Sri Ayyappan

GAYATRI

Boodha Naathaya Vidmahe Bavaputhraaya Dheemahi
Thanno Saastha Prachodayaath.

MEANING

We worship Ayyappa, the son of Siva. Salutations to Saastha (Ayyappa). May that Ayyappa stimulate our creative faculties.

SLOKA/PRAYER

Loka Veeryam Mahaa Poojyam Sarva Rakshaakaram Vibhum
Parvathee Hirdya-anandham Saasthaaram pranamaamyaham

MEANING

I bow to Lord Shasta (Ayyappa, the upholder of Dharma and Sastra) who gladdens the heart of Parvathi. He is a peerless warrior who protects all. His glory is great and He deserves great reverence and devoted worship.

SRI AYYAPPAN HAS INCARNATED ON THIS EARTH HE IS HERE TO DO THE DIVINE WORK OF THE GOD AND GODDESS AND FIGHTING FOR THE TRUTH.

Sri Ayyappan History

Lord Ayyappa or Dharma Shastha represents a mixture of spiritual powers symbolized by the forms of Lord Vishnu, the Power that maintains the universe and Lord Shiva, the Power that periodically re-absorbs the manifestations into Reality. Lord Ayyappa enshrined in the Sabarimala temple combines both these aspects of Brahman. In the Puranic lore, this fact is presented in an interesting and symbolic story form. As Sri Ayyappa represents both Vishnu and Shiva in one Divinity, He is worshipped as both a Protector and a Deliverer. The descedants of Pandya dynasty discarded by Thirumala Naicker Diwan of Raja Vijayanagar, who was then ruling the Pandya Kingdom, comprising of Madurai, Tirunelveli, Ramananthapuram, were living scattered in places like Valliyur, Tenkasi, Shengottah Achankovil and Sivagiri. At that time, Pandiyas were ruling in many parts of Travancore and the descendants of Pandiya dynasty belonging to Chempazhanattu Kovil, living in Sivagiri were given the right to rule the country of Pandalam,the King of Travancore eight hundred years ago. King Rajasekara was the direct descendant of this dynasty.

King Rajasekara was very talented, courageous and just in his deed, People were living happily and prosperously in his regime. However, the king was very sad that he had no children and his subjects were also worried that he had no heir to inherit his kingdom. At the request of the queen, they both used to pray to Lord Shiva to bless them with a child.

Mahishasuran, Son of Ramban, undertook  a severe penance towards God. Lord Brahma tried every tactics to stop his penance, but having failed in his attempts, appeared before the Asura and asked what boon he wanted, from him. Mahishasuran asked Lord to give him a boon by which nobody in the earth would be able to kill him, and Lord granted the Boon to him. Mahishasuran, armed with his boon, began to commit atrocities and murders on the earth and terrorised people. Fearing his wrath, people ran away to far away places.
 
The  Devas  seeing  the atrocities committed by Mahishasuran came to the conclusion that only a divine power could kill him and approached Chandikadevi pleading  to  put  an  end  to Mahishasura who was misusing the boon given by the Lord. Chandikadevi set out on her mission and killed Mahishasura in a duel, on earth.

Mahishi daughter of Karamba, brother of Ramban undertook a severe penance towards god in order  to  take  revenge  on  those who were responsible for the death of her brother. Lord Brahma appeared and offered to confer on Mahishi any boon expect that of immortality. Mahishi asked Lord to bless her with a boon by which nobody, except the son created out of the union of Shiv (Hari) and Vishnu (Hara), would be able to kill her. Lord Brahma gave the boon and Mahishi went to Devaloka and started harassing the Devas.

The  Devas  incurred  the wrath of Durvasa Muni who cursed them to turn grey. On the advice of Lord Mahavishnu that this curse could be removed only by administering Amrutham taken from Palazhi, the  devas  took  it  from  the Palazhi, but  the  Asuras snatched  it  from them.  Lord Mahavishnu in  the disguise  of Mohini went to the Asuras and got back the Amrutham and restored it to the Devas. Lord Shiva, when went  to  see  Lord Mahavishnu who was in the disguise of  a Mohini succumbed  to  her  beauty  and  out  of their  union, was born a child. Lord Shiva adorned the Child's neck with  a golden chain and ordered that the child be entrusted to the care of his childless disciple, king Rajasekara of Pandalam.

