Shiv Ratri

Once every year during the month of Phalgun, Maha Shiva-ratri occurs. This Maha Shiva-ratri day is considered to be the day when Lord Shiva married Parvati and it is celebrated elaborately by devotees of Lord Shiva.

Vaishnavas do not generally take part in the worship of demigods except to honor them as great devotees of the Lord. But Lord Shiva is worshipped by Vaishnavas because he is the greatest Vaishnava. He is especially worshipped by Vaishnavas in his form of Gopisvara Mahadeva, which is the form of a gopi which Lord Shiva accepted in order to witness Lord Krishna’s topmost pastimes.

Lord Shiva is known as kshetrapala, the protector and guardian of the Lord’s holy dhama, and therefore devotees of Krishna pray to Lord Shiva to allow them entrance into the dhama and the Lord’s pastimes.

At the ISKCON Rajapur Sri Jagannatha Mandir in Mayapur, Maha Shiva-ratri is celebrated every year. Devotees bathe Lord Shiva with milk, yogurt, honey, and Ganga water, and offer him bael leaves and many fragrant garlands. Many senior devotees participate and speak about the glories and pastimes of Lord Shiva.