Welcome to the Holy Shrawan Month

Shravan, which usually corresponds to the month of July, comes after Chaitra, Vaishakh, Jyestha--the three hot months of summer, as one of the three months of rains in India--Ashadh, Shravan and Bhadra paksha, which bring great relief from the scorching sun and new hope to our farmers. Naturally everyone awaits and celebrates these months with enthusiasm and devotion. The month is related to Shiv and people go to the Shiv temples, even carrying holy water from rivers in small pots, tied with a bamboo stick and balanced on shoulders, called kanvars, sometimes covering a distance of more than hundred kilometers on foot, within a couple of days, like at Vaidyanath dham, also called Deoghar in Jharkhand.

Shiv, in the form of Shiv-ling, is offered holy water, bilwa-patra(leaves), paste, flowers etc. Mondays or the day of Moon, Som-war, are considered more auspicious for this, and people keep fasts on all the 4-5 Mondays, called Shrwan Somwar vrat, of this month. The women-folk arrange Shravan-mela (fair), observe fast on HartalikaTeej for the welfare of husband and his family, wear green bangles matching the greenery of nature due to rains, sing songs, enjoy jhoolas (swings), worship Shiv, Ganesh and Radha-Krishna and above all observe Rsksha-Bandhan, perhaps with no parallels anywhere, when sisters tie a knot of thread, called Rakhi, a symbol of love and trust, on the wrists of their brothers.

If a girl ties a Rakhi on anyone's wrist, they become brother-sister instantly and ever remain so. Such is the importance of a simple thread called Rakhi. Sawan, also known as Shravan is the fifth month and is considered as the holiest month in the Hindu calendar The Shravan month is synonymous with auspicious festivals and events. ... Shravan maas' ruling deity is Lord Shiva. In this month, each Monday is celebrated as Shravan Somvar across all temples with the Dharanatra hanging over the Shiva linga, bathing it with holy water and milk, throughout the day into the night.

Mytholgically: in this month, churing of ocean takes place and the deadly poison that came from the ocean was able to destroy the world single handily so to save the world lord Shiva drink it, so in order to show our respect to the great almighty our lord shiva we celebrate saavan month and offer him various things to please him we offer him milk so that it can reduce the effect of pain he is wearing for us we offer him holy water so that we can become pure like him

Now this was the story let it understand it in another framework as you know Hinduism works on meanings of stories not on fairy tales so every mythological story has a deep secret behind it. Here the demons and gods are good people and bad people doing their works and lord Vishnu who appeared as tortoise to help them is the cause of the illusion which keep people engaged in churning (mathan) the snake used in churning is your own mind and the nectar which comes out is self realisation so whenever you will try to realize the self negative thoughts and illusions will disturb you and lord shiva the supreme almighty will drink your negativity every time providing a way to you so that you can realise you without any problems mata Adi shakti is the cosmic energy who helps us to realise as she is power of shiva.

According to scientific research, the cosmic energy is at its highest level during shiva ratri and at its high level in shravan month so many people use it for their spiritual development. God is omnipresent who is inside you and outside you there is nothing in the universe where god doesn't exist just like a fish living in ocean thinks where is water but in actually she is surrounded by it but couldn't see it out of illusions so we are. We are neither body nor mind we are the part of lord shiva himself hence we are shiva actually but with some limit as we are divided consciousness.

The reason why people worship Shiva during the month of Shravan is :: It is believed that the great devotee of Shiva, Markendeya was helped by Shiva in this auspicious month and could win over his death from Lord Yama, the God of death. Bhakta Markendeya : A sage couple by name Mrikandu Rishi and his wife Marudmati, after doing worship for Shiva get a son as a boon, but with a condition that he will be short lived, only for 16 years. When Markendeya reaches the age of 15, his parents tell him the entire saga and cry uncontrollably. Then Markendeya convinces his parents and takes their leave and starts a rigorous penance for Shiva in a Shiva temple.

