published:21 Oct 2019 8 PMUpdated:21 Oct 2019 8 PM Sakthi Vikatan
சக்தி கொடு! - 14 Give Sakthi - 14
சக்தி விகடன் டீம் = Sakthi Vikatan Team
வி.ஆர்.சுந்தரி Authoress V. R. Sundari
தஞ்சை பெரியகோவில் பிரகதீஸ்வரர் Tañjai Big Temple Brahathīsvarar
அன்னாபிஷேகம் Nov 12, 2019 (Aippaci 26) ceremony of pouring boiled and cooked rice over an idol in a temple
தஞ்சை பெரியகோவில் பிரகதீஸ்வரர் Tañjai Big Temple Brahathīsvarar
2. These are the five virtuous people:
1) the first is he, who shares his food before he eats during the famine, and because of munificense, he lives past 80 years in health and prosperity;
2) the second, who safeguards his property so to use it and help his fellowman;
3) the third, a soldier who fights bravely for his country;
4) the fourth, who feeds others before he eats; and
5) the fifth, who offers food to hungry children.
தவத்தைக் காட்டிலும் சிறப்பானது. What is grerater than the power of Tapas?
ஆற்றுவார் ஆற்றல் பசியாற்றல்; அப்பசியை
மாற்றுவார் ஆற்றலின் பின் (திருக்குறள்-225)
3. The power of Tapas (austerity) is his ability to tolerate hunger. But It is less in value than a person who cures the sickness of hunger with food.
அற்றார் அழிபசி தீர்த்தல் அஃதொருவன்
பெற்றான் பொருள் வைப்புழி (திருக்குறள், Tirukkural Verse 226.)
4. Alleviate the destructive hunger of the indigent, which is like a repository of one’s earned wealth.
5. அன்னமிடுவது உன்னத விரதம்!
அன்னம் ந நிந்த்யாத் தத்வ்ரதம்
அன்னம் ந பரிசக்ஷீத தத்வ்ரதம்
அன்னம் பஹு குர்வீத தத்வ்ரதம்
ந கஞ்ச ந வஸதௌ ப்ரத்யாசக்ஷீத தத்வ்ரதம்
(தைத்திரீய உபநிஷத்)
These are the four vows: 1. Cast no aspersions on food. 2. Do not throw the food away. 3. Produce plenty of food. 4. Do not deny lodging to anyone.
Section 7 Food and Breath
annam na nindyat, tadvratam அன்னம் ந நிந்த்யாத் தத்வ்ரதம்
1. Do not speak ill of food, that should be the vow.
Section 8 Food and Water
annam na paricaksita tad vratam = அன்னம் ந பரிசக்ஷீத தத்வ்ரதம்
1. Do not reject food. That should be the vow.
Section 9 Food and Earth
annam bahu kurvita, tadvratam = அன்னம் பஹு குர்வீத தத்வ்ரதம்
1. Make food plentiful. That should be the vow.
Section 10 The Importance of Offering Food
1. na kancana vasatau pratyacaksita, tadvratam,= ந கஞ்ச ந வஸதௌ ப்ரத்யாசக்ஷீத தத்வ்ரதம்
1. Do not refuse lodging to anyone. That should be the vow
6. We now know what the great religious texts say about food. Why is the boiled and cooked rice poured on Śivaliṅgam?
7. 'The Earth is His Sakti Peeta, The heavens the Liṅga pure, the billowing seas His bathing ghat, the cool waters of the cascading streams on mountain tops lave his heavenly crown, the countless stars His garland; the eight directions, His limitless raiment. Modified translation by Dr. B. Natarajan. Verse 1725 Tirumantiram
தரையுற்ற சத்தி தனிலிங்கம் விண்ணாம்
திரைபொரு நீரது மஞ்சன சாலை
வரைதவழ் மஞ்சுநீர் வானுடு மாலை
கரையற்ற நந்திக் கலையும்திக்காமே
'The Earth is His Sakti Peeta,
The Heavens the Liṅga pure,
The billowing seas His bathing ghāṭ,
The cascading streams on mountain tops,
Their cool water laves His crown heavenly,
The countless stars His garland;
The eight directions His limitless raiment.
Commentary by S.N. Kandaswamy. "The earth is the floor or altar, the Śaktipītam of Śakti. The bāṇa or the upper portion of Liṅga is the sky, because, like the sky and truth, it is formless, eternal, and infinite. The floor of Śakti is considered the altar of Brahma where He functions as creator. The sea where the waves dash the shores is the bathhouse of Liṅga, and the water-laden clouds that creep on the hill provide the sacred water for his bath. The twinkling and glittering stars in the sky make the garland. As Śiva-Nandi is immeasurable and without form, all directions of formless space provide His robes. No clothing can cover His infinite frame. Babaji's Kriya Yoga and Publications, Inc.
