sivaratri

Aujourd'hui, c'est Sivaratri en Inde, mais une autre Inde que celle décrite dans le film Slumdog millionaire primé hier à Hollywood.
L'Inde d'aujourd'hui est dans l'âge des ténèbres - voyez le film pour vous en persuader - et d'autant plus sans doute qu'elle en est fière, à voir la liesse des rues indiennes à l'annonce de tous ces oscars raflés pour avoir dépeint quelque peu son univers cauchemardesque.
L'Inde qui célèbre Sivaratri en jeûnant, priant et méditant, c'est l'autre, celle qui se meurt, celle que l'on disait de toujours, du dharma éternel, il n'y a pas si longtemps encore.
Mon ami Swami Dharmananda est de ceux qui tentent avec l'énergie du désespoir de maintenir une tradition de sagesse et de freiner le basculement de leur pays dans une modernité dont ils se doutent qu'il ne s'en remettra pas. Voici le message qu'il délivre en ce grand jour à ceux qui, en Inde et ailleurs, accordent plus d'importance à la vie méditative qu'aux strass et paillettes hollybollywoodiennes:


Dear Friends,
Monday 23rd is Sivaratri. One of the holiest days here in India. The day falls on the 13th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun (Feb-Mar) every year. On this day we are told to keep strict fast during the day and devote all night in prayer, worship and meditation. Next morning after feeding a few saintly brahmins or monks then break the fasting. Night long chanting of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya mantra, 108 names of Shiva are done. Avishekha of Shivalingam  that is bathing the Shivalingam with water is done at four different times during the night. On this day Shivalingam is bathed with milk, curd, ghee and honey. Thousands of devotees flock all the Shiva temples all over the country and offer their prayers.
As average people  do this ritual worship sincere spiritual aspirants have to do more meditation and worship the Shiva within.
Shiva is an infinite ocean of pure consciousness. Shiva is light, wisdom, love, renunciation. Shiva is the destroyer-regenerator. Shiva is Nataraj the king among dancers. His dance is the dance of life and death. His each dancing steps creates and destroys the universe in repeated cycles of manifstation and dissolution. Shiva is one popular Name  in which the great God of the universe is loved and worshipped in India. He is popularly known only as the destroyer. That destruction is only one of his aspects. He is the highest God and Shiva lingam is His highest symbol.

On this holy day let us assert and strongly resolve:

I will shine forth in joy, peace, love and wisdom.
I will shine forth in sharing, caring and offering.
I will shine forth in honesty, truthfulness and loyalty to my principles.
I will shine forth in humility and obedience to what my inner feelings tell me.
I will shine forth in loving service and surrendering to the God in me.
I will shine forth in courage , bravery and fighting injustice wherever I perceive it.
I will shine forth in stopping those who are cheating and deceiving people for their selfish ends.
I will shine forth in non-revenge, non-hatred and non-rejection.

Let us pray, let us desire, let us wish and let us act to manifest the above in both personal and social life.

With love and best wishes
Swamiji