Maha Shiva Ratri

Shivaratri (literally: Shiva's night) is a festival of great significance. Esoterically, it is symbolic of the mystic union of Jiva (individual soul) with Paramatma (Supreme Godhead) and it represents the high state of spiritual realization wherein the world of relativity fades away and perfect peace and calm prevails. On this phenomenal night, the seeker remains fully aware of his identity with Shiva, the source of perennial joy, and thus experiences eternal Truth, Bliss and Beauty (Satyam Shivam Sundaram).

Shivaratri puja it signifies Lord Shiva's wedding with Uma, the beautiful daughter of the Himalayas. The divine marriage has a deeper, philosophic connotation. Shiva in His transcendental (para) aspect is inactive in creation. And His union with Shakti (energy or activating power), represented by His 'consorts', Uma, Parvati, Durga and Kali (variously named to signalize particular functions of the Divine Mother) make the infinite unfoldments in the cosmos possible. According to Saivism, Shiva represents the eternal process of creation and destruction, and His nature has primarily a two-fold aspect--immanent which pervades the universe and the transcendental that is beyond the universal manifestation of time, space and form.

An abhishekam to the crystal Siva Lingam of Kadavul Temple:



Ode to Shiva from Ramayana:



Om Namah Shivaya

Damaru pani shool pani hey Natarajan namo namo
Sheesh ganga bhasma anga karte dharan namo namo
Damaru pani shool pani hey Natarajan namo namo

Tum aadi-dev anaadi ho, tum anta-heen anant ho
Om Namah Shivaya
Shrimant ho bhagawant ho, hey naat girijaa kant ho
Om namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya
Shashi lalaat tanaha viraat, hey trilochan namo namo
Damaru pani shool pani hey Natarajan namo namo

Nis-saar is sansaar mein, Shiv naam kewal saar hai
Om Namah Shivaya
Shiv shakti hai, Shiv bhakti hai, Shiv mukti ka aadhaar hai
Om namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya, namah Shivaya
Rom rom om om, hey aghanaashan namo namo
Damaru pani shool pani hey Natarajan namo namo
Damaru pani shool pani hey Natarajan namo namo

Om namaha shambawaiyachar mayobhavayachar
Namaha shankarayachar mayuhskarayachar
Namaha shivayachar shivatarayachar

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA