Lord
Muruga, also known as Shanmuga, Skanda, Kartikeya and Subrahmanya, is the
primordial energy, created to save the world from the asuras (dark and negative
forces). He is the Lord of the army of Devas.
According to Puranas he was
instrumental for the Soora Samharam (destruction of the evil asura Soora
Padma).He is also the lord of Serpents
and is worshipped as Kukke Subrahmanya Swamy.According to the legend, Subrahmanya Swamy is said to have given protection to the
serpents Vasuki and others from Garuda. Hence he is worshipped as the lord of Serpents in Kukke Subrahmanya Swamy Temple, Karnataka. Skanda Sashti is a very important festival celebrated all around the world by the devotees.
According
to the Hindu calendar, Lord Muruga’s birthday is celebrated on the Vishaka
Nakshatra which falls in the Vaikasi month. He is the son of Shiva and Uma Devi
(Parvati). Muruga’s
Vahana is the Peacock and with one of his hands he holds his weapon, the spear
(Vel) and with his other hand he holds a flag with rooster symbol.
Being
the Lord of courage, valor, beauty and intelligence, he blesses his devotees
with the same characteristics. He is also called the six-faced lord Arumuga
Swamy. With his six faces (5 faces of
Lord Shiva and one face of Goddess Uma Devi), he is said to protect his
devotees in all the 6 directions: East, West, North, South, Skyward and also
the Earth.Being the son of Shiva and
Uma Devi, he is said to bless people with the comforts of this world and also
the other world.
.
Six is a
very powerful number associated with Lord Muruga and the six syllable mantra “SARAVANABHAVA”, was revealed by Lord himself, to Sage Agastya.The six syllables are said to mean:
SA
– power to attract good people into your lives RA – power to attract wealth VA (HA)– power to destroy negative energy like diseases and debts. NA – Power to eliminate enemies and problems. BA – power to attract positive energy
VA
– Power to eliminate the negativity and influence caused by bad placement of planets
in one’s horoscope.
While
you chant this mantra (either silently or out loud), visualize Muruga’s Peacock,
Rooster symbol on his flag and his Vel (weapon) forming a protective shield
around you. This year Vaikasi Vishaka also happens to be a Sani Pradosham day.
(Pradosham falling on a Saturday).
On
this day, special poojas like Archana (reciting of Lord’s names) with fresh
flowers and Abhisheka is performed by devotees with water, milk and other
abhisheka materials like honey, chandan, panchamrut etc. Singing of various
hymns and bhajans in praise of Muruga helps devotees overcome their obstacles
and attain health, wealth and prosperity by his grace.
Jagadguru
Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal (May 20, 1894 – January 8, 1994) or the Sage
of Kanchi was the 68th Jagadguru in the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. He is
usually referred to as Paramacharya or Mahaswami or Maha Periyavaal.
Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara - by M.S. Subbalakshmi
Rare Pictures of Kanchi Kamakoti Pettam Maha Periyavar (in 4 parts)
Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 1
Maha
Periyavaal was born on 20 May 1894, under Anuradha star according to the Hindu
calendar, into a Kannadiga Smartha Hoysala Karnataka Brahmin family in Viluppuram,
South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu as Swaminatha. He was the second son of
Subramanya Sastri, a District Education Officer. The child was named Swaminatha,
after the family deity, Lord Swaminatha of Swamimalai, near Kumbakonam.
Swaminatha began his early education at the Arcot American Mission High School
at Tindivanam, where his father was working. He was an exceptional student and
excelled in several subjects. In 1905, his parents performed his Upanayanam, a
Vedic ceremony which qualifies a Brahmin boy to begin his Vedic studies under
an accomplished teacher.
Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 2
During
the childhood of the Acharya, his father consulted an astrologer who, upon
studying the boy's horoscope, is said to have been so stunned that he
prostrated himself before the boy exclaiming that "One day the whole world
will fall at his feet".
Indeed
the predictions came through and young Swaminathan was installed as the 68th
head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam on February 13, 1907, the second day of the
Tamil month of Masi, Prabhava year. He was given Sanyasa Asramam at the early
age of 13 and was named Chandrasekharendra Saraswati. On May 9, 1907 his
"Pattabishekam" as the 68th Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam
was performed at the Kumbakonam Math.
Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar part 3
Even
though there was not enough property in the mutt to be administered, the court
considering the benefit of the mutt, ordered the mutt to be administered under
the “Guardian and Wards Act”. Sri C.H.Venkataramana Iyer, an illustrious
personality from Kolinjivadi (Colinjivadi) village near Coimbatore was
appointed as guardian by the court. The administration of the mutt was under
guardianship from 1911 to May,1915.
Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 4
On
the day of Sankara Jayanthi in the year 1915, Swamigal took over the
administration of the mutt on the completion of his 21 st year. The
administration of the mutt was taken over in name, but the actual work was
taken care of by an agent, one Sri Pasupathi Iyer. He was an able administrator
who volunteered to do the job without compensation and hailed from Thirupathiripuliyur. Sri Swamigal does not sign
any document, instead Sri Mukham stamp is placed on documents.
An
excerpt of how he became the 68th pontiff was best told by Acharya himself and published
in Bhavan’s Journal, Bombay:
“ In the beginning of the year 1907, when
I was studying in a Christian Mission School at Tindivanam, a town in South
Arcot District, I heard one day that the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam
who was amidst us in our town in the previous year, attained siddhi at Kalavai,
a village about 10 miles from Arcot and 25 miles from Kanchipuram. Information
was received that a maternal cousin of mine who, after some study in Rig Veda,
had joined the camp of the Acharya offering his services to him, was installed
on the Peetam.”
“He was the only son of the widowed and
destitute sister of my mother and there was not a soul in the camp
to console her. At this juncture, my father who was a supervisor of schools in
the Tindivanam taluk, planned to proceed with his family to Kalavai, some 60
miles from Tindivanam, in his own bullock cart. But on account of an educational
conference at Tiruchirapalli, he cancelled the programme.”
“My mother with myself and other children
started to Kalavai to console her sister on her son assuming sannyas ashram.
We traveled by rail to Kanchipuram, and halted at Sankaracharya mutt there. I
had my ablutions at the Kumara-koshta Tirtha. A carriage of the Mutt had come
there from Kalavai with persons to buy articles for the Maha Pooja on the 10th day
after the passing away of the late Acharya Paramaguru. But one of them, a
hereditary Maistri of the mutt, asked me to accompany him. A separate cart was
engaged for the rest of the family to follow me.”
“During our journey, the maistri hinted to
me that I might not return home and that the rest of my life might have to be
spent in the mutt itself. At first I thought that my elder cousin having become
the head of the mutt, it might have been his wish that I was to live with him.
I was then only 13 years of age and so I wondered as to what use I might be to
him in the institution.”
“But the maistri gradually began to
clarify as miles rolled on, that the Acharya, my cousin in the poorvashram had fever
which developed into delirium and that was why I was being separated from the
family to be quickly taken to Kalavai. He told me that he was commissioned to
go to Tindivanam and fetch me, but he was able to meet me at Kanchipuram
itself. I was stunned by this unexpected turn of events. I lay in a kneeling posture
in the cart itself, shocked as I was, repeating Rama Rama, the only spiritual prayer
I knew, during the rest of the journey.”
“My mother and the other children came some
time later only to find that instead of her mission of consoling her sister,
she herself was placed in the state of having to be consoled by someone else.”
“My robes of sannyas were not the result
of any renunciation on my part, nor had I the advantage of living under a Guru
for any length of time. I was surrounded from the very first day of sannyas by
all the comforts and responsibilities of a gorgeous court.”
Maha
Periyavaal was the head of the Mutt for eighty-seven years. During this period,
the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam acquired new strength as an institution that
propagated Śankara's teachings. The devotion, fervour,
and intensity with which the Paramacharya practiced what Śankara had taught are considered to be unparalleled by his
devotees.Throughout his life, the focus of his concern and
activities was rejuvenating Veda adhyayana, the Dharma Sasthras, and the
age-old tradition, which had suffered decline. "Veda rakshanam" was
his very life breath, and he referred to this in most of his talks.
Remaining
active throughout his life, the sage of Kanchi twice undertook pilgrimages on
foot from Rameshwaram in the far south of the Indian peninsula to Benares in
the North.
His
long tenure as Pitadhipathi is considered by many to have been the Golden Era
of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He attained Mukti (died) on January 8, 1994 at
the age of 100 and was succeeded by Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal.
Periyava
stressed the importance of a Guru in one's life. He repeatedly preached about
the importance of following the Dharmic path. His various discourses are available
in a volume of books called 'Deivathin Kural' (Voice of the
Divine) which have been compiled by R. Ganapathi, a devotee of Periyava, and
published by vaanathi publications. These books are available both in Tamil and
English.
Though
Periyavaa did not get directly into politics, he was interested in the
happenings. At Nellichery in Palakkad (Present Day Kerala), Rajaji and Mahatma
Gandhi met the Acharya in a cow shed. It was a practice in the mutt to wear
silk clothes. But Acharya was the first one to do away with them and shifted to
Khadi robes at Rameshwaram. He requested his devotees to do away with foreign/
non natural clothes some time earlier at Trichy. The day India became free, he
gave the Maithreem Bhajata song, which was later to be sung at the UN by M S
Subbulakshmi.
