Benefits of observing Sivarathri

It is also falling in the Tamil month of Maasi, which is again an extremely auspicious month. Those born on Maasi Magam (star) and those having their thread ceremony in Maasi are twice blessed as this entire month is good for marriages and other milestone events. 

Sivarathri is a special day for devotees. According to Saint Manickavachagar, Siva always holds his devotees close to his heart: “Imai pozhudum en nenjil neen gadhan taal vazhga (I do not leave you even for a fraction of a second). On Sivarathri, a devotee should focus on Siva. Most people assume that if they have a good education, work hard and amass wealth in an honest manner, lead a dharmic life, then they would be delivered of all sins and reach God’s abode. However, education, wealth and charity are only half the spiritual journey for Saivites. One has to seek Siva. Our books say that even Vishnu and Brahma went in search of Siva.

How to observe Sivarathri 

Devotees should stay awake through the night of February 24. They should read the 12 Thiru marais , penned by 27 authors, including Manickavachagar, Gnanasmabandar etc. The idea behind this is that the 12 works signify the twelve zodiac signs, while the 27 authors represent the 27 Tamil stars under which one is born. Thus, everyone is covered. Those who do not have the inclination to read holy books, can undertake Panchakshara japam (using rudraksha beads) and meditate throughout the night. Or one can simply listen to sankirtans by others. When a devotee reads, chants or even accidentally listens to verses extolling His grace and virtues, he will be rewarded with success, prosperity and a long life. 

All Saivite temples hold pujas on Sivarathri. The first session starts from 6 pm and lasts for three hours. The next session begins at 9 pm and lasts till midnight. The third commences at midnight and goes on for three hours while the last one ends at 3 am. All four pujas are said to signify the four stages of a man’s life childhood, youth, middle age and old age. 

For each puja, the aradhanai, nivedhanam , bhajan and parayan am will be different. The most favoured offering ( neivedhyam ) is panchamritam . Although many devotees plan a trip to Thiruvannamalai for the occasion, one can observe Sivarathri in one’s own neighbourhood if that is convenient for various reasons. 

Lord Siva consumed the poison that emanated when par kadal was churned and let it lodge in His throat. On Sivarathri, if a devotee listens to a discourse on this episode, fasts through the day and stays wake all through the night, meditates upon Him and recalls His puranam, it is enough to gain the devotee deliverance from his sorrows. Siva does not differentiate between the rich and the poor or discriminate against a sinner. 

There is a story of how a sinner heard Sivapuranam on Sivarathri and was reborn as a king in his next birth. There is another story of how a man escaped from wild animals in a forest, sought refuge on a tree and after a while, unable to see in the dark, kept plucking leaves from the tree he was perched upon and dropped them down. It was a vilva tree, Siva’s favourite. 

At the same time, his wife was chanting Siva’s glories at home, it being Sivarathri. Siva took care of his devotee on the tree thorough the night and the couple lead a happy life thereafter.