SHIVA RATRI
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Tan- me- Manah- Shiva- Sankalpam- Astu
(May my mind be absorbed in the Shiva-consciousness!) SHIVA RATRI *Dr Chaman Lal Raina |
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SHIVAH KEVALO AHAM
(I ALONE EXIST AS SHIVA) Shiva------------ Bhava -------------Hara Introduction
Deliberation of Puja
This is the Shaivistic Puja Paddhati. It is Sattvic, Rajasic and Pradushik in character. It is the essence of the cosmic whirl, in which Watak Raz helps the devotees to get enlightened and be in the Sadhana of Shiva -Shakti and the cosmic matter i.e. Anu/ nara. It is based on the KADI system of Mantra and the Hadi System of Mantra, generally Kadi Mantra is in Shaivistic practice. The experts of the Hadi Mantra are not now available.
On the eleventh Tithi of the Phalguna Krishna Paksha, the Fish is offered to the Ishtadeva to seek his blessings for the Anushtthanam/ invoking deliberations of the Wagura on the following day. Wagura is the Tantric net, which needs to be woven with the Shri Raja Rajeshvari Mantra, which is the Reshi Dulij of the great event. It is purely Sattvic, as the name Reshi Dulij suggests. Only vegetarian food, milk and Qand/candies are offered to this cosmic shape of the Divine. The main event is on the Shiva Ratri day deliberations, according to the Kula Riti/ family tradition What is Shiva Ratri? Shivaratri is the auspicious night of the Divine  Though every moment is of the Divine, but the Un-manifest Absolute made That self manifest at a particular movement through free-will known as the Ichha Shakti, but that Divine created the certain movements, with is Tamas, and that hour is known as the Prodosha Kala/ polluted hour. There happens to be the action and reaction of some cosmic vibrations, which create disturbances in the cosmos. Shiva through Vatuka Energy subsides that Pradosha, and that is Shiva Ratri. Shiva’s manifestation as the Jyotir Lingam, is said to be the sacred Shiva Chaturdashi on the Magha Krishna Chaturdashi, or the 14th lunar Tithi of Magha--Maasa, but the forces got interacted at the midnight the Pradosha Kala of the Phalguna Krishna Trayodashi/Phalguna Gata PaCha Truwah, or Heratsa Truwah, just after one month of the Shiva’s emergence as the Jyotirlingam. Watak Raza manifested to make the world free from natural upheavals in the form of a Brhmachari Vatuka. The Brahmachari, because of his Brahmavarchas/ total celibacy, has the force and design to set the cosmic vibrations in Vatuk Patra/ Vatak N`oat with his Shakti in tune with the harmony of the world. This is verily, the Reshi Dulij. Ram G`aud is the Bhairava Force in the Watuka Parivar. Sani Potul is the balancing power of the cosmos, as Purusha and Prakriti does. The Mantra dedicated to the Watak Raz is partly invocation and partly attributes with prayers to keep the world free from natural upheavals at the time of Pradosha. A flaming thunder gets diverted to keep the Asuric/evil forces away from the scene. A swift life-impulse gets vibrated to lead a Bhakta to realize the relationship between Hara and Shiva, which are the conflicting forces within the Jivatman/ human being. The Watuk Parivar is the manifestation of the Shiva in Existence. To the Hindu psyche,an Image is the thought in action.This is Kriya Shakti of Vatuka Bhairava.Why Herath? Herat is the Apbhramsha of the word Hara Ratri, which is the night of the Tandava for Shiva, but the grace of the Vatuka Bhairava makes that Tandava into the auspiciousness of higher bliss, where there is no trace of ego, only harmonious rhythm is seen and felt. This is a jounet from Tandava to Ananda.
