Ramanisblog

Tag: Murugan

  • Temple Where ‘Children are Given Away’ Viralimalai

    The practice of Yoga bestows on one some special powers as an offshoot of the spiritual Discipline..

    Those who want to advance in the Spiritual quest ignores them for they are an impediment to Spiritual Progress.

    Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa  admonished a a man who boasted to Ramakrishna that he had spent 12 years of sadhana,Spiritual Practice and acquired the ability to walk on Water by demonstrating it,

    -You have wasted 12 years of your Life for a thing which can be achieved by paying Half anna (roughly 3paise)-in Dollar Terms, it is near Zero”

    Those who discard them become great.

    Arunagirinathar was a saint of recent Prigin and he was a Devotee of Lord Muruga.

    He excelled in Bhakti Yoga(I shall write on him later).

    Lord Subrahmanya bestowed on him The Eight Special Powers At Viralimalai,near Tiruchirapalli.

    Predictably, though Arunagirinathar accepted these Siddhis with all humility he was not enamoured of them.

    Viralimalai is located near Tiruchi, about an hour and a Half drive.

    The temple is closed between 12 and 4 pm.

    Lord Shiva, Parvati and Lord Subramanya are Deities here. with Lord Subramanya being the presiding Deity.

    The temple can be reached easily from Tiruchi and lies on the Perambalur Road and Transport is no problem.

    Here Lord Subramanya has three faces , facing us and another three behind.

    The Lord’s name is Shanmuganathan.

    Viralimalai Murugan Temple.
    Viralimalai Murugan Temple.

    ‘Temple:

    We find the statue of Kashyapa Muni and Narada Muni in the hill temple along with sculptures of Arundhati and Vashishta. We also find the sculpture of Arumugan and Arunagirinathar on the pillars found on the way to the temple. The temple is located on top of the hill and can be seen from a great distance. A beautiful flight of steps along with mandapams for devotees to rest, take us to the top of the hill. At the foot of the hills the water tank called Saravana Poigai is located on southern side. On the eastern side there is a Srine for the goddess Maikannudaiyal. It is customary to worship this goddess before climbing up the hill.

    On the way to the hill top we find the Idumban Sannidhi a small cave Srine for Meenakshi Sundareshwar and a mandapam called Sandana Kottam at the end of the flight of steps. Adjacent to the Sandana Kottam Mandapam we find the Navaratri and Shanmuga Moorty Mandapam.

    Next to the Navaratri Mandapam we find the south-facing Raja Gopuram. In the Shanmuga Moorthy Mandapam of this temple with a single prahara the utsavamoorthy gives darshan together with devas. In the western part of the prahara we find the Srines of Vinayagar, Dakshina Moorthy, Agasthiyar and Arunagirinathar and in the northern side we find the Srine of Chandikeshwarar and Bhairavar.

    The Srine for Navagraha is located on the way to the Maha Mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In the Maha Mandapam Natarajar, Sivakami, Manika Vinayagar and Srinivasa Perumal with consort await to bless the devotees. On the outer walls of the garbhagraha we find inscriptions. Inside the sanctum sanctorum Lord Muruga showers blessings upon the devotees.

    Theertham

    On the southern part of the foothill Saravana Poigai, the Sthala Theertham is located. It is also called Naga Theertham. The Sthala Vriksham in this temple is Kasi Vilvam.

    Moolavar

    The vision of the Lord inside the Garbhagraha is soul-stirring. The Lord is in the form of Arumugan, six-faced and with twelve hands seated elegantly on the peacock facing east. The divine consorts Valli and Deivannai stand on either side. As the Sivachariyar offers camphor the devotees can see the three faces at the back in the mirror which the other three can be viewed directly.’

    Temple address:

    Sri Shanmuganathan Devasthanam
    Viralimalai
    Tiruchirapalli – 621 316 India

    Ack: http://murugan.org/temples/viralima.htm

    There is a practice of Giving away one’s Son or Daughter to the Lord as a vow when one faces acute problems and the child is being taken back  by Foster parents, normally Grandparents or Uncles.

    The child is required to worship the Lord. apart from the Family Deity.

    I will be  posting on Family Deities.

    (Daththu Koduthal)

    It is a Belief problems are resolved..

    Peacocks Abound around Viralimalai the Temple.
    Peacocks Abound around Viralimalai the Temple.

