இடம்பெயர்ந்து குடாநாட்டிற்கு வந்தோருக்கு இந்து அமைப்புகள் 20 இலட்சம் ரூபா உதவி!!!

இடம்பெயர்ந்து குடாநாட்டிற்கு வந்தோருக்கு இந்து அமைப்புகள் 20 இலட்சம் ரூபா உதவி

[18 - March - 2009]

வன்னியில் இடம்பெறும் இராணுவ நடவடிக்கைகளால் இடம்பெயர்ந்து வந்து யாழ்.குடாநாட்டிலுள்ள நலன்புரி நிலையங்களில் தங்கியுள்ளவர்களுக்கு யாழ்.இந்து அமைப்புகளின் ஒன்றியம் 20 இலட்சம் ரூபா பெறுமதியான அத்தியாவசியப் பொருட்களை வழங்கியுள்ளது.
நேற்று முன்தினம் திங்கட்கிழமை யாழ். மாவட்ட செயலகத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற நிகழ்வில் இந்தப் பொருட்கள் யாழ். அரச அதிபரிடம் கையளிக்கப்பட்டன.

நல்லை ஆதீன முதல்வர் ஸ்ரீலஸ்ரீ சோமசுந்தர பரமாச்சாரியார் தலைமையிலான இந்து அமைப்புகளின் ஒன்றியப் பிரதிநிதிகள் அத்தியாவசியப் பொருட்களை அரச அதிபரிடம் கையளித்தனர்.

அத்தியாவசிய உணவுப் பொருட்களும் உடுபுடவைகளும் குழந்தைகள், பாலூட்டும் தாய்மார்கள் மற்றும் கர்ப்பவதிகளுக்கான சத்துணவுப் பொருட்களும் வழங்கப்பட்டன.

இந்தப் பொருட்களை அரச அதிபர் கொண்டு சென்று நலன்புரி நிலையங்களிலுள்ள மக்களுக்கு வழங்கவுள்ளார்.

மேற்படி நலன்புரி நிலையங்களில் வசிக்கின்ற மக்களை இந்துக் குருமார்கள் சென்று சந்திப்பதற்கும் அனுமதி வழங்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாகத் தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது.

இதேவேளை, மேற்படி நலன்புரி நிலையங்களில் வசிக்கின்ற மக்களுக்கான தேவைகள் அதிகமாக இருப்பதால் தாங்கள் வழங்குகின்ற இந்த உதவிகள் அவர்களுக்குப் போதுமானதல்ல வெனவும் யாழ். குடாநாட்டிலுள்ள சேவையுள்ளம் படைத்தவர்கள் மற்றும் பணம் படைத்தவர்களை இதற்கு உதவுமாறும் கோரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டிருக்கின்றது.

இவர்களுக்கு உதவி செய்ய விரும்புவோர் இல 14, பலாலி வீதி, யாழ்ப்பாணம் என்ற முகவரியிலுள்ள இந்து சமயப் பேரவை அலுவலகத்தில் பொருட்களை வழங்கலாமெனவும் யாழ். ஸ்ரான்லி வீதியிலுள்ள இலங்கை வங்கிக் கிளையில் 8944876 என்ற கணக்கு இலக்கத்தில் பணத்தை வைப்புச் செய்யலாமெனவும் இந்து அமைப்புகளின் ஒன்றியம் அறிவித்திருக்கின்றது.

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HINDUISM....NAKULESHWARAM.....VISHNU.....MYTHOLOGY...!!!

Hinduism

Nakuleswaram - oldest Siva Temple in Sri Lanka
Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Nakuleswaram is situated north of the main town of Jaffna and is close to the Port City of Kankesanturai. It is dedicated to main deity in Saivism Lord Siva and is one of the five ancient Sivan temples in the island.

In fact, it is situated near a mineral water spring called Keerimalai reputed for its curative properties. There is also a cave complex nearby believed to have been used for meditation by a mythical sage called Nagula Muni.

A local myth states that a Pandiyan Princess named Maruthapura Veeravalli built the nearby Maviddapuram Murukan temple after she was cured by the Keerimalai Springs.

Hence, the entire temple complex seems to have been built around the cave and the curative springs indicate a pre-historic origin for the shrine.

