Maha Shivratri Importance, Significance of Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivratri is celebrated a night before ‘amavasya’ (full dark night) in the Hindu lunar month of Magh. This usually occurs in February – March.
The importance of Maha Shivaratri is related with ‘amavasya’. Amavasya represents the darkness. God Shiva arrived to the earth just before the beginning of Kaliyuga to rid the world of evil and ignorance, represented by Amavasya. Therefore Mahashivratri is observed to get rid of the evil and ignorance.
During the day of Maha Shivaratri, God Shiva is worshiped in the form of Linga. It is believed that this from of God has neither a beginning nor an end. Lingam literally means Sign and this indicates fromless nature of the god.
According to a Legend God Shiva has explained the importance of Shivaratri to the Godess Parvathi. “The fourteenth (Chaturdashi) night of the new moon in the dark fortnight during the month of Maagha is my favorite day. It is known as Maha Shivarathri. My devotees give me greater happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths and offerings of flowers, sweets or incense.
Skanda Purana describes about four types of Shivarathri.
1. Nitya Shivaratri – According to it, every night is a Shivaratri.
2. Masa shivaratri – This is Observed on dark fortnight of the Every Month.
3. Maagha Prathamaadi shivaratri – This Shivaratri is observed for thirteen days in the month of Magh.
4. Maha Shivaratri – This is a Famous of all and observed on Krishna Paksha Chaturdasi in the Magh Month.