Mahashivratri 2015 - Live Blog

Update: Join the Mahashivratri 2016 Live Webstream

Welcome to the Mahashivratri 2015 Live Webstream. This night of the “Dark One” will be celebrated from 6PM to 6AM IST, and will include Sadhguru’s discourses, powerful meditations, musical performances by Zila Khan and Parthiv Gohil, and much more. The Live Blog has a whole lot of goodies to keep you engaged through the day, so stay tuned every hour or so for special behind-the-scenes updates, video snippets, and new releases.

Feb 18, 5:56

Night of Nameless Ecstasy

Sadhguru brought the event to a close, first by thanking the many people who came together to make the celebrations so wonderful. He thanked the Police, the Fire, Transport and Highways Departments, the Electricity Board, the local Panchayats and the artistes.

He then asked every one present to ensure that this night not be just one night of exuberance, but a turning point towards your ultimate wellbeing.

Feb 18, 5:35

Come rap

Come rap to Sounds of Isha's latest song. #ShivaShiva #Mahashivratri

Feb 18, 4:43

The Night is Young

The night is young for everyone at Isha Yoga Center as Parthiv and Mansi Gohil keep them awake and on their feet.

Feb 18, 4:22

Devotees Visit Dhyanalinga

Thousands of devotees have been visiting Dhyanalinga throughout this night. Devotees also offered a special milk abhishekam.

Feb 18, 4:12

Parthiv Gohil

Parthiv Gohil does the Alai Alai.

Feb 18, 3:57

Midnight Meditation

Feb 18, 3:32

Find Your Inner Shiva

Finding it hard to stay awake? Try out this quiz: http://isha.co/1B9FEsS

Intensity thy name is Rudra, what's your Inner Shiva?

Feb 18, 3:27

Mansi Gohil and Isha Home School

Mansi Gohil, Parthiv's wife, and the Isha Home School students are creating a wonderful ambiance with their songs. Isha Home School students are trained in Indian Classical music and dance as well. Both traditions are thousands of years old.

Here's a video about Kashi, Shiva's "summer residence" as Sadhguru calls it, as well as a great center of cultural arts.

Feb 18, 2:41,

Collage of Musicals

Feb 18, 2:31

Yogic Sciences Around the World

While speaking about the significance of Shambho, Sadhguru also spoke about how Agastya was sent down South by Adiyogi. Adiyogi sent the Saptarishis to seven corners of the world, to make the science of inner evolution available to all human beings.

Here's a video of Sadhguru in Delphi, Greece, speaking about the nature of the ancient temple there, and how yogis consecrated it.

Feb 18, 2:15

Party Time! #ShivaShiva

Feb 18, 1:34

Yoga, Time and Energy

Feb 18, 1:31

Behind the Scenes

Here's a look at Isha volunteers working behind the scenes, over the last few days, to make the Mahashivratri celebrations possible.

Feb 17, 22:52

The Power of Shiva Shambho

Sadhguru will begin the Shambho meditation soon. Stay tuned, and in the meanwhile enjoy this story from Sadhguru about the power of the mantra.

Sadhguru: On a certain day, a gnana yogi, a man of great intellect, came to Shiva and said, “What is all this happening in your name? Wherever I go, there is a whole cacophony of mantras going on. People are screaming and yelling ‘Shiva Shambho.’ Is it not important that a man cultivate and civilize his mind? What is the point of yelling this mantra?”

Shiva smiled, and pointing to a worm, he said, “Go close to that worm and just once, utter ‘Shiva Shambho’.” The man shrugged his shoulders and went and said, “Shiva Shambho.” To his amazement, the little worm fell dead. He was taken aback. “What is this? Some kind of a killer mantra!”

Shiva laughed and said, “Yes it is, but try this on something else. Do you see the butterfly there? Utter the mantra once for that butterfly.” The man hesitated, but Shiva encouraged him. The man looked at the butterfly and said “Shiva Shambho.” The butterfly collapsed and died.

By now he was shaken. He said, “I don’t want to do these things. I am for life.” Shiva laughed and said, “Don’t worry. Do you see the deer out there? Go, utter the mantra to that deer.” The man said, “No, I don’t want to do anything like that. Two creatures have already died because of this mantra. I don’t want to try it once again.” Shiva encouraged him. “Don’t worry. This time something good will happen.” The man went and uttered the mantra. The young deer fell dead too.

The man was aghast. “Is this what all this is about? Is this why they call you a destroyer?” Just then a couple came with an infant in their hands for Shiva’s blessings. Shiva looked at the child and told the man, “Why don’t you whisper the mantra to this child.” The man said, “No way. I have seen a worm, a butterfly, and a deer fall dead because of this mantra. On a human baby, I will not try this!”

At that moment, the infant opened its mouth and spoke. “Please do it. I was crawling as a worm. You uttered the mantra, I became a butterfly. You uttered the mantra again, I became a fawn. You uttered the mantra a third time, and I have become human. Please do it. Let me become divine.”

The Isha Chants Mobile App makes this chant available on your phone. Mp3 versions are also available for download.

Feb 17, 22:40

Vikku Vinayakram

Padmashri Vikku Vinayakram, the ghatam maestro enthralls the audience with his handiwork.

Feb 17, 22:11

Personal Tweet from @SadhguruJV

Feb 17, 22:06

Two Decades of Mahashivratri

Feb 17, 21:48

21-foot Adiyogi

Sadhguru unveiled the second 21-foot Adiyogi today. But there are grander things to come. In this video, Sadhguru speaks of his plan to establish 112-foot Adiyogis in four corners of India.

Feb 17, 21:30

New Releases

Several new Sadhguru DVDs and books have been released tonight. Find the latest releases here.

Feb 17, 21:15

Personal Tweet from @SadhguruJV

Feb 17, 20:49

Sadhguru heading for Pancha Bhuta Aradhana earlier in the evening.

Feb 17, 20:37

While Zila Khan moves to her next enchanting rendition, here's a video where Sadhguru explains who Shiva is and why he matters so much.

Feb 17, 20:21

Mahashivratri selfie contest

How are you celebrating #ShivaShiva on Mahashivratri? Tell us with a selfie! Make sure you capture the celebration happening in the background, put it on FB/Twitter with #ShivaShiva and let us know. A selection of selfies will be featured on Isha Foundation’s FB and Twitter.

Feb 17, 19:48

Yogeshwaraya

Sadhguru walks through the audience chanting Yogeshwaraya, a powerful chant that looks at the many aspects of Shiva, as Lord of Yoga, Lord of the Elements and much more.

Feb 17, 19:24

Nirvana Shatakam

Brahmacharis chant Nirvana Shatakam, the 1000-year-old chant composed by Adi Shankaracharya. This powerful chant is one of five Vairagya chants, which also include Aum Namah Shivaya, Shambho, Brahmananda Swaroopa and Guru Paduka Stotram.

The Isha Chants Android App makes all of them available on your phone. Mp3 versions are also available for download.

Feb 17, 18:54

21-foot Adiyogi Unveiling at the Isha Yoga Center

Sadhguru is unveiling the 21-foot Adiyogi at the Suryakund in the Isha Yoga Center. This is the second Adiyogi at The Isha Yoga Center. The first, unveiled during Guru Purnima in July 2014, is now at iii, USA.

Throughout this night, devotees visiting the ashram can offer lamps to Adiyogi. The entire ashram will also resonate to the Shiva Shiva chant, with devotees and volunteers chanting as they visit Dhyanalinga.

Those of you watching the live stream can also download the chant and keep it going throughout the night.

Download "Shiva Shiva"

Feb 17, 17:58

Pancha Bhuta Aradhana

Every month, through a powerful process known as Pancha Bhuta Aradhana, Sadhguru opens up a unique opportunity for devotees to benefit from this deep yogic science which would otherwise require intense sadhana.

On the 14th day of every lunar month, known as Shivarathri, and especially on Mahashivratri , there is an opportunity to experience the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana at the Dhyanalinga between 5:40 pm and 6:10 pm.

Feb 17, 13:56

Tell us your Mahashivratri story!

Mahashivratri has been celebrated for thousands of years throughout the Indian subcontinent. Even today, devotees celebrate and express their devotion for Shiva in myriad ways.

We’d like you tell us what’s happening on Mahashivratri, wherever you are. Text updates, photos, videos, soundbytes, everything’s okay – just make it exhaustive. Put your coverage up on FB/Twitter and don’t forget the hashtag #ShivaShiva.

“Reporters” with the best coverage will receive one of these awesome giveaways.

1. Mystic’s Musings (personally signed by Sadhguru) + Karna DVD

2. You (personally signed by Sadhguru) + Kashi – The Eternal City DVD

3. Eternal Echoes (personally signed by Sadhguru) + Kailash Manasarovar Yatra DVD

Innovative or special efforts will also be acknowledged.

Let’s make #ShivaShiva trend!

Feb 17, 11:38

5 Facts About Mahashivratri

To kick-off the live blog, here’s 5 facts about Mahashivratri, that look at why this day and night is so significant, and the many ways one can make use of it.