In Tamil word Keeri and its sanskrit equivalent Nagulam means a Mangoose. The antiquity in this temple can be evidence by its mention in many Indian religions treatises such as Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Skanda Puranam indicating that it was a pilgrimage centre for South Indian Hindus.

Some traditions relating to the origins of Nakuleswaram were recorded in the Yalpana Vaipavamalai. During the 18th century when the Yalpana Vaipavamalai was written, there was no temple at Keerimalai.

The old temple at the site had been destroyed by the Portuguese. But memories of that temple had persisted in the minds of the people and the site where it had stood was venerated as a sacred one. Though this temple was destroyed in 1621, the local, Brahmin priests are said to have hidden the main idols before fleeing the temple. After a gap of 400 years in 1894 local Hindus under the guidance of Sri La Sri Arumuganavalar built the present temple.

At Nakuleswaram, the daily rituals and festivals are conducted according to the prescriptions of Agamas. Activities at the temple commence during the early hours of morning with Thirupallieli elichi and worship accompanied with rituals are conducted six times daily.

The annual festival at this temple is conducted in the month of February and it ends with the Water Cutting Ceremony on the day of Maha Sivarathri. The annual festival at the Amman Shrine is celebrated in the latter part of the month of March. Large number of pilgrims congregate at the temple premises during the festival season.

In this temple Kandapuranam Periyapuranam and Nakulalaya Puranam are recited. In the Nakulalaya Puranam the legends pertaining to Keerimalai have been recorded in elaborate form.

Indeed, Nakuleswaram at Keerimalai is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva in Sri Lanka. As a centre of the Hindu religious tradition it has played a key role in the development and sustenance of the ideology and practice of Saivism with a local flavour in the Jaffna Peninsula.


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Hindu Gods - Lord Vishnu
Thilaka V. Vijayaratnam

Vishnu represents another aspect of the Supreme Reality that preserves and sustains the universe. In His hands He carries His weapons - the conch (sanku), mace (kathayutham) and discus (chakra). In the fourth hand He holds a lotus. With a crown, earings (kundala), a malai (garland) of flowers and a gem around the neck. His body is blue.

He wears yellow clothes. This is how the image of Lord Krishna is presented in Hindu Mythology. While Parvathy is also of dark complexion, green-like nature, Mythology refers to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Parvathy as Brother and Sister.

The conch shell He holds in the lower right hand is the symbol of the five elements. In the upper right hand is the discus which shines like the sun. It is the symbol of the mind.

The lotus He carries in the upper left hand is symbolic of the casual power of illusion from which arises the Universe. The mace held in the lower left hand is the symbol of primeval knowledge.

Lord Vishnu is shown in the standing position or reclining on the five headed snake (Aadishesa), with its hood open over the head of Lord Vishnu. Deities with four or more arms indicate their omnipresence, omnipotence, their limitless power.

The conch shell is named Panchasanya and it is the fountain that evolves the five elements namely water, fire, air, earth and space also known as Pancha Poothangal. The Chakra indicates that Lord Vishnu uses this weapon to protect His devotees from evil.

The Lotus is the symbol of purity. The Kathayutham (Mace) represents the elemental force from which all mental and physical powers are derived. The snake depicts the mind and the five heads - the desires and passions of an individual. The blue colour - the infinite expansion of the sky, and the ocean. He therefore pervades the entire Universe. In Puranic Mythology, the legend of His Avatar (incarnation) is considered to be of great importance.

Lord Vishnu tells Arjuna in Bhagavath Geetha “Whenever, wherever there is a decline in dharma and adharma dominates, I descend myself.” Thus whenever, wherever atrocities are committed and Dharma suffers, the Lord takes an Avatar in some form to protect the trusting devotee.

Lord Vishnu took ten such incarnations. First three in animal form - the fish, the tortoise and wildboar then half man half animal (Narasimha), the rest all in human form. Atrocities are committed due to ignorance - ego. Lord Vishnu took these Avatars to destroy the demons of ego and save His devotees. In a way these incarnations are evolutionary in nature - from aquatic life to human life.

Avatar 1 - Fish (Machcha Avatar)

A puranic story tells of a king called Manu, also known as Sathyviradan, who took a handful of water to perform some rites. Along with the water was a tiny fish. He let go the fish into the water and scooped up another handful of water. The fish was in it too. This even was repeated many times and the king was surprised. The fish spoke to him, “O! merciful king, save me and I will help you.”

