MAHASHIVRATRI 2022: Shivratri also addressed as Mahashivratri is a hugely popular festival honoring the divinity, Lord ‘Shiva’. The uniqueness of Mahashivratri lays heavily in the fact that it is an all-night long festival that includes ‘Jagran’ – the night of waking up to initiate a sense of well-being.
The puja or rituals after Mahashivratri are followed by a special ‘Vidhi’ or practice. Practically speaking the ‘fast’ or ‘vrat’ is a part of the ritual and begins as the beginning of Maha Shivaratri on ‘Trayodashi’, a day before the festival. This includes eating only once. Fasting detoxifies the body.
It is resolved to perform Jagran, chanting and praying throughout the night, to observe the self-determination made by the devotees and to seek the blessings of the Lord during the observance.
Devotees worship Shiva religiously on this auspicious day by following the guidelines of fasting which infuse renewed vigor and make him more receptive to grace and derive maximum benefit from the ritual.
Avoid rice, wheat, any type of pulses during the fast.
Make sure that the above pulses are consumed neither in raw form nor in cooked form along with other food items. The ideal of fasting stems from the fact that it is a combination of austerity and alertness that brings a certain discipline to the body and mind.
To maintain the fast, one can wake up at dawn on Brahma Muhurta/Muhurta which is 2 hours before sunrise; Take a bath, meditate. And remember that the fast should be observed the next day between sunrise and before the end of Chaturdashi as recommended by the Panchang calendar.
The strict form of fasting requires the devotees to abstain completely from eating or drinking anything.
Soaked peanuts, fruits, milk, honey, sago, coconut water can be consumed in light fasting.
Another important rule of the fast is that devotees should abstain from regular salt. Instead of rock salt or rock salt can be used.
The fast is continued by performing Maha Shivaratri puja with Ghee, honey, raw milk, Shiva Linga ‘Abhishek’ with flowers; Along with lighting the incense sticks, ‘Vidhi’ is given as a part of the ritual.
Most importantly, fasting is not just about ‘eating’; It is also about avoiding random, disorienting, negative thoughts that affect our mental health.
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