Sahasrara Sahasradi Samvatsara poorvam
Naragyana Uttaranaya Samarpitam
Adiyoginadhyam Saptarishibhyoo Bhutitam
Adisreshttam Idam Vishalam Vigyanam
Adi Yoginam …….Pranamamyaham ……
My Humble salutations to Adiyogi
The very first source of Yoga. The epitome of yoga the world has ever witnessed. Adiyogi is here to liberate us from the cycle of life, that is Death and Birth.
Who is Adiyogi?
Adiyogi is the fundamental basis of what we know and follow as yogic science today. Yoga is not only doing Shirshasana or controlling or regulating the breath, but also the science and technology to know the essential nature of how this life is created and how it can be taken to its ultimate possibility. Lord Shiva is known as the Adi Yogi, when we say Shiva there are two fundamental aspects that are referring to the word SHIVA means “that which is not”. Modern science has proved that everything has come from nothing and goes back to nothing, which means the basis of all existence and the fundamental quality of cosmos is vast nothingness, that which is not … So everything comes from Shiva and goes back to Shiva.
Then Who is Lord Shiva?
Lord Shiva holds a pivotal position in the Holy Trinity. While Lord Brahma plays the role of a Creator and Lord Vishnu plays the role of the Preserver, Lord Shiva is oblivion creation and maintenance only exist in the lap of oblivion. It is the empty space in the creation, which is the most expansive thing, limitless thing and which is the lap in which creation happens and disappears, so Shiva is that which is not we bow down because that is the thing, that’s why we call Mahadev as the destroyer. Many believe that God Shiva is a Sayambhu – which means He is not born from a human body. He was created automatically! He was there when there was nothing and He will remain even after everything is destroyed.
Over 15,000 years ago, predating all religion, Adiyogi, transmitted the science of Yoga to his seven disciples, the Saptarishis. He expounded 112 ways through which human beings can transcend their limitations and reach their ultimate potential. Adiyogi’s offerings are tools for individual transformation, as individual transformation is the only way to transform the world. His fundamental message is that “in is the only way out” for human wellbeing and liberation.
Significance of Maha Shivratri
There are so many beliefs about Maha Shivratri, let me mention some of the important among those. Maha Shivratri is the day, where Lord Shiva married to Maa Parvati, it is their union for the second time, that is why it is known as Night of Lord Shiva. There is also a belief that this is the day where Mahadev performed his Shiv Tandav, the cosmic dance of destruction, when he heard the news of Maa Satis immolation. It also signifies the day in which Mahadev drink the the great Poison during the palazhi madhanam. A part from all these stories Maha Shivaratri is a day to recognise the importance of Feminine and Masculine energies in our body .
As per science, our monkey mind is always thinking about the past and future and never ever in the present a stress-free relaxed mind is more productive than other also increase the ability to take right decision at right time. The night of Shivratri is ideal for balancing the Vata component in our bodies. It is also important that Vata should move freely throughout the body for that our body should be perpendicular to the ground. This is only possible when we are sitting or standing and not sleeping. This is why we practice Meditation and Yoga during Shivratri without sleeping. This is possible only if you empty your stomach, observing fasting during Shivratri will help us to detoxify the body and makes us feel lighter, it also gives good relaxation to our mind and reduces restlessness. Moreover, our body and mind will be more alert and makes us to feel the real essence of meditation.
Wishing You all very Happy Maha Shivratri
by Sowmya N D,
TIC (Teacher for Indian Culture ),
High Commission of India,
Mauritius