Wishfulfilling Cow and Tree

One of the most popular of the processions over the Deepam Festival, is that of the Kamadhenu, the wish fulfilling cow, and the Kalpavriksha, the wish fulfilling tree. Both of which emphasis the wish fulfilling aspect of Arunachala.



Kamadhenu, Wish Fulfilling Cow

The Kamadhenu is a divine cow-goddess described in mythology as the mother of all cows. She is the giver of plenty and provides the owner with whatever he desires.

Theories as to the origin of the Kamadhenu are two-fold. One scripture describes her as the daughter of the creator god Daksha, and another narrates that Kamadhenu emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean.



Kalpavriksha, Wish Fulfilling Tree

The Kalpavriksha is a mythological divine tree said to fulfil all desires. Its mythology narrates that the wish-fulfilling tree also originates from the churning of the ocean of milk afterwhich the god Indra, returned with the tree to his paradise.



Kalpavriksha

Wish Fulfilling Arunachala

Another aspect of Arunachala Girivalam, is the Hill’s reputation as a fulfiller of wishes. This aspect of the Hill is particularly emphasised every year during the Deepam Festival; during which time two of the Radhams appearing in night time processions around Arunachaleswarar Temple are the Kalpavriksha (of which the wish-fulfilling divine Kalpataru Tree is a synonym) under which Lord Arunachaleswara and his Goddess, Unnamulai are seated, and Kamadhenu (upon which sits Goddess Saraswati), the miraculous cow of plenty that gives whatever is desired.

Kalpavriksha

It is often this wish fulfilling aspect of Girivalam that brings so many pilgrims each Poornima (Full Moon) to the Hill, whatever the difficulty or weather, to perform circumbulation. In fact many pilgrims prefer it when the conditions are extreme (cold, heavy sheeting rain, previous tapas such as fasting and mortification etc) as they believe that the greater the difficulties they overcome in performing girivalam, the greater will be the focus of their sankalpa (intention) and success of their wish.

Kamadhenu

The now deceased Annamalai Swami explains the power of the Hill as thus:-

. . . It is not an ordinary hill. It is spirituality Itself. It has a powerful, magnetic pull to the Self. Seekers who come to this place with the intention of realizing the Self will have untold benefits to do pradakshina on a full moon.

In the proximity of this holy hill the presence of the Self is more powerful and more self-evident than anywhere else. Indian mythology speaks of a wish-fulfilling tree. If you find this tree and tell it what you want, your wish will be granted. Arunachala also has this reputation. This is why so many people come here on a full moon night and walk around it. But very few people come here and ask for their complete freedom, for undisturbed peace.

Arunachala is a light. It shines whether or not you believe in it. It is the light of the Self, and the light of the Self will continue to shine on you whether you believe it or not.

Arunachala is greater than all other religious places. There are other holy, powerful places in the world, but none have the power of Arunachala . . . There is a huge amount of shakti, or spiritual energy, here.

[Annamalai Swami]

Deepam Processions

I am posting photos of some of the current festivities of Deepam 2008. There are far too photographs to post, so would remind readers that I am compiling a full pictorial history of the Deepam Festival 2008. In this respect there will be well over two hundred photographs of the Festival.

If you wish to receive a DVD pictorial history of the 2008 Arunachala Deepam, please get in touch at the contact link situated top left of Arunachala Grace. A donation is required in order to cover costs and expenses. There is a PayPal facility located at the left column of this page. In the case of International readers please add an additional U.S.$10 to your donation to bear the cost of registered, airmail.

Click on all photos to view enlarged version


Second Night Function

The below is of lighted representations of the Five Deities (Five Deities:

Vinayaka, Arunachaleswara-Unnamulai, Amman, Murugan, Chandeswarar -- at the Brahma Tirtham inside Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Outside the concourse leading up to the Raja Gopuram (main gate of Temple) are the murtis of the Five Deities on display. They will be loaded onto vehicles and taken around in procession around the 26 acre perimeter of Arunachaleswar Temple.

And in the next photograph, the procession around Tiruvannamalai is underway. And the first chariot is that of Arunachaleswara-Unnmulaiamman.

Procession on the Fourth Night

Kalpataru Tree (wish fulfilling tree)

Lord Arunachaleswara and his Goddess, Unnamulai are seated under a representation of Kalpavriksha (of which the Kalpataru Tree is a synonym) -- which is a wish-fulfilling divine tree common in Sanskrit literature. Along with the Kamadhenu, or 'wish-giving cow', the Kalpavriksha originated during the ‘Samudra manthan’-- "churning of the milk ocean", and the King of the gods, Indra returned with it to his paradise. The Kalpavriksha tree figuratively refers to a source of bounty.

To those interested in finding out more about the esoteric significance of this tree, there is a very interesting article I found which starts:

"Leaving aside the sheer narrative brilliance of Vyasa, it is the perception of over-arching symbols, such as the Kalpataru, which gradually dawns on the readers, stirring the innermost depths of their psyche, as they voyage across the one hundred thousand verses of this ocean among epics; that fascinates them, compelling them to return, time and again, to the Mahabharata.

To appreciate the thematic brilliance of this concept, it is first necessary to recount the story of the Kalpataru, the Wish-fulfilling Tree, described in eidetic detail by Krsna in the beginning of chapter 15 of the Gita. Its roots are in the heavens and its branches permeate the cosmos, paralleled in occidental mythology by the Norse Yggdrasill" . . . to read more go to this link: ‘Desire Under the Kalpataru Tree’.

Kamadhenu (wish fulfilling cow)

In Hindu mythology, Kamadhenu was a divine cow who was believed to be the mother of all cows. Like her daughter Nandini, she could grant any wish for the true seeker. Kamadhenu provided Vasishta with his needs for the sacrifices. Kamadhenu (kama-dhenu, 'wish-cow'), was a miraculous cow of plenty who could give her owner whatever he desired.

Durgambal Procession

Saturday 29th November marked the beginning of the 2008 Deepam Festival with the procession of Durgambal seated on Kamadhenu (the wish fulfilling cow) being taken on a clockwise procession from Durga Amman Temple around the perimeter streets of the 26 acre Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereafter returning back to her own Temple. The first photograph is of the statue at the Durga Temple before being placed on the Kamadhenu.

Below a close-up of the Goddess.

This year large screens have been installed around Arunachaleswarar Temple, and one giant screen inside, so that later days of the Festival can be seen by the greatest number of devotees. The procession through the town plays a very important role in maintaining a living relationship with the ordinary folk going about their business throughout the day, who sometimes may not have sufficient opportunities to attend functions inside the Temple itself. As is always the case in such functions, the procession stops whenever people along the route make offerings.

In the above photograph the Goddess is seated on Kamadhenu (the cow) at one of the Gopurams (entrances) of the Big Temple (Arunachaleswarar). Decorations are already up at the Big Temple and like last year I hope to post a photograph from Arunachala Hill looking downwards to the Temple, to show the beautiful brightly-lit Arunachaleswarar Koil.