Kodikkavi of Umapathi Sivacharya

The previous posting in Arunachala Grace, narrates the part Umapathi Sivacharya played in the deliverance of a thorny Bush. In addition there are several elements connected with that story that throws light upon the custom of the flag-hoisting ceremony at most Siva Temples. 

Flag Hoisting Ceremony, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Umapathi Sivacharya was put out of caste and banned from the Chidarambaram Temple by the Dikshitars, of whom he was one, for partaking of the remanants of food eaten by his guru, Marai Jnana Sambanthar. 

The time for performing the Brahma Utsavam of the Temple approached, and the Tillai priests tried to hoist the flag on the Dvajastambha; but it could not be tied. God appeared to the Dikshitars in their dream and they were told that the flag would go up only if they brought back Umapathi Sivacharya. 

Upon the request of the priest, Umapathi Sivacharya agreed to come to the Temple and raise the flag. But when he arrived at the Temple, instead of trying to raise the flag manually, he stood beside the flag pole and sang four verses. As soon as he began to sing, the flag spontaneously began to move up the pole. By the time he had finished the fourth verse, the flag had reached the top of the flagpole. These four verses, which form part of the Saiva Siddhanta canon, are known as Kodikkavi (the Flag Verses). 

The Flag Verses 

Light dwells with darkness in same place 

One does conceal the other when strong, 

And yet darkness can’t prevail 

The Light of light of souls though shines 

The soul is plunged in Trimala. 

So that the soul may Grace attain 

I hoist aloft the holy flag 

Which is the Sat of Sat, which Bloom? 

Who is the seer? Which is light 

In darkness sure, which might, Oh Grace! 

In all the earth that owns your sway, 

That Thou mayst know, on Tower’s front, 

I hoist aloft the holy flag 

With speech and mind at any time 

His nature rare is hard to find. 

When seen too close, He dost appear 

As Ananya. His grace to get 

I hoist aloft the holy flag 

The letters five and eight and six 

The letters four and ‘va’ and ‘si’ 

These in the heart well impressed. 

The soundless one and that with sound 

To manifest them without doubt 

I hoist aloft the holy flag. 

At the end of the ceremony Umapati Sivam called all the senkundars (the weavers) and told them, ‘You are the ones who gave food to my Guru and assuaged both his thirst and his hunger. By this act you also enabled me to consume the Guru’s ucchistam. Therefore, out of gratitude, I am going to honour your community by issuing a proclamation that from now on your community will have the exclusive privilege of offering the cloth that is used in the flag-hoisting ceremony.’ 

This tradition is now followed not only in the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram, but in most other Siva temples including Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai. 

Deliverance to a Thorny Bush

In reference to my earlier posting Thorny Bush, I came upon this fascinating story recorded by Suri Nagamma of Sri Ramana’s exposition of the liberation (moksha) of a thorn bush. 

In some versions the bush is identified as Mulli (the wild eggplant). 

The story goes like this: 

 “In Chidambaram, there was a jnani by the name of Umapathi Sivacharya. He was a poet and also a pundit. As he was in an extraordinary state of spirituality, he did not pay much attention to the usual Brahmanical practices. Hence, the pundit of the place became angry with him, especially since he was a learned man and knew all the precepts of the Hindu religion and they forbade him from living in the village or even visiting the Temple. He therefore lived in a small hut built on a raised ground outside the village. 

A low caste man called Pethan Samban used to supply him with all that he required and also help him in a general way. As things went on like this, one day, when that Pethan was carrying on his head a bundle of firewood, Iswara Himself met him on the way in the guise of the Dikshita in charge of the Temple, wrote a verse on a Palmyra leaf and gave it to him telling him that it was to be handed over to Umapathi Sivacharya and then disappeared. 

