SHIVAM

It's Kartheeka masa. we go the temple and pray to Lord Shiva, Do fasting, avoid eating animals, Live very devotional with out even knowing the significance of the month, we go to the temple, sit in front of the Shiva Linga, while the pujari chants the rudhram (the hymn of Yajurveda) we sleep with our eyes open till the pujari finishes the Abhishekam, eat prashada and go home. We just like to go to temple to ask the God to fulfill our desires as soon as possible. Sadly, Many of us never try to know the real meaning of the God, most of the Hindus doesn't know what the great Vedas conveyed us. I wish everyone must know at least the meaning of Shiva. The meaning of the word "SHIVA" was wonderfully defined in The Extant Amara-kosha by Amara Sinha. According to the Vedas, every living thing has six stages (SHAD-VIKARAS) in life. They are so called the Existence, birth, growth, change, decay and death. Shiva is something living with none of these Vikara's (NIRVIKARA). Shiva has no new existence, birth or death , not lives in time, neither grows nor decays,  never changes. Shiva is the base for all the living entity i.e, Shiva is everything in the nature we live in. He is the driver of the chariot of our lives. Rudhram says salutations to Lord shiva for being the base of our lives. Karthika masa is considered as the best period for devotional practice through which one would get salvation. when we know the significance, we do the prayers with perfection. when we know the meaning of the GOD, we live with perfection.