Shivaratri is the most unique time to rise above the mundane and bask in the supreme glory of the infinite, innocent and blissful Shiva tattva. The festival commemorates God’s descent on earth to end the unlimited ratri(night) of ignorance and suffering and to usher in the golden dawn of peace, harmony, and happiness.
Celebrating the Shiva tattva in oneself is real Shivaratri. Like every year, the night was celebrated with continuous bhajans and devotion at our Mandir in Shivanandam Nivas. In the morning, the Mandir was blissfully decorated and many offerings in the form of milk, ghee, sandal paste abhisekam were performed to the various Shiv Lingams that have materialised in this mandir, over the years.
To truly celebrate Shivaratri, it is vital to know as to who Shiva is and what the word ‘ratri‘, which means night, has to do with Shiva. The Supreme Soul is one and souls are many. The Supreme Soul is the creator and director of the eternal world drama and souls in us are the actors in it.
Lord Shiva is the creator of all deities, even Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar. Shiva is always worshipped as “Shiva Paramatmaya namaha” (Salutations to God Shiva) and “Om Namaha Shivay” (I salute Shiva). The light form of God Shiva has been idolised as jyotirlingam (pillar of light) in the 12 famous jyotirlingam Shiva temples in India viz. in Kedarnath, Somnath and Mahakaleswar etc. True to this spirit, our beloved Swami(Sri Sathya Sai Baba) as per his message on 10 Feb 2018, materialised 12 Hirnyagarba lingams exactly at 4am, during the night long bhajans at the mandir. The festivities concluded on 14th Feb 2018 morning with Aarthi to beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai and devotes basking and sharing the leelas of Sai at Kangra.
Shared below are the images of the materialised Hiranyagarba Lingams at Shivanandam Nivas, this year: