Krishna’s Night, Shiva’s Light: Embracing Oneness
"॥ कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा ॥"
Understanding the Four Sacred Nights
The verse "कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा" from the Tantrokta Ratri Suktam beautifully encapsulates the spiritual essence of four sacred nights. Each night offers a profound opportunity to connect with the divine and work on inner transformation.
Kal Ratri (Diwali):
Significance: Diwali, the night of Kal Ratri, is a time to dispel the darkness within and around you. It’s a night to embrace the light and let it illuminate your soul. The sadhana during Diwali is all about purifying your mind and heart, allowing the divine light to guide your path.
How to Pray:
Meditation: Find a quiet corner, close your eyes, and meditate on the light within you. Imagine this light growing brighter with each breath, pushing away any negativity or fear.
Invocation: You can softly chant mantras like "Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namah" or "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah." As you do, feel the divine presence removing obstacles from your life.
Lamp Lighting: Light a diya with devotion, offering it to the divine as a symbol of your inner purity and your wish to banish all darkness from your life.
Maha Ratri (Shivratri):
Significance: Maha Shivratri is a night dedicated to spiritual awakening and deep transformation. It’s an opportunity to connect with Lord Shiva, to let go of the ego, and to rise above worldly attachments.
How to Pray:
Shiva Abhishekam: Perform Abhishekam, the sacred ritual of bathing a Shiva Lingam with water, milk, honey, or whatever you have available, while chanting "Om Namah Shivaya."
Let each drop be a surrender of your ego to the divine.Meditation: Sit in silence, meditating on the formless aspect of Shiva. Feel yourself dissolving into this formlessness, becoming one with the vastness of the universe.
Fasting: If it feels right, observe a fast to purify your body and mind. Use this as a way to deepen your connection with Lord Shiva, letting go of all distractions.
Moh Ratri (Janmashtami):
Significance: Janmashtami, the night of Moh Ratri, invites you to see through the illusions (Maya) of life and realize the divine presence of Krishna within. It’s a night to seek clarity, to dispel ignorance, and to reconnect with your true self.How to Pray:
Krishna Mantra Chanting: Gently chant "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare" or “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya,” letting each repetition draw you closer to Krishna’s teachings and his presence in your life.
Reading the Gita: Spend some quiet time reading verses from the Bhagavad Gita. Reflect on how Krishna’s words apply to your life, helping you overcome illusions and see the truth.
Meditation: As you meditate, picture Krishna’s loving presence guiding you. Ask for his guidance in overcoming the challenges and confusions in your life.
Darun Ratri (Holi):
Significance: Holi, or Darun Ratri, is a night of transformation, where good triumphs over evil. It’s a time to cleanse your heart of any negativity and to celebrate the renewal of life.How to Pray:
Inner Purification: Take a moment to reflect on any negative emotions or habits you want to let go of. As you watch the flames of Holika Dahan, visualize these negativities being burned away, leaving you renewed.
Colour Offering: Play with colours not just for fun, but as a joyful offering to the divine. Let each colour remind you of the beauty of life and the fresh start that comes with inner transformation.
Meditation: End your day with a meditation on the renewal of life. Focus on the positive qualities you want to cultivate, asking for the divine’s blessings for a fresh start.
Each of these sacred nights holds immense power to strengthen your sadhana and the mantras you’ve attained ‘siddhi’ in. They are not just rituals but opportunities to deepen your connection with the divine.
Advaita Approach to Janmashtami: Realizing Oneness
In the Advaita tradition, Krishna and Shiva are not separate from you; they are reflections of your own true self. Janmashtami isn’t just about celebrating Krishna’s birth; it’s about realizing that the same divine essence flows through Krishna, Shiva, and you. Here’s how you can embrace this understanding on Janmashtami —
Meditative Worship:
Morning Meditation: Start your day by sitting quietly and contemplating the oneness of Krishna, Shiva, and yourself. As you breathe in, silently chant “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Brahman) or "Shivoham" (I am Shiva). As you breathe out, feel that divine consciousness filling you, recognizing that you are one with all that is sacred.
Symbolic Offerings:
Unified Altar: Create a simple altar with symbols that resonate with you—a peacock feather for Krishna, a Rudraksha for Shiva, or whatever feels right. Let this altar remind you of the unity of all divine forms.
Mantras: Chant mantras of your Isht Deity, like “Om Namah Shivaya” or “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.”
Let these chants affirm the divinity within you, reminding you that Krishna, Shiva, and your true self are one.
Contemplative Bhakti:
Internal Worship: As you perform any ritual, let it be a meditation on the oneness of all.
See the deity you worship, the act of worship, and yourself as different expressions of the same divine consciousness.
Mantra Japa with Advaitic Understanding:
Krishna Mantra: Chant “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare” with the understanding that Krishna is the infinite consciousness within you.
Shiva Mantra: Chant “Om Namah Shivaya,” recognizing that Shiva represents the same ultimate reality as Krishna, a reality that is your own true self.
Gita and Advaita:
Reading the Gita: On Janmashtami, dive into the Bhagavad Gita. Focus on Krishna’s teachings about the unity of all beings and the nature of the self, letting these insights guide your path.
Integration into Daily Life:
Living in Awareness: Throughout the day, keep the awareness that Krishna, Shiva, and your essence are one. Let every action you take be a celebration of this divine oneness.
By worshipping Krishna or Shiva according to Advaita principles, you honour them not as separate deities but as reflections of the one, undivided reality that is also your true self.
This Janmashtami, let your Sadhana be a journey towards realizing this profound oneness, making each moment a step closer to the divine within.
May the divine light guide your path, the sacred chants resonate within your heart, and the oneness of all beings fill your soul with peace.
As you embrace the sacred night of Krishna’s birth and the wisdom of Advaita, may you find the divine presence ever closer, within and around you.
Om Tat Sat
Salutations to the Divine Essence that dwells in all of us.