He put the fish in a bowl in his home. When he returned after performing the rites, he saw the fish has grown and has filled the entire vessel.

It requested the king to put it in another place. He put the fish in a tank. Again the fish grew and the tank was not enough for it. When the fish asked him to change the place, he took it and put it in a pond. The fish grew too big for the pond. So, the king put it in a river.

There too the fish grew to gigantic proportions, that he took it and left it in the ocean. The fish grew to a monstrous size.

One day Manu went to see the fish. The fish told him, “Very soon there will be a deluge. You make a boat big enough to accommodate your family and to help further creation, take different kinds of plants - each of a kind and animals. I’ll protect and save the boat.” Likewise the deluge of the era took place.

Even mountains went under water. Lord Vishnu in the form of the fish saved Manu with the plants and animals.

This legend is almost like the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. During the deluge Lord Brahman, God of creations kept the Vedas under His head and was sleeping. At that time He could not perform His function of creation.

At that time, two Asura brothers called Hayakareevan and Somagan robbed the Vedas from Brahma and hid in the bottom of the ocean. After the floods subsided Brahma searched for the Vedas to start his function of creation and He complained to Lord Vishnu who was in the form of the fish about it.

Vishnu went deep inside the ocean and after destroying the Asuras recovered the Vedas and told Brahma to make use of the king and family and the other beings, He saved to perform His (Brahma’s) function of creation.

Thus ends the legend of the 1st Avatar - one of fish of Lord Vishnu.


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A glimpse of Hindu mythology
K.S. Sivakumaran

Mythology is linked with Religion. By itself mythology is part of literature whether it is in Greek Civilization or any civilization. On this page the correspondents all write and link their expositions with Hindu mythology.

This may be of interest to non-Hindus to understand this great religion. May I also retell some mythological stories for the uninitiated readers to read at least fascinating stories?

Let’s take the case of Ahalya a constant referral in Thamil literature including contemporary Thamil Short Stories.

Ahalya was a very beautiful woman who Brahma created first before any other woman. There was a Rishi by the name Gautama. Brahma gave Ahalya to Gautama. Those days a Rishi could have a spouse.

Who was a Rishi? He was an inspired poet or sage. The hymns of the Vedas were revealed to these Rishis.

We must know something about Indra also. He is someone like the Greek God Zeus. Indra was the head of the Indraloka. He liked women as Zeus. His weapon as Zeus’ was thunderbolt. There are many other interesting stories about him. But we shall stop with that and go back to Ahalya.

Indra wanted to have Ahalya. He succeeded in molesting her without her knowing that it was Indra who masqueraded as Gautama. But Indra suffered for his adultery. Zeus like Lord Siva had a third eye on his forehead. He was cursed to have his body all filled with the female genitals.

Gautama realizing that his wife had been seduced cursed her to be invisible and made her a stone figure. Long years later she regained her natural state as a result of Rama’s (of Ramayana fame) feet touching the stoned body of Ahalya. Ahalya then went back to Gautama who accepted her.

One of the finest early short story writers in Thamil - Puthumai Piththan (Viruthasalam) has written a remarkable story of the mythical character Ahalya. A Lankan dramatist the late E. Ratnam has also interpreted the mythology from another angle.

We learn that the name Akalya means darkness.

In ‘Mahabaratha’, the other twin epic in Indian Literature, Indra is the father of one of the five Pandavas- the warrior Arjuna. Each of the five brothers plus Karnan were fathered by six different Devas and mothered by one person- Kunthi Devi. Karnan fought on the side of Duriyodanan as a gratitude to the latter for accepting him as his peer although it was believed that Karnan was the son of charioteer. But in fact Karnan was of royal birth brought up by the charioteer. Kunti Devi out of fear in bearing Karnan as an unmarried young woman put the infant in a basket and set sail on the river.

The charioteer picked up the child and looked after him is another story.

Karnan had a powerful arrow (Nagasthra) that could kill Arjuna in the war between the Paandavas and Duriodanan and his 100 brothers.

But Indra to save Arjuna begged Karnan at the battlefield to give his last of his dharma when Karnan was to die. Because of the trick initiated by Krishna (Lord Vishnu), Karnan was deceived and thus the life of Arjuna was saved.

