Shivratri marks the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Various interpretations exist regarding its significance.

Some view it as a physical event; others see it as a representation of male and female energies (Shiva and Shakti).

The ultimate truth remains ambiguous.

Let us try to understand each aspect – If I say that ‘Srishti’ means the universe, then that is absolutely correct. But if I tell you that ‘Srishti’ is also the name of my 10-year-old daughter, then that too is equally true.

What I mean to say is that a single word can have multiple meanings. So, when we try to understand something, we should strive to acquire complete knowledge about it. Otherwise, we may end up understanding something incorrectly and holding onto that belief throughout our lives, rather than recognizing the truth.

Any incarnation that has taken birth in a human form—be it Krishna, Radha, Rama, Sita, Waheguru, Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Muhammad, Sai Baba, or anyone else—goes through all the natural stages of life: birth, parents, childhood, youth, love, marriage, old age, and death, just like every living being in nature.
But who are Shiva's parents? When was he born? Where was he born? What about his childhood, youth, old age, and death? Who can answer these questions? Perhaps no one has ever asked.
What we know about Shiva is limited—he resides on Kailash, often depicted in a meditative posture. He marries Parvati, and through that marriage, they have a son, Ganesh. During the churning of the ocean, he consumed poison, holding it in his throat. When angered, he performs the Tandava, causing the earth to tremble. Beyond this, his form is described: he is often depicted seated with Parvati, with the Ganges emerging from his forehead, the crescent moon adorning his head like a crown, snakes around his neck. Such a form is truly unusual and extraordinary—no other incarnation, whether Rama or Krishna, has been depicted like this. Why is that?
The point I want to make is; can any human form truly embody something as vast as the crescent moon on their head or the Ganges flowing out of their forehead? None of the other incarnations, born in human form, were depicted in this way. Isn't it something worth pondering? So, what is the truth?
Is Shiva in human form, or is Shiva a symbol of energy? This could be a topic of discussion, right? As the conversation progresses, Shiva seems to appear more as a symbol of energy rather than an incarnation like Krishna and others who took human forms. After all, human bodies cannot be adorned with the moon, Ganges, etc.

If we need to understand this further, the three powers—Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva—none of them have a known birth, parents, or childhood. Nobody knows anything about their youth either. We don’t know when Vishnu and Brahma got married, or anything about their old age or death, which are the foundations of the cycle of life. So, are these three deities incarnations in human form, or are they symbols of three distinct energies?
I believe these three deities represent three distinct energies:

Brahma – Depicted as elderly, and the elderly are often wiser. Thus, Brahma symbolizes the power of the mind (called ‘Mind’ in English).

Vishnu – Vishnu is also known as Narayana, and Narayana symbolizes the power of the human body (‘Body’ in English).

Shiva – Shiva is worshipped through the Shivling by offering water and milk. The Shivling symbolizes the union of Shiva’s ling and Parvati’s yoni, representing the male and female union—the power that sustains the cycle of life (‘Life Force’ in English). Shiva’s power is called ‘Soul’ in English.

So, what is referred to as Body, Mind, and Soul in English has been addressed by our Sanatanis as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, worshipping them. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are not incarnations that took human form; rather, they are three fundamental energies created by nature, without which life is impossible.

So, in this way, we all concluded that Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are three distinct forces of the living world, without which life is impossible. These three forces are to be worshiped, as they are the reason we have this life. Thus, our ancestors worshiped them in these forms. This is how small stories associated with them emerged, which explain these forces in a better way.

For example, Vishnu symbolizes the power of the human body, and his wife, Lakshmi, represents the goddess of food. Now, can the body survive without food? Certainly not. For the body to survive, humans need food, which we worship as Lakshmi Mata. Vishnu and Lakshmi complement each other, just as husband and wife complement each other. Over time, the meaning of Lakshmi evolved; humans transitioned from one system to another. During the barter system era, Lakshmi must have represented food. Later came the money system, and now, wealth is required for food. Hence, Lakshmi is depicted as showering wealth. But were there money or currency thousands of years ago? No. So did they know a money system would arise? Certainly not. When these systems were not yet established, they had already learned to worship the foundational forces of life, which have manifested in this form over thousands of years, moving from one era to another.

The point is that worshiping Vishnu and Lakshmi as husband and wife represents the two fundamental forces created by nature—body and food—without which life is impossible.

Similarly, Brahma (mind) and his wife, Saraswati, who is the goddess of knowledge, symbolize knowledge. Brahma (mind) and Saraswati (knowledge) complement each other; one is incomplete without the other. Thus, in ancient times, the followers of Sanatana worshiped these two fundamental forces as husband and wife.

It is noteworthy that nothing is known about the birth, parents, childhood, youth, or demise of Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Shakti. What does this signify? Are they goddesses in human form, or are they also the three fundamental forces of life that our Sanatani ancestors worshiped? As we delve deeper into the discussion, everything will become clearer.

Now, let's talk about Shiva and Parvati. Shiva and Parvati represent the sexual energy of man and woman, without which life is impossible. It is through the union of man and woman that a child is born, and the cycle of life continues. Parvati gives birth to the child, and Shiva signifies its end (death). Everything is predetermined before birth—it is encoded in the DNA of a human being even before they are born. From birth to childhood, youth, old age, and eventually death, everything is pre-written and encoded in the DNA. That is why Shiva is also called "Mahakal" (the great timekeeper).