After a year of penance, the D day comes, when Lord Yama comes to take away the life of Markendeya. Seeing lord Yama, the child Markendeya embraces the Shiva linga tightly. Lord Yama throws the noose to get hold of Markendeya, but the noose fixes around The Shiva linga and Markendeya’s neck, and Yama tries to pull the noose hard. Then immediately the Shiva linga breaks into two pieces and God Shiva Himself emerges from the Linga and with His trident kills the Yama ( the God of death ) Since Shiva killed Yama, He is often revered as Mrityunjaya, one who defeated or killed The God of death.

God Shiva gave the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra to Markendeya to overcome death. Here overcoming death means winning spiritually rather than physical death. Later all the devas requested Shiva to give back life to Lord Yama, and Shiva breathed back life into lord Yama. From that day onwards, this auspicious month of Shravan is celebrated for worshipping Shiva, as The Mahadev himself protects his devotees and comes to their rescue at dire need and grants longevity and healthy life to them.

Once at Kailash when skies got covered by clouds, Shree Sati requested Shiva to do something about it, Shiva nodded with a smile and brought Kailash up in the Skies and above clouds, he is known as Jeemutvahan hence for this sport, and this made mother very happy and Shiva too, she loved seeing Prakriti (Her own fragment) as Rain of Amrit over Aushadhis and Anna, as She is Annapurnaa, Amriteshwari. Now this is time for Shivas Past time, and whole happy family watches the rains over trillions of universes, Rain is not local and it is made up of life giving serums

The Ganga Shiva adorns is Akash Ganga, our galaxy the milky way, its whirling just like a huge water body would in such motion, So Shiva is seeing all very benevolently so worshiping him this time, he recognizes Bhakta and blesses them surely. The Tattva Jal (water) is very dear to Shiva this Prithwi is also a Shiva Linga which is poured on with Jala through 7 oceans continuously than when earth part is poured with rain, it is Prakirtik abhishek of divine Shiva linga,The Prithvi (Earth) is.

Another story is, when From heart of Shiva, Rudra came forth, Devas offered him different celestial gifts, but when he was given an Asan (Seat) none could take his colossal weight, than Indra tried but could not, all Devas tried together but could not take Shivas weight, than Shree Hari came forward and became Megha the divine cloud and offered Shiva a seat. Shiva sat over his throne of divine huge Cloud which housed trillions of Galaxies (Gyan Tattva) Shiva rode on him for thousands of years and where ever he goes, the Cloud sweats and Amrit drops are poured and new Nebulas are formed , the birth womb of planets and stars, hence in our lands too, wherever Shiva rode on Mahamegha, it poured Amrit rain and great Aushadhis and fruits minerals and metals were seeded through this divine rain.

Than after 1000 celestial years ( In one celestial years at least a trillion of zillions of big bangs would have happened in one straight time line, the last one was only nearly 16 billion human years ago, earlier they closed it to 14 billion but now its 16, because a light has escaped from distance of 16 billion years.) Shree Hari asked him to take a break, and pleased by his Bhakti.(Devotion) generosity and valour, Shiva asked him for boon, for which he said may i have parabhakti in your golden feet forever, and honor me to always be your Vahan, Shiva embraced him and said, you are Sakshat Dharma, and I can be seated upon none, but Dharma Hence so be it.

In one kalpa, Hence Shree Hari became Nandi (Dharma) his famous Vahan. So as Shiva was pleased by Meghvahan ride, In Shrawan Shiva can be said to be riding on clouds so all gods and beings worship and please him the way they could. And you may find many other stories many of them are may be local anecdotes or folklore, But these conceptual stories are from Purans smriti. Though It does make sense that prithwi is shiva linga and rains when pour worship Shiva do his Abhishek, hence when gods are worshiping Shiva so wise Manushyas must worship the Lord of all Gods. Om Namah Shivay