Saumyakasi Sivalaya Shines During Mahasivaratri

The priest, Sri Ganesh, Sri Harish  and Sri Chandrasekhar performed the abhisekam of the glowing Sivalinga in complete harmony with his chanting of the Rudram.

The priest, Sri Ganesh, Sri Harish and Sri Chandrasekhar performed the abhisekam of the glowing Sivalinga in complete harmony with his chanting of the Rudram.

By Padmashree Rao and Uma Aggarwal
HOUSTON: The great auspiciousness of Mahasivaratri glorified Saumyakasi Sivalaya in Chinmaya Prabha, Houston, when more than five thousand devotees gathered over three days between Feb.27 and March 2, to invoke the blessings of the Lord Siva.
The spirit of one of the holiest nights of the Hindu calendar became manifest in thought, word and action when the Chinmaya family of Houston welcomed the community at large to pray together during Mahasivaratri. The events were planned with careful dedication to blend joyful celebrations, collective prayers, and silent hours of meditation.

Family performing the Ksirabhiseka to the Utsava Linga. All the devotees had an opportunity to offer abhisekam with milk to the Utsava Linga.

Family performing the Ksirabhiseka to the Utsava Linga. All the devotees had an opportunity to offer abhisekam with milk to the Utsava Linga.

Saumyakasi Sivalaya had the touch of the holy Mount Kailas as preparations began to propitiate the perfect atmosphere for tuning to the Highest. Even the unseasonal chilly weather in Houston added to the feeling of being transported to the Himalayas. Somehow, the cold air only warmed the hearts of the thousands who thronged to the temple to participate in the puja and abhishekam that started on the morning of Thursday, February 27.

Sunday March 2, Mahasivaratri came to a beautiful culmination with the Maha Mrtunjaya Homa.  Praying for spiritual upliftment and good health for everyone, hundreds of families chanted the Mrtyunjaya Mantra 108 times.

Sunday March 2, Mahasivaratri came to a beautiful culmination with the Maha Mrtunjaya Homa. Praying for spiritual upliftment and good health for everyone, hundreds of families chanted the Mrtyunjaya Mantra 108 times.

The day began with an adored activity of Lord Siva – his bath! Devotees felt blessed to do the Ksirabhiseka seva, to the Sivalinga, guided by Shri Ganeshji, the temple priest. The Mahanyasam, meaning the great nyasa (purification) is recited to purify the body, mind, and soul of all the impurities. Recited before performing the rudrabhisekam of Lord Siva, the ritual came alive as the linga was bathed in milk, water, yogurt, and honey. All agitations of the mind and senses felt cooled further when the linga was adorned with turmeric, kumkum, chandan, and vibhuti. This sacredness echoed through the evening when devotees got the opportunity to repeat the Ksirabhisekam amid the incessant Vedic chanting of the laghunyasa ekadasa rudrabhisekam, a summarized alternate of the mahanyasa form of abhisekam.
To make worship more personal, a beautiful lingam was created in a special altar under the Sivalaya where every devotee could do the abhisekam (pouring milk over the lingam). Devotees could experience the quiet in their minds when they could focus their love towards the divine during these special moments.
It is said that the stars are most conducive for meditation on Mahasivaratri. Indeed, as Lord Siva is the greatest Yogi and Meditator in the Universe, ardent devotees found the right atmosphere for deep, silent meditation after a slow melodious chanting of “Om Namah Sivaya” subdued the mind. The intense prayers culminated in a Maha Arti at midnight on Thursday Feb 27 in the temple.
On Friday Feb 28, the Mahanyasa Purvaka Rudrabhisekam was repeated, so that the devotees who missed it on Thursday had another chance to participate. Every year, the crowds increase at the Sivalaya, knowing that the vibrations of Sivaratri ring out strong in the festivities.
Finally, on Sunday March 2 Mahasivaratri came to a beautiful culmination with the Maha Mrtunjaya Homa. The Maha Mrtyunjaya Mantra is one of the most popular and powerful mantra that is chanted for healing the body, mind, and soul and helping devotees to move from mortality to immortality. Acarya Gaurangbhai Nanavaty of Chinmaya Mission Houston explained the significance of every word of the mantra and encouraged everyone to let the mantra soak into their consciousness during the ceremony.
With Sri Ganeshji of Saumyakasi Sivalaya conducting the homa and energizing it with his powerful chanting, each family was given their own plate with yantra and black sesame and flat rice for offerings, so that each devotee could feel part of the homa. The 108 chants of the Mrtyunjaya mantra infused great energy in the families who prayed, leaving no doubt in the power of selfless, collective prayers. Then, as the homa concluded, all of the puja offerings from the devotees were collected by the volunteers and offered as Purnahuti at the main fire altar on the stage.
Every Sivaratri at Saumyakasi Sivalaya shines because of the incredible teamwork of the Chinmaya volunteers. The well-planned parking, the arrangements to accommodate the growing rush of devotees, and the careful attention to every detail in the festivities, bring true holiness and give birth to auspiciousness, keeping with the real essence of Sivaratri.
For further information on Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston.org, www.saumyakasi.org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233