𝟐𝟏,𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 & 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢: 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚
Today is a rare and highly auspicious occasion—on this Wednesday of Krishna Paksha’s Trayodashi, we observe both the monthly Shivratri and the grand annual celebration of Mahashivratri. On this sacred day, I will attempt to help you understand the deep meaning of Shivratri and how, in reality, every moment of our existence is connected to Mahashivratri.
As we know, Lord Shiva is infinite. He is beyond time and space. He is the supreme consciousness, the creator, the preserver, and the ultimate destroyer. Shiva is Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva himself. He is energy, he is stillness, he is emptiness, and he is the beginning of all creation. Shiva is the vital force within us, the curiosity that drives us, the hunger that fuels us, and the peace that calms us. He is the embodiment of nothingness and the source of everything. That is why he is called 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐯, the greatest of all gods.

On this sacred night of Mahashivratri, we must understand why this night is dedicated to Shiva and what makes it so significant. Shiva is the master of the cosmos, the lord of the void, the ruler of nothingness. He represents that which exists beyond the known universe.
Now, try to imagine the vastness of existence. Imagine a state where nothing exists—no people, no animals, no nature, no energy, no light, no sky, no earth, no air, no galaxies, no planets—just absolute emptiness. If everything ceases to exist, what remains? The answer is𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚. Even beyond darkness, even when nothing else exists, the energy of Shiva still remains. That is why he is called 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬—he is the energy that persists even after the end of existence itself.

Many people believe that Shivratri occurs only twice a year, but in reality, there are 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬, one in each lunar month. These nights are significant because they occur when neither the sun nor the moon dominates the sky, and darkness prevails. This external Shivratri, observed in the cosmos, is a reflection of the internal Shivratri within us.
Mahashivratri is not just a ritual; it is an opportunity to awaken the Shiva within ourselves. It is the night when we can transcend the limitations of the material world and experience the divine 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧. Our entire existence is driven by energy, which flows through our breath. The breath moves through two main channels—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐲𝐚 (𝐬𝐮𝐧) 𝐍𝐚𝐝𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 (𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧) 𝐍𝐚𝐝𝐢. Throughout life, we breathe through one of these two channels at any given time. However, in the moment𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, there is a pause, a stillness—this is where true Shiva consciousness exists.
This stillness is the same as the darkness that follows the absence of both the sun and the moon. This is 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠. When we are neither taking in nor giving out anything, when we exist in absolute stillness, that moment is called 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒗𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊

Mahashivratri, therefore, is a time to awaken this inner energy. It is the night when we raise our consciousness and experience the Shiva within. Every breath we take is an opportunity for a Shivratri. In a single day, we take approximately 𝟐𝟏,𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬, meaning that every day, we experience 21,600 moments of Shivratri within us. However, today, through meditation and awareness, we have the opportunity to elevate our consciousness and truly experience this divine connection.
Now, you may wonder—what is the purpose of experiencing this? Let me explain with the example of the moon. The moon is constantly in motion, always seeking something, always orbiting, never at rest. However, the most crucial element required for the moon to shine is darkness. Without darkness, the moon has no purpose. Similarly, when we awaken our inner Shivratri, our inner moon (Soma) finds its darkness, allowing it to radiate its divine light. This is the state of 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞.

This is why Lord Shiva is always depicted with the moon on his forehead. The moon symbolizes the wandering mind, constantly seeking and moving. But when it surrenders to Shiva, it finds stillness, balance, and harmony.
To experience this divine state, you do not need any mantras, rituals, or tools. All you need is focus—a deep awareness of Lord Shiva. When your soul sees Shiva, and Shiva sees you, the union happens, and true realization begins.
On this auspicious night of Mahashivratri, take a moment to experience your inner moon, discipline your thoughts, and radiate your own light. Whatever occurs in the cosmos tonight will also occur within your own being. This is the ultimate truth—“𝐘𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞, 𝐓𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞”—as is the universe, so is the body.
Tonight, as the universe celebrates Shivratri, let your soul experience its own Shivratri, and connect deeply with 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐚, the eternal energy that exists within and beyond everything.
Har Har Mahadev!