.
