Mahashivratri Katha

Part 1: The Hunter and the Coincidence of Shivratri

In very ancient times, in a forest near Varanasi, lived a hunter named Chitrabhanu. He hunted animals and supported his family. He had taken a loan from a moneylender but could not repay it on time. The angry moneylender imprisoned him in a Shiva math. By chance it was Shivratri that day.

In the Shiva math the katha and bhajans of Shivratri were going on. Chitrabhanu, a prisoner, kept listening to everything. He heard of Shiva's glory and of the Shivratri vrat. He got nothing to eat the whole day, so his fast also happened. In the evening the moneylender asked him when he would repay the loan. Chitrabhanu said, "I will pay everything by tomorrow." The moneylender let him go.

Part 2: The Night on the Bael Tree

Restless with hunger and thirst, Chitrabhanu set out into the forest in search of game. Night had fallen. He climbed a bael tree by the edge of a pond, thinking that if some animal came to drink water, he would kill it. Beneath that tree was a Shivalinga covered with bael leaves, which he did not know about. Chitrabhanu kept breaking off leaves and dropping them down so that his view would be clear. Those bael leaves kept falling on the Shivalinga. He had a small pot of water with him, and a few drops from it also fell on the Shivalinga.

Part 3: The First Prahar

When the first prahar had passed, a pregnant doe came to the pond to drink water. As soon as the hunter set an arrow on his bow, the doe said, "O hunter, I am pregnant, do not kill me. I will give birth to my young one and return to you, then you may kill me." Pity rose in Chitrabhanu and he let her go. In this way, unknowingly, the worship of his first prahar was completed.

Part 4: The Second Prahar

In the second prahar another doe came. The hunter took aim again. The doe said, "I have been separated from my mate. I will find him and return, then you may kill me." The hunter let her go too. Meanwhile bael leaves kept falling again and the worship of the second prahar was completed.

Part 5: The Third Prahar

In the third prahar a doe came with her young. She said, "I will leave my young ones safely with their father and come back. Let me go." The hunter thought for a moment and let her go as well. The third prahar too passed in worship.

Part 6: The Fourth Prahar

In the fourth prahar a stag came. When the hunter aimed his arrow, the stag said, "If you have killed the three does before me, then kill me too. But if you have let them live, give me a little time so that I may meet them." The hunter told him the whole matter. The stag said, "They are all of my own family. Let me go and meet them." The hunter let him go too.

Part 7: Dawn and Shiva's Grace

Through staying awake all night, fasting, offering bael leaves and the falling of water, Chitrabhanu's Shivratri vrat and four-prahar worship was completed. His mind became pure, his sins were washed away and compassion welled up in his heart.

At dawn that stag returned with his family to the hunter. Seeing their truthfulness and sacrifice, Chitrabhanu's heart melted. He said, "All of you have kept to the truth. I will not kill you." At that very moment Shiva's ganas appeared from the sky. Lord Shiva blessed him. He said, "You worshipped me on my Shivratri even though unknowingly, so you will attain my abode."

It is said that in his next birth Chitrabhanu became Guha, the king of Shringaverapura, who in the Treta Yuga received the good fortune of serving Lord Ram. He became famous as Nishadraj Guha.

The Belief of the Marriage of Shiva and Parvati

In many traditions it is believed that the marriage of Shiva and Parvati took place on the night of Mahashivratri. That is why in many temples the wedding festival of Shiva-Parvati is celebrated on this night and a wedding procession is taken out.

Thus ends the complete Mahashivratri Katha