Maha Shivratri

The festival Maha Shivratri, which occurs in February-March, is one of the most spiritually significant events in India and among followers worldwide. Lord Shiva is known as an ‘Epithet of Enlightened internal state’.

Lord Shiva is Shaivism’s supreme God and is also known as Lord Mahadev, Lord Mahesh, and Lord Bholenath. In scriptures, He is depicted in a number of benevolent forms from an omniscient Yogi, a celestial householder to an abstract form as a Lingam, also known as a Shivling. This representation portrays His limitless, transcendent, unchanging, and formless qualities.

Given these divine attributes of Shiva, wouldn’t we all want to be like Him?

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an enlightened being and the founder of the spiritual science, Akram Vignan, says that anyone can become a “Shiva” if he or she realises his or her real Self (the Soul, the Atma).

He further explains that “we became ‘Jiva’ – that is a living being, who lives and dies due to the wrong belief. One is a Shiva, but illusion has arisen; wrong belief has set in. It does not take long for jiva to become Shiva. When a Gnani Purush fractures the wrong belief and replaces it with the right belief, one becomes the Self again, one becomes Shiva.”

Gnani Purush Dada Bhagwan further assists by advising us to ensure that every time we go into the temple and worship Lord Shiva, we should recite the following words. "Dear Lord, You reside within me, but because I have not yet become acquainted with You, I am doing Your darshan here. The Gnani Purush, Dada Bhagwan has taught me this method and I am doing Your darshan according to his instructions. Please bestow Your grace upon me so that I may realise my true Self."

Thus, as we celebrate Maha Shivratri, let us take on board Gnani’s advice and affirm a pledge to attain our real Self and transit from ‘jiva’ to ‘Shiva’.