    Related:

    There is the concept of the Ashta Siddhi (eight siddhis) in Hinduism. These are:

    • Aṇimā: reducing one’s body even to the size of an atom
    • Mahima: expanding one’s body to an infinitely large size
    • Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
    • Laghima: becoming almost weightless
    • Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places
    • Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires
    • Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship
    • Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all[5]

    The eight siddhis hinted at by Kapila in his Sutra – अष्टधा सिद्धिः ||१५|| –[6] are as explained in Verse 51 of Samkhyakarika:[7]–

    • Uuha: based on the samskaras of previous births the attainment of knowledge about the twenty-four Tatwas gained by examining the determinable and the indeterminable conscious and the non-conscious constituents of creation,
    • Shabad: knowledge gained by associating with an enlightened person (Guru – upadesh),
    • Addhyyan: knowledge gained through study of the Vedas and other standard ancillary texts,
    • Suhritprapti: knowledge gained from a kind-hearted person, while engaged in the spread of knowledge
    • Daan: knowledge gained regardless of one’s own needs while attending to the requirements of those engaged in the search of the highest truth,
    • Aadhyaatmik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain, disappointment, etc; arising due to lack of spiritual, metaphysical, mystic knowledge and experience,
    • Aadhibhautik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; arising by possessing and being attached to various materialistic gains,
    • Aadhidaivik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; caused by fate or due to reliance on fate,

    the attainment of which eight siddhis makes one become rid of pain-causing ignorance through gain of knowledge, and experience bliss. The aim of Samkhya is to eliminate all kinds of physical and mental pains and to receive liberation.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhi

    Viralimalai – Part 1

     

    Virali Malai * Arulmigu Subramania Swamy ~

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  • ‘God Sweats’ On A Specific Day, Time

    I have posted a couple of blogs on odd unexplainable Phenomena in Temples of India.

    Temples are places where Hindus worship, though it is not mentioned in the Vedas.

    In fact the Vedas do not advocate collective worship at all.

    This practice came into being after the advent of the Agamas.

    For details on this subject please read my posts on Agamas under Hinduism,Indian Philosophy.

    Hinduism is intertwined with the lives of the Hindus to such an extent that even many who are Hindus do not know that they are practicing what Hinduism said without realizing it.

    Islam and Christianity have adapted themselves to Hindu thought processes in some respects.

    Christians call The Bible, in Tamil Nadu, Vedagamam; women apply stickers in their foreheads(Kungumam, Tilak);wear Mangal Sutra;

    Churches like Shrine Velankanni celebrate their Christian festivals with Dwajarohanam and pulling of chariots.

    Muslims in Tamil Nadu also follow the practice of Dwajarohanam and Chariot pulling (Nagore Dargah Chandana Kood(Sandal Canopy Festival)

    Such is magnetism of Hinduism that Human beings apply all attributes of Man to God.

    One becomes tense and sweats in anger and Righteous Indignation.

    This one notices.

    In God?

    Yes.

    There is a Temple near Tiruvarur/Nagapattinam , Tamil Nadu, where Lord Subramanya Sweats !

    Legend has it that he was handed over A Spear by Mother Goddess Parvati, to  slay the Demon Soora Padma.

    Amidst the Festivities of  Kanda Shasti, Parvati  hands over the Spear(Vel) to Lord SingaraVelar, when Sweat Beads break out on the forehead of the Idol that has been taken out in procession!

    Incidentally, The Idol is the most beautiful of all the idols of Lord Muruga.

    Sikkil Singaravealar
    Sikkil Singaravealar
    Sikkil Temple.
    Sikkil Temple.
    Sikkil Singaravelar.
    Sikkil Singaravelar.

    ‘Sikkal’ in Tamil means, literally ‘knots’, here meaning inextricable problems.

    It is believed that such serious problems will be resolved if one prays at theis temple.

    Read On.

    “Sikkal Singara Velan Temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Muruga and a contender for the unofficial seventhPadaiveedu of Muruga, along with the popular Arupadaiveedu (six abodes of Lord Muruga). It is located in the village of Sikkal, near Nagapattinam inTamilnadu. It is believed in Hindu mythology that this place was once a jasmine forest and due to it pleasant smell, the semi-human goddess in Hindu mythology, Kamadenu lives here. It is one of the rare traditional Hindu temples that has both Shiva (Navaneeteswarar) and Vishnu(Venaipperuman) deities in the same complex.’

