Shivaratri
There once lived a tribal man who was a hunter and a staunch Shiva devotee. He used to go for hunting on all days to feed his family. One day the hunter lost his way while hunting and was trapped in the forest at night.
Soon wild animals started to gather around him and he climbed a Bel or Bilvatree. Sitting there he remembered his wife and children and tears started rolling from his eyes. In order to keep himself awake, he started plucking Bilva leaves and dropped it down repeating ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ – the Panchakshari Mantra. The hunter unknowingly fasted the whole day and did not sleep in the night.
In the morning, he discovered that he had been dropping the Bilva leaves on a Shivlingam. The Shivling was also washed with his tears. He returned home and when he was about have his food, a beggar came at his door. The hunter fed the beggar and then had his food.
The beggar was Lord Shiva himself and the hunter had darshan of Bholenath and was able to feed Mahadeva, who feeds all the living beings. And the hunter realized the beggar was Shiva when he died and was carried to the Shivaloka.
