MAHASHIVARATRI
What is Mahashivaratri?
Shivaratri is observed on the fourteenth night of the dark half of every month. It is a well established fact of Yogic discipline that it is easier to control the mind during the dark half of the month, when the moon is on the wane. The fourteenth night is particularly suitable for a little more intensive sadhana to completely sublimate the last and the remaining fifteenth fraction of the mind, corresponding to the last fraction of the moon. It is possible to achieve complete victory over the mind during this night.
The ancient seers and rishis were fully aware of the influence exercised by the planets on the human body and they used these influences for their spiritual benefit. Thus the practice of intensive sadhana on the fourteenth night of the waning moon has its roots in the personal experience of the ancient sages of India. In the month of Maagh (February/March), the fourteenth night is known as Maha-Shivaratri. 'Maha' means great, 'Shiva' means auspicious and 'Ratri' means night; the Great-Auspicious-Night. Not only is the night auspicious for obtaining complete control over one's mind, but Shiva, the formless Divinity, is born in the form of the lingam on that night. Shiva in the form of the lingam, is adored and revered for the acquisition of divine wisdom.
Mahashivaratri in Sri Premananda Ashram
Mahashivaratri is celebrated every year in Sri Premananda Ashram. Devotees fast and stay up all night, chanting the sacred and most ancient mantra, 'Om Namah Shivaya'. Abhishekams (ritual washing of a deity or lingam) are performed four times throughout the night to the Sri Premeshvarar lingam. Sri Premeshvarar is the lingam in Swamiji's samadhi shrine and a great divine power emanates from it, especially on the night of Mahashivaratri.
Swamiji said, "The atma, the divine soul, has the subtle form of a lingam. Paramatma, the supreme soul that pervades everything, is also in the form of a lingam. Factually speaking, the Divine has no name and form but the closest way of describing this form of energy is the form of the lingam. Worship of the lingam leads us to understand the form of Paramatma. This earth is also somewhat like a lingam. Whatever was created by God is Paramatma, that is to say it contains the divine force that pervades all matter. By worshipping the lingam you have a great opportunity to attain a high stage of spirituality, even self-realization, in this life."
Lingodbhava and Vibhutibhava
When Swamiji was present in his physical body, lingams manifested from his body each year on this auspicious and sacred night. This sacred manifestation is called, 'lingodbhava'. He distributed those lingams to many devotees over the years and also to the Centres and Groups. Some time after the manifestation of the lingams, vibhuti (a white, sacred ash) manifested from the pores of Swamiji's skin and was also blown out of his mouth in clouds of ash. As much of the vibhuti as possible was collected and sent to devotees around the world.
What is Lingodbhava?
"You are all good people but it is my duty to make you better human beings. When I take the lingams out at Shivaratri, the force is so great it will change you all into good people in one stroke! The lingams benefit all the devotees who are thinking of Shiva and the Lingodhbhava on Mahashivaratri. These Lingams have life. They are animate and living. When they emerge from my body they are soft and pulsating with life. You can see the vibration. Within one day they harden. Over the last quarter century they have come as granite, crystal, vibhuti and as gemstones. Every single one is different and has its own quality. When I give them to devotees who care for them with devotion, the potent and latent power in them will come out. The 'birth' of the lingams brings regeneration to the world." Swami Premananda
Ling means a symbol, and Udbhava means birth or creation. So the word actually means the birth of the symbols of pure existence. The lingam has the form of a mathematically perfect figure, the ellipsoid. It has neither a front nor a back, and is without an end or beginning. The lingam is the fittest symbol for representing the formless Divine Essence that is God. Thus, when the lingam emanates from the mouth of a saint like Swami Premananda it is symbolic of the birth in time and space of THAT which is formless and eternal, within a simple geometrically perfect entity, the lingam. It is said that all things emerge from the lingam and finally merge into the lingam. The lingam is the mark or sign of Lord Shiva. It is the most common icon of Shiva and is found in most Shiva temples. On the special night of Mahashivaratri, a number of lingams manifested from Swamiji's body. Through this spiritual phenomenon the tremendous power of formless Divinity is brought forth into the world. When the lingams were inside his body they were incased in a bag of red liquid called, 'kumkum'. As they emerged from his mouth the bag would burst and that liquid would come out eventually drying to a powder.