There we see mythology is linked with literature and implicitly religion.

sivakumaranks@yahoo.com

எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த பகவத் கீதை வரிகள்!!!

K.R.அதியமான்
2009/2/23 Athiyaman Karur R


எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த பகவத் கீதை வரிகள் :


>> > > *உயிர் அனைத்திடத்தும் வெறுப்பின்றி,* *நட்பும் கருணையும்
>> > > உடையவனாய், மமகாரம் அகங்காரம் அற்று, இனப
>> > > துன்பங்களைச் சமமாய்க் கருதி, பொறுமை படைத்து,
>> > > எப்போதும் சந்தோஷமாயிருப்பவன்,* <<<

>> > > யோகியாய்,
>> > > தன்னடக்கமுடையவனாய், திடநிச்சயமுள்ளவனாய்,
>> > > என்னிடத்து மனம் புத்தியை சமர்ப்பித்தவனாய்,
>> > > யார் என் பக்தனாகிறானோ, அவன் எனக்கு
>> > > பிரியமானவன். (அத் - 12 / ஸ்லோகம் 13 - 14)
---------------------------------------------------
>> > > பிடித்த திருக்குறள்கள் :


>> > > ஓதி உணர்ந்தும் பிறர்க்கு உரைத்தும் தான் அடங்காப்
>> > > பேதையின் பேதையார் இல். (என்க்கு மிக பொருந்துகிறது !!)<<<<


>> > *உங்கள் பெருந்தன்மையோ பெருந்தன்மை...*


>> > > தெய்வதான் ஆகா தெனினும் முயற்சிதன்
>> > > மெய்வருத்தக் கூலி தரும்


>> > > இதனை இதனால் இவன்முடிக்கும் என்றாய்ந்(து)
>> > > அதனை அவன்கண் விடல் (management thru delegation !!)


>> > > எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள்
>> > > மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்ப தறிவு.<<<


>> > *இதையும் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்*
>> > **
>> > *தன் நெஞ்சு அறிவது பொய்யற்க பொய்த்தபின் தன் நெஞ்சே தன்னைச்சுடும்"*
>> > **
>> > *-வாய்மை எனப்படுவது யாதெனில் யாதொன்றும் தீமை இலாத சொலல்"..*

>> > என்றென்றும் நட்புடன்,
>> > விஜியின்சுதன்-
--------------------------
>> தமிழ் வாலிபன்
>> ஒன்று விழ ஒன்பதாய் எழும். வாழும் உலகெங்கும். வீழாது தமிழ்.
>> பழகு தமிழை அழகு தமிழாய் எழுதுவோம்.
>> "தமிழரிடம் தமிழில் பேசுவோம்" தாய்க்குச் செய்யாததைத்
>> தமிழுக்குச் செய்வோம்.. http://groups.google.com/group/Piravakam

HINDUISM: THE PANCHARATHA FESTIVAL OF MATALE SRIMUTHUMARI AMMAN TEMPLE!!!

Hinduism

The Pancharatha festival of Matale Sri Muththumari Amman
Chelvatamby MANICCAVASAGAR

The Panchaaratha (five chariots) festival and water-cutting ceremony of Matale Arulmigu Sri Muththumari Amman Thevasthanam will be held on Monday 09.03.2009 commencing at 7.30 a.m. and Tuesday 10.03.2009 at 5.00 p.m. respectively.


Matale Sri Muththumari Amman temple.

The Board of Management of the temple has made elaborate arrangements to conduct this year’s festival successfully as in the past. In fact, Matale is an ancient historical town and even pilgrims from South India have visited this holy temple during the olden days and since then the Chariot festival continued from generation to generation where Sri Lankans irrespective of race, religion and caste participate in large numbers.

In Hinduism, the Supreme Lord is represented by Maheswara and His power is represented by His Consort Sakthy. Just as the husband and wife taking care of their family, so also does Siva and Sakthi look after the affairs of the Universe. Sakthi is the embodiment of power. She is the supreme power by which the world is made to function.

Lord Siva without Sakthi is all stillness, silence. It is Sakthi which stirs him to motion and speech.

If Siva symbolises cosmic energy in its passive form, Sakthi symbolises it in the dynamic form.

