On this most auspicious and spiritually surcharged evening of Maha Shivaratri, many devotees thronged Prasanthi Nilayam to witness the magnificent and soul-stirring Sayeeshwara Lingabhishekam, performed in the most sanctified and traditional manner. Devotees began streaming in, filling the hall with quiet anticipation and devotion. Every seat and every available space bore witness to hearts yearning to witness this spectacle.
The sacred proceedings began inside the sanctum sanctorum, where the priests performed the preliminary rites, invoking divine energies through powerful Vedic chants. The sublime and effulgent Sayeeshwara Lingam—consecrated by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba during the historic Ati Rudra Maha Yajna in 2006—was then ceremoniously brought out in a majestic and spiritually vibrant procession.
Bhagawan was regally ushered into the divine assembly in a resplendently adorned and newly decorated chariot. The air reverberated with the sacred strains of Mangala Vadyam and Shiva Vadyam, while mellifluous Vedic intonations created an ethereal, transcendental ambience. Chamaras swayed rhythmically in symbolic celestial adoration as the grand procession unfolded in divine splendour. Devotees sat enraptured, their hearts overflowing with gratitude and spiritual joy at the blessed sight.
The sacrosanct sequence of rituals commenced with the Ekadasha Dravya Abhishekam, an elaborate offering of eleven sacred substances—milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, kumkum, turmeric, sandalwood, sugar, vibhuti, bilva leaves, and vibrant flowers—ceremoniously poured over the glorious Sayeeshwara Lingam. Each offering was made with profound devotion as Vedic hymns resonated powerfully across the hall, elevating the collective consciousness of the gathering.
This was followed by the deeply energising Maha Rudra Abhishekam, invoking the supreme cosmic energies of Lord Rudra. The ritual culminated in the Maha Alankaram, where the Sayeeshwara Lingam was adorned in resplendent floral and decorative embellishments, radiating divine splendour and celestial magnificence.
As the sacred night of Mahashivaratri unfolded, Bhagawan, in His Divine Discourse, exhorted devotees to sanctify their lives by constant remembrance of the Lord’s Name and by selfless service to fellow beings. He reminded all that true worship lies not merely in ritual observance, but in transforming every thought, word, and deed into an offering to the Divine.
Following the Divine Discourse, the Akhanda Bhajan commenced, marking the beginning of an uninterrupted stream of divine name chanting that would continue through the night. The atmosphere transformed into a sea of devotion as voices united in rhythmic harmony, invoking the Lord through soulful bhajans. During the bhajans, the holy Samprokshanam—the ceremonial sprinkling of sanctified waters—was performed upon the assembled devotees. This sacred act symbolised divine purification and grace, as droplets of consecrated water were showered amidst chanting and prayer, blessing all with renewed spiritual energy and inner sanctity.
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