MAHASHIVARATRI -- WEDNESDAY (NOT Tuesday!) February 26 7 pm
Unusually this year MahaShivaratri spans two nights, and we will celebrate it on Weds. evening!
(Sharmaji is flying back from India just in time to come to Fairfield to be with us.)
MahaShivaratri is considered to be the most powerful time of the year to appeal to Lord Shiva for world peace, neutralization of negativity, and improvement of health or recovery from disease. Worship of Shiva is for healing, deep silence, peace and transcendence, and the world is in greater need than ever.
This
year for MahaShivaratri Vedic Pandit D.N. Sharma will perform four
traditional Vedic Yagyas to invoke the blessings of Shiva beginning at
7 pm and lasting until dawn. The location is the Hamilton's porch.
Location: 2140 227th Street South on Rte 1 (Main St.) under Rte. 34 overpass, 1st left on 227th, 2nd house on the right.
Volunteers are needed Wednesday afternoon to help set up: please contact Jennifer at (641) 919-9147 if you can help.
Shivaratri
is considered to be the most powerful time of the year to perform
Yagyas to Shiva and traditionally Yagyas for world peace, neutralization
of negativity, improvement of health or recovery from disease are
conducted at this time.
The first Yagya – Rudrabhishek – will start promptly at 7 pm and attendees are requested to arrive at 6:30 pm.
The
second Yagya is the Mrityunjaya Homa fire ceremony which starts at 9:00 pm. “‘Mrityunjaya’ means ‘victory over death’” explains Pandit
Sharma “and this Yagya is said to have great benefits for creating good
health or overcoming disease or planetary afflictions.”
The third
Yagya is the Shiva Sahasranam Yagya which starts at 11:15 pm. The final
performance of Rudrabhishek will begins at 1:15 am. “You are welcome to
attend the entire evening, and it is traditional to spend the whole
night of MahaShivaratri doing traditional Yagyas” explains Pandit
Sharma. “But you will gain many blessings even if you can come to only
one of the four Yagyas.”
Attendees are asked to bring washed
fruit and some flowers as an offering and to arrive at least 15 minutes
earlier than the given starting times to allow time to get settled. It
is traditional to shower the day of the yagya and to wear fresh, clean
clothes. It is also considered important to avoid any meat or egg
products all day on MahaShivaratri.
There is no set fee for
attendance at the Yagya, but sponsorships of the Yagya or contributions
to cover Pundit Sharma’s expenses are gratefully appreciated.
Formal Sponsorship of the Yagya:
Everyone who attends gets blessing from the Yagyas and there is no set fee to participate.
The
Vedic tradition also outlines the value of formal sponsorships of each
Yagya by individuals or families. The names of all sponsors or
“yajamanas” will be recited as part of the “Sankalpa” or “Resolution” at
the outset of the Yagya.
Yajamana Sponsorship of the Entire Yagya: $108 for individual; $151 for family or business
Yajamana Sponsorship for both Rudrabhiskeks: $72 for individual; $108 for family or business
Yajamana Sponsorship for a single Yagya: $36 for individual; $54 for family or business
Donations:
If
you are not able to be a formal "Yajamana" sponsor, you are welcome to
attend as there is no set fee for these yagyas. However, your generosity
is essential to make these events happen.
Donations
are requested to help cover the many costs associated with putting on
this elaborate yagya and energetically are essential for the
participants. Please make a donation if you attend, even if it is a
modest one.
Pundit
Sharma visits Fairfield regularly and is available for private Vedic
Yagyas; please leave a message for Pandit Sharma at 630 248 3368 or
email him at vedicyagya@hotmail.com.
If there is interest, we will set up a private zoom meeting; email sunpointjennifer@gmail.com You are invited to listen to Sharmaji's Shiva recitations that include Shiva Daaridya Dukha Dahanaya, Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, Panchakshara Stotram, ending with 108 recitations of Om Namah Shivaya.
Here is a link to the audio of Sharmaji's recitations on youtube: https://youtu.be/YjiA3VlD8dM
OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!
