About Ayyappan
Ayyappan is a Hindu deity. The worship of this deity is largely confined to
South India. Lord Ayyappan is worshipped in a number of shrines across India.
The name "Ayyappan" is used as a respectful form of address in Malayalam,
and the famous mantra Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa can be directly translated as
Give me shelter, Lord Ayyappa! He is considered to be born out of the union
between Vishnu and Shiva.The most famous Ayyappa shrine in India is the one
at Sabarimala with over 50 million devotees visiting it every year.
Various names of Lord Ayyappa
Dharmasasta, Hariharasutan, Manikandan, Sathanar, Sastan, Cattan (from Sanskrit
Sasta), Ayyanar, Natrayan, Nattarasan, and Bhutanathan.
History of Ayyappan
The asura princess Mahishi was burning up with anger at the trick the gods
had pulled on her brother, the asura king Mahishasura. As Mahishasura was blessed
with invulnerability to all men, the gods had sent goddess Durga, to fight and
kill him. Thus, Mahishi began performing a fearsome set of austerities, and
pleased the creator god Brahma. He granted her the boon of ruling the universe
and being invulnerable except to a being that had the combined strength of both
Shiva and Vishnu. Since such a person did not exist, she thought she was safe
and began conquering and plundering the world.
The gods implored Shiva and Vishnu to save them from this catastrophe. Vishnu
found a possible solution to the problem. When Vishnu had taken on the Kurma
Avatar, he also had to manifest himself as Mohini, the enchantress, to save
the nectar of immortality from the demons who were not willing to share it with
the gods. If he became Mohini again, then the female Mohini and the male Shiva
could have the divine child who would combine their powers and beat Mahishi.
Some versions give a sightly more detailed version of the union of Shiva with
Vishnu. One version tells that the asura Basmasura had so pleased lord Shiva
with his austerities that Shiva gave him a boon of anything he wished. So Basmasura
asked for the ability to burn to ashes anything which he placed his hand over.
No sooner had Shiva granted this, than Basmasura ran after the god, threatening
to turn him to ashes.
Shiva called to lord Vishnu for help. He hid himself in a certain tree as Basmasura
ran here and there searching for the god. Vishnu became aware of the events,
and decided that he would take the female form Mohini, "the Enchanting",
and try to trump the asura's powers. When Basmasura saw Vishnu in this form,
he was bewitched by her beauty. He earnestly tried to court her. So Vishnu instructed
Basmasura to hold his hand over his head, and vow fidelity. With this act, Basmasura
was reduced to ashes.
Vishnu found Shiva and explained the whole affair to him. Shiva asked if he
too could see Vishnu in this female form. When Vishnu appeared thus, Shiva was
overcome with passion, and united with "her" (Shiva's seed caught
in Mohini's hands, per one version of the story). The two gods thus became "HariHara
Murthy", that is a composite form of Shiva and Vishnu as one god.
From this union lord Ayyappan was born. He combines in himself the powers of
Vishnu and Shiva, and is a visible embodiment of their essential identity. Lord
Vishnu gifted the new-born deity with a little bejeweled bell necklace, so this
god is called Manikanthan Swamy. The Tamils call him Ayyanar, and he is also
called Shastha or Shasthappan by most South Indian communities.
In most Tamil versions of the story, the legend ends with the birth of the
god, and with his passage around the region. But in Kerala, the story continues
with Ayyappan's adoption by the Pandalam Raja, and the subsequent encounter
with Mahisi.
Early Childhood
Lord Ayyappan had his human sojourn as the son of the Raja (King) of Pandalam.
At that time, Raja Rajasekhara ruled the kingdom of Pandalam. During one of
his hunting expeditions, the Raja was puzzled to hear the wails of a child on
the banks of the River Pampa. He moved in the direction of the voice to find
a resplendent infant there. The beautiful baby with radiant face wore a gemstone
(precious stone) around his neck, hence the name Manikantan ("Mani",
means gemstone and "kantan" means wearer around the neck). Manikantan
was born of Hari (Lord Vishnu) and Hara (Lord Shiva), with Hari assuming the
form of a female (Mohini). Hence Ayyappan is also named as Hariharasutan (Sutan
meaning Son).The king, though pious, charitable, just, and God-fearing, had
no children. The king was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and his queen was
devotee of Lord Vishnu. They had prayed to their respective deities for blessings
in the form of a child. He accepted the child as God's gracious response to
his fervent prayer for an heir to his throne. Manikantan was given proper education
and training and he grew into a boy well versed in academic lore and martial
arts of the time like Kalaripayattu. The Cheerappanchira kalari at Muhamma,
in Alappuzha District was responsible for his training in the martial arts.