Pethan gave that verse to Sivacharya, who, on opening it, found in the first line the words, ‘Adiyarkkadiyen Chitrambalavanam’ (the servant of the devotees, the Lord of Chidambaram). Immediately, he was overwhelmed with devotion and a thrill passed through his body as he read the letter. The gist of the verse was: A note from Chidambaranathan – the servant of the devotees to the person who has set up a new establishment, namely Sivacharya. It is your duty to give initiation to this Pethan Samban regardless of caste and to the surprise of all people. 

He read the letter and was overwhelmed with joy. In obedience to the orders of the Lord, he initiated Pethan into the order of sannyasi, though he belonged to the lowest caste and in due course he gave nayana diksha (transmission of power through the eyes) to Pethan, immediately after which Pethan vanished into holy light. Sivacharya himself was immensely surprised at this occurrence and only then understood the wisdom of Pethan. 

Enemies of Sivacharya noticed the sacrificial offerings and other things he was having for his initiation and complained to the Government that Sivacharya had burnt Pethan to death for some mistake that Pethan might have committed. When the king visited with his retinue to enquire into the complaint, Sivacharya showed the verse of Lord Nataraja and said that he gave initiation to Pethan and that Pethan vanished thereafter in the form of a divine light (Jyoti). 

The king was surprised and asked Sivacharya if he could likewise give initiation and moksha to the thorn bush nearby. ‘Yes. What doubt is there?’ said Sivacharya. Accordingly he gave nayana diksha to that thorn bush and that too immediately disappeared in Pure Light (Jyoti). The king was still more astonished at that and said, ‘This looks like some black magic. You said this note had been written by Lord Nataraja. Let us go and ask him.’ Sivacharya pointed out that there was a ban on his entering the Temple. The king said that would not matter as he himself was accompanying Sivacharya. Accordingly they started for the temple together. Hearing all this, all the people – the pundits, the common people curious about the whole thing and the enemies of Sivacharya who were sure he would be punished – flocked to the temple to see the strange sight. 

As the two entered the Temple, and out of regard for the king when Arathi (waving of lights) was offered to Lord Nataraja, it was found that on either side of the Lord there stood Pethan and the thorn bush. The pundits were surprised and, out of fear and remorse, fell at the feet of Sivacharya requesting him to pardon them for all their faults. They subsequently brought him back into the village with due honours. [This story is found in Chidambara Mahatmyam].” 

Arunachala Hill Fire

On Friday evening (April 20th) a fire broke out on the Hill slope directly behind Ramana Ashram. Many people had recently remarked on how dry Arunachala was looking. Which was a consequence of very hot days since mid February and the lack of a substantial water table because of the meagre rainfall last season thereby depriving moisture to the plants and trees.

Photograph of Hill Fire night - April 20, 2012

The fire devastated vast tracts of greenery on the Hill, starting on the south slope and spreading eastwards and upwards. A group of volunteers and some forest personnel were on the Hill throughout the night in an effort to beat out the flames with bunches of green plants and tree branches. Although there were fire lines on the Hill created by gaps between the foliage, the fire crossed many of these fire lines because of strong winds. 

Dry lemon grass which caught fire on the Hill was instrumental in the speed and ferocity of the conflagration. Sadly large tracts of greenery planted over the years and also newly planted saplings have been destroyed. 

The Remarkable Pied Kingfisher

One of the most fascinating birds found locally at Tiruvannamalai is the beautiful Pied Kingfisher. One can see these birds around jheels, water tanks and ponds around the Hill. Even now several of the birds visit a small pond of stagnant water on the Samudram Erie. 

To view photographs and find out more about this remarkable agile, hovering bird, please visit my blog Arunachala Birds at this link here.

In the meanwhile take this opportunity to view the below superb BBC Wildlife video of the Pied Kingfisher which demonstrates its unique way of fishing. 

The bird hovers stationary for considerable periods, 10m or so above the water, ‘standing on its tail’, and hurls itself, wings pulled in at the sides, at fish coming up within striking depth. On emergence with the quarry, the bird flies off to a convenient rock where the victim is battered before being swallowed. 