Thus, Shiva and Parvati symbolize both the male and female energies. These two forces are incomplete without each other. That is why Shiva is depicted as Ardhanarishvara (half male and half female). It signifies that man is incomplete without woman, and woman is incomplete without man. Through the union of their respective masculine and feminine energies, they become one, leading to the birth of offspring. This union of the two forces determines both birth and death. Without birth and death, the cycle of life cannot function.

The Ganga on Shiva’s forehead symbolizes that the origin of life began with water—millions of years ago, within the oceans, in the form of tiny bacteria, which marked the beginning of all living beings. The first bacterium was single-celled, meaning it was complete on its own. At that time, the concept of male and female energies for birth did not exist, which is why Shiva is also called “Adiyogi” (the first yogi). Parvati’s entry into Shiva’s life and their marriage happened much later, symbolizing the creation of male and female energies, which later became the foundation of life. This evolution of life started in the oceans and eventually transitioned to land.
Even today, the body of an organism first forms in water within the mother’s womb before emerging into the world and beginning to breathe. Every living being, whether in water, on land, or flying in the air, is born through the union of male and female energies.

The crescent moon on Shiva’s forehead represents that Adiyogi (Shiva) was complete in himself—the first life form, created by the influence of water (Ganga) and the moon within the ocean. As the cycle of life progressed and beings continued to be born, the meaning of the crescent moon on Shiva’s forehead evolved. The moon came to symbolize control over life-giving water, just as the moon influences the waters of all reservoirs. Thus, worshiping Shiva signifies worshiping the myriad forces that our Sanatani ancestors understood from ancient times and began to revere.

The union of male and female energies, when approached with honesty and purity, can create a power comparable to the Ganga—cool (calm), pure, and luminous like the moon. This power allows one to feel infinity (eternity, void, or the cosmos) and experience its boundless strength. This is why the Ganga and the crescent moon on Shiva’s forehead are depicted as symbols of these energies.

To worship Shiva means to recognize and revere all these profound meanings, though few in today’s age understand them. Since no one from that era remains to explain these concepts, what is known is what has been passed down over time—though it is not the complete truth.

So, imagine when humans truly understand and worship these powers, what would the state of the living world be like then? I believe we all would move back towards that raw energy which we have lost over time. And as we consciously progress towards these powers, the powers themselves would regain their strength, because we exist because of them. However, when we come into their true form, with the right knowledge, we will begin to strengthen those powers as well. As they say in English, “I water you, you water me.” We exist because of them, and they exist because of us.

In this way, we should learn about these powers—what are these powers that were worshipped but have evolved over time? With changing eras, people have made certain modifications to them, created small stories around these powers, showed them in books or television serials, and gradually began worshipping them in human forms. For example, rain was worshipped as Indra Dev, wind as Vayu Dev, the sun as Surya Dev, and so on. They were depicted in human forms, and stories were created around them. Today, we worship these powers in human form, believe in the stories created about them, but after saying all this, I want you to decide what could be the true meaning of worshipping these deities. Accept what your heart tells you.

As for me, I have tried to explain to you in various ways what these powers are that our ancestors of the Sanatan tradition worshipped. If you also agree with me, then let us move forward and try to understand how we worship Shiv during the auspicious time of Shivratri and what it truly means.

The method is as follows: On Shivratri, women observe fasting, offer water or milk on the Shivling in the evening, worship the idol of Shiv, and conclude the ritual by accepting prasad. Nowadays, many men also fast, offer water or milk on the Shivling, and worship Shiv. But it would be better to do this with complete knowledge and the correct method, not with partial understanding.

We must equally educate our men and boys, teaching them the significance of this worship and make them worship these energies not just on this day rather in their whole life, along with our women. Only then can we create a beautiful world again, where women are respected, and both men and women come together as complements to advance the cycle of life.

Additionally, married men and women should fast on Shivratri, offer milk and water to the Shivling as a mark of respect for the force that brings them the joy they deeply yearn for. They should honor and worship that happiness which they cherish so much. Following this, they should worship the idols of Shiv and Parvati, thereby paying homage to the fundamental forces of life that are essential for the continuation of the life cycle.

In this way, on the day of Shivratri, we consciously bow to and worship Shiv, Parvati, and all the other forces that mark the beginning of creation and the cycle of life, which sustain our existence to this day. It can also be seen as a festival celebrating life. Thus, people of all ages—young, old, men, and women—should come together on this day to worship, honor, and express gratitude to these life-giving forces.

Conclusively through this blog I want you all to remember the below fundamental things, also know about Sanatan dharma, their festivals and their significant connection to various energies:

• Restore connection to raw energy lost over time.
• Strengthen powers through knowledge and conscious progress.
• Recognize mutual existence between humans and these powers.
• Explore evolved forms of worship from ancient times.
• Acknowledge human representations of natural forces (e.g., Indra Dev for rain, Vayu Dev for wind).
• Reflect on the true meaning of worshiping deities.
• Educate men and boys on the significance of worship in daily life.
• Promote respect for women and collaboration between genders.
• Celebrate Shivratri by honoring forces of creation and life.
• Encourage participation from all ages in expressing gratitude to life-giving forces.
  Om Namah Shivaya!