The importance of chanting and meditating upon the sacred Panchakshari Strotam increases manifold during the period of Mahashivratri as Shivratri is the most congenial time for the Jiva (being) to evolve into Shiva (Be) by adopting the qualities of the form and formless Shiva.  Lord Shiva’s form as described by Adi Shankaracharya teaches us to be fearless, broaden our perspective, meditate, contemplate on Brahma gyana, activate our third eye and focus on the permanent (Consciousness) rather than temporary (maya). As formlessness, Shiva is Shunya or Nothing and to become Nothing, we too need to let go of everything we attach ourselves with and hold on to nothing – neither hold on to our joys nor our sorrows; neither our thoughts nor our feelings; neither our strengthens nor our weaknesses; neither our opinions nor our impressions; neither our vices nor our virtues; neither our wealth nor our possessions; neither our fears nor our dreams; neither our expectations nor our aspirations, neither our likes nor our dislikes and neither the right nor the wrong. 

One of the biggest sadhana (penance) we can ever perform is hold on to nothing and be nothing as this Nothingness itself leads to Oneness with Lord Shiva. So let us all let go of our individual entity, individual identity which renders us incomplete and embrace the Fullness, the Completeness and Nothingness named Shiva. This Mahashivratri, let us strengthen our spiritual state by transforming from the incomplete Jiva to Poorna Shiva.