Meanwhile the Rani (Queen) gave birth to a son, however the king regarded Manikantan
as his elder son and decided to crown him as the Yuvaraja (heir).
Since the minister of the Raja was always against Manikantan becoming the Yuvaraja,
he along with his sycophants turned the queen against the king's decision. On
the coronation day of Manikantan as Yuvaraja, the queen pretended to be suffering
from unbearable stomach ache, and said she was unable to get any relief from
the treatment of any doctor (Vaidya). Finally a fake practitioner appeared at
the instance of the minister, and prescribed "the milk of a tigress"
as the cure of the queen's illness. The king appealed to one and all to get
the tigeress-milk, but no-one dared. At last, Manikantan volunteered and went
to the forest in search of tigress Milk, despite the king's attempt to stop
him. The king was deeply frightened that the deemed Yuvaraja may not come back
alive.
Victory
Manikantan entered the forest to fulfill his divine duty, to rid the world
of demoness Mahishi. Manikantan killed her and released a beautiful woman who
had been cursed to become Mahishi. The young woman asked Ayyappan for his hand
in marriage, but he declined, being a celibate. However he promised that she
would be visited by pilgrims and would be housed next to his temple, and if
the number of new pilgrims visiting him stopped, then he would marry her. Hence
she is now worshiped as Maalikapurathamma. There is also another version of
this story. It is believed that Maalikapurathamma was a young girl in Cheerappanchira
family where Ayyappan was trained for Kalari (martial arts).
On the death of Mahishi, Indra - the king of the gods, who was displaced and
banished by Mahishi, led several tigers for the disposal of Ayyappan.
Days later Manikantan entered the palace precincts riding a fierce tigress
and followed by a pack of her cubs. The schemers were frightened into confessing
their plot. They were convinced of his divine origins, and prayed to him to
be with them for their own salvation and for the safety of the kingdom. Immediately
Manikantan disppeared. The king would not eat anything if Manikantan did not
come back. Then Manikantan gave a vision (Darshan) to the king.
Filled with emotions of happiness, grief, fear, wonder and 'Bhakti' (devotion
to God) and self-surrender, the king stood praying for the mercy and blessings
of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine
powers of the Lord and repeatedly requested Him to forgive him for behaving
as if He were his son only. The Lord lovingly embraced the King who prayed to
bless him by freeing from ego and the worldly life of birth and rebirth and
grant Moksha (salvation). He told the King that he was destined to return. The
king implored Lord Manikantan to allow him to build a temple and dedicate it
to him and the Lord assented.
Manikantan then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of Moksha. The
Lord shot an arrow that fell at the top of Sabrimala and told the King that
he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pampa and
install His deity there. Ayyappan also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage
shall be undertaken, emphasizing the importance of Penance vratham and what
the devotees can attain by His 'darshan'.
But before the departure of the Lord, the King secured a promise from the Lord
that on thai Ponjal on January 14, every year,(celebrated as "Makara Jyothy"
all his personal jewellery (usually kept at the Palace) will be adorned on His
image at Sabarimala. Hence on the 12th of January every year, the Jewellery
will be taken on foot from the Palace by a special emissary of the kingdom,
after the puja with all pomp, devotion and reverence. Immeditely when the Arti
is over, Royal Garuda (Eagle) flies over the Palace, (which seems to be quite
automatic). The Royal Garuda flies ahead, and appears guide the pilgrims throughout
their journey. Since there was no modern means of communication like Telephone
or Mobile, to the hundreds of thousands of Devotees desirous of worshipping
Lord Manikantan's Jewels enroute to His Abode, this Garud was the sole and absolute
signal of advance information even to the Temple authorities at Sabarimala to
get ready for the adorning of the Jewels. This journey on the 12th and 13th
of January finally reaches Sabarimala on January 14th. Immediately after the
jewellery is adorned on the Deity, there is an Aarti ( offering by burning Camphor).
