|
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: F.A.Q. 20
|
|
Maha Shivaratri QUESTION: Is fasting an important practice in Yoga? ANSWER: The Sacred Scriptures of India are unique among the Scriptures of the World in that they clearly acknowledge the physical, religious and Spiritual importance of food. Thus in the Upanishads food is said to be everything and everything is said to be food. Indeed, the Supreme Being Himself is equated to food.
Food - the Ground of all things Says Scripture: "That verily, from which beings are born, that by which when born they live, that into which upon dying they enter, That is the Supreme. For truly, indeed, beings here are born from food, when born they live by food, on dying they enter into food" (Taittiriya Up. 3, 1-2). Indeed, the food man eats, the water he drinks, the air he breathes is food for his body; what he smells, tastes, sees, feels and hears is food for his mind; while God Himself and His Truth is food for his Soul. When man dies his body turns into food for other creatures and his Soul returns to God Who is the Ultimate Ground that gives nourishment and support to all living things. Even in the Western World man's everyday experiences are instinctively likened to the process of eating and assimilating food, as becomes evident when we say that we "stomach", "chew on" or "digest" a situation or experience. However, precisely because food pervades all aspects of life, its importance tends to be overlooked. For this reason, in Yoga, certain customs and ceremonies related to food are employed in order to enhance man's awareness of the religious and Spiritual meaning of food. Thus food is offered to guests, to the faithful who visit temples or attend religious ceremonies, at weddings, etc. Food is even offered to animals in the forest, to the Souls of deceased relatives and to the Gods. In India, in particular, every housewife takes pride in her culinary skills, festivals often develop into real feasts, and temples feed thousands of destitute people. For the same reason, abstaining from food is observed in a religious, Spiritual and even medical context. Overeating has long been identified as a cause of medical conditions by Indian physicians. Thus a traditional saying tells us that he who eats one meal a day is a righteous man (Yogi), he who eats two meals a day is a glutton (Bhogi) and he who eats three meals a day is a sick man (Rogi).
Fasting on New Moon's Eve There are many very ancient, traditional forms of Fasting (Upavasana). One of the most ancient ones, known as Chandrayana, is observed for a whole month. It consists in reducing the amount of food which totals fifteen mouthfuls on Full Moon, by one mouthful daily until New Moon when the fast becomes complete and then increasing it in the same manner from the day after New Moon to Full Moon. Complete abstinence from food is also observed for one, three, six, nine or twelve days according to each person's capacity and inclination. Among the most auspicious times for fasting are the days of Full and New Moon as well as the eighth and the twenty-third of each month (counting from the first day after New Moon). New Moon Day (Amavasya) is the last day of the lunar month. The night before this, that is, New Moon's Eve, is the Sacred Night of Shiva (Shiva Ratri) which is also known as The Fourteenth Day of Shiva (Shiva-Chaturdashi) and The Dark Night of Shiva (Shiva Kalaratri). Fasting during the day and night on this auspicious occasion is particularly meritorious, and is observed for the expiation of sins as well as for acquiring religious merit. Thus it is written in the Shiva Purana: "O Sages! on the thirteenth day of the dark half of the month, one meal only shall be taken (by the devotee). But on the fourteenth, complete fast shall be observed. The fourteenth of the dark half is sure to bring about the propitiation of Lord Shiva". Even greater merit is acquired by fasting on New Moon's Eve in the month of Magha (or Phalguna, depending on the calendar used). This is known as the Great Night of Shiva or Maha Shivaratri and is the most important holiday in Yoga. In India, this annual holiday may begin as early as a fortnight before New Moon, thus lasting for sixteen days in total, from the first day after Full Moon to the first day after New Moon. Says the Shiva Purana: "In the Month of Phalguna, in the Star Uttara-Phalguni, let the Great Festival of Shiva (Maha Utsava) commence". Maha Shivaratri proper falls on the 14th of the dark fortnight in February or March, which is usually the 3rd New Moon's Eve (Amavasya) from the Winter Solstice (22 December) and a fortnight before the Festival of Holi.
