Chinmaya Jayam Zone celebrated Mahashivratri on Zoo the 1st of March between 6 and 7pm. The well atended programme, ably compered by Manjari Parekh, was initiated with the prayer of Salutations to Lord Shiva from Rudram by Rupa Kumar. Sheela Nayar followed with a melodious rendition of the Gangadhara bhajan. This music created a divine atmosphere.
Pratibha Shah, the senior Sevika of Jayam explained, in simple yet eloquent Hindi, the symbolism of the form of Lord Shiva and the glory of Mahashivratri. Lord Shiva is both the Nirguna Nirakara Parbrahma Parmatma and the Nirguna Sakara Shivalinga. He is both Prakriti and Purusha. The Shivalinga is a Linga or the Subtle Body of the Parmatma, the Saguna Sakara form of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva in the meditative state is also the Adi Guru, the first revealer of wisdom. He expresses also in the Saumya and Rudra form. There is no end to His Glories.
Shivratri is a special day as it is a day of when Lord Shiva weds Goddess Parvati. It signifies a union in many ways : of Pure Consciousness with Creative Shakti; of the Jiva with the Atma; of the Sadhaka’s awakening from Tamas to Sattva ; from individuality and separateness to One-ness.
Sudha Ramakrishnan then sang about the all-pervasive nature of the Lord in the Shivapanchakshara Stotram, that the very syllables of language are linked to His Name and Glory. This was folowed by an upasana on Lord Shiva by Chittoor Manohar who quoted Gurudev’s definition of upasana : the superimposition of an Ideal on an Idol and contemplating it with constancy and devotion. He chanted the Shiva Manasa Puja Stotram as an illustration of that upasana, giving the meaning of each shloka.
The beautiful Bilvashtakam was then chanted by Rupa Kumar and the meaning of each shloka was explained by Usha Shah. The Bilvashtakam was accompanied by the participants offering the bilvapatra to Lord Shiva. The programme concluded with aarti to Lord Shiva and Pujya Gurudev.
