Shiva, the Hindu "God of Transformation." is also known as "Mahadeva", meaning "great god".
Shiva is considered as the God of Gods.
His existence represents infinity itself. He is the supreme masculine divinity in this universe. He is the Lord of the three worlds (Vishwanath) and is second to none in wrath and power.
All full moon nights are said to be Shivaratri.
It's the last Shivaratri as per the Hindu lunar calendar that marks the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. Occurring in either February or March. This year the Maha Shivaratri day is on the 1st day of March.
Maha Shivaratri is a time for new beginnings of endeavours, especially in spiritual matters.
Tandava is a cosmic dance of transformation done by Shiva to mark the Occasion.
According to Hindu texts, the universe is in a constant flux, constantly being created, maintained, and destroyed, and in the process releasing an immense amount of cosmic energy.
The cosmic dance of Shiva is called 'Tandava,' meaning the Dance of Bliss, and it symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction. It's a wild and overwhelming dance, not a mundane passion or anger.
A pose during the dance that Shiva performs is called Natraja that demands strong balance, drawing on a person's capacity to stand firm through the release of negative energy. Idols of this pose are famous and usually found in homes.
The Blue Throat of Shiva
Maha Shivratri is so marked as the day when Shiva had the poison.
To reduce the friction between the Gods and Demons, God Vishu asked them to work together and churn the ocean to produce the nectar of immortality. However, before the nectar could be churned out, a vicious poison called halahala was produced. Halahala destroyed everything that came in its way. Shiva, both incredibly powerful and extremely compassionate, agreed to help. Shiva went to the ocean, scooped the entire quantity of poison in his palm, poured it into his mouth, and stored it in his thought. Eliminating the danger and saving everyone. The deadly poison turned Shiva's throat blue, and hence Shiva is also referred to as the Nilakantha, which means "blue-throated one."
