Maha Shivaratri , celebrated on the 14thday of the month of Phalgun (February-March). The darkest night of the month , when devotee's pray to Lord Shiva, for a spiritual awakening.
Every year, Mom follows these ritual &traditions, religiously! This year was no different. She got the ready packet of offerings for the puja from the flower shop. The two main essentials for Shiva puja are the Bel leaves & Datura fruits. This year , we got a ripe Datura, which split open the next day, releasing the numerous seeds on the Thali. We have never seen a split Datura before & this was quite a revelation. The outer spiky exterior is a complete contrast to the soft insides, And the seeds are also soft, and look like sprout. Wanting to put up these pictures for others to see, I decided to do a quick exploration on the elements that are a must for Maha Shivratri puja. What I should have also done , sprinkle the seeds on a planter & wait for the seed to become a flowering plan !
Lord Shiva, Adiyogi ( the first Guru), the hermit of Mount Kailash, clad in animal skin, is worshipped by his devotee's with Love , Devotion in their heart & offerings, which are closely associated with Lord Shiva.
So, a quick peek into what they are & their connection to Lord Shiva.
1.The leaves of Bel Patta (Aegle maramelos) & fruit:
Bel leaves are important as their trifoliate shape signifies Shiva's three eyes (the creation, destruction and preservation) as well as the three spokes of the Trishul . Since they have a cooling effect, they are offered to the Shivalinga to soothe this hot-tempered deity. According to Skanda Purana Bel tree originated from the sweat of Goddess Lakshmi or Parvathi which had fallen on the mountain Mandra.
2. Chandan (sandal wood):
Similar to Bel Patta , water and Chandan paste is applied to Shiv linga to keep it cool and calm, since Shiva is considered to be in a highly blazing state.
3. Bhang (Cannabis):
As per logic & belief , Lord Shiva kept himself intoxicated with bhang to meditate for long duration and stay warm. It is also believed that bhang helped him in controlling his anger and thus keeping the world safe from his destructive power.
4. Yellow Kaner flower (Cascabela thevetina):
Yellow Kaner, with similar properties as the Bhang , immensely liked by Shiva is also offered during worship.
5. Ber fruit (Ziziphus mauritiana):
It is symbolic of longevity and gratification of desires.
6. Datura ( Devils trumpet) - the White colour flower & fruit:
According to the Vamana Purana, Daturais believed to appear from the chest of God Shiva. Shiva, the Neelkanth, who drank poison for the welfare of the world during the churning of the cosmic ocean ( Samudra Manthan ) between Dev and Asur. Therefore, Datura is offered to Shiva to get rid of toxic emotions & nature.
7.Flowers of Madar/Aak flower ( Calotropis):
This white flower with bluish tinge matches the bluish hue of Shiva's throat, however , it is the pure white ( not as wild as the bluish one ) , that is offered. As is with Datura, the milky fluid of this plant can be poisonous & at the same time, it has medicinal quality, Its offered for Peace & prosperity.
8. Rudraksha beads: The Tear of Lord Shiva
As per Shiva Purana, Lord Shiva once went into deep meditation & when he opened his eyes, tear drops fell on the Earth. These tear drops took the form of Rudraksha tree. Rudraksha beads, are used for prayers , since they possess powerful electromagnetic and inductive properties & brings auspiciousness.
Insight:
We can give offerings of what Shiva symbolizes or what makes him who he is, with hope & faith that we can follow a spiritual path . Positivity & Negativity are within us - Poison ( of all elements) to be caged ( as Shiva has in his throat) & positive qualities to be imbibed!
An interesting Read :
The Legend & significance :