8. Tirumūlar explained, Śivaliṅgam and Gurupūja took place in Aippaci (Mid-Oct to Mid-Nov). That may be the reason Aṉṉābhisēkam (Pouring food on the idol) takes place in Aippaci.
9. Now, let us discover the real reason Aṉṉābhisēkam for Śivaperumāṉ takes place on the full moon day in Aippaci.
10. Chandraṉ (moon) is the son-in-law of Dakṣa. Once Dakṣa, in a fit of anger, cursed Chandraṉ, "You will undergo attrition one digit once a day and vanish into nothing." The curse afflicted Chandra. Fearing annihilation, Chandraṉ meditated on Śivaperumāṉ and performed severe penance.
11. As the fruit of his penance and meditation, Śivaperumāṉ gave him an in-person visit. He gave him absolution from the curse and wore him on his head. After absolution, Chandraṉ shined with all digits in place. That holy day was the day of the full moon in Aippaci. On that sacred day, Chandraṉ appears full and radiant, endowed with a full complement of all digits.
12. The holy place, where Chandraṉ received absolution, was 'Thiṅgaḷ Ūr,' that is 'Thiṅgaḷūr,' as it morphed. Thiṅgaḷ Ūr = திங்கள் = Moon. ஊர்' = place, village, town.
13. Not just that. Astronomy states in Aippaci only, the moon is nearest to the earth in the month of Aippaci. Without the moon, there will be a shortage of Sakthis yielding health benefits. Because of moon's greening ability, the floras inclusive of plants, creepers, herbals and others acquire uncommon qualities and offer benefits to humanity.
14. Of all the grains created for the Nava grahams (nine planets), the grain for Chandraṉ is rice. For that reason, we do Aṉṉābhisēkam to Śivaliṅgam, who holds in its ethereal aniconic form the whole world, so that Śivaliṅgam offers food for the whole world.
15. If you delve into it deeply, every morsel looks like Śivaliṅgam. The sacred texts say that food is of the form of Supreme God: that much should be our understanding by now. During Aṉṉābhisēkam, Darsan of Śiva Perumāṉ offers benefits of having Darsan of millions of Śivaliṅgam.
16. Sātham (boiled rice) means 'birth.' Sōru means Mukthi (Liberation). To feed Sātham to the guests and to seek Sōru (Mukthi) are the Aṉṉābhisēkam festival. (The purpose of birth is to attain liberation for which we perform Aṉṉābhisēkam to Śivaliṅgam [food-pouring on the idol] and feed the people.)
Sātham = சாதம் = Birth, Boled rice. Sōru = சோறு = Final Bliss, Beatitude, Boiled rice. At Aṉṉābhisēkam festival, we offer boiled rice to God and seek from him liberation.
17. Let us give material and spiritual help for the Aṉṉābhisēkam festival, which removes the curses, the diseases, and other earthly miseries and grants us auspiciousness and eminence. On this holy day, let us obtain Darsan of Aṉṉābhisēka Āṇṭavaṉ (= ஆண்டவன் = Āṇṭavaṉ = God, as ruler of heaven and earth) and get relief from afflictions and misfortunes.
Series: Will grow.
1. The elders say that Kāsi and Tamizhakam's Avināci are one. Here is an instance of its veracity. Vaḷḷal Thambirāṉ lived on the northside of Avināci Śivālayam (Śiva temple) once went to Kāsi (Benares). He stashed his currency and coins in a roller compartment. When he was taking a ritual bath in the Ganges River, the currents of the river carried it away.
2. When he returned from Kāsi, went to the Avināci temple, offered worship to God, followed the circumambulatory path, he found the money roller in the temple well. Kasi's Ganger River is well in Avināci; he realized it and felt joyous. The sacred text Pukkoḷi Mālai describes the incident. The traditional belief is that all waters in sacred wells, lakes, and rivers all over India are subterranean streams from Holy Ganges river. Below is the poem glorifying that event.
காசியில் தவசி வராகன் ஐந்நூறு கைத்தண்டுள் வைத்தது தவறி
ஓசைசேர் கங்கை வீழ்ந்து அமிழ்ந்திடவும் உறுதியரவன் அவிநாசி
பேசிய காசிக்கிணற்றினில் தண்டு பிறங்கிடக் கண்டு உளம் மகிழ்ந்தான்
வாசிய காசிவிசேடப் புக்கொளியில் வளர் பெருங்கருணை நாயகியே!
- க.மெய்யப்பன், நெல்லை-2 K. Meyappan, Nellai - 2
• Thanjavur Periya kovil
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சக்தி விகடன் டீம் = Sakthi Vikatan Team