One  day  King  Rajasekara  went  for  hunting  in the forest adjoining the banks of River Pampa, along  with  his men. He started hunting  in the dense forest which was a sanctuary for many  wild animals. After  that  hunting  was  over, King Rajasekara advised his men to take rest and sat there entertaining himself with the sight of the natural greenish beauty and the water-falls, of the forest.

At  that  time,  he  heard a child crying from somewhere in the forest. Surprised, he went round and reached  the  banks  of  River  Pampa. There he saw a beautiful and bright-lit child kicking its legs and  crying out,  and was unsure whether to take the child to the Palace or leave it there.  While  the  King  was  engrossed  in his thoughts, a Sanyasi appeared before him and told the King that  he  need  not  be  afraid  of  the child and take him to the Palace and that the child belonged to Kshatriya dynasty capable of mitigating all sufferings. The Sanyasi further stated that since the Child had  a  gold  chain  around  his  neck,  his  name be called "MANIKANDAN" and when the child completed twelve  years,  the  King would  know his divine history. After uttering these words, the Sanyasi disappeared.

The  King  of Pandalam was  very happy  he took the child to his Palace and briefed the Queen about  the  incident.  The King and the Queen, having prayed to Lord Shiva,for a child, were very happy  that  they  had been blessed with a child. The people also felt happy that a heir to inherit the Kingdom  after  the  King, has been found. However, the Diwan of the Kingdom who was thinking that he would be the next crown after Rajasekara was worried.

When the child, named Manikandan began to grow in the Palace, everything began to prosper in kingdom. He was taught all martial arts and sastras and the Guru was surprised at his brilliance and agility  and  the  extraordinary talents. The Guru came to the conclusion that he was not an ordinary child, but a divine power. After completing his education under the Guru, Manikandan approached the Guru to offer his Guru Dakshina.

When Manikanda went to his Guru for his Ashirwathams, the Guru told him that he already knew that  he  was  a  divine  power  and  he  was blessed for having been given an opportunity to have Manikandan  as  a  student. The Guru further told Manikandan that he had one request to make and that was  that  his  only  son  who  was  blind  and  dumb should  be  given vision and speech. Manikandan  called the Guru's son and put his hands on his head and immediately Guru's son had his  vision  and  speech. Manikandan told  the  Guru not to reveal this to anyone and went to the Palace.

Meanwhile, the Queen gave birth to a male child and the child was named Raja Rajan. King Rajasekara,  impressed  with  the  talents of Manikandan, decided to crown him, treating him as his eldest son.  He ordered  the  Diwan  to  make arrangements for the same. The Diwan hated this and  started  devising  plans  to  prevent  Manikandan  from being crowned  to the throne and to annihilate   him.   He   tried  various methods including  poisoning of  food,  but  failed  in  all  these. However, Manikandan's body bore an injury due to these and ordinary physicians could not cure it. Lastly, Lord Shiva disguising himself as a physician, treated Manikandan's injury and cured him.

Having failed in all his attempts to kill Manikandan, the Diwan approached the Queen and told her that  she  had  her  own  son,  it  was  not  right to crown a person who came from the forest. He further  told  the  Queen  since Arthasastra itself has justified any misdeed if it was done to extract a good thing,  he  would  suggest  that the Queen should pretend as if suffering from severe headache and  he  would  make the physician tell that only a tigress' milk should be brought to cure the Queen and  since Manikandan would only go to the forest to bring the milk, he would be in danger from the wild  animals  and  even  if Manikandan  returned without bringing the tigress' milk, the King's love  for  him would not be as before. The Queen, became a prey to the Diwan's plot and agreed to do what he told, so that her son could succeed the King to the throne.

The Queen, as told by the Diwan, cried out loudly that she was suffering from severe headache and the  King,  believing  this, called the Diwan to bring in the best physicians to treat her. The Physician, brought  by  the  Diwan examined  the  Queen  and told the King that the Queen had been suffering from  a  dangerous  disease  and  it  could  be  cured only  by applying Tigress' milk. The King sent several of  his men to the forest for bringing this milk. The King understood that it was an impossible task  and wanted  his dear  Queen to  be  cured  at  any  cost  and  offered half of his Kingdom to anybody who brought the Milk.