Happy Earth Day – April 22, 2012

Earth Day, which marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement, was founded on April 22, 1970 and now is celebrated on that day throughout the world. 

The purpose of Earth Day is to promote awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. Nowadays Earth Day is celebrated in over 175 countries every year. 

To read more about the origins of Earth Day go to this link here: 

To find out more about the Earthday Network, and how we can take positive actions that count, go to this link here.

Prayer for Peace 

Oh Lord God almighty, may there be peace 

in celestial regions. 

May there be peace on earth.

May the waters be appeasing. 

May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and 

plants bring peace to all. 

May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. 

May thy Vedic Law propagate peace all 

through the world. 

May all things be a source of peace to us. 

And may thy peace itself, bestow peace on all, 

and may that peace come to me also 

Link for prayers for peace from other cultures

Chithirai Ursavam Panjangam Padithal

The year of 2012 has so far been very auspicious in Tamil Nadu, as we have been able to celebrate it four times. First on the traditional Western-centric January 1st and then during Pongal (during which period the State Government has been trying to officially but unsuccessfully relocate the beginning of the Tamil Year). And the last two New Year celebrations occurred this month on the 13th and 14th of April. The double date a result of it being a leap year in 2012. 

The priests reading the 2012 alamanac (Panjangam Padithai) are from our own Arunachaleswarar Temple. This reading which takes part at the beginning of the Tamil New Year in April, tells about weather, harvest, wealth and auspicous dates for the upcoming year. And shows the Vedic Hindu Astrological calendar with information about the position of celestial bodies. 

The below photographs are of Chithirai Ursavam Panjangam Padithal, and celebrate Chithirai i.e. the first month of this Tamil year. Ursavam is a Festival (generally lasting 10 days) which is celebrated on behalf of anyTemple.

Electric Problems Tiruvannamalai

Tiruvannamalai is now suffering during this hot, sweltering summer, with up to 10 hours of power cuts a day. As in the rest of the State, many schools and businesses in Tiruvannamalai District have now organized their days around power outages. 

The current power crisis in Tamil Nadu (and throughout India) is a complicated issue, and to find out more, read the below informative and interesting article:- 

How Tamil Nadu's electricity problems can be solved 

“It is a sweaty problem. Scheduled power cuts of longer duration are a certainty in the coming months in Chennai and elsewhere in the state. 

Smaller industries will likely be hit harder thanks to the proposed load shedding. Already people have had to face scheduled daily power cuts, one hour in Chennai and up to eight hours in the districts.

Load-shedding, a term one normally associates only with Kolkata is now a way of life in the state.

In the 80s and 90s, water scarcity kept citizens of Chennai awake and got them to preserve every ounce of drinking water. 

That situation has changed now, and water supply and management has not been a problem in the last few years. 

Can power supply pull off a similar success story? 

At present, it appears to be a daunting task.

Power deficit, which was around 1500MW in 2009, has more than trebled in the last three years. In fact, three years ago, going by official statements, on paper, it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before the state became 'self-sufficient' in 2011 and a state with surplus power in 2012.” 

To read more go to this link here:

Morvi Guest House Compound Project

In an earlier posting I gave an update on construction progress of the new Library inside the main compound of Ramana Ashram. 

Subsequently I recently visited the building project currently being undertaken at the Morvi Guest House Compound on Chengam Road.

Demolition of all buildings inside the compound was affected last year and construction is well underway on this enlarged accommodation facility for Ramana Ashram. 

 

Originally this project was set for completion by April 30^th, 2012, but as can been seen by the photographs (which were taken last week), progress has not been as rapid as expected.

To look at earlier photographs, go to this link here. 

From what I understand once the new Library has been completed inside the main compound of Ramana Ashram, the books of the current library will be relocated to the new facility, and the current building demolished.

