Arunachala Darshan 18

Sri Jnana Pandita Katargama Murugan Darshan



Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about Lord Murugan

"Murugan or Murukaṇ (Tamil: முருகன், Malayalam: മുരുകന്‍) called Subrahmanya (Kannada: ಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ,Telugu: సుబ్రమణ్య స్వామి) is a popular Hindu deity among Tamil Hindus, and is worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influence, especially South India, Sri Lanka , Malaysia and Mauritius . But in Sri Lanka, Hindus as well as Buddhists revere a highly sacred Buddhist and Hindu shrine Katharagama temple (also in Sinhala "Katharagama Devalaya") dedicated to him and situated deep south in the country.

Lord Murugan is more popular in South India compared to other parts of India.He is the God of war and the patron deity of the Tamil land (Tamil Nadu). Like most Hindu deities, He is known by many other names, including Senthil, Saravaṇa, Kārttikeya (meaning 'son of Krittika' ), Arumugam or Shanmukha (meaning 'one with six faces'), Kumāra (meaning 'child or son'), Guha, Skanda (meaning 'that which is spilled or oozed, namely seed' in Sanskrit), Subrahmaṇya, Vēlaṇ and Swaminatha."

Arunachala Hill is Lord Murugan Himself. Ramana has been cited by various devotess to be none other than the Shanmukha Murugan.

Arunachala therefore offers millions of Murugan darshans one of which is the Sri Jnana Pandita Katargama Murugan.

This is the darshan of the Hill from Kubera Lingam.

This darshan offers financial success and also helps in unfoding of Jnana, by the grace of Jnana Pandita Murugan.

The main peak is the Lord Murugan and the Northern spur to His left the Peacock.

Sri Jnana Pandita Katargama Murugan Darshan

Arunachala Darshan 17

Sat Chit Ananda Darshan




"The Lord and the Lady, along with Kandan, merged together are respectively the obstruction free SAT CHIT and ANANDA."
--- Padamalai 2656

This is the amazing Sat Chit Ananda darshan of Arunachala.

The main peak is representative of Shiva, the middle peak of Murugan, and the lateral peak of Parvathi.

This is the Union of the three Godheads.

Of all the darshans of Arunachala, this is the most abstract darshan.

Sat Chit Ananda Darshan of Arunachala



image courtesy: http://www.tantrajoga.cz/hlavniokno.php?rub=zaklady_6_2

Arunachala Darshan 16

Rama bhaktha Hanuman




Sri Hanuman is the chief devotee of Sri Rama.

He is th harbinger of auspiciousness, peace, courage, devotion and liberation.

On his lips is the great mantra Sri Rama.

He is Chiranjeevi ( Eternal ) and is in the pose of namaskar as he contemplates the beauty of Sri Rama in his mind.

The face of this Sri Rama Bhaktha Hanuman which is suffused with devotion and happiness forms today's Arunachala darshan.

This darshan can be had just before the girivallam road bridges off into chengam road and Bangalore highway.

The Rama Mantra is a very powerful sadhana for anyone who do their daily devotions thinking this form of the Hill.


Sri Rama Bhaktha Hanuman Darshan of Arunachala

Arunachala Darshan 15

Karpaga Vinayagar Darshan



Here is an account of Karpaga Vinayagar from Wikipedia:

Karpaka Vinayakar Temple is an ancient rock-cut cave shrine dedicated to Ganesha, located at Pillayarpatti, (10 kilometers west of Karaikkudi), in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

In the cave temple, there are rock cut images of Shiva and other gods as well as several shrines. The Agama texts found on stones in the temple help date the temple between the years of 1091 and 1238. A unique Tamil image of Ganesha found in the temple helps to verify this dating. The presiding deity of the temple is Karpaka Vinayakar or Desi Vinayaka Pillaiyar.

Today, the Pillayarpatti Nagarathar worshipers are involved in conducting daily worship services in the temple, as well as maintaining it. People from all over the state, as well as great numbers of pilgrims, come here everyday and gather for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival held every year during the months of August and September.

Like all Shivite temples, Pillayarpatti temple also has Lord Shiva as its presiding deity. Lord's name is Arjunapureeswarar. This temple is more famous for the rock cut Vinayagar (Ganesha) sitting majestically inside a cave

The Sculptor who designed the figure of Load Vinayagar also had registered his signature as “ EKKATTOOR KONE PERUMPARANAN” ( Perunthatchan) is in Tamil letters which was in use between 400 BC and 500 BC. From this we can take for granted that is was carved just before 500 BC.

