This year’s Maha Śivarātri celebrations in Amritapuri witnessed thousands of devotees gathering with Amma for prayers, meditation, and devotional singing with a vision for world peace. In her message, she spoke about how humankind must unite to discern between righteousness and unrighteousness.
“The Great Night of Śiva” is an ancient Hindu festival where people practise austerities for the good of all. Lord Śiva is worshipped as the destroyer and creator of the universe through prayers and fasting. The traditions begin at dawn and continue until the next day’s morning, helping devotees overcome darkness and ignorance, both within and without.
In the morning on February 26th, Ashram priests conducted the Mrityunjaya Homam—a sacred fire ritual for Lord Śiva that helps to conquer death, improve health, and achieve spiritual growth. In the evening, Amma guided meditation and peace prayers, bringing the light of hope to everyone’s hearts.
The night continued with bhajans to Lord Śiva and performances by Ashram children to share some of His epic stories. Those who had the strength to remain awake concluded the festival at 6am on the 27th. Within their minds came powerful expressions of dispassion, simplicity, and dedication to serving the world selflessly.
Excerpts from Amma’s Address
– Amma
In Sanātana Dharma, Mahāśivarātri is one of the most important festivals. Śivarātri is a call to awaken the inner Śiva and embrace eternal awareness by discerning between knowledge and ignorance, and between righteousness and unrighteousness.
Śivarātri conveys the message of supreme knowledge as well as the spiritual practices, austerities and self-sacrifice required to attain it. The primary purpose of festivals like Śivarātri is to turn the minds and senses of people immersed in worldly affairs towards the divine and to purify the environment through collective worship.
It is believed that worshipping Lord Śiva during Śivarātri helps in overcoming life’s challenges and attaining peace. Staying awake and maintaining an overnight vigil on Śivarātri symbolises transcending darkness and ignorance.
The Vedas declare ekaṁ sat viprā bahudhā vadanti—“The truth is one, but the wise speak of it variously.” The foundation of the universe is the one supreme truth. Though it is one, its manifestations are many, and it reveals itself in the infinite diversity of nature. Unity in diversity and diversity in unity are like two sides of the same coin.
The paramātman is essentially formless and attributeless, yet at the same time it is endowed with attributes and forms, possessing infinite qualities and manifestations. Therefore, everyone has the freedom to worship the paramātman in the form and manner that best resonates with them. This is how diverse spiritual practices and paths, as well as the worship of multiple deities, evolved within Sanātana Dharma.
Śivarātri is dedicated to the worship of Śiva, the Lord of creation, preservation and dissolution. Since he transcends all duality, his manifestations are also infinite. When an airplane flies up into the sky, there is nothing but sky above and below—it is surrounded only by the vast expanse of space.
Our mind’s being tied to various attachments creates limitations for us—much like a person confined to their path while walking, or a car restricted to the road on which it’s traveling. On the other hand, going beyond duality frees one—like a bird that can fly in any direction without being bound to any one track. Thus, the infinite manifestations of Śiva indicate his transcendence beyond duality.
Since Śiva transcends all dualities, his manifestations are infinite. Although the lord of the universe, he is also a beggar, holding a begging bowl. Although a householder, he is also a sannyāsī. Although naṭarāja—the cosmic dancer—he is also the embodiment of meditation. Although he is the lord of the fallen, the ignorant and the ordinary, he is also the king of kings.
This same paradox can also be seen in the Śiva household. Though Śiva is completely dispassionate, he is the ruler of the universe. Lord Śiva adorns himself with snakes and smears himself with ash, while his consort, Devī, is adorned with beguiling ornaments. Śiva’s vehicle is the bull, while Devi’s vehicle is the lion.
Similarly, while serpents are ornaments for Lord Śiva, they are also the favourite prey of Lord Muruga’s vehicle, the peacock. Likewise, the mouse, which is Gaṇeśa’s vehicle, is also a member of Śiva’s divine family. Through this paradox, Śiva’s family gives us the message to rise above notions of friend and foe, and to love and serve all without bias. This is meant for us to realise that in the presence of God, everyone lives in unity and harmony.
Sacrifice, simplicity and detachment naturally arise in a true devotee. During Śivarātri, sacrifice and austerity hold greater significance than festive celebrations. The Śivarātri fast is considered one of the most exalted of austerities. Fasting is a powerful means to control the mind and to develop inner strength. Though it is difficult to observe, those who practice it even once are able to experience its benefits. That is why they happily observe the fast again in the future.
Śivarātri is celebrated on the day when the moon wanes and disappears. The moon symbolises the mind. When we transcend attachments and aversions, as well as likes and dislikes, we also overcome the bondages of the mind, making them diminish and disappear. This is what is known as “the dissolution of the mind” or “victory over the mind.”
The ritual observance of Śivarātri conveys the message that when the mind becomes weak during periods such as the new-moon day, it should be strengthened through devotion to the divine, austerities and spiritual practices.
We must all come together as members of Śiva’s family. These are the many faces of unity. See the divine inherent in everything; see the unity in the diversity. Humility is the booster rocket that propels us to spiritual heights; without it, we become a burden to the very earth we live on—in life and in death. Strive to spread that love with humility, for even a torn rag can be mended with a needle and thread.
– Amma
We must strive to bring about this unity of Śiva family in our lives. Life is full of challenges, and only by accepting them can we progress towards immortality. We must develop an attitude of acceptance. In any family, difficulties will arise, but only by standing together can we move forwards. At the foundation of it all lies patience.
Love is a state in which the ego dissolves and all are seen as one. It is the mindset of recognising oneself in others and others in oneself. True love never bargains, makes demands or expects anything in return—it only gives. No matter what obstacles arise, it continues to give unconditionally. It finds joy in giving. Where one has love, one is able to empathise with the joys and sorrows of others, because love is a place where hearts beat together in harmony.
May we all embody the qualities of Lord Śiva—wisdom, dispassion, simplicity, dedication to serving the world selflessly and pure innocence—by surrendering our ego, overcoming the slumber of ignorance and awakening to eternal awareness.
May divine grace bless all my children on this path!