The historical central building of the Morvi Guest House is being preserved and will eventually be surrounded by guest rooms divided into three categories: 20 single occupancy rooms; 20 double occupancy rooms and 12 family cottages with living room and bedroom. 

Right outside the Morvi Guest House Compound runs the busy Chengam Road, which rather unexpectedly on the hot Summer’s day, was surprisingly quiet.

Battery Car in Temple

“A battery car service was launched at Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple here on Thursday, April 5th. The purpose of the electric car is to carry the old and disabled between Rajagopuram and the golden flag mast, free of cost. The electric car, which can accommodate seven, costs about Rs. 3.75 lakh and was purchased from Temple funds. If necessary, more such vehicles would be launched. 

On a suggestion that a battery car service could also be introduced for Girivalam during non-Pournami days to keep the path pollution-free, he said that the idea would be considered. Official sources said that battery car services would soon be launched in four more Temples, including Tiruvarur, Tiruchendur, Palani and Tiruttani.” 

I personally think running motorised vehicle inside the Temple is a poorly thought out idea. It can hardly be safe, and it certainly does not fit in with the atmosphere and ethos expected in such a grand, powerful Temple. Why be so modern – if special facilities are needed for the old and disabled, provide a free wheel chair service! Do we really need golf carts zipping around the compound of Arunachaleswarar Temple? 

And don’t even get me started on the kind of funfair drivers that will get hired to drive the vehicle. And does one really believe that it is the old and disabled that will be the primary occupants of the carts? And one more thing to spoil as the vehicle path in the map above, shows it driving through all the pretty gardens inside the perimeter wall of the Temple, which will mean a nasty disturbance for the bird life and monkeys inhabiting the area -- as I have no doubt that the state-of-the art vehicle has a very old fashioned, noisy, Indian volume horn attached!

Recent Postings

To view some new postings on Arunachala Birds, read about the wonderful songbird, the Oriental Magpie Robin, and the colourful Common Hoopoe.

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Common Hoopoe

To those interested in finding out more about property values in Chennai, visit Arunachala Land at this link here.

Surya Arunachala Mythology

Fire or Agni is the fourth element of the Panchabhutas. The essential character of Fire is to generate heat and according to Hindu Mythology, Agni is one of the Eight Guardians that guard our Universe and are known as Asta-dik-palakas. 

In Indian mythology there are mentions of various types of fires. The four important ones are fire of the earth, fire of the sky, fire of the stomach (can mean hunger and digestive power as well) and the fire we commonly use. 

There is a wealth of mythology attached to Arunachala connected to its association with fire and what is related to fire i.e. light and the sun.

Pushparatheshwara Temple and the Red Lotus

One such legend is the one in which Lord Surya estranged from his wife Chayadevi visits Arunachaleswarar Temple to propitiate the Lord.

Another special association of Arunachala as Agni Kshetra, is that of fire walking. There is a festival called Thee-midi Utsavam in Tamil Nadu. On the day of this Festival, people walk on burning charcoal. That is generally not celebrated at Arunachala as per the agama rules. But in the Tamil month of Aadi on the day of Pooram (Pushya) star, this festival is performed right in front of the shrine of Unnamulai, who is the consort of Lord Arunachaleshawara.

Firewalking Pilgrims outside Mother Shrine,
Arunachaleswarar Temple

To further enhance Arunachala as Agni Kshetra, the Kaman Festival (‘Manmada Dahanam’) is celebrated in front of Lord Arunachaleswarar every spring.

The Skanda Purana, Part III is replete with mythology referencing the significance of Lord Surya (the sun) at Arunachala.

Sun God at Arunachala

On the advice of Brahma, Bhaskara (i.e. the Sun-God) who is a mass of refulgence but who was harassed by Asuras, devoutly worshipped the Lord of Arunachala. 

After plunging into the sanctifying pure Tirtha created by Brahma, he circumambulated Arunachala, the Lord himself. 