Further, it is difficult to separate one from the other and hence the concept of ‘Ardha Narisa’. The manifest universe is the handwork of Sakthi.

In fact, the ‘Varaha Purana’ explains Sakthi in the form of Durga as symbolising the hounds of passions, love, hate, greed, vanity, illusion, contempt, envy, jealous - let loose in the strife of the eternal spirit struggling for victory over dying matters and finally sublimating into eternal good and light and these energies finally merging in the body of Durga.

In the Vedic utterances which are incontrovertible and unquestionable has assigned the prime position to mothers among those to be revered. The compassion she shows not only to her children, but also to the community has no parallel.

In fact, Sri Muththumari Amman in Matale has done several miraculous deeds to her devout devotees. Several years ago a woman who lost her Thali during Ther festival got it back with the grace of Goddess Sri Muththumari Amman. It is very often said that “the creator of the Universe Brahma resides in the naval of Lord Vishnu.

Similarly in the hearts of men reside the creative urge and faith of the world. This is clearly evident from the manner the people of Matale pray to Goddess Sri Muththumari Amman. During the ‘Pancharatha’ festival the statues of God Ganesha, God Murga with his consorts, Goddess Muththumari Amman, God Siva-Parasakthi and God Sandeswarar are decorated and illuminated and taken along the streets in chariots followed by poojas, bhajans and archanai by devotees.


The deity therein and her consort.

The chariots are pulled by ropes by thousands of devotees with no racial differences where the rich and the poor mingle shoulder to shoulder in pulling the chariots, clustering around the temple where the Goddess preside.

In the tradition of the Hindu literature the ‘Rathas’ or chariots are replicas of the human body.

The deity in the sanctum or on the chariot reminds us of the truth that the God is seated in the heart of each individual. In fact, the high towers of the temple with the marvellous decorations and motifs denote man’s aspirations to Godhood.

During the festival Deities are taken out from the temple decorated and mounted on Vahanas or vehicle like the horse or the elephant, for two reasons.

The first is to help even those who are unable to visit the temple with the Deity’s Dharshan and secondly to show the Maker of all Creations.

The Chariot which represents our body is yoked to four horses (the sense organs) wherein the individual sit, dejected and despondent, driven by the intellect which with the mind guide the horses.

The horses represent human passions and the reins symbolises the necessity or restraining in guiding the passions. The journey of the chariot through the streets is an emblem of progress of life and the lesson is that throughout his life one must control and guide its passion with the help of the soul.

These passions are the driving force of life, but if untrained and unguided will wreck a man’s life. This is the symbolic meaning of the chariot. If one worships Goddess Sri Muththumari Amman of Matale with utter devotion they will undoubtedly receive Her Divine Blessings.

‘God is Love’ and ‘Love is God’. Even Bhagavad Geeta declares that God resides in the hearts of all beings to revolve and His power causes all beings to revolve as though mounted on a potter’s wheel.

Bhakthi is the path of devotion and love to that great power behind all creations, the embodiment of all virtues. Undoubtedly, to a world lost in error and weighted down by forces of darkness of ignorance and arrogance, conflicts and contradictions, trials and tribulations, let us all worship ‘Arulmigu Sri Muththumari Amman of Matale and utter Her pure name and contemplate and surrender ourselves at Her Lotus feet for the progress and success of our lives.


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Siva Jayanthi - the birth of the unborn
BK Ram Swarup Brahma Kumaris

Siv-Jayanti or Maha-Sivaratri is a great festival imbued with deep spiritual significance. It is a religious festival sans any festive pomp.

It seems to have lost its great importance and meaning. In fact Siva symbolizes the universally worshipped form of Eternal Light. Siva literally means One who is the World Benefactor of all souls. Sivaratri or Sivajayanti is therefore a memorial of the Divine Incarnation and Divine Acts of the Incorporeal God Father Siva who performs the triple role of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction. The Sivalingum denotes the bodiless and Incorporeal form of God Siva.


God Siva

The three parallel lines seen in the image of the Sivalingam symbolizes the Divine Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shanker and the dot represents the Eternally Pure, Subtle Light of God.

The birth
This supernatural most exalted, extra-ordinary birth of the unborn, God Siva is celebrated in India on Chaturdashi, a day before Amavasya, the pitch dark moonless night, in the last month of the Hindu calendar Falgoon. Ratri signifies the darkness of ignorance when God, the Supreme Being, opens our Third Eye of Knowledge and reveals once again the Spiritual Truth about Himself and His Creation.

