By — Shyamal Sinha
 Weekly drops of wisdom from the banks of Mother GangaDear Parmarth Family, Jai Gange! Har Har Mahadev!Heartfelt wishes to you all on the sacred third Monday of Shravan. During this sacred month of Shravan, our hearts naturally turn toward Lord Shiva. Temple bells echo, sacred water is offered upon the Shivling, Kanwariyas carry the holy waters of Ma Ganga to offer to Mahadev, and the divine chant of “Om Namah Shivaya” fills the air. There is a beautiful significance behind this sacred offering of water, especially during Shravan, the sacred month of the monsoon. During the Samudra Manthan, when the deadly Halahal poison emerged and no one could contain it, Mahadev accepted it for the welfare of all. He neither swallowed the poison nor allowed it to spread into the world. Instead, He held it in His throat and became Neelkanth.The powerful poison generated immense heat, and sacred water was offered to Lord Shiva to cool and soothe Him. This sacred tradition continues today through Jalabhishek, the offering of water upon the Shivling, which holds special significance during Shravan.   Shravan arrives with the monsoon, when the heavens pour water upon the earth, cooling, cleansing, and renewing all of creation. Just as the rains of Shravan cool and nourish Mother Earth, devotees offer the sacred waters of Ma Ganga upon Mahadev, remembering Neelkanth and offering Him the cooling Jalabhishek.Within this sacred tradition is a beautiful message for each of us: the rains perform an abhishek of Mother Earth, devotees perform an abhishek of Mahadev, and Shravan invites us to perform an abhishek within ourselves.Just as Mahadev held the poison without allowing it to enter within or spread into the world, we too will encounter poisons in life – perhaps in the form of pain, anger, insult, ego, resentment, or betrayal. The question is not whether they will come, but what we choose to do with them. Mahadev teaches us:Do not absorb the poison within, and do not spread it to others. Transform it through sadhana into peace, compassion, and seva. This Shravan, as the rains cool the earth and the sacred waters of Ma Ganga are offered to Mahadev, let us also cool our anger, cleanse our hearts, and offer all that is bitter within us to Lord Shiva. Let us fill our lives instead with Shivatva, peace, compassion, and seva.Har Har Mahadev!Om Namah Shivaya!Jai Gange! |