From the history of divine architecture and from stone sculptures and from the available documentary evidence Pillaiyarpatti KARPAGAVINAYAGAR figure alone is the first Pillaiyar in the world

Karpaga Vinayagar is not having Mothakam (Sweet) at his right hand.He is in meditation ( having Lingam at his right hand ) for welfare of the entire Universe. Since he is Yoga Vinayagar (Vinayagar with Meditation and all fortunes) he grants all good things we request."

The Hill Arunachala stunningly, stunningly resembles the great Karpaga Vinayagar.

It is a darshan of the hill which can be had about a kilometer away and inline with the temple towers and the main peak.

The great God Ganesha waits with eternal patience to clear our obstacles and bless us with bliss divine.

A very powerful darshan of the great Arunachala.

The Great Karpaga Vinayagar darshan of Arunachala ( notice the rock on the left side of the photo forming a rudimentary tusk of Vinayaka?!!!)



image courtesy : www.arunachala-ramana.org

Arunachala 'I'

I was pouring over the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and am charmed to see it in a new light having been to Arunachala and having read Bhagawan's way.

The gospel too is replete with instances where Sri Ramakrishna has referred to the 'I' and the 'Thou'.

'I' here represents jiva and 'Thou' Paramatman.

Here is one such example of Sri Ramakrishna urging devotees to seek the 'I' to find the 'Thou'


Master: Try to find out what this 'I' is. Is this 'I' the bones, flesh or blood or intestine?

Seeking the 'I' you discover 'Thou'.

In other words nothing exists inside you but the power of God.

There is no 'I' but only 'He'.

Chapter 43, Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Belur Math.

Arunachala Darshan 14

Arunachala Panchamukha Darshan





This is the darshan of the Hill in the girivallam path where Arunachala presents Himself with five faces.

Eeshana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva and Sadjyojata

Eeshana is the core, the womb of all other energies, this is the Absolute Shiva.

Tatpurusha faces East and represents the emotion Tat Tvam Asi.

Aghora to the south represents the fire of creation, maintainence and destruction.

Vamadeva to the North represents beauty, the arts etc.

Sadyojata to the West represents the power to be.

The five faces of this darshan are also said to represent Parvathi, Vinayaka, Subramanyam, Nandi.

This is a must darshan and helps in financial and spiritual progress.

There is also another panchamukha darshan of Lord Anjaneya which is totally different and will be elaborated in the future.

Arunachala Darshan 13

Maha Arunachala Vishwaroopa Brahmanda Darshan




The Arunachala Hill is the Great Cause.

Within it are all the darshans of the manifest and unmanifest universe.

It is the repository of all deities.

It is the Absolute.

There is a darshan of the Hill where all the other darshans of the Hill can be easily had.

This darshan of the Hill is the Maha Arunachala Vishwaroopa Brahmanada Darshan.

It is an inspired original darshan.

Here Arunachala depicts the Great Cause in the form of the Cosmic Egg.

It is also the Sri Chakra Darshan according to Bhagavan Ramana.

It is the most powerful darshan of the Aruna Hill.

We are lucky that we could have this darshan by living in modern times.

The Cosmic Egg






Th Great Darshan of the Arunachala Vishwaroopa




image courtesy: World Wide Web, Google maps

Arunachala Moonlight

THE GODDESS OF THE NIGHT

As I was returning from a town a few humdred miles from my city in the darkness of the night with the forest and the moon and the mystical dark silhouttes of the yonder hills, I discovered the Goddess.

She was clothed with the dress of nature. Her saree was sprinkled with fields, her birthmarks the hills, her long tresses of hair were the thick forests and her wonderful forehead decorated with the Moon.

She was playing in the soft rays of the moon in the fields.

She was dancing in the winds of the forest as the leaves rippled with ecstasy of her touch.

She was standing motionless on the hilltops, her form darker than the darkest hills.

She looked at me with a gaze of an infinite moksha...

She smiled at me...calling me...showing me...that life is beautiful when it is like the moonlight in the forest at night.

Solitary. Divine. Beautiful.