It is said that those who have the good fortune of seeing the manifestation of Divinity in the act of Lingodbhava, will be granted complete salvation in this lifetime and that there will be no more rebirths for them. The good acquired by many years of involving oneself in meditation or austerities for many centuries cannot even be compared to the good acquired by witnessing the Lingodbhava.
When the manifestation of a lingam occurs through the body of a great spiritual being, the whole of creation witnesses the event on a spiritual level. However, physically, a precious few people are able to witness this event with their physical eyes. It has been written in Vedic books that every 7-8,000 years a great spiritual being is born and blessed with the ability to manifest lingams. For many thousands of years, these great spiritual beings would manifest the lingam in the seclusion of their Ashrams or rustic retreats. Once the lingam was manifested, it was buried as those great spiritual beings did not consider any human beings present on the earth at that time to be worthy of receiving the lingam as a gift for worship and veneration.
What is Vibhutibhava?
Some time after the lingodbhava Swamiji used to blow vibhuti out of his mouth. He explained that this phenomena heals his body after he has manifested the lingams. Vibhuti also poured out of Swamiji's skin at this time. Swamiji said that this was God's grace manifesting through his body in a tangible form for our sakes. During vibhutibhava all the devotees were asked to sit in rows while Swamiji blessed each person, placing his hand on their heads whilst blowing vibhuti out of his mouth. He used to bless the devotees in this way for several hours. Much of the fine, extremely fragrant powder was also caught in a soft cotton bag and later on packed and sent to the Centres and devotees around the world.
More about vibhuti
"I give everyone vibhuti which bestows physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The people have faith in my words and I ask them to use the vibhuti carefully and with devotion." Swami Premananda
"Holy ash is a most sacred substance. Generally when anything is burned, the ash is dark in colour but this is not so with the dung of the sacred cow when burned with milk. It burns to a clean, white ash which is regarded as holy. Everything given by the Divine Mother in her form as Kamadenu, the milk cow, is considered as God's grace and blessing. Vibhuti has a special, godly cleansing force. When we put vibhuti on our foreheads it has the power to make the blood circulate correctly. To receive vibhuti from an enlightened soul is a rare opportunity. Such vibhuti has the power to cure diseases, solve problems, relieve physical and mental pain and nullify the effects of past deeds." Swami Premananda
The greatness of vibhuti or holy ash has been well known by the followers of Sanatana Dharma for thousands of years. Vibhuti is consecrated ash used essentially by devotees of Lord Shiva. Devotees of Lord Ganesh and Lord Muruga also use vibhuti. Smearing various parts of the body with holy ash is deemed to be the highest wealth in spiritual terms. White vibhuti powder represents the final stage of everything ("from dust to dust"). It is the reality that remains when desire and ego have been burnt by the fire of illumination. It symbolizes purity and renunciation of desires. It reminds us of the temporary nature of our physical body, which will one day be burnt to ashes after death. It also reminds us of the urgency to strive earnestly to go forward on the spiritual path and come close to God in this life itself.
How is vibhuti made?
Holy ash is regarded as a most sacred substance. It is prepared by burning cow dung along with other precious items - milk, honey and ghee to name but a few. Often, when anything is burnt, the ash is of a dark colour. However the items burnt to make vibhuti form a clean, pure, white ash. Everything given by the Divine Mother is regarded as God's grace and blessing. The milk cow is looked on as Gomata, a divine cow mother, and her milk is considered to be precious and sanctified. Milk itself symbolizes absolute purity.
The qualities of vibhuti
Vibhuti has the capacity to retain all kinds of spiritual vibrations. It is said that the vibrations that emerge while chanting sacred mantras can be transmitted to the devotees through the means of the holy ash. Vibhuti has special cleansing and healing properties. When we apply vibhuti to our foreheads, it calms the mind. We use the first three fingers of the right hand to apply vibhuti. There are magnetic energies connected within our bodies to these three fingers.
Vibhuti is a divine medicine
Swamiji very often gave vibhuti as a "divine medicine" for people who had various physical or mental problems. He advised them to apply a little to the forehead when sitting for meditation or prayer.
Manifestations of vibhuti in the Ashram after Swamiji's Mahasamadhi
Since Swamiji's mahasamadhi, vibhuti has appeared on several occasions both on his photo that is in the puja hall and also on the statue of him which is in the temple. This sacred and fragrant white powder has been distributed to devotees all over the world.
