Shiva Ratri is an auspicious day, the fourteenth after the full moon when the moon is falling. The festival is related to the moon than the sun. This is the reason why it is called Shivaratri, the night of Shiva. The other nights are just nights, but this particular night is the night of Shiva, the night of consecration. The night of dedication, the night lighting. It is celebrated by reciting the mantra of Gopeshvara Mahadeva. If there is a God, you do a puja with the yoghurt, milk and flowers. It is also recommended to stay awake and do fasting, praying, reading the Scriptures and singing devotional songs. recite the mantra of Lord Siva-Gopeshvara pranama:
vrindavanavani-pate jaya soma soma-maulesanaka-Sanandana-sanatana-naradedyagopishvara vraja-vilasa-yugaghri-padmeprema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namaste
"Oh goalkeeper Vrindavana Oh Soma, all glories to You! Oh Thou whose head is decorated with the moon, who is adored by the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada.Oh Gopeshwara, I pray for bonuses for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Madhava that achieves its sublime pastimes in Vraja Dhama,
repeatedly offer gifts at your feet
Also in the Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 12, Chapter 13, it says:
nimna-ganam yatha ganga devanam Acyuta yathaVaisnavanam yatha shambhuh purananam idam tatha
"Just as the Ganges is the largest of the rivers, so the Lord Acyuta is the supreme among deities and Lord Shambu (Siva) is the largest of the Vaishnava. Similarly Srimad Bhagavatam is the greatest of all Puranas. "
Srila Prabhupada wrote in the Book of Krishna: Once, the shepherds of cows in Vrndavana, headed by Nanda Maharaja, desired to go to Ambikavana Sivaratri to perform the ceremony. The rasa-lila was done during the autumn and, after that, the next big ceremony is Holi, or the ceremony Dolayatra. Between the ceremony and the ceremony Dolayatra rasa-lila, There is an important ceremony, called Sivaratri, which is especially observed by Shiva, or devotees of Lord Siva. Sometimes, however, the Vaisnavas observe this ceremony, because they consider the Lord Shiva the foremost of Vaisnavas. The function of Sivaratri is not observed regularly by devotees or devotees of Krishna. Due to the circumstances, it is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam that the shepherds, headed by Nanda Maharaja, "a desired time." This means that they generally did not observe Sivaratri, but they once wanted to go to Ambikavana curiosity. Ambikavana is located in the province of Gujarat, on the banks of the Sarasvati, and all the pastors of cows and Nanda Maharaja là.Cominciarono went to worship the deities of Lord Siva and Ambika with great devotion. E 'general practice that wherever there is a temple of Lord Siva, there must be a temple of Ambika (or Durga), so that Ambika is the wife of Lord Siva and is the most sublime of chaste women. She lives not far from the company of his pastors sposo.I cows, headed by Nanda Maharaja, passed last night by the river Sarasvati. Fasted all day and drank a little water in notte.Si said that a poor Brahmin, wanting to get a blessing, I love the Lord Siva. The Lord Siva advised the brahmana to visit Sanatana Goswami. The devotee did so, and once with Sanatana Goswami, told him that the Lord Siva told him to get close to him in search of the best blessings. Sanatana had a philosopher's stone that held near the place where to throw the garbage. When I asked the poor brahmana, Sanatana Goswami did not hesitate in giving him, and the brahmana became happy. He could have all the money he wanted, was enough to touch any metal with one stone. After discharged from Sanatana, he thought: "If a philosopher's stone is the best blessing because Sanatana Gosvami kept it near the garbage?". With this thought came back and asked Sanatana Gosvami: "Lord, if this is the best blessing, because it was close the garbage? ". Sanatana Gosvami then said," Actually, it is the best blessing, but ... you are prepared to receive the best of blessings?. "The brahmana said," Yes, sir. Lord Siva has sent me to you because you give me the best. "Then Sanatana Gosvami asked him to throw the stone into the river and back. The poor brahmana did, and when he returned, Sanatana Gosvami began in the Hare Krishna mantra. For the blessing of Lord Siva, the brahmana could relate to the best devotee of Lord Krishna and receive initiation in the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Nectar revealed by Srila Maharaja BA Paramadvaiti
The mercy of Sri Mahadeva Gopeshvara