Beyond human description,

a desireless, contentful being.

an emotion of supernal existence

next time when we walk through the full moon night, circumbulating Arunachala... let us look at the Moon through the canopy of trees...let us look at Arunachala....the Hill which is verily Ramana, verily the great Goddess...

let us see the dance of the Moon on the soft contours of Arunachala...

and discover the smile of the Goddess,

a smile of an Eternal Silence of unimaginable depth

image courtesy : World Wide Web.

Arunachala Darshan 12

Sanjeevini Darshan

Inspired Darshan

The Ramayana has a story where Lord Hanuman flies to the Himalayas in search of the elusive herb on Mount Dronagiri. The herb, Sanjivini, was the antidote for the unconcious Laxmana.

Here is an account of the same from Wikipedia:

"When Lakshmana is severely wounded by Indrajit during the war against Ravana, Hanuman is sent to fetch the Sanjivani, a powerful life-restoring herb from the Dronagiri mountain in the Himalayas to revive him. Ravana realises that if Lakshmana dies, a distraught Rama would probably give up, and so has his uncle Kalnaimi tempt Hanuman away with luxury. However, Hanuman is tipped off by a crocodile (actually a celestial being under a curse) and kills the Rakshasa. When he is unable to find the specific herb before nightfall, Hanuman again displays his might by lifting the entire Dronagiri mountain and bringing it to the battlefield in Lanka, thus helping others find the herb to revive Lakshmana. An emotional Rama hugs Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own beloved brother Bharat."

Hanuman lifting the Mount Dronagiri with Sanjeevini



The image of the Lord Hanuman lifting Dronagiri is worshipped as a deity which bestows health and good life.

This is the Sanjeevini darshan.

The same darshan is easily seen in Arunachala just before Swami Nityananda ashram.

The darshan has the same power to bestow health and good life to all people who see it like the legendary Sanjeevini herb in the Himalayas.

The Parvathi peak here in this darshan represents Dronagiri. the trees on the peak are representative of Sanjeevini and Arunachala view resembles the face of the great monkey God...Hanuman.

Everyone who comes to Arunachala must try to get this darshan.

This is an original inspired darshan by the will of Arunachala.

The Great Sanjeevini Darshan of Arunachala:




image courtesy : World Wide Web, Wikipedia, www.arunachala-ramana.org

Arunachala Darshan 11

Sri Ramachandra Seetha Lakshmana Hanuman Darshan

Sri Rama Rama Rameti,
Rame Rame Manorame
Sahasranama Tattulyam Rama Nama Varanane

This darshan of the Arunachala Hill can be seen from a place near Kubera Lingam.

The most powerful mantra and name in the created universe is Rama.

Arunachala is Sri Ramachandra Himself according to Bhagavan Ramana.

The vision of Sri Ramachandra with Goddess Seetha, Lakshmana and Anjaneya is very commonly seen in contemporary paintings and calenders.



The same vision can be seen from near Kubera Lingam.



A close up



The main peak represents Sri Ramachandra and the very adjacent outcropping to the peak's right Lakshmana. The Shakthi peak to the left of the main peak is the Goddess Seetha and the foothill represents Lord Hanuman.

I feel this area is a very powerful recptive area for the Rama mantra.

This is a darshan of personal intuition and has nothing to do with any recorded darshans previously by anybody. I trust Arunachala to inspire my intellect for the same purpose in rightful direction.

As I said previously I would be confining myself to originality many of the times trusting my intuitions and recording aunachala darshans. In cases when necessary I will elaborate on darshans that I come across from Agasthiar ashram and others.

Arunachala photo courtesy : www.arunachala-ramana.org

Arunachala Darshan 10

Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Darshan



Maha Vishnu is worshipped in the reclining pose (Ananthashayanam).

He rests on the coiled body of Sheshnag with Lord Brahma emanating from His umbilicus in a lotus.

The right hand of Mahavishnu is stretched out and underneath it rests a Shiva lingam symbolising Shiva. In the right hand MahaVishnu is seen holding a Lotus.

He is worshipped by hundreds of devas and rishis who surround Him.

Goddess Lakshmi sits near the feet of Vishnu.

This vision of the Lord is known as Anantha Padmanabha Swamy.

