IMPORTANCE OF SIVARATRI NIGHT
Once there was a hunter, and he one day went into the forest to procure
meat for his family by hunting some animal. He wandered up and down in
the forest from morning till night in search of game but was unable to
shoot any. At last, when night overtook him, he climbed up a Bael tree
to escape from a wild animal that was pursuing him, being roused from
its lair by the hunter. The animal was lying down at the foot of the
tree quite certain that the man would fall down either from sleep or
from exhaustion, and that he might eat him. The hunter, exhausted as he
was from his exertions and hunger, wished to scare away the animal by
throwing handful of bael leaves. These leaves dripping with water on
account of the recent shower, fell on a Siva-Lingam that was near. The
night happened to be the Maha-Sivaratri night. He had fasted during the
whole day since he could not find anything to eat. The drenching rain
constituted a bath and his action of throwing the bael leaves on the
Siva-Lingam, the worship of Siva on the Sivaratri night. Though his
actions were not intentional to worship Siva, yet he is said to have
gained heaven as he had observed the Sivaratri - Vratha unwittingly.
The basic principle underlying the observance of the Maha-Sivaratri
Vratha appears to be to emphasize the fact that death is sure to follow
birth, night is sure to follow day,Pralaya, active cosmic life and so
on, and consequently people should always bear in mind while enjoying
the one its opposite and regulate their life accordingly. They should
not be elated at success nor should they allow themselves to be carried
away by despair at failures but always have trust in God and worship him.