When  the  King  was  thinking about   this,  Manikandan  asked  him  to  let him  go to the forest promising  to  bring the milk. However, the King told him that he was awaiting to be crowned to the throne  that  he  was  also  not of  age and refused to let him go. Manikandan told the King inspite of his refusal, he had to go lest he would be cursed for not curing the Queen. Since the King persisted  in  his refusal Manikandan wanted the King to promise to do something he wanted. The King  gave  the  promise  and asked him what he wanted and immediately Manikandan asked the king  to permit to go to the Forest. The King felt disappointed that he had been tricked and with no other alternative permitted Manikandan to go to the forest.

King  Rajasekara  made  arrangements to send a group of his loyal men along with Manikandan, which however  was  refused by Manikandan on the ground that the tigress might run away seeing the crowd.  King Rajasekara  sent  alongwith Manikandan necessary foodstuffs and coconuts with three-eyes, in remembrance of Lord Shiva. The Panchabuthas, sent by Lord Shiva, accompanied Manikandan to Forest. However, on his way seeing the atrocities of Mahishi in the Devaloka,  he  went  there and in the battle between them, Mahishi was pushed by Manikandan into the earth, where she fell on the banks of Azhutha River. Manikandan clashed with her there.

At   the   end of the  battle  between  Mahishi  and  Manikandan  at Azhutha  River banks, Manikandan   climbed   up her chest and danced violently. The impact of his dance was felt in the Earth and Devloka and the Devas were afraid. Mahishi knowing that the divine power dancing on her body  was  none  other than the son of Hari and Haran, prostrated before Manikandan and died.  This  dance was witnessed by Lord

Shiva and Mahavishnu from a place called Kalakatti (It is  said  that  Leela,  daughter of  Kavalan,  a Karamban, with a face of Mahishi and freed herself     from the   curse   and   gained  Moksha by the grace of Shri Dharma Sastha, which is   described  in   Sabarimala Temple as Malikapurathu Amma,  by which  name  she has a temple there)

After   killing  Mahishi,  Manikandan  went  to  the forest for the tigress milk, when Lord Shiva appeared before him and told him that though he had done good for the Devas, still there was one main  task  and that was to give comfort to the King Rajasekara who was very concerned about him  and  also to  cure  the  Queen's  ailment.  Lord  Shiva further told him that he could go to the Palace  with  the  tigeresses  and Lord Indran would help him. As stated by Lord Shiva, all female devas  in  the  disguise of a tigeresses and male Devas, as tigers with Lord Devendran as the tiger on whom Manikandan rode, they started their journey to the Palace. When   Manikandan,   with the tigers  and tigeresses, approached the Palace, the people who ridiculed him when the started his journey to forest whether he wanted a toy tigresses, really got panicky.

The  Sanyasi  who  appeared  at  the  forest at the time of King Rajasekara's visit there when he heard a  child's  cries,  again  appeared  at the  palace and told King Rajasekara the Identity of Manikandan.  Hearing this, the King stood in great surprise and silence. He stood non-pulsed as he  saw Manikandan  riding  a  tiger  and  people running away. Seeing the King, Manikandan descended  from the Tiger's back and told him that since the tigresses were there, he could get the Queen  cured  with  their  milk.  King Rajasekara,  fell at  his  feet  and asked to forgive him for whatever happened without his knowledge, and asked him to send back the tigers as the Queens ailment   had   been   cured   the moment Manikandan went to the forest. That day Manikandan reached the age of Twelve.

King   Rajasekara   told   Manikandan   that the Diwan was responsible for all these things and hence   he  should  be punished. However, Manikandan told the king that he need not punish the Diwan  and  all  had happened only through the will of God, and he told further that time had come for him to go to Devaloka since the task for which he created himself in the Earth is completed and asked  the  King  what  boon  he  wanted  from  him  and  he was ready to give it as he was much pleased  by  his  devotion. Immediately, King Rajasekara  told  him  that they wanted to raise a temple  in  his memory  and suggest a suitable place for the temple. Manikandan aimed an arrow which fell at a place called Shabari, where in Sri Rama's era a Sanyasini called Shabari observed Dhavam.   Lord Manikandan  told   the   King   to build   the  temple in that place and then he disappeared.

At   the   advice   of  Saint Agasthya, King Rajasekara laid the foundation stone for the building Shabarimala   Temple.  Bhagwan Manikandan, had made it clear that he would grace only those  devotees  who offer Dharshan after performing Viradha for fortyone days keeping themselves isolated from family desires and tastes and leading a life like Brahmacharys, thinking of  good  things always, and that while coming for his darshan, they shall adorn themselves  with  three-eyed coconut and foodstuff/Aantha Garland in their heads, as the Bhagwan did when he went to the forest to fetch tigress milk, and bathed in River Pampa raising slogans of Saranam and climb the eighteen stairs.

