Meevy

Shivarathri (March 08, 2005) is celebrated by many devotees throughout the world. If you do not sleep on this night, you will attain MOKSHA! In different states of India, it is celebrated in different ways. People will go to the temples and stay there and pray. It is not only enough to remain sleepless, but one should also utter slogans and worship Lord Shiva.

I have seen many people who will watch cinema pictures and television. This is absolutely ridiculous according to me.

Once upon a time, there lived a married couple. They didn’t have any child. They were devoted towards Lord Shiva. So they prayed for a child. Finally, Shiva heeded their prayers and appeared before them and asked them what they want. They said that they want a child. Shiva told that they can have the child under one condition. They should select either a child who will live till 100 years but with a very bad character or a child who will live till 16 years of age with all good characters. The couple selected the latter one.

The child was born and the parents were very happy. The days passed by. The boy became 16 years old. Now the parents were lifeless and shattered because their son will die at the age of 16. The boy couldn’t realize the sorrow of his parents. One fine day, he compelled his parents to reveal the reason for their deep grief. They told the whole story which had happened. The boy was shocked. He told his parents why they didn’t tell the truth before itself as he had wasted all the time. Now he wanted to spend his time in the temple by worshiping Shiva. Saying so he left to the temple.

He did penance in the temple. He forgot about his parents, his own fate that he is going to be dead soon. He was highly immersed in the thoughts of God. Lord Yama came one day to take the boy’s life. But he saw the boy inside the Shiva temple that too highly drowned in the thoughts of Shiva. Yama asked the boy to come out of the temple but in vain. Instead, the boy went and hugged the Shiva lingam. Yama throwed the rope to fulfill his duty. But the rope fell on the Shiva lingam and immediately Shiva appeared before him. He asked Yama how dare he was to throw the rope on him. Yama asked Shiva to forgive him and that he did his duty. Shiva told Yama that the boy will be 16 years forever and he will never die.

The boy is none other than Markandeyan. We have several real stories in praise of Lord Shiva.