Shivaratri
By Indian traditions, Shivaratri occurs every month. Mahashivaratri is the predominant of them which is observed on the 14th day of the dark fortnight of Phalgun month in the Hindu calendar. This event is dedicated to pray to Lord Shiva. A Hindu devotee ascribes every deity some special day in the year to be treated as holy and to be celebrated with offering favourite things for that god or goddess. Being engaged in Lord Shiva's prayers, fasting the whole day and waking up throughout the night constitutes the services.

Lord Shiva
Shiva, as the god of destroying evil, is the third among the divine trinity of Hindu mythology. The holy mantra consisting of five-syllables: "Namah Shivaya" in praise of Lord Shiva is chanted incessantly on special occasions like Shivaratri. His thousands of names, each of which describe His greatness, may also be chanted. Shiva means "auspicious". As Shankara, He is the giver of happiness to all. Nataraja (the king of dancers) is a favourite form adored by dancers and musicians.

Rudra Abhisheka
There is a special mantra in the Vedas (the most ancient scripture in the history of human race and which forms the fountain-head of the Hindu culture) - Rudra Sukta - which is recited by pundits while they offer a holy bath to Lord Shiva by way of washing a Shiva-linga or a Shaligrama which are the symbols of god with the waters of sacred rivers like the Ganges. This ritual is known as "Rudrabhisheka". A Shaligrama constitutes a sacred pebble that often conceals ammonite fossils within. Such precious stones are brought from the river Gandaki at the frozen summits of the Himalayas.

Washing the Shaligrama as a part of Shiva-puja symbolises the removal of impurities from our mind. It also means washing off false ego. Unless we attain self-realization, we all become the victims of a false-self or an ego. False-self is due to an illusion (or ignorance), a covering upon our real soul, of our mind, which then acts from mistaken identity. According to Vedanta (philosophical doctrines), this accumulation of false-self upon our real Self is often the root cause of our bondage and sufferings in life. This notion of purification (of Shaligram stone by holy waters) also symbolises at the philosophical level, the eradication of the accumulated material interests (of us) which often blur the inherent spiritual hard core or Reality.

Mysticism
According to the mystic mythology of the Puraanaas, the Kailasa peak of the Himalayas is the abode of Shiva and He bears the Ganges on His head. As the Lord of creatures, He is metaphorically called as Pashupathi (with Nandi, the bull, His favourite animal) and His fearful nature is euphemised as Sarpabhushana. Shiva's posture in the meditation is ascribed to Him as the head of Yogis (Yogiraja) who practises various spiritual feats to attain salvation. Lord Shiva's divine consort, Goddess Parvati (who is also the daughter of Himalaya), is the deity of strength. Numerous stories in mythology describe the births of their two sons - Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya (or Guha or Shanmukha or Skanda or Murugha) and their various significances.

Mrtyunjaya Mahaa Mantra
The earlier mentioned Rudra mantra is a very powerful mystic chant often used by spiritual healers to eradicate the fear of diseases, pain, sufferings and death. The concluding part of Rudra mantra is popularly known as the Mrtyunjaya-maha-mantra:

Om Trayambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvaaru Kamiva Bandhanaan
Mrityor Muksheeya Maamritaat

Om. O three-eyed one (Lord Shiva), we worship you, Full of fragrance and one who increases strength. Just as a ripe cucumber is plucked from its bondage (to the creepers), May He liberate us from death for the sake of Immortality.

Om Namah Shivaaya

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