    “History

    Sikkil was also called Mallikaranyam in olden days as the area had jasmine flowers in abundance. A curse befell on Kamadhenu, the celestial cow, who descended to the earth to perform penance to get rid of the curse. She chose Sikkil, drained her milk which formed into a tank and she took the form of a tiger and roamed aimlessly in the fragrant forest.

    One day, Sage Vasishta was passing through the forest and since it was time for his ablutions he searched for a pond where he could have his bath and perform the rituals. The sweet-scented fragrance of the flowers pervaded the atmosphere and the sage felt the presence of god there. He came to the holy pond of milk and took a dip and did his ablutions. Kamadhenu, in the form of a tiger, came in contact with the sage and was redeemed of her curse. She regained her original form.

    Since Sage Vasishta wanted to worship lord Shiva, he made a Shiva Lingam, infused life into it and began his meditation. Pleased by his devotion, Shiva appeared in invisible form and an oracle was heard which declared ‘I have been caught’. The invisible voice transformed into a visible figure which was the lord himself. He came to be called Navaneeteswarar as he emerged from the cream. His consort is Vel Nedunganni Ambal. Later on, devotees constructed a temple which is the present shrine.

    The holy spot is called Sikkil as the word in Tamil means catch. Since god was caught here, the place is called Sikkil.

    Singaravelar

    One of the foremost shrines dedicated to lord Subramanya, Sikkil attracts the devout multitude from far off places. Lord Subramanya waged a battle against demon Padmasura and in order to vanquish him, the lord came to Sikkil. Here he acquired a divine power to kill the demon. He sat in deep meditation propitiating goddess Sathyayatakshi – Parvathi. Happy with his devotion, she presented him a single-headed spear – Vel – to kill the demon.

    Subramanya killed the demon after a fierce battle and since the demon was a Brahmin, the lord was cursed with brahmahathi dosha. He lost his colour and became dark. He got rid of the curse by taking a holy dip in the milky pond and regained his original colour.

    Subramanya is called Singaravelar because Singara in Tamil means beautiful and since he is adorned with a spear – Vel – in his hand, he is called Singaravelar.

    Kanda Sashti

    Kanda Sashti is carnival time in Sikkil. Soorasamharam is celebrated with gusto at Sikkil. During Soorasamharam, Singaravelar receives his vel (spear) from his mother Shakti, during the Kanda Sashti utsavam. The temple authorities and devotees swear that the image breaks out in sweat till the vel is handed over to the lord. People in the surrounding villages and towns throng the temple to witness Soorasamharam.

    http://www.chennailivenews.com/Kanda%20Sashti/Features/20102208062206/Sikkil-Singaravelar.aspx

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  • Why should Killers of Rajiv Gandhi be Spared?

    There is a concerted attempt going on to free the killers of Rajiv Gandhi.

    Those who advocate the view that the killers should be spared from the hang man’s noose conveniently forget the pain they caused to the  people around those they have killed.

    It is not merely Rajiv Gandhi they have killed others too, apart from alienating the Tamils of SriLanka from the Indian polity.

    Worst is the man who ordered the killers  of Rajiv Gandhi, after years of silence, merely said ‘it is a regrettable instance’.

    Another argument is the evidence against Perarivalan is insufficient and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case is not over yet.

    -Supreme Court ,Evidences et al is for nothing?

    It is another matter that death sentence is to be abolished.

    Till such a law is passed,present Law should prevail, not withstanding pressures by a group which can not/refuse to  distinguish  Freedom Fighters from  Criminals.

    As the clamour forclemencyfor the three convicts in theRajiv Gandhi assassination casegrows, the Madras High Court on Monday admitted a plea to hear the case seeking to stay their hanging on September 9.

    The high court fixed Tuesday to hear the petition.

    Harithra, the teenaged daughter of one of the convicts — Murugan — living in an undisclosed place in the United Kingdom, had earlier written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa appealing to them to forgive her father.

    Harithra’s mother Nalini was also sentenced to life imprisonment but the Supreme Court later commuted it to life imprisonment.

    Santhan and Perarivalan were the other two assassins who are scheduled to be hanged in the central prison in Vellore on September 9.