“Om Namah Shivaya” was chanted throughout the day Tuesday, as Hindus across Guyana and around the world observed Maha Shiv Ratri (the Great Night of Lord Shiva). This six-syllable mantra is considered to be one of the most powerful mantras and is sung by devotees in prayers and meditation with divine love, grace, truth and blissfulness to the supreme Lord Shiva.
A group of ladies worshipping Lord Shiva at the Cove and John Ashram
Worshippers chanting as they wait their turn to receive blessings from Goddess Latchmi
Shiva is known as the Destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and the third member of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Lord Brahma (the Creator) and Lord Vishnu (the Preserver). Known by many names – Mahadeva, Pashupati, Nataraja, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhole Nath – Lord Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities.
Appearance and attributes of Lord Shiva:
The Trishul (Trident) in his right hand represents the three powers of knowledge, desire and implementation.
- Maa Ganga on his head represents the Ganges (the holy river) signifying the flow of scriptural teachings passing wisdom from one generation to the next.
- The crescent moon, tucked into his hair, symbolises that the Lord is the master of time and is himself timeless.
- He is often referred to as Tryambaka Deva, because of his third eye of knowledge which, if opened, reduces to ashes the person in its vision. It is the symbol of the destroyer of evil and ignorance.
- He wears the tiger skin, as he is said to be fearless.
A young lady collecting her sweetmeat before she departs the Cove and John Ashram after receiving her blessings
- The Rudraksha beads denote purity. The mala in the right hand symbolises concentration.
- The serpent on his neck signifies the ego which once mastered can be worn as an ornament.
- The Damroo (Drum) symbolises sound, which represents the words of the Vedas, the Holy Scriptures given by the Lord to guide us through life.
- Nandi is the Bull of Lord Shiva and is said to be his vehicle. The bull is a symbol of both power and ignorance, which suggests that Lord Shiva removes ignorance of his devotees and gives them the power of wisdom.
A young St Joseph High School Student took time off from school to receive her blessings at the Cove and John Ashram
Significance of Shivratri:
It is believed that on the day of Maha Shiv Ratri, Lord Shiva revealed his Lingam form.
- Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati got married on this day.
- He drank the poison Halahal that emerged during the churning of Kshir Sagar (the milky ocean) and saved the world from humanity on this day. As an effect of the poison, his throat turned blue.
- Lord Shiva is known as Nataraja (the Lord of Dance) and on the night of Maha Shiv Ratri, he is said to reveal Tandava Nritya (Dance). The Tandava dance is a divine dance performed by Lord Shiva. Shiva’s Tandava is described as a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution. This dance depicts his violent nature as the Destroyer of the universe.
- Also, on this day Maa Parvati performed strict penance for Lord Shiva.
Shivratri is considered auspicious especially for women. Married women pray for the well-being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva, who is the spouse of Maa Parvati.
Devotees of Lord Shiva perform the ritual worship of Shivratri with care and devotion. They observe day and night fast and give sacred baths to the Shiva Lingam with honey, milk, and water, etc. But generally it is believed that anyone who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with true and pure devotion is freed from all sins. He or she reaches the abode of Shiva and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy Bryan Hunt attending the celebrations at the Cove and John Ashram
May the blessings of Lord Shiva be with you on this auspicious occasion and always, and may his glorious and divine power and attributes remind us of our own abilities as we strive to lift ourselves to greater heights. “Om Namah Shivaya” (Devika Rajkissoon)