MahaShiva Ratri - The Darkest Night of Spiritual Significance

MahaShiva Ratri is known as the “Great Night of Shiva”. It falls on the 14th night of the waning moon during the lunar month of Phalguna, which according to the Gregorian calendar falls either in February or March. This festival is very significant among Shiva devotees as well as spiritual seekers and yogis. This night is associated with the optimal arrangement of constellations in the northern hemisphere that leads to an upsurge of energies in all living beings. The Sun’s presence in Aquarius and the moon’s location in Capricorn helps to elevate the mind. Devotees and seekers with the desire of overcoming darkness and ignorance in life, stay awake all night on this auspicious night. Some perform pujas, chant mantras, and practice meditation to awaken every particle of their body.

There are a lot of stories about why Shivaratri is celebrated. One legend that is familiar to almost everyone is that on this night, Shiva and Shakti (Goddess Parvati) got married. Spiritually, Shiva and Shakti represent masculine and feminine divine energies that exist in an individual. This has also been shown by Shiva as Ardhanarishwara (half as male and another half as female). When both sides of a person are in a balanced state, that leads to positivity, prosperity, and abundance.

Maha Shivaratri is a merging of the material and spiritual world. It is a time to experience and celebrate Shiva’s energy by transcending beyond one’s mind, intellect, and ego into a space of nothingness— which is only attainable through meditation.