The miracle is that just after the Arti, without loss a second, the Jyothy appears
on the east side of the Temple up above the Hills (details are given hereunder).
But then the Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held
him and his descendants in 'Bhakti' shall happen to be devoted to Him as well.
Manikantan then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished.
The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to him. The deity
for installation was prepared by Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
and was installed by himself.
Pilgrimage
The Pandala Raja constructed a small temple, 18 steps above the ground as instructed
by the lord himself.[citation needed] Each of these eighteen holy steps represents
a desire one must conquer in life. The 18 steps and the temple have in recent
times been coated in gold. The original vigraham was a wooden idol , and was inaugurated
by Parashurama (incarnation of Vishnu).[citation needed]
The common cry heard during the pilgrimages to his shrine is "Swamiye
Sharanam Ayyappa!" ("Oh Swami, we take refuge in you").
Pilgrimage to Sabarimala begins from the 1st of Vrichikam, a Malayalam month
coming in the middle of November (probably between 14-17. The most important
day for Ayyappan is Makarasankranti Day, which is the 1st of Makara (a month
of the Malayalam calendar). This day will fall between January 14-16. Currently
millions of devotees come from all parts of India to Sabarimala for a glimpse
of Lord Ayyappan, having undertaken 41 days of Vratham (austerities). In 2005,
at least 50 million devotees made the pilgrimage to Sabarimala (from 1st Vrichikam
to the 1st Makaram).
On Makarasankranti,*** every year without fail, miraculous events occur. Firstly
as the jewels (Thiruvaabaranam) of the Lord are transported from the Old Pandalam
Palace to Sabarimala, a Krishnaparanth (holy Garuda - an eagle - the vehicle
of Lord Vishnu), circles above the precious jewels (in fact guarding them),
like a protector. This rare eagle is rarely seen in the midst of people for
a long period of time, yet the auspicious bird follows the Thiruvaabaranam procession,
finally circling above Sanithanam at Sabarimala nine times as it pays its respects
to Lord Ayyappan. During this time, there is not a single star in the sky except
for a special Nakshatram. As the beautiful jewels are placed on the golden body
of the Lord within the temple, the several hundred thousand devotees outside,
crammed into any available free space, chant "Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa".
When the jewels are finally all adorned on the Lord, the Nakshatram in the sky
miraculously disappears, as all the Devas and Celestial beings leave the sky
to get a glimpse of the Lord in all his splendor. Within moments of the Lord
being adorned with the Thiruvabaranam, an effulgence (Divya Jyoti) appears in
the opposite hills of Shabarimala, appearing 3 times. This hill is called Ponnambalamedu.
It is believed that the Lord himself appears in the form of that Divya Jyoti.
It is firmly believed that Lord Indra himself lights the divine efflugence.
The entire hillside reverberates with the chant "Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa"
as the devotees witness this auspicious Darshan, as the Devas and celestial
Rishis arrive at Sabarimala to participate in birthday celebrations of Ayyappan
effulgence. These auspicious sights are different forms of the Lord Himself
appearing. The devotees then climb the 18 holy gold steps to arrive at the sanidhanam
where they finally get a glimpse of the Lord as Himself, in all beauty, Manikanta
Shri Dharmasastha, adorned with jewels. It is believed that if one witnesses
these events after having undertaken 41 days of severe austerities (Vratham),
one can attain Moksha.
This is why Ayyappan is also known as "Kaliyugavaradhan", since He
can help us attain Moksha in this difficult age of Kaliyuga, the age of hypocrisy
and violence.
Courtesy:wikipedia,All about Lord Swamy Ayyappa , More
mythological detail about Lord Ayyapan
Official page of Pandalam Royal Family , Official page of Akhila Bharata Ayyappa
Seva Sangham , Sabarimala pages in Malayalam
Aravana Prasadam, Website of Ayyappa Temple in Rohini,Delhi
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