Importance of Rudrabhishek Puja on Mahashivratri

Rudra Shiva

Rudra is the visible form of formless Param Shiva. Rudra Shiva is described as the One, Who is fiery and destructive. The Vedas extensively refer to Lord Shiva as Rudra. The sacred text Shri Rudram is a Vedic chant dedicated to Him. Rudra means the severe roarer and is revered as the mighty destructor Who eliminates all problems from their root. In the Rig Veda, He is prayed to seek protection from calamity and for blessings of the welfare of all. He is revered as the One with great healing power, Who with His purifying and nourishing energies can restore health and bestow longevity.

Origin of Rudra

There are several stories mentioned in different scriptures about the origin of Rudras. Shiva Purana states that once the Gods of heaven were defeated by demons and the king of Gods, Indra was dethroned. He approached his father, Maharishi Kashyap for a solution. Kashyap meditated upon Shivling for some time and Lord Shiva pleased by him asked him to request a boon. With a desire for justice to God, he requested Lord Shiva to be born as His son and protect God. The wish was granted by Lord Shiva. Overtime, Kashyap and his wife Surabhi were blessed with 11 sons, the celestial entity known as 11 Rudras namely Kapali, Pingal, Bheem, Virupaksha, Vilohit, Shastra, Ajapaad, Ahirbudhnya, Shambhu, Chand, and Bhav. Since Lord Shiva is the head of these immortal beings, He is addressed as the Rudra. These mighty 11 Rudras skilled in warfare and combat defeated all demons and re-enthroned the Gods to their rightful position and granted protection and aid to Gods to fight the dark forces.

Significance of Rudrabhishek puja during Mahashivratri

Rudra Abhishek is a highly significant Mahashivratri Puja. The Shiva Tattva on the day of Mahashivratri is a thousand times more active in the aura. It requires a high level of intelligence to tap these subtle energies. And it is through great Punya and divine intervention or grace, one can absorb these energies. Chanting the divine Shiva mantra, chanting various sacred hymns, singing devotional songs give us a slight hint of these energies.  Rudrabhishek which means anointing chants of sacred Rudra mantras on Shivling is a very compelling, pure, and powerful ritual. These rituals of the consecration of Rudra Shiva help absorb these energies on a deeper level to experience peace, harmony, intuition power, and inner strength, and high spirit. Rudra ideally exists within us as the eleven Rudras in the form of eleven different organs that carry out different functioning in our body. These organs are located on a deeper level when Rudra puja is done, and deep wisdom awakens to experience the subtle energies during the Mahashivratri. Rudra being a mighty uproots cause of all sufferings and averts malefic effects of all planets and fulfills desires and bestows prosperity, good health, longevity, positivity, and spiritual growth. From working professionals, students, youth, businessmen to homemakers, all benefited from this powerful puja.

Important aspects of Rudrabhishek puja procedure

Ganesh Puja and Abhishek: Lord Ganesh is ‘Pratham Pujya’, One who is invoked at the beginning of any puja or auspicious ritual to remove any obstacles. The Rudra Abhishek puja begins with an invocation of Lord Ganesh followed by Abhishek (bathing ritual) as He symbolizes wisdom and discriminating intellect that one must possess to achieve perfectionism and success in any task.

Rudram Namakam: The hymns of Shri Rudram describing the names of Shiva as a fiery one. It is a prayer requesting the forgiveness of one’s sins and limitations. On a deeper level, it is about recognizing the Tattva of Shiva in everything and everyone, even in the best and the worst.

Abhishek with liquids: The sacred bathing of Shivling is done with holy liquids like Ganga Jal, which is symbolic of purification, Rosewater which means cleansing of vices like pride, selfishness, and vanity, milk which is symbolic of longevity. Fruit juices are also used in rituals like Sugarcane juice representing the removal of enmity, lemon juice represents the removal of fear, mango juice signifies the removal of mental and physical ailments and coconut juice signifies a sense of satisfaction.

Panchamrit Abhishek: Panchamrit is a mix of five items namely cow’s milk, honey, curd, sugar, and ghee which is a representation of five elements. The human body and its entire existence are made of five elements of nature-fire, earth, ether, water, and air. When all these elements are in harmony, peace prevails. Panchamrit Abhishek is a prayer to harmonize all the elements within and across existence to allow peace and harmony for the benefits of self and the entire universe.

Chanting of Sadyojaat mantra: Rudra Shiva performs five actions which are creation, preservation, dissolution, concealing, and revealing grace which corresponds with five forms and attributes of Shiva which are Sadyojaat representing willpower, Vāmadeva representing mental properties and thoughts, Aghora representing infinite knowledge, Tatpurusa representing bliss and Isana which represents Consciousness.

Rudra Shiva is very benevolent even in His Rudra (fiery) form. Rudra Abhishek signifies cleaning and curing of inner vices, past pain, and guilt, and negativities from life and liberation from limiting beliefs to transcend into divinity through spiritual growth.