BHAKTI MOVEMENT

By Meru, Anudeep, Ameya

and Jonathen
Summary of the God and
their powers.
 In the Hindu triumvirate, there are three main
gods, the creator Brahma, the preserver
Vishnu and the destroyer Shiva. Shiva the
destroyer is a necessary part of the trinity as
without destruction, there is no creation.
It is believed that his powers of destruction and
recreation are said to destroy the imperfections
and illusions of this world.
 Why has this God
attracted such a following
 Shiva is worshipped due to the fact that it is he who is able to
destroy what is no longer good/needed and hence pave the
pathway for rebirth.

He has immense powers, allowing him to eliminate bad karma and

grant long life to his devotees.

He is a very good husband; he treats his wife Parvathi with love

and respect resulting in him being the one that woman pray to for
good husbands and the ones they thank once they receive one.
He is known as the destroyer and can get frighteningly angry,
resulting in him to unleash his destructive powers, which fear
even the gods themselves. Hence, devotees follow Shiva as
they believe their anger is an aspect of Shiva.

Shiva is the world teacher, and hence is rightfully the source

of all arts, sciences and crafts. Thus people choose him as an
inner guru as there is no one better than him. A guru is a
spiritual teacher, one who imparts initiation and promotes
prosperity.
 How and where does the
worship of this God take place
 How to Worship Shiva

Unlike other gods, he needs no ornaments or gold for decoration, not even a
beautiful cloth is required. Just a plain white ash is sufficient to pray him.

To successfully achieve their desires and wishes, a person must pray with a
composed mind and pleasant heart, visit his temple on every Monday with a
clean mind and body to pray, recite Maha Mrutunjay mantra for as many times
as possible.

During temple visits, adherents must chant the lords name as Om Namah
Shivaya continuously in their route to the temple and back.
Abhisekam(conducted by priests by pouring drink as an offering on the image of
the deity being worshiped amidst chanting mantras) must be performed on the
Shiv lingam.

It is usually helpful to light deepa or jyoti (light)

 Worship at home

1. Do a regular prayer to Shiva lingam at home during the early

morning and also evenings everyday.

2. Wash the shiv lingam and apply vibhuti (ash).

3. Incest sticks.

4. recite Maha Mrutunjay mantra for as many times as possible.

5. On Mondays, considered an especially holy day, offer milk or

any sweet made with milk to the lord.
Are there any festivals or
particular devotions that
take place?
 Maha Shivratri: According to the Gregorian calendar this day can fall within the months of
February and March. During the night of Maha Shivratri the Universes spiritual energy is at
its greatest resulting in the devotees prayers having a more profound effect. Within the year
of 2016 Maha Shivratri took place on the 7th of March 2016.

Maha Shivratri- to glorify, honour and worship Shiva.

TWO LEGENDS:

According to legend Maha-Shivratri is believed to be the night when Shiva performed

Tandava Nritya, a dance that results in the primitive creation, optimal preservation and the
inevitable destruction of the universe and all beings within it.

Another legend also establishes that Maha Shivratri was a product of ancient dialogue that
took place between Maa Parvathi and Lord Shiva. When asked by Parvathi about what
pleased him through the perspective of his devotees, Shiva responded that he loved being
worshiped upon the 14th day of the vanishing moon within the month of Phalguna. Parvathi
spread the word within the community and soon the entirety of creation knew what
accounted as optimum worship of Shiva.
 Importance for Devotees:
True devotion results in being freed of all sins
Being Blessed with Nirvana
Liberation from the eternal and recursive cycle of life and death
Importance during Vedic Times (1500BC to 500BC):
Kshatriyas (Warriors) prayed to Shiva for honour, immense strength and
bravery
Vaishyas (Merchants and Traders) prayed for greater wealth and
profits. It is believed that Maa Lakshmi, the god of wealth and well-
being, was a firm believer and a devotee of Shiva.
Shudras (Servants) prayed to Shiva for food, water and shelter
Why is this God chosen
above others to be
worshipped in this way
Shiva is preferred for many reasons, including:

Shiva is easily pleased and is easy to worship.

Shiva is very conventional

Shiva is lord of the body

 How would this impact
Hinduism on a larger scale
 Shivas role as a destroyer and a supreme being has impacted upon the
Shivaism Sect in a multifaceted manner. Firstly, being a prominent figure that
encompasses yoga, meditation, bliss and spirituality Shiva has established a
path which his sect should follow in order to evade the entrenched and non-
forgiving cycle of life and death. Through the actions of devotion, meditation,
yoga and enhanced spirituality an individual can rise to reach moksha or
nirvana. Secondly it is a belief that Shiva not only destroys redundant features
within the universe, he terminates all illusions and imperfections that reside
within the world. Shivas untamed and ambivalent behavior which can be in
some cases extreme appears appealing as it is an accurate reflection of the
human condition. Shivas character represents the human folly however also
displays a balance communicating the importance of balance within a good
lifestyle. His emphatic and long-lasting bong with Parvathi also displays the
importance of a women within a mans life. It is also a basis which keeps him
grounded and balanced.
THE END