#1 There is a natural upsurge of energy in the human system

Sadhguru: The fourteenth day of every lunar month, a day before the new moon day, is referred to as Shivarathri. On this day, there is a natural upsurge in the human energy system. The Shivarathri which falls in the month of Magha in the Indian calendar (February/March) is referred to as Mahashivratri because particularly on this day, there is an assistance from nature to raise energies within the human system. A spiritual process is about moving a human being beyond limitations. For this, the most fundamental process is that there is an upward movement of energy.

#2 Signifies different things to different people

Sadhguru: Mahashivratri is significant in many ways. For people who live in family situations, Mahashivratri is celebrated as Shiva’s wedding anniversary. For ascetics, it is the day when after millennia of meditation, he became as still as a mountain and merged with Kailash, preserving all his knowing there. So ascetics see Mahashivratri as a day of stillness. The ambitious in the world see it as the day Shiva conquered all his enemies.

#3 Keeping the spine erect throughout the night opens many possibilities

Sadhguru: On this night, staying awake, aware, with spine erect helps one make the most of the great assistance offered by nature. All evolution in a human being is fundamentally an upward movement of energy. Every practice, every sadhana that a sadhaka does is only to move the energies upward.

#4 Celebrated as a night-long festival of music and dance

Mahashivratri has always been celebrated through the night. The exuberant nightlong festival at the Isha Yoga Center sets the ideal ambience to experience Mahashivratri, with explosive meditations and spectacular musical performances by renowned artists, drawing over a million people.

#5 Pancha Bhuta Aradhana is performed in the presence of Sadhguru

The basis of all creation, including the physical body, are the five elements or the pancha bhutas. The wellbeing of the body and the mind can be established by purifying the five elements within the human system. This process also shapes the body to become a stepping stone towards one’s ultimate wellbeing rather than being a hurdle. There is a whole system of yoga called bhuta shuddhi, meaning purification of the elements. With the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana, Sadhguru opens up a unique opportunity for devotees to benefit from this deep yogic science which would otherwise require intense sadhana.

Mahashivratri will be celebrated at the Isha Yoga Center on February 17, from 6pm – February 18, 6am IST. Follow the live blog for behind-the-scenes action, pictures, videos and live updates. Don't forget to register for the live webstream. The nightlong celebration includes discourses and powerful meditations, along with musical performances by Zila Khan and Parthiv Gohil. Plus, Isha's very own "Sounds of Isha" will also be taking the stage.

Live Webstream

Pay As You Wish!

To offer this to everyone, the webstream is “Pay as you like.” However, enormous costs are involved, and we request you to contribute generously to make this and future events possible.

In Indian Rupees In US Dollars

Other Ways to Join The Celebration

Live! Be at the Isha Yoga Center for the grandest night of the year.

Watch it on TV. DD Podhigai, Aastha, ETV (Telugu) and Aastha (International) will telecast the event.

Celebrating the great night

The celebrations will begin at 5.40 pm at the Dhyanalinga with Sadhguru conducting the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana – a unique opportunity to cleanse the five elements of the body which leads to health and well-being. At the celebration grounds, the festivities will begin with chanting followed by Sadhguru leading the audience through several preparatory spiritual processes. At the stroke of midnight Sadhguru will initiate the huge gathering into a very powerful meditation which is the most looked forward to event of the night. Cultural and musical performances will be held in between meditations and discourses. Annadhanam (a free offering of food) will be served to hundreds of thousands of people on this auspicious night. The celebrations will culminate at 6 am with a meditation by Sadhguru.

Why Mahashivratri?

Shivarathri is the 14th day of every lunar month. The Shivarathri in the lunar month, which falls in the month of February or March, is known as Mahashivratri. Explaining the significance of this sacred night, Sadhguru has said, “Mahashivratri is not a celebration of just cultural significance. It is of a certain scientific and spiritual significance to us. During this night, because of the planetary positions, there is a powerful upsurge of energies within every human being. If one keeps the spine erect through the night and creates the right kind of meditativeness, the right mantra, and the right attitude – both external and internal, Mahashivratri can be a tremendous possibility to heighten one’s perception, get closer to the creator and taste a larger slice of life.”

This, the darkest night of the year, celebrates the Grace of Shiva, who is the Adi Guru or first Guru from whom the yogic tradition originates. The planetary positions on this night are such that there is a powerful natural upsurge of energy in the human system. It is enormously beneficial for one's physical and spiritual wellbeing to stay awake and aware in a vertical position throughout the night. In addition, the benefit of any spiritual practices performed on this night multiply many-fold. It is for this reason that in the yogic tradition it is said that one should stay awake on the night of Mahashivratri.

Editor's Note: Download Sadhguru's ebook, Shiva - Ultimate Outlaw, along with Vairagya, an album of sacred chants (also available as an Android App). They're free!

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