The Bija Mantra is the seed syllable of the Watuka Nath, who is the Devi Parvati’s Putra. OM is the Vedic Pranava, with the pure Sattva of Brahma, Rajas of Vishnu and the Power of reabsorption of Mahesha. Aaim is the Tantric Pranava, and has been described in the first Shloka of the Panchastavi and in the Markandeya Purana. Hriim is adored as the seed of reverence known as the Lajja Bija of the Shakta Agamas, Devi Putra is the absolute energy of the Purna Prakriti or Moola Prakriti. Namah is the obeisance to the sound body of the Absolute. This Bija Mantra consists of Nine phonemes, with distinct characteristics of Absolute energy in the Watuka. The Watuka Puja has nothing to do with the observance of the marriage sacrament of Shiva and Parvati. Had this been so, the Bija Mantra like Devi Putra Vatuka Natha could not have evolved and taken the very basis of the Shiva Ratri ethos of Kashmir. But people have taken it as the meeting of Shiva and Shakti, according to the Shiva Parinaya, thus the present ethos has developed. Why Walnut?
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 *Dr. Chaman Lal Raina |
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I pay my obeisance to the Watuk Raj Bhairava, who is none else, but the Divine Flame of auspiciousness. The Watak Raz'u as the Supreme effulgence is popularly adored in the Bijamantra, as visualized by the Vamadeva Rishi. Hence the Shiva Ratri of Kashmir is purely Agamic in essence, Yogic in practice and ritualistic in pattern. The Herath as it is adored with devotion, is the essence of the SHIVA-SHAKTI in unison. The celebration is to greet the Divine within the sanctum sanctorum of the residential house, known as the Thokur Kuth, or in the kichen/Cho`ku, the abode of Annapurna Devi, who is the consort of Shiva. These two designated places are said to be the sacred places in the household. As a matter of sanctity, Cho`ku is considered as next to Thokur Kuth. The Watak Raz`u is being installed in these two designated places, even in the Diaspora, with little modification subject to the availability of space.
The house is being cleansed, known as "Hur Dalun" and the days for the cleansing of the house commences from the Hur`i Okdoh and concluded on the Hur`i Sheyam. After Hur`i celebration generally no Hokh`u Siyun/ dried vegetable is to be cooked as a dish. There is a logic behind it. Since the Watak Raz'u is to be invoked with serenity, thus there should be some thing new vegetable to be offered, which could be easily available. In Kashmir, Spinach is just grown in the fields, along with the fresh radish and turnip.The lotus roots are easily available, so the Reeth/tradition of fresh vegetables developed as the Siyunve'/vegetables to be cooked. Wonderful were the ideas of our ancestors, which we are still preserving even in the Diaspora, after migration. These are the cultural bonds, which shape the religious fervor with respect to place and situation. A new type of aspiration is seen in the ka'ishir Reeth/Kashmiri tradition. .jpg)
Dupu Zoor. 
The walnut has still got prominence even in the Diaspora, due to the availability of the walnuts. Walnut is the dried fruit , which is easily available in all the seasons of Kashmir. This is the Rituphal/ all season dried fruit of the Kashmiri Pandit religious ethos. Whatever religious function may be, where Agni is to be invoked, Kalasha is to be installed, there walnuts are put in the Kalasha and being sanctified with the Shanti Mantras, Bahuroopa garbha, Rudra Mantra, as is being practiced in case of the Shiva Ratri. After the Puja is over, the KALASH LAV is sprinkled with Shanti and Swasti Mantras of the Vedas, Athifo`l/ Purna Ahuti Samagri is a must, even in the Diaspora. Walnut symbolizes the four Vedas in one nut. It is the symbol of the Haranyagarbha as well. This Herats Doon is still distributed to dear and near ones, friends, neighbors. Even the Herats Doon was distributed in the neighbourhood to all irespective of religius affiliation. A good number of walnuts is given as Naveed to the married daughters of any age, even if she must have become the great grand mother as well. She gets noon - tsoch`u - ata gat, from her parental home. The walnut distribution system plays a very important role in the social fabric of the Kashmiri Pandits religious life. Watak Naveed is the symbol of mutual love, peace and prosperity.