He also expresses pure emotions of love, mercy, kindness, compassion and concern for the welfare of the world through Brahma. Brahma is the Kalki avatar and Siva re-establishes the New World Order through him. This is why Brahma is called the Creator. Vishnu is the sustainer of the new Golden Age.

According to the ancient scriptures, it is predicted that the last prophet to descend in the cycle would be called the Kalki Avatar. This is sometimes known as Kalanki or Eklang. Which means defamation. This Kalki avatar would be dressed in white and would be on a white horse. He would receive great defamation, insults and ridicule until the time of revelation.

This is also written in the Book of Revelation- Chapter 3, verse 3, quotes - ‘I will come as a thief in the night and thou shall not know what hour I will come’.

Incarnation
This reveals that His Incarnation and entry would be incognito and unannounced. Verse 4 says that there are few who have not defiled their garments, meaning those who lived a life of purity in thoughts, words and deeds.

This book of Revelation further continues to tell that they will walk with Him dressed in white raiment or clothes worn down to the ankles. It also describes how one should take control of the five senses as well as conquer the five vices of lustful carnal desires, anger, greed, attachment and ego.

Iron age
These vicious traits have transformed a deity into a devilish being. Nearly all religions also believe that the iron age is a period in human history when mankind in general is steeped into ignorance, degradation, worldly pleasures, vices and immorality and sins. A night signifies utter darkness, deep slumber of ignorance, When there is no Enlightenment of the Self and God.

This Divine mysterious birth is not known to scientists, gynaecologists, physiologists, biologists, physicians and even the layman, in the ancient texts there is a mention of Parkaya Pravesh, i.e. the Supreme Soul’s entry into another one’s body.

That is why He is known as Swayambu, (self born). At present, this is the most auspicious age called the confluence age, that is the end of the vicious, old iron age and the beginning of the new, viceless golden age.

It is the Transit period, a bridge between the old and the new world, when God Siva Himself incarnates to enable souls to imbibe and inculcate divine, moral and spiritual values in order to Divinize the man and establish a new socio-economic, socio-political, socio-spiritual order known as the Golden Age.

Jyotirlingam Maths
Then man will again become a deity. It is mentioned in the Bhagwad Gita, when the Ocean Himself is bestowing every treasure, why should we stop at the pond, lake or river.

In India, there are twelve very famous temples known as Jyotirlingam Maths, which are dedicated to the divine attributes of Siva. When souls pray to God they say Om Namo Sivaya, that is Om means we are all souls and bow down to and worship Siva. No one ever says Om Namo Shanker, because Shankar is the memorial of a Subtle deity.

Apparently Siva and Shanker are distinctly different. Deities are the highest and most elevated creation of God and come into the cycle of birth and death in the physical plane and also experience the fruit of their karma. God does not take a corporeal physical body like human deities. He is free from karmic bondages and remains beyond experiencing happiness and sorrow.

There have been legendary stories depicting how the most revered deities like Sri Krishna and Sri Rama too invoked the blessings of God Siva. He is called the Patit Pawan the purifier.

Deities were pure, divine human beings, completely virtuous, 16 celestial degrees perfect, Maryada Purshottom. They belonged to the Adi Sanatan Devi Devata clan. Only the One God Father can grant liberation and salvation to all souls as He is ever liberated and the Oceanic source of all spiritual powers.


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Hindu Gods:

Mother Goddess - Aadi Parasakthi
Thilaka V. Vijeyaratnam

Hinduism is unique in many aspects. For one it is not founded by anyone. Secondly it is a religion which considers Motherhood as divine.


Aadiparasakthi

One’s relationship with the mother is very close. Only a mother can forgive a child though a wrong doer. There is a meaningful saying by a Western philosopher, “Because God cannot be everywhere, He created Mother.” Who is so loving, compassionate, forgiving and merciful as a Mother? So it is right in Hinduism to refer to God as Mother - Aadi Parasakthi or Devi is the Divine Mother. In Hindu Parlance she is the energy aspect of Lord Siva.

Said Aadishankarar, “If Sivam joins Sakthi everything is possible. If she leaves Sivam can hardly move.”

