Today on Shivaratri, the matter and consciousness unite. The subtle world and the gross world come together and that is the celebration.
When we violate the laws of nature, that is when disturbances happen. All these floods, forest fires and other natural calamities are nothing but the anger of nature. It is nature's fury, and nature's fury can only be calmed by the transcendental divine consciousness, that is Shiva. Shiva alone can calm the fury of nature.
There are three types of disturbances:
1. The disturbances in the mind
2. The disturbances in soul
3. The disturbances in nature
So Shivaratri is the night on which we pray to the divine for us to be free from all types of misery: mental, physical, emotional, social and natural calamities, and we pray for the divine to bestow peace on everyone.
The secrets of nature are hidden. See, now we know about WiFi, but the secret of WiFi was there from a long time ago, but it was hidden. And it is a blessing from the divine that science is developing. And this is what is said in the Vedas, 'It is only through your intervention, through your blessings that science gets manifested, and the secrets in natural revel itself'. The unfathomable universe, which no mind can reach; the secrets of that universe, only you (Lord) can reveal to us'.
So today we pray with our heart and soul for peace in the world, peace and progress in society, progress of knowledge, and happiness for every individual.
The divine accepts you however you are. If you feel like you are like a thorn, you are still accepted. If you are like a leaf, you are accepted. If you are like a fruit or a flower, you are accepted. However you are, and whatever stage of evolution you are at, the one divinity accepts you, and that is truth and that is beauty. The synonymous of Shiva is benevolence, truth and beauty, and the three are inseparable.
So tonight is the celebration of nature rejoicing the presence of benevolence, truth and beauty.