Mahashivaratri, Maha-Shivaratri, Mahāśivarātri: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Mahashivaratri means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Mahāśivarātri can be transliterated into English as Mahasivaratri or Mahashivaratri, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
India history and geography
Source: archive.org: South Indian FestivitiesMaha-Sivaratri is a Hindu festival observed on the night ot the fourteenth date of the dark half in the month of Magha, called in Tamil Masi corresponding to the English months February—March, in honour of Siva ,one of the Hindu Trinity, representing the destructive aspect in the universe. Though generally the night time is considered sacred and suitable for the worship of the feminine aspect of the deity, and the day tune tor that of the masculine, yet on this particular occasion Siva is worshipped during the night time, and, as a matter of fact, it is specially enjoined to be observed then.
Source: Wikipedia: India HistoryMaha Shivaratri a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month’s 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or Phalguna) and before the arrival of Summer, marks Maha Shivaratri which means “the Great Night of Shiva”.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahāśivarātri (महाशिवरात्रि).—Name of a festival on the 14th day of the dark half of Māgha,
Derivable forms: mahāśivarātriḥ (महाशिवरात्रिः).
Mahāśivarātri is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śivarātri (शिवरात्रि).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāśivarātri (महाशिवरात्रि):—[=mahā-śiva-rātri] [from mahā-śiva > mahā > mah] f. Name of a festival (= mahā-rātri q.v.)
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusMahāśivarātri (ಮಹಾಶಿವರಾತ್ರಿ):—[noun] the a festival observed on the twenty ninth day of Māgha, the eleventh month of Hindu lunar calendar year, on which day Śiva is worshipped.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Mahashiva, Ratri, Maha, Shivaratri.
Starts with: Mahashivaratrinirnaya, Mahashivaratrivrata, Mahashivaratrivratanirnaya.
Full-text: Mahashivaratrinirnaya, Mahashivaratrivrata, Shivaratri, Mahasivatthera, Mahashivaratra, Maharatri.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Mahashivaratri, Mahā-śivarātri, Maha-sivaratri, Mahashiva-ratri, Mahāśiva-rātri, Mahasiva-ratri, Mahāśivarātri, Mahasivaratri; (plurals include: Mahashivaratris, śivarātris, sivaratris, ratris, rātris, Mahāśivarātris, Mahasivaratris). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dvisahasri of Tembesvami (Summary and Study) (by Upadhyay Mihirkumar Sudhirbhai)
Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study) (by Maitreyee Goswami)
Part 3.5 - Discussion on Śivarātri-vrata < [Chapter 3]
Goddesses Durga and Lalita - A Contrast < [July – September 1974]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Medicinal plants survey at Thiru Palani Murugan Kovil, Vavuniya. < [2016: Volume 5, November issue 11]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 2 - The Story of Kalmāṣapāda: Greatness of Gokarṇa < [Section 3 - Brāhmottara-khaṇḍa]