Maithreem Bhajatha Akila
Hrith Jeththreem
Serve with Friendship and
Humility, which will conquer the Hearts of Everyone. Atmavat Eva Paraan api
pashyata
Look upon others similar
to yourself. Yuddham Tyajata
Renounce War Spardhaam Tyajata
Renounce unnecessary Competition
for Power Tyajata Pareshwa akrama
aakramanam
Give up Aggression on
others' properties which is wrong Jananee Prthivee
Kaamadughaastey
Mother Earth is wide
enough and ready to give us all we desire like a Kaamadenu JanakO Deva: Sakala Dayaalu
God, Our Father, is very
Compassionate to All Daamyata
So, Restrain yourself Datta
So, Donate your wealth to
others Dayathvam
So, Be Kind to others Janathaa:
Oh People of the World Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala
Janaanaam
May All People of this
World be Happy and Prosperous.
What do you see?
Do you see the faces or the vase?
This
is the famous optical illusion image devised by the Danish psychologist Edgar
Rubin often used to illustrate the concept of figure ground. When two
fields have a common border, one is seen as figure
and the other as ground. You can see
the image as either a central vase, or two faces that are looking at each
other. This image is popularly called the Rubin's vase (sometimes known
as the Rubin face or the figure–ground vase).
The
spiritual truth: We see an article. The act of
seeing has both an object (the particular article seen) as well as the subject
(one who does the act of seeing). These two states (object and subject) are
separate and distinct from one another. The body is seen, so it is the object.
Atma (soul) sees, so it is the subject. This analogy can be extended to other
acts such as perception or consciousness. The body is perceived, so it is the
object. Atma (soul) does the act of perceiving . so it is the subject. Thus the
body and the soul are separate from one another. He who considers the soul as
that which is seen (that is, confuses the object for the subject) can only be
termed as an aggyani (ignorant of reality/truth).
The spiritual seeker eventually
acquires the intuitive wisdom of direct perception and understands the Eternal
Truth and solves the mystery of how the Brahman (divine) is seen at the same
time as both manifested in (immanent) and encompassing of the material world
(transcendent). He realizes his oneness with God and understands that he
himself is a microcosm of immanence and transcendence (Non-duality).
Shankara’s
realization expressed through Manishaa Panchakam
Adi
Shankara Acharya, spiritual guru who spread the Advaita philosophy once
encountered a Chandala (person born in a caste other than a brahmin) in his
path and asked him to move away from his path.The chandala enquired Shankara, if he sees his body different from the
Shankara’s body. He also asked if Shankara wanted his body or his consciousness
to move away from Shankara’s body or his consciousness.“What do you want me to move?”Shankara’s illusion of how he perceived the
subject and object was shattered and fell at the Chandala’s feet. There is no
two object.The subject and the object
is the same. The Brahman within you is the same in all things and there is no
difference. He truly realized the concept of Advaitam (non-duality)
and composed the Manishaa Panchakam.
Do you see a face or faces?
The
album cover artwork for Pink
Floyd's The Division Bell is an example of a Rubin-vase-like
construction. The two metal heads in profile facing each other form the image
of a third face looking directly at the viewer.
The
Bhagavad Gita (9-2): Self-realization is the yoga or “oneness” with the
ultimate truth. Based on all valid religious experiences, the Gnani or the
seeker, understands through his body (senses), mind and soul, that we are one
with the omnipresence of God.
According to Puranas he was
instrumental for the Soora Samharam (destruction of the evil asura Soora
Padma). He is also the lord of Serpents
and is worshipped as Kukke Subrahmanya Swamy.
According to the legend, Subrahmanya Swamy is said to have given protection to the
serpents Vasuki and others from Garuda. Hence he is worshipped as the lord of Serpents in Kukke Subrahmanya Swamy Temple, Karnataka. Skanda Sashti is a very important festival celebrated all around the world by the devotees. 
According
to the Hindu calendar, Lord Muruga’s birthday is celebrated on the Vishaka
Nakshatra which falls in the Vaikasi month. He is the son of Shiva and Uma Devi
(Parvati). Muruga’s
Vahana is the Peacock and with one of his hands he holds his weapon, the spear
(Vel) and with his other hand he holds a flag with rooster symbol. 
Being
the Lord of courage, valor, beauty and intelligence, he blesses his devotees
with the same characteristics. He is also called the six-faced lord Arumuga
Swamy. With his six faces (5 faces of
Lord Shiva and one face of Goddess Uma Devi), he is said to protect his
devotees in all the 6 directions: East, West, North, South, Skyward and also
the Earth. Being the son of Shiva and
Uma Devi, he is said to bless people with the comforts of this world and also
the other world.
On
this day, special poojas like Archana (reciting of Lord’s names) with fresh
flowers and Abhisheka is performed by devotees with water, milk and other
abhisheka materials like honey, chandan, panchamrut etc. Singing of various
hymns and bhajans in praise of Muruga helps devotees overcome their obstacles
and attain health, wealth and prosperity by his grace.