Th iconography is representative of the idea that Brahma emanates from Vishnu and is the father of creation. Lord Vishnu sustains it and when the world disappears Lord Vishnu is offering a lotus to Lord Shiva who represents the Absolute. This deity signifies the unity of trinity.

The Creator = The Sustainer = The Destroyer

Arunachala has this darshan of Anatha Padmanabha Swamy which is easily seen from the road to Kanchi and Parvathamalai, just a few kilometers from girivallam road.

This darshan is an insipration of intuition and has nothing to do with any recorded darshans of Arunachala that I have come across.

One can clearly see the form of the Hill resembling the reclining pose of Maha Vishnu.

The vast sky is the creation signifying Brahma and the Absolute is beyond comprehension representing the Whole, Lord Shiva.

The great Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Darshan of Arunachala

Arunachala Ramana

The benedictory verse adopted as an auspicious
introduction to the Five Hymns to Sri Arunachala was rather
puzzling as it was not clear who actually wrote those words “the
Paramatman, who is the same as Arunachala or Ramana.” Sri T.
P. Ramachandra Iyer, one of the oldest devotees, who gave up
his practice as a lawyer to serve Bhagavan, was consulted and so
was Sri Visvanatha Swami. Their account of the matter is that
one day, when Bhagavan went out of Virupaksha Cave for his
usual morning walk, one Amritanatha Yati put on Bhagavan’s
seat a piece of paper on which he told in a Malayalam verse, of
his great longing to know who Bhagavan really was, “Are you
the manifestation of Lord Vishnu, or Siva, or the great
grammarian Vararuchi, or the greatest of yatis (renunciates)?”

His question was couched in classic form and script. When
he returned a little later to the cave, he found Bhagavan already
back from his walk. On the reverse of the piece of paper was
Bhagavan’s reply, also in verse and Malayalam script, rendered
with mastery. On reading it, Amritanatha Yati felt shaken and
in all humility fell at Bhagavan’s feet “like a tall coconut tree
cut even at the base”, to use his own words.

The reply was as follows: ‘In the lotus-shaped Heart of all,
beginning with Hari, there shines as absolute Consciousness
the Paramatman who is the same as Arunachala-Ramana. When
the mind melts with love of Him and reaches the inmost recess
of the Heart wherein He dwells as the beloved, the subtle eye
pure intellect opens and He reveals Himself as pure
Consciousness.”

: The Silent Power
Sri Ramanaashram

Arunachala Nannagaru (Part 2)

A beautiful photo of Sadhguru Sri Nannagaru

image courtesy:: www.srinannagaru.com

I returned to Arunachala in the month of December just two days after the MahaDeepam. My stay was in Nannagaru Ashram. There was a good crowd still lingering in the ashram despite the conclusion of the Deepam festivities. The main reason though was that Sri Nannagaru was still there in the ashram.

The MahaDeepam would be lit for a few more days on Arunachala peak and I wanted to see it.

I arrived by afternoon in the car and went around Girivallam road capturing some pictures of Arunachala. Then on returning to the ashram I was informed that Sri Nannagaru would be leaving to Ramana Ashram at three in the afternoon.

I went to the ashram with some local friends and found Nannagaru surrounded by devotees. He first went to the Mother shrine and then to Ramana hall. I first tried to see him through the windows of the Hall. A few elder devotees seeing me gestured to me to come nearer and see the master.

"Ramana is Him, He is Ramana. There is no difference" one woman told me. I nodded not knowing what to say.

As the master entered the Ramana shrine, I saw devotees take strategic places around the samadhi so that they can come in line when the master sees them.

I too decided the same and hoped that the Sadhguru would remember me from our meeting in Hyderabad.

And so I stood with bated breath as the great man circumbulated Ramana Samadhi. Finally when he came close to me he looked at me. I watched him and willed him to smile at me. There was no hint of recognition from him. And then he walked past.

I chided myself for having a 'Vivekananda Complex'...that is hoping for the Sadhguru to smile at me and say with love "Where were you all these years my beloved disciple? I have been waiting for you.":)

I decided to meet the master later in the ashram in the evening.

I respectfully saluted him and left the place for a car girivallam.

Arunachala Darshan 9

Shiva Sakthi Aikya darshan

The Union of the Shiva and Sakthi



This is a beautiful darshan that one can see from agasthiar ashram.

