Hindu Festival Mahashivrati Story

Lord Shiva Mahashivrati History: Samudra Manthan



While another legend plays a more prominent role on this day- Gods and Demons are decided the Samudra Manthan. During Samudra Manthan a highly toxic poison (vish) came out of the ocean. Nobody wants to accept this poison then as per the suggestion of Lord Vishnu, gods approach Lord Shiva and prayed him to protect life by consuming this highly toxic poison. Satisfied with their prayers, out of compassion for living beings, Lord Shiva drank this poison and held it in his throat or neck by necessary it with a snake. The throat became blue due to this poison so Lord Shiva is also known as Neelkantha (‘Neel’ means blue and ‘Kantha’ means neck or throat.) .And Shiva remained uninjured. The clever men advised gods to keep Lord Shiva alert throughout the night. To keep him alert, Lord Shiva performed Tandava. Tandava means dance of primeval creation, preservation and devastation. A vigil was thus kept by the gods in observation of Shiva. As the day broke out, Shiva, satisfied with their devotion blessed them all, and also said that whosoever worshipped & contemplate on him on this day shall be blessed with the completion of his or her wishes. In view of the fact that, on this day and night - devotees fast keep vigil, sing glories of Lord and contemplate.

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god shivji goddess parvati photo

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Mahashivrati Legends - Lord Shiva, Parvati

What is Mahashivratri? When Come Mahashivratri festival?

mahashivratri festival deity shiva

Not all know that every month in the Hindu calendar has listed the 13th day of the darker half of the month as Shivratri i.e. the 'Grand Night dedicated for the devotion of Lord Shiva').Shivratri cataract in the Krishna paksha, in the month of Magha and according to Roman calendar it comes in the month of February.The meaning of MAHASHIVRATI is “MAHA” means Grand/ great, “SHIV” refers to Lord Shiva and “RATRI” means Night.The festival of Mahashivratri is looked upon with greatest astonishment & reverence by the devotee of Lord Shiva. There are several legends which are related with this special grand night of Lord Shiva:

Mahashivrati Legends:

god shiva rudra tandava snap

Marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati:

One of them states that Mahashivratri is the combination of Lord Shiva with his wife Goddess Parvati. In Goddess Parvati previous birth, Goddess Parvati was known as Sati. King Daksha opposed Sati's marriage with God Shiva. King Daksha had organized a Yagna, a religious gathering where offerings are made to Agni Dev (the God of Fire). King had purposely not invited his daughter and her husband. When Sati came to know of this, Parvati was furious and assured to go undesirable. God Shiva tried to argue parvati to drop this idea but parvati was relentless.

mahashivratri wishes greetings

King Daksha gave reason to Sati which was nothing but public degradation of her husband. Sati was so angered by this so Sati jumped into the Yagna and immolates her life. Lord Shiva became extremely angry when Lord Shiva heard the news of Sati’s immolation. Carrying Sati’s body, God Shiva begins to perform “Rudra Tandava” or the dance of desolation and wipe out the kingdom of Daksha. Everybody was horrified as Lord Shiva’s Tandava because Shiva had the power to destroy the whole earth. In order to peaceful Lord Shiva, Vishnu severed Sati's body into twelve pieces and threw them on earth in so many directions. Our history is said that wherever the pieces of Shakti’s body fell, there emerges a “Shakti Pitha”.

mahashivratri lord shiva and parvati marrige wallpaper

Lord Siva was now only undertook accurate penance and retire to the Himalayas. Sati takes a re-birth as “Parvati” in the family of God Himalaya. Parvati performed penance to break Shiva’s meditation and succeed his concentration. It is said that Parvati, who found it hard to break Shiva’s meditation with the help of Kamadeva who was the God of Love and Passion. God Kamadeva asked Parvati to dance in front of Lord Shiva with him. When Parvati danced, Lord Kamadeva try his arrow of passion at Shiva breaking his penance. Shiva became very angry and opening his third eye that reduced Kamadeva to ash. It was only after Kamadeva’s wife Rati’s pleading that Lord Shiva agreed to revitalize Kamadeva.

mahashivratri god shiva and goddess sati photo

Later, Parvati undertake cruel penance to win over Shiva. Through her devotion and advice by sages Devas, Parvati, also known as Uma, was finally able to attract God Shiva into marriage and away from asceticism. Their marriage was solemnize a day before Amavasya in the month of Phalgun. This day of union of God Shiva and Parvati is celebrated as Mahashivratri every year.

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