As graced  by  the  Bhagwan, King  Rajasekara  completed  building  of  the temple with eighteen stairs to reach  it.  When  the  King  was thinking how to put Dharmasastha's figure in the temple for  darshan to devotees, he recalled the words of the Bhagwan, the River Pampa was a holy river as River Ganga,  Sabarimala  was  a  holy  place as Kasi. Dharmasastha sent Parasuraman to Sabarimala   who   carved the figure   of    Lord Ayyappa and installed   it   on the day of Makarasankranthi.  Every year lakhs and lakhs of people throng to Sabarimala irrespective of caste  or  creed  and adorn  themselves   with garlands  and   irumudis, chants slogans on Lord Ayyappa,   bathe   in   holy   river Pampa, climb up the eighteen stairs and get the grace of Lord Ayyappa, the Dharmasastha.   Saranam Ayyappa !

Incarnations of Sri Ayyappan

Lord Dharmasaastha: is the born of the union of 'Lord Vishnu' in the form of 'Mohini' (his female avatar) and 'Lord Shiva', and thus the link between Vaishnava & Shaiviate. As per puranas 'Sree Dharmasaatha' took eight incarnations in different forms at different point of time to save the world from evils. Out of eight the last one is the incarnation of "Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala". The prathishta at Pushpvihar is in one of the incarnations of 'Sree Dharmasaatha' accompanied with 'Prabha' and son 'Sathyaka'. This incarnation is consecrated at very few places in the world. Another incarnation has two consorts known 'Purna & Push kala " and another one is known as 'Kiratha Saastha' - a tribal king.

As Lord Shiva makes benign presence with Shakti, Lord Dharmasaastha makes gracious presence with his consort Prabha and son Sathyaka.

Lord Dharmasaastha depicted the Padmasana pose and his left hand is placed on the left knee and right hand holds Amrutha Kalasam, which signifies Abhista Varadayi meaning unlimited blessing will pour on the seeking devotees.

Devi Prabha is depicted in Padmasana pose and right hand is placed on her left knee and left hand with Varada Mudra who also delivers blessings of prosperity to seeking devotees.

Lord Sathyaka is in standing posture and holds one fruit in the right hand which signifies pleasant and satisfied form which symbolizes the blessings of energy to youth and children. .

Makara vilakku at Sabarimala Festival

The Makara Vilakku Pooja is a seven-day festival conducted yearly in the Lord Sri Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala. The Makara Vilakku Pooja commemorates the day on which the idol of Lord Ayyappa or Dharma Sastha was enshrined in the temple and is the most important event to be conducted at Sabarimala.

One of the very important ceremonies of Makara Villaku is the bringing of Lord Ayyappa’s jewellery, Thirivabharanam from the Pandalam Palace, three days prior to Makara Sankranthi. The sacred jewellery is cared for and kept in a box and is brought out with a royal procession. On the arrival of the jewel boxes the whole mountain vibrates to the Chanting of 'Saranam Ayyappa' by millions of devotees gathered all over the world to watch this amazing event. A priest, or an oracle, on his head carries the box of jewellery. The oracle moves, oblivious of the presence of thousands of people. He dances, but the box remains on his head. Procession halts at a few temples on route and reaches Sabaripettam in the evening of Makara Sankranthi. It then carries on towards Sannidhanam amongst music, dazzling lights and lot of revelry. A strange phenomenon occurs at this time. A kite appears all of a sudden and starts hovering around the box. The incidence is well received by the devotees who get filled with excitement.

^{Another huge experience, which takes place at Sabarimala during the Makara Villaku, is the Makara Jyothi which is usually on January 14th but can vary every year.}

^{This year (2008), Makara Jyothi was  on the 14th January.}

Makara Jyothi is a beacon that appears at dusk on the day of Makara Sankaranthi (14

January) on the Kantamalahills facing (north-eastern side) the Sabarimala temple, a

popular Hindu pilgrim centre in Kerala India. It is widely believed by many devotees

that this Jyothi represents the celestial manifestation of the divine Lord Ayyappan himself. Some others believe that the Jyothiis the Aarti performed by the rishis and devas residing in the Kantamala hills.

The Divine Star is also sighted on the auspicious day.