After gaining victory over all the Daityas and (the privilege of) circumambulating Meru, he gained supreme refulgence that destroys the brilliance of enemies. [Skanda Purana (P), Chapter 6, Verses 32-34]

Aditya whose shape was formed by Tvastr blazed with brilliance. The Lord of Planets attempted to cross Sonadri. The horses of his chariot lost their power and became tired. Due to the refulgence of Sonadri he became devoid of glory. Even with all the attempted motion of the possessor of cluster of rays (i.e. Sun), he became unable to go to the heaven. On the advice of Brahma he propitiated Arunachala. When the Lord was pleased, he obtained the path of the sky and splendid horses. 

Ever since then the Sun never crosses the mountain named Sona but goes circumambulating him. [Skanda Purana (P), Chapter 6, Verses 45-49a]

Sun God's Charioteer 

When he obstructed the flow of water at the time of the gift of the earth by Bali (to Vamana), Bhargava (i.e. Sukra) lost his eye on being prickled with the top of the Darbha grass held in his hand by Vishnu (i.e. Vamana). He went to Sonacala and performed a very difficult penance. With his soul purified, he regained his eye.

He (i.e. Aruna, Garuda's brother) was stationed on the mountain named Bhaskara. By serving the Lord of Arunachala, he became the charioteer of the Sun-God. [Skanda Purana (P), Chapter 6, Verses 51b-53] 

Circumambulation of Arunachala 

One who circumambulates on Sunday becomes liberated. Piercing through the solar disc, he shall go to Siva's city. [Skanda Purana (P), Chapter 9, Verses 57b-64a] 

One shall attain innumerable benefits by circumambulating Sonagiri on equinoctial days, days on which the Sun takes another transit, the transit from one Zodiac to another, on Vyatipata days and other Parvan days [Skanda Purana (U), Chapter 24, Verse 51] 

Beautiful Lord Surya Statue,

Arunagirinathar Temple, Ayyankulam Tank

Holy Rites for Special Attainments 

If anyone worships the Lord of Sonadri on a Sunday with red lotuses, he will surely acquire great imperial magnificence. [Skanda Purana (U), Chapter 7, Verse 1] 

During the Solar and Lunar eclipses a devotee should piously bathe the Lord with Pancantra repeating the five-syllable Mantra of Sonanatha. During the two Ayanas (i.e. transits of the Sun) the deity should be bathed with Pancagavya. The rite of bathing with Gavya shall be performed along with the recitation of the six-syllabled Mantra During the two equinoxes the bathing rite of the Lord of Arunachala should be devoutly performed with milk repeating Pranava (Om). [Skanda Purana (U), Chapter 7, Verses 32-34] 

Sri Siva said: 

Ether, wind, fire, water, earth, the sun, the moon and Puman (man i.e. Hotr) – these are my physical forms, and through these the Universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings shines. [Skanda Purana (U), Chapter 24, Verse 39] 

Parvati's Devotion to Arunachaleswara 

She herself installed a Linga of Sankara. Parvati worshipped it in accordance with the injunction laid down in the Agamas. 

She propitiated the Sun-god by offering seat, making idols and reciting Mula Mantras. She performed the various ancillary rites. In the different quarters she worshipped (the attendants) the chiefs of whom were Dandin and Pingala, Saktis beginning with Dipta, the planets beginning with the Moon in the different quarters. She showed the mystic gestures of Dhenus (cows) etc. The Nirmalya (remnants of the worship) was dedicated to the fierce splendour (of the Sun). She then offered the foodstuffs prepared

. . . . Assuming the lotus-posture in her heart she worshipped Jnana (knowledge), Dharma (Virtue) and others in due serial order. She assigned Vama and other Saktis (power-deities) on the petals (of the heart-lotus). The Sun and god Brahma were posted at the tip of the Petal . . . [Skanda Purana (U), Chapter 18, Verses 59-67]