Those words sum up what Sakthi (energy) is to Sivam (matter). But one is indispensable to the other. Without Sivam can Sakthi have an existence? She the Mother Goddess Sakthi is the cosmic energy - She is Prakirithi. Siva is Purusha. In the presence of Purusha, Prakirithi creates. Lord Siva is the silent witness while Sakthi does everything. She is the omnipotent power of Lord Siva.

This Divine Mother is seen with ten different weapons in her hands. She sits on a lion. She is Simhavahini, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Dhurga are all her various forms. She is the Power of the Supreme Lord and Her power manifests throughout the universe. The worship of Sakthi the Universal Mother leads to one’s knowledge of the self. Goddess Sakthi sheds wisdom on her devotees.

Adi Sakthi is beyond human understanding. The Upanishad says of Sakthi, “The supreme power of God is manifested in various ways. This power is of the nature of God, manifesting as knowledge, strength and activity.

There is no limit to Her mercy, Her Grace is very great. Her knowledge is boundless. One cannot measure her power nor her glory describe. Her splendour is beyond anyone to describe. She gives spiritual freedom to all.

Sakthiworship
In the year, there are many days set aside for Sakthiworship. These days were mentioned in an earlier article. The most famous is Navarathri. Nine nights are set aside for Sakthi in the form of Saraswathi in September (The Tamil month of Puratathi - Sept. 15 to Oct. 15).

All these and the mythological stories were written many times over. Kali is another form of Sakthi. Poet Kalidasa, Poet Barathi, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsar were all Kali devotees. They have seen and communicated with the Goddess. They have spoken and written about their experiences. Siva and Parvathi also another manifestation of Sakthi, are found as one form signifying the unity of Purusha and Prorate.

Like God Siva Aadiparasakthi also has many forms. She is Luxmy the Goddess of Wealth, Saraswathy the Goddess of Learning, Durga the courageous, Kali denoting time - kala, Thirupurasunthari the most beautiful one of the three worlds, Puvaneswari the ruler of the universe, Bairavi the powerful, Annapoorani, one who feeds all living beings. According to mythology Thadchayani daughter of Thadchan flung herself into the sacrificial fire when Thadchen was doing a Yaga.

God Siva, whose consort Parvathi’s incarnation was Thadchayani, took her body and danced a vigorous ruthra tandavam - dance of anger. Seeing this, God Vishnu threw His chakra ayutham and cut her body into bits. Different parts of the body of Aadiparasakthi fell in different places in India and they are called Sakthi Centres. There are about 108 such places.

It is said the Amman at Nagadeepa is also one such Sakthi Centre. The places where the Sakthi Centres are at Kanchipuram, Madurrai, Kanyakumari (Cape Comerin) and many other centres. In all there are 51 shrines of Sakthi. Energy can change from one form to another like light energy to chemical energy, electric energy to sound energy and so on. So does Aadi Parasakthi’s many forms.

Take an individual woman. She is seen in many roles - mother, daughter, wife, sister but she is one. Same way with God Siva. A man is a father, a husband, a son, a brother and so on, but he is one. So are Aadi Parasakthi and Lord Siva - many forms but one entity.

There are numerous mythological stories and legends about Mahaluxmy - another form of Sakthi. Aadi Shankarar, sworn to celibacy took only one meal a day. One day he went to the house of one Somadevan and asked for food. His wife Tharmaseeli was surprised, the sanyasi came to their house to beg.

They were themselves poor. She went into the house and searched for something to give the sanyasi. Theirs was abject penury. Finally she found a withered fruit - nelli (Emblica officianalis - goose beri) and offered it to him. The sanyasi realised their state. He prayed to Goddess Mahaluxmy to help the poor family.

The Gooddess appeared before him and said, “This couple were Kubera and his wife Susheelai in their previous birth. They once refused to give alms to an old brahmin. As a result they are suffering this fate now.

However Shankarar pleaded with her saying, “She wholeheartedly gave the nelli fruit to me. So she is absolved of the sin” and begged to have pity on them. He then sang a hymn or psalm containing 21 songs called ‘Kanakathara’. Goddess Mahaluxmy was pleased and cast a benign look at the house, and suddenly golden nelli fruits showered down on the house.

The couple used the riches to lead a life of Dharma.
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