BAVINA SOOKDEO
Hindus celebrate Maha Shivaratri, one of the most significant festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva, on February 26, from 6.12 pm to February 27, at 6.22 am.
Unlike many Hindu daytime festivals, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night – the 13th lunar night into the 14th day, just before the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun (from February 13-March 14).
Shiva is the third deity in the Hindu triumvirate (three godheads) which consists of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer), pundit Sean Rambaran told Newsday. Rambaran, a pundit for six years, said many devotees journey to temples for all-night vigils. Those who cannot attend, perform their worship at home.
“Many people refer to Lord Shiva as the ‘Destroyer’ and often misinterpret it as something fearful, however, what he truly destroys are negative qualities such as negative karma, desire, greed, ego, attachment and anger. He does not destroy individuals but rather helps eliminate these negative traits within them, allowing for renewal and transformation. Through this process, Lord Shiva guides his devotees toward self-improvement and spiritual growth,” Rambaran said.
Shiva is depicted in many forms, each rich with meaning. He is often shown with a blue throat, an allusion to the legend of Samudra Manthan, where he consumed the deadly
halahal poison to save the universe, earning him the name
Neel Kanta (the blue-throated one).
Relating the Samudra Manthan story, Rambaran said “At one time, the devas (gods) and the
asuras (demons) sought to obtain Amrita, the nectar of immortality. Whoever consumed this nectar would become immortal. However, it could only be found in the Milky Ocean, where Lord Vishnu resides. To retrieve it, both the devas and asuras had to work together and churn the ocean. Positioning themselves on opposite sides, they began the great churning. As they churned, 14 different things emerged from the ocean, some beneficial and others dangerous. The most lethal of all was the halahal poison, a substance so deadly that it threatened to destroy all of creation.
"Both the devas and asuras were overwhelmed by its effects and cried out to Lord Shiva for help, as only he had the power to contain its destruction. Hearing their plea, Lord Shiva selflessly drank the poison to save the world. However, instead of swallowing it, he held it in his throat to prevent it from harming him or anyone else. This caused his throat to turn blue, earning him the name Neel Kanta, meaning 'the blue-throated one.'"
He said as the poison burnt within, intense heat radiated from his body. To cool him down, the
devas poured water over him, but it was not enough. They then applied curd (
dahee), ghee, honey, sugarcane juice, and other cooling substances. Even the serpent, Vasuki, was wrapped around his neck to help regulate the heat.
"This selfless act of Lord Shiva is one of the many reasons he is worshipped – as the saviour of humanity and the universe. His sacrifice during the churning of the ocean serves as