This vision was one of the most anticipated darshans for me when I first went to Arunachala. I had read about this vision on agasthiar.org and was waiting to see it in real life.

When my cousins and I reached the ashram and saw the darshan, Arunachala decided to stunningly show us something more.

A cloud, thin and beautiful suddenly came in front of the Shiva peak and looked like a namam across the forehead.

All of us who saw this darhan were stunned beyond words. We marvelled at the magnificent darshan and took out our binoculars to study the cloud further.

We saw a bird flying amidst the mist of the cloud and felt very blessed.

This is pehaps one of the fondest darshans of Arunachala that I have had the privilege of having.

Arunachala Panchamukha

Sri Panchamukha Hanuman Dhyana Sloka

Panchasyachutamaneka vichitra veeryam ||
Sri shanka chakra ramaniya bhujagra desam ||
Peethambaram makara kundala noopurangam ||
Dhyayethitam kapivaram hruthi bhvayami ||

Arunachala is the universal form of all deities known and unknown.

The great Hill from before Time has been the centre of the universe signifying the ultimate goal, the source.

It is the final destination for the grand path of Self Enquiry.

Being unique in its form, the Aruna Hill has been believed to manifest itself in infinte darshans in various angles.

Every deity, god or godddess can be found in the Hill.

And one of the stunning, stunning darshans of the Hill is the form of PANCHAMUKHA ANJANEYA or PANCHAMUKHA HANUMAN.

Panchamukha Hanuman is the symbol of Self Enquiry and helps those who tred the path. The Ramayana talks of Panchamukah Hanuman when Lord Hanuman went to kill Mahiravan and rescue the captured Lord Rama and Lakshmana. The five faces of the Lord blow out five lights which represent the life of Mahiravan at the same time. Then the Lord emerges from the bowels of the Earth with Rama and lakshmana.

I feel the story is a metophor where the five lights represents the senses and Panchamuka Hanuman represents the act of Self Enquiry. The result of the effort is the emergence of the Lord Rama from the bowels of Maya.

The five face Hanuman with five faces:

-- The East facing Sri Hanuman removes all blemishes of sin and confers purity of mind.


-- Sri Karala Ugravira Narasimha Swami, facing the South, removes fear of enemies and confers victory.


--The West facing Sri Mahavira Garuda drives away evil spells, black magic influences etc., and removes all poisonous effects in one's body.


--Northfacing Sri Lakshmi Varaha wards off the troubles caused by bad influences of the planets and confers all prosperity.


--The Urdhva Mukha facing upwards of Sri Hayagriva Swami confers knowledge, victory, good wife and progeny.

Arunachala Hill has all these darshans of the five faces if one sees closely.

They will be elaborated in the next post.

for more information on panchamukha visit the beautiful site

www.panchamukha.org

imge courtesy: www.panchamukha.org

Arunachala Ramakrishna

KALPATARU DAY

Today is the day when Sri Ramakrishna manifested his true identity of Supreme Godhead.

"I shall make the whole thing public before I go,' the Master has said some time before. On January 1, 1886, he felt better and came down to the garden for a little stroll. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon. Some thirty lay disciples were in the hall or sitting about under the trees. Sri Ramakrishna said to Girish (Ghosh), 'Well Girish, what have you seen in me, that you proclaim me before everybody as an Incarnation of God?' Girish was not the man to be taken by surprise. He knelt before the Master and said with folded hands, 'What can an insignificant person like myself say about the One whose glory even sages like Vyasa and Valmiki could not adequately measure?' The Master was profoundly moved. He said: 'What more shall I say? I bless you all. Be illumined!' He fell into a spiritual mood. Hearing these words the devotees, one and all, became overwhelmed with emotion. They rushed to him and fell at his feet. He touched them all, and each received an appropriate benediction. Each of them, at the touch of the Master, experienced ineffable bliss. Some laughed, some wept, some sat down to meditate, some began to pray. Some saw light, some had visions of their Chosen Ideals, and some felt within their bodies the rush of spiritual power."

From the Introduction to THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA,
by Swami Nikhilananda

The Arunachala Hill and the Lord of Bengal Sri Ramakrishna are one and the same power. This is my strong conviction.

Om namo Bhagvate Ramakrishnaaya namaha
Om Namo Arunachalaeshwaraaya namaha