Wishing everyone a very very happy Karthigai & Thiruvannamalai Deepam.
In most of India, Deepavali is the festival of lights. In Tamil Nadu, it is Karthigai. The Thiruvannamalai Deepam is lit right before Karthigai starts.
Thiruvannamalai is one of the most sacred Shiva shrines. In Thamizh, there is a saying: "Mukthi comes to those who are born in Thiruvaroor, those who die in Kasi (Varanasi) and to those who think of Arunachaleshwarar". The Arunachala hill is the earthy manifestation of Shiva himself. During this time, crowds mill around the sacred mountain, and devotees have to travel the extra distance to circumambulate the hill. A big flame is lit on top of the hill at this time.
Per the Shaiva Puranas, once, Brahma and Vishnu fought over each-other, in deciding their superiority. Shiva formed a huge lingam of fire, whose top & bottom could not be seen. The first to seek out the end of the Lingam was to be declared the winner. Brahma takes the form of a swan & starts going to the top. Vishnu takes the form of a boar, and starts going to the bottom. Eons pass and the end is nowhere in sight. Vishnu realizes this, his pride quelled, returns to the base, and starts worshipping Shiva.
Brahma, on the other hand, when he starts to give up his search, finds a beautiful Ketaki flower (Thayam Poo), and finds from the flower that it had once adorned the Lingam's top, and all sense of time had passed since it started falling. Brahma convinces the flower to lie to Shiva that Brahma himself had plucked it from the top. Brahma returns, and their combined lie is found out by Shiva, who curses Brahma that he will not be worshipped in temples, and the flower that it will lose its heavenly fragrance, and will never be used for worship.
Once cursed, the flower pleads for mercy from Lord Shiva, expressing its desire to adorn him. Shiva relents, and allows the flower to be used for his worship during Shiva Rathiri at a time least visited by people. Till date, on Shiva Rathiri, the Thayam Poo is used for decorating the Shiva Lingam at 3:00 AM, and ardent Shiva devotees actually visit the temple during this time for this special Puja.
The earthy manifestation of this fiery Lingam is Arunachala. Arunachala is the fiery shrine of Shiva, among the five shrines for the five elements. In Shiva temples, if you go to the back of the shrine when circumambulating the deity, you'll find a Vigraham with a Lingam with Shiva inscribed, with a swan on top, and a boar at the bottom. This is Lingothbavar.
The Arunachala hill is a magnet for saints and people seeking salvation. Ramana Maharishi, Shri Seshadri Swamigal and Shri Yogi Ram Suratkumar are all products of Arunachala. All life-forms on & around Arunachala are considered Siddhars. Legends abound on how, when cutting a tree on the hill for construction, the tree oozed blood, and all construction was stopped henceforth.
Another legend with the Arunachala Hill is that it used to be a hill of gold, until before the Kali Yuga. Upon the Kali Yuga, the hill became a normal hill of earth & rocks.
Om Arunachalaya Namashivaya.
In most of India, Deepavali is the festival of lights. In Tamil Nadu, it is Karthigai. The Thiruvannamalai Deepam is lit right before Karthigai starts.
Thiruvannamalai is one of the most sacred Shiva shrines. In Thamizh, there is a saying: "Mukthi comes to those who are born in Thiruvaroor, those who die in Kasi (Varanasi) and to those who think of Arunachaleshwarar". The Arunachala hill is the earthy manifestation of Shiva himself. During this time, crowds mill around the sacred mountain, and devotees have to travel the extra distance to circumambulate the hill. A big flame is lit on top of the hill at this time.
Per the Shaiva Puranas, once, Brahma and Vishnu fought over each-other, in deciding their superiority. Shiva formed a huge lingam of fire, whose top & bottom could not be seen. The first to seek out the end of the Lingam was to be declared the winner. Brahma takes the form of a swan & starts going to the top. Vishnu takes the form of a boar, and starts going to the bottom. Eons pass and the end is nowhere in sight. Vishnu realizes this, his pride quelled, returns to the base, and starts worshipping Shiva.
Brahma, on the other hand, when he starts to give up his search, finds a beautiful Ketaki flower (Thayam Poo), and finds from the flower that it had once adorned the Lingam's top, and all sense of time had passed since it started falling. Brahma convinces the flower to lie to Shiva that Brahma himself had plucked it from the top. Brahma returns, and their combined lie is found out by Shiva, who curses Brahma that he will not be worshipped in temples, and the flower that it will lose its heavenly fragrance, and will never be used for worship.
Once cursed, the flower pleads for mercy from Lord Shiva, expressing its desire to adorn him. Shiva relents, and allows the flower to be used for his worship during Shiva Rathiri at a time least visited by people. Till date, on Shiva Rathiri, the Thayam Poo is used for decorating the Shiva Lingam at 3:00 AM, and ardent Shiva devotees actually visit the temple during this time for this special Puja.
The earthy manifestation of this fiery Lingam is Arunachala. Arunachala is the fiery shrine of Shiva, among the five shrines for the five elements. In Shiva temples, if you go to the back of the shrine when circumambulating the deity, you'll find a Vigraham with a Lingam with Shiva inscribed, with a swan on top, and a boar at the bottom. This is Lingothbavar.
The Arunachala hill is a magnet for saints and people seeking salvation. Ramana Maharishi, Shri Seshadri Swamigal and Shri Yogi Ram Suratkumar are all products of Arunachala. All life-forms on & around Arunachala are considered Siddhars. Legends abound on how, when cutting a tree on the hill for construction, the tree oozed blood, and all construction was stopped henceforth.
Another legend with the Arunachala Hill is that it used to be a hill of gold, until before the Kali Yuga. Upon the Kali Yuga, the hill became a normal hill of earth & rocks.
Om Arunachalaya Namashivaya.
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