2014 Deepam Festival. Day Six—Morning: Elephant with 63 Nayanars

In the festivities of the morning of the sixth day, a glorious Silver Elephant, (notice the sugar cane in its mouth) leads a procession of the great Shiva devotees, the 63 Nayanars.

Glorious Silver Elephant

Lord Arunachaleswarar on the Silver Elephant

Procession starting on Car Street around the perimeter streets of Temple

On both sides of the below photograph, one can see individual palanquins of the Nayanars.

The Nayanars are remembered as a group of 63 saints (poets) of the 6th to 8th century who were devoted to Lord Shiva. It was they that influenced the Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu. The names of the 63 saints were first compiled by Sundarar and the list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material for the famed Tirumurai.

Message of the Nayanars

“There have been many ‘intellectuals’ even in India who have looked down upon the path of Bhakti (devotion) as something inferior to Jnana (wisdom). Their short-sightedness becomes at once apparent when we study the lives of the great Four Teachers (Appar, Sundarar, Manickavachagar and Sambandar) and realise that these great Jnanis, too, were great Bhaktas who loved to visit Temples and sing the glories of the Lord.

Love of the Lord cuts at the very root of our attachment to this world, and snaps all worldly ties, to father, mother, son, wife or relatives. As the stories of the Nayanars illustrate, the devotee is ever ready to renounce all, in favour of devotion to Lord Siva.

Let us also never forget that in the case of all the Nayanars devotion invariably meant expansion of the heart, and, therefore, service and charity. We have to take the individual tales of the Nayanars as allegories exhorting us to rout out the inner obstacles to our Sadhana.

If we approach these saints with faith and devotion in our hearts, we shall grasp the message they have for us. We shall also understand why they gave such a great place to externals like the sacred ash, Rudraksha, etc. These symbols remind one constantly of God: and, when they are said to remove our sins, they remove our sinful tendencies, too, by constantly reminding us of God, and keeping evil out of our mind.” 

[By: Venkatesananda]

* * * * * * * *

Out of these 63 Nayanars, the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas; (left to right) Tirugnansambandar, Tirunanvukkarasar (Appar), Sundarar and Manikkavasagar are remembered best of all.

The Saiva Samaya Acharyas

The principal teachings of the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas is of love and surrender to God; and of service to God and godly men. That love, devotion, and service to God is the only way one can obtain His Grace. God is One and He is Shiva. That man must get over his bonds which keep him in ignorance and obtain inseparable union with Shiva through the Lord's Grace.

2016 Arunachala Karthigai Festival: Day 6. Day—Chandrasekhara on Silver Elephant: 63 Nayanars

In the festivities of the morning of the sixth day, a glorious Silver Elephant, leads a procession of the great Shiva devotees, the 63 Nayanars. 

The Nayanars are remembered as a group of 63 saints (poets) of the 6th to 8th century who were devoted to Lord Shiva. It was they who influenced the Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu. The names of the 63 saints were first compiled by Sundarar and the list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material for the famed Tirumurai. 

Message of the Nayanars 

“There have been many ‘intellectuals’ even in India who have looked down upon the path of Bhakti (devotion) as something inferior to Jnana (wisdom). Their short-sightedness becomes at once apparent when we study the lives of the great Four Teachers (Appar, Sundarar, Manickavachagar and Sambandar) and realise that these great Jnanis, too, were great Bhaktas who loved to visit Temples and sing the glories of the Lord. 

Love of the Lord cuts at the very root of our attachment to this world, and snaps all worldly ties, to father, mother, son, wife or relatives. As the stories of the Nayanars illustrate, the devotee is ever ready to renounce all, in favour of devotion to Lord Siva. 

Let us also never forget that in the case of all the Nayanars devotion invariably meant expansion of the heart, and, therefore, service and charity. We have to take the individual tales of the Nayanars as allegories exhorting us to rout out the inner obstacles to our Sadhana. 

If we approach these saints with faith and devotion in our hearts, we shall grasp the message they have for us. We shall also understand why they gave such a great place to externals like the sacred ash, Rudraksha, etc. These symbols remind one constantly of God: and, when they are said to remove our sins, they remove our sinful tendencies, too, by constantly reminding us of God, and keeping evil out of our mind.” 

[By: Venkatesananda] 

The Lord on his beautiful silver Elephant

Moving away from the front of the Alankaram Mandapam, and proceeding  around the mada veedhis (perimeter streets) of Arunachaleswarar Temple

Palanquins each carrying individual Nayanars

The Saiva Samaya Acharyas

Out of the 63 Nayanars, the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas; (left to right) Tirugnasambandar, Tirunanvukkarasar (Appar), Sundarar and Manikkavasagar are remembered best of all. 

The principal teachings of the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas is of love and surrender to