For the past 2 and half months, clusters of men clad in black drapery have been trekking their way to finally reach their destination- SABARIMALA (शबरिमाला / ശബരിമല). The journey spanning a treacherous path of thorns and keeping alive severe worldly austerities on this journey to visit His Highness, Lord Ayyappa.
Who is Ayyappa? People in the northern India often find the name funny and unsuitable for a God! Well, No offences, lack of knowledge can lead to such ignorant thinking. Lord Ayyappa is perhaps the most important Hindu deity for the people of Kerala and He is also followed in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka. Lord Ayyappa also known as Manikantha or the one with the bell around his throat is touted to be the son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Startled??? Surprised??? Shocked???
Well, the story dates back to the great Samudra Manthan (The churning of the Ocean) epic in the Hindu puranas. The clash took place between SurAs(Gods) and asurAs(Demons) to claim Amritham, which was a milky nectar that would make the drinker live forever! Mohini, in Hindu mythology, is the name of the only female avatar (Incarnation) of Vishnu. She is portrayed as a femme fatale, an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is introduced into the Hindu mythos in the narrative epic of the Mahabharata. In the Samudra Manthan, she appears as a form of Vishnu, acquires the pot of Amrita (an elixir of immortality) from thieving asuras (demons), and gives it back to the Devas (demi-gods), helping them retain their immortality.Many different legends tell of her various exploits and marriages, including unions with both Shiva and Krishna. These tales relate, among other things, the birth of the Lord Ayyappa and the destruction of Bhasmasura, the ash-demon.
Ayyappa is known as "Hariharan Puthiran" because he is the son of Hari (Vishnu) and Haran (Shiva). His most common name is Manikanta because soon after his birth his parents tied a necklace with a bell (mani) around his neck (kantam). 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 not been born from a Woman's womb. 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 (ambrosia or amrit) 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 slightly more detailed version of the union of Shiva with Vishnu. One version tells that the asura Bhasmasura had so pleased lord Shiva with his austerities that Shiva gave him a boon of anything he wished. So Bhasmasura asked for the ability to burn to ashes anything which he placed his hand over. No sooner had Shiva granted this, than Bhasmasura ran after the god, threatening to turn him to ashes.
Shiva called to Lord Vishnu for help. He hid himself in a peepal tree as Bhasmasura 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 Bhasmasura saw Vishnu in this form, he was bewitched by her beauty. He earnestly tried to court her. So Vishnu instructed Bhasmasura to hold his hand over his head, and vow fidelity. With this act, Bhasmasura 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 combined 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. 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.
Manikandan entered the forest to fulfill his divine duty, to rid the world of the 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. Another version of the story tells 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, 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 disappeared. 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, 'Bhakti' (devotion to God) and self-surrender, the king prayed for the mercy and blessings of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine powers of the Lord and 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 him from 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 about how he could attain Moksha. The Lord shot an arrow that fell at the top of Sabarimala and told the King that he must 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 Pongal on January 14, every year, (celebrated as "Makara Jyothi" all his personal jewellery (usually kept at the Palace) will adorn His image at Sabarimala. The Royal Garuda flies ahead, and guides the pilgrims throughout their journey. This Garuda was the sole and absolute signal, even to the Temple authorities at Sabarimala to get ready for the adorning of the jewels. After the statue is adorned, there is an Aarti (offering by burning Camphor). The miracle is that just after the Aarti, the Jyothi appears on the east side of the Temple above the Hills of Kanthamalai.But then the Lord consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in 'Bhakti' shall 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.
More about Lord Ayyappa can be read here -
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayyappan
- http://www.ayyappan-ldc.com/
- http://www.sabarimala.org/
- http://sacredsites.com/asia/india/sabarimala.html
Let us all pray, [Calling only the believers :)] on this glorious occassion to the Great Lord of Sabarimala, Lord Ayyappa, who shares his fraternity with Lord Ganapathy & Lord Karthikeya.
SWAMIYE SHARANAYYAPPA
സ്വാമിയെ ശരണമയ്യപ്പ
स्वामिये शरणम अय्यप्पा
ஸ்வாமியே சரணம் அய்யப்ப
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