The festival of Shiv Ratri, is celebrated as the Birthday of Shiva and also celebrated as the day of wedding of Shiva and Parvati. It is intriguing that we celebrate Lord Shiva’s Birthday but we are unaware of when, where and how he was born. At the same time, we sing praise of God as the Unborn and the one does not consume anything (Ajanma and Abhoktha), and also as the living and eternal being.
Legend also says that Lord Shiva narrated the story of immortality (Amar Katha) to Goddess Parvati and that it is the basis of achieving immortality.
At this time, The Supreme being has descended in a subtle form and he himself is unlocking the true meaning of his praise and bestowing us with this divine knowledge. This is commemorated as ShivRatri or ShivJayanti. God who is Incorporeal being, is known to be out of this cycle of birth and death, so he explains to us now the true spiritual significance of Shivratri.
This truth is given by God himself, who is The embodiment of truth, The benefactor, The eternal and beautiful being (Satyam-Shivam- Sundaram). He explains that ShivRatri is the memorial for the current time, where in God descends into this physical world in the darkest time or night of ignorance for the world and brings benefit to all by liberating souls from the sorrow of five vices.
It also explained that we souls are the spiritual Parvatis to whom God narrates the story of immortality. All the souls are eternally linked to God but this connection remains merged with in until God himself comes and reveals our eternal link to him that we souls are all his children or companions in the soul world. So, that is why Shivratri is also a memorial for the communion of Supreme soul with the soul or otherwise referred to as Shiva (Supreme soul) and Parvati (soul).
The real story of Immortality that God Shiva reveals to us souls (Parvatis) can also be referred to as the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, because these are the elevated verses from God, the Highest on High being. This story is about the reality of the self as an eternal, immortal spiritual being separate from the mortal body. This story reveals the immortal truth about the Divine himself as the Incorporeal, self-luminous being who is revered as the Truth, the Living being and the Embodiment of Bliss (Sat-Chith-Aananda Swarupam). God is the living seed of this human world tree. It tells us about the eternal connection between soul and the supreme and how we souls are similar incorporeal beings, children of God and residents of the Land of Peace or Soul world. This is story that reveals the beauty of this eternal, world drama cycle, which is a wonderful drama with benefit merged in every scene. It is this revelation of truth that liberates the soul from the bondage of action, bondage of relations and grants salvation/liberation in life and unites us all as one beautiful world family (Vasudev Kutumbhkam).
Let us celebrate this Shivratri with this true awareness that we are the immortal spiritual beings to whom God narrated the Amar Katha so we are in the precious company of God at this auspicious time. Staying close to God (in his company) is the real meaning of Upvaas (upa + vaas = staying close). This is called as Raja Yoga, or the supreme connection. Remaining away from the influence of vices and the physical attractions, by observing the highest level of purity is the spiritual fast that we need to aim for to truly enjoy the festival of ShivRatri. Staying awake and in the awareness of the self as a soul/spiritual being and not fall into the sleep of ignorance, sleep of laziness and sleep of carelessness is the true Jaagaran needed now.
© 2020, BK Sri Divya