Shiv Pujan.

During Mahashivratri many Hindus will offer puja to Lord Shiva by ritual worship to the Linga. The merit that attained from offering Puja to the Lord on this most holy night is immeasurable, and thus they gain immense punya. This is a wonderful service to the Lord and the opportunity should not be missed. However, although worshipping the Lord on this night should not be forsaken, I feel we should take a step back and seek the reason we truly perform this puja.

It is perfectly fine to perform puja to attain merit, for that indeed is one of the reasons and fruits of performing ritual worship. However, punya (merit), and paap (sin) do not release one from the cycle of birth and death, they bind you. Punya will also result in rebirth, albeit in a higher planetary system or setting, it will also bind you. The fruits of the puja should be offered at the feet of the Lord, the common prayer kaayenavacha manasendriyava exemplifies this mood of offering all merit and sin at the feet of the Lord where they are burnt up. Only when we are completely free from karma and attain love of the Lord can we merge/join Him. Thus whether we beget the fruits of the pujas on this night should not matter, we should do it to please the Lord, simply out of prem (love). It is when you perfom seva and puja selflessly that the real results are derived. With this bhav we pray to the Lord to inspire us,and grant us divine love and wisdom which will enable us to reach Him.