My Adi Guru: Swami Ayyappa
- Vinod Chaithanya
- Jan 15, 2024
- 3 min read
My life is the Grace of Swami Ayyappa. We've been lucky to always have an Ayyappa temple close to our homes and regular Ayyappa pujas & bhajans were part our lives when we were growing up. The default prayer in my mind when I enter any temple is "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa" - I take refuge in you, Lord Ayyappa!
The main shrine of Lord Ayyappa, the Sabarimala temple, is situated in Kerala and is visited by over 3 million pilgrims every year. Devotees from all religions are allowed to enter the temple. Women are only allowed before puberty & after menopause (considered as before 10 yrs and after 50 yrs). A visit to Sabarimala is a spiritual Sadhana for pilgrims. It starts with a 41-day period where pilgrims perform daily pujas, stay away from desires, alcohol, non-veg food, wear black and practice celibacy. Pilgrims start their final journey with a dip in the holy Pampa river, and trek up to the shrine. There are multiple paths - the easy one is about 5 km and takes a couple hours and a more adventurous route that is 40 km and takes a few days. Once atop the shrine, there are 18 holy steps, covered in gold that lead to the main temple. The words from the Chandogya Upanishad "Tattvamasi" - signifying unity with the divine, greets all pilgrims. I've done various sadhana's throughout my life - including Sri Sri Ravishankar's Sudarshan kriya, Sadhguru's Inner Engineering and Ramana Maharshi's Self Enquiry. The Sadhana done by Ayyappa devotees are no less - and they also lead to the same goal!
The temple is open on specified dates throughout the year (First 5 days of Malayalam calendar month). The main festivities are during Mandala season (Nov - Dec) and Makara Vilakku (Jan).
The legend of Lord Ayyappa:
Lord Ayyappa is the son of Shiva and Mohini (Female form of Vishnu). He was found in the forest by the King of Pandalam during one of his hunting trips . The king did not have a son and raised him as his son. He was also called "Manikandan" - as there was a bell "mani" on a string around his neck when the king found him. Subsequently the king had a son, which led to the queen being worried that Ayyappa would inherit the throne - as he was elder. So she hatched a plot where she feigned sickness - for which the cure was fresh tigress' milk. And Ayyappa offered to go to the jungle to get it.
It was during this trip that Indra, the king of the Gods requested his help in fighting against Mahishi, a powerful demoness who wrecked havoc among the Gods and banished Indra, their king from the heavens. Mahishi had performed severe austerities and was granted a boon by Lord Brahma that she would be slain only by the son of Shiva & Vishnu - which satisfied her as she thought it was impossible. Ayyappa, the son of Shiva and Vishnu (in Mohini form) killed Mahishi and restored the glory of the Gods.
Indra took the form of a tigress and came along with Ayyappa to the palace. This revealed his divine nature to the King and people. He then said he will leave to the heavens as his task was fulfilled. The king was heartbroken and requested him to stay. Ayyappa offered to visit the king every year during Makara Vilakku, and directed him to build a temple for him at Sabarimala.
Every year - his holy ornaments (Thiruvabharanam), which are stored in the Pandalam Palace are taken in a procession by foot to Sabarimala temple, and his form is decked with them on Makara Vilakku day. A representative from the Pandalam royal family is the last person to see it - before it is brought back to the Palace.
Incidentally my maternal grandfather belonged to the Pandalam royal family and our house is close by to the palace where Lord Ayyappa grew up. I was born in Pandalam and my life is his Grace - that's why he is My "Adi Guru" - My First Guru!
Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!
Chaithanya Vinod
15 Jan 2024 (Makara Vilakku Day)
Credits:
My maternal cousin Ajaikumar, for helping me with a few facts related to this post.
Image courtesy: Wikipedia
Reference links:
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