The meaning of Shiva Ratri Being held close to the beginning of Spring, Maha Shivaratri clearly represents a Spring Festival that celebrates the end of Winter and the arrival of Spring, that is, the beginning of new life. It is the time of the Year when days become visibly brighter and longer, and plants begin to grow new leaves. At this auspicious time, Shiva, the Creator and Lord of the Universe gives us the opportunity to cleanse ourselves of all negative influences of the past and make a new start in life. By purifying ourselves we also get closer to Lord Shiva, the Supreme Principle of Purity and Goodness, and become infused with His Divine Grace. Spiritually speaking, therefore, Shiva Ratri symbolises the regeneration of the human Soul through Unity with the Divine. Amavasya or New Moon means literally, "together-dwelling". Astronomically speaking, this refers to the dwelling together of the Sun and Moon (which on that day appear to be closest to, and facing, each other when seen from Earth). On this point, a traditional legend relates the story of a young girl who lived in a mountain hamlet. Being the youngest of three sisters, she saw her elder siblings marry which stirred her curiosity as to who was going to be her future husband. Her mother, being a pious woman, one day replied, "Lord Shiva, my dear. He is the Husband of all Souls and so He will be your Husband, too". The girl took her mother at her word and from then on paid daily visits to the local shrine, bringing food, flowers, incense and other offerings and anointing with oil the holy Shiva Image that was worshipped there by the people. When she reached the age of sixteen, on a New Moon's Eve, her tireless devotion was rewarded by a vision of Lord Shiva Who lovingly embraced her and carried her to His Celestial Abode. She later descended down to Earth and built a Shiva Temple with her own hands on a mountain top, for the benefit of the people, before returning to her Divine Home. Since then she has been known as Parvati, the Mountain Maiden. Parvati, however, also means the Lofty One, or She who moves in the World Beyond (from Parvat, reach or move beyond). The girl therefore was without doubt an incarnation of the Great Goddess herself. To this day, the union of Parvati and Shiva is celebrated on New Moon Eve, when Sun and Moon or the Male and Female aspects of the Divine are said to dwell together. On Full Moon Day, Parvati herself smiles down on the World bestowing her blessings to the devotees. In Spiritual or Yogic terms this Celestial Union refers to a state of Unity between the human Soul (symbolised by the Moon, Ha) and God (symbolised by the Sun, Tha). For this reason, Yoga is also known as Hatha Yoga, the Path of Unity between Man and God. Says the Skanda Purana: "Fasting on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month is most excellent and conducive to the attainment of Oneness (Sayujya) with Shiva. The observance of Shiva Ratri is famed as the destroyer of all sins". For this reason, Fasting is one of the Five Duties of Yoga. On a social level, fasting helps the believer to better understand the hardships experienced by the poor of the World. While on a Spiritual level, abstaining from food enhances the believer's self-discipline and Spiritual awareness. Learning to renounce food, even temporarily, helps us learn how to renounce the fruits of our actions and let go of the Ego that binds us to material existence. Freedom from our Ego and its material preoccupations enables us to come closer to God, the Ego being the main barrier that prevents us from experiencing Unity with the Supreme. On this holy day, Spiritual thoughts and sentiments such as Universal goodwill and solidarity with Nature and Mankind, are especially cultivated and shared equally by all. Women and girls, in particular, pray for a good husband and marital happiness. In communities living outside India, Shiva Ratri is also an occasion for devotees to cultivate their cultural identity and strengthen their resolve to adhere to the Eternal Law of the Universe (Sanatana Dharma) as well as reaffirm their belief in the Spiritual Teachings of Yoga which are a unique means of attaining Eternal Salvation. In so doing, we set an example to the confused World of today and encourage it to resist the growing influences of materialism and false beliefs and return to the Right Path which is the Path ordained by God at the beginning of time. The Eve of Shiva Ratri which lasts from dawn to dawn is a very sacred time which celebrates the Supreme Lord's Revelation of the Eternal Wisdom of Yoga at the beginning of Kali Yuga (5102 BC). The devotees pay a visit to the temples where religious services with chants and prayers are held every Prahara (three-hour watch) throughout the day and night until dawn. Devotional dances are sometimes also performed by the devotees in honour of Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Cosmic Dance. When a temple is not available, or in countries where Shiva Dharma (the Law of Shiva) is suppressed, devotees may gather together at home to pray and read from Scripture. Thus Shiva Ratri is the centre of Spiritual life in the community of devotees as well as fulfilling a social function. The high point of Shiva Ratri is at midnight which is the 3rd watch of the night. In traditional Indian timekeeping, a day and night (24 hrs.) are divided into eight portions of three hours each, called Praharas or Yamas (watches). Midnight falls on the beginning of the third watch of the night. No food is permitted during Shiva Ratri with the exception of water, milk or in the case of small children, old or sick people, as well as pregnant women, some vegetables or fruit (no cereals or grains). While some devotees abstain from food for thirty-six hours, others begin their fast several days in advance. At sunrise (that is, in the first watch of the day) on Shiva Ratri Day (Amavasya) a bath is taken in a river or temple bath. After one last visit to the temple, food is distributed to holy men (Sadhus) and the fast is ended with a festive meal which is shared by all the faithful (about the middle of the second watch of the day). Home-made sweets and fruit are distributed to relatives and friends and festive greetings are exchanged. It is customary among the followers of Shiva on this holy day to pay a visit to their Guru and present him with gifts. The greatness of Shiva Ratri is praised in all the Scriptures. In the Shiva Purana, the Supreme Lord Himself declares: "No other rite is more beneficial to man than Shiva Ratri. By worshipping Me on Shiva Ratri the devotee attains the fruit that otherwise is only obtainable by constantly worshipping Me for a year. At this time, the virtue of devotion to Me increases like to the tide in the ocean at the rise of the Moon. Assuredly, for the performance of Shiva Ratri, I, Lord Shiva, Destroyer of all miseries, grant both worldly pleasures, Spiritual Salvation and all desired benefits". The great Saint and poet, Utpaladeva of Kashmir exclaims: "Where the Sun, the Moon and all other lights set, may the indescribable Night of Shiva rise and reign supreme, spreading a radiance of its own!" (Shivastotravali IV, 22). It is noteworthy that the Ancient Romans, Persians, Germans and Russians among many other nations on Earth also began their year in March or close to the beginning of Spring. In Britain, for example, New Year's Day was held on the 25th of March until as recently as 1752. The original Christians are similarly said to have celebrated the beginning of the Year on the 1st of March. This clearly demonstrates both the great antiquity and universality of this ancient holiday, as well as the unshaken determination with which Yogis have preserved their ancestral faith. In India, in addition to this annual Spring Festival, Shiva Ratri is also observed monthly on every 14th, that is, just before New Moon Day (Amavasya). Other important holidays after Maha Shiva Ratri are Rambha Tritiya, Tritiya Tithi (Teej) and Skanda Shashthi. They are observed near New-Moon days in the months of Jyeshtha, Bhadrapada and Margashirsha, repectively. Other popular festivals are Karttika Dipam, held on Full Moon Day in the Month of Karttika and Divali (Dipavali), which falls on the New Moon between the Months of Ashvina and Karttika.
<< Yoga Council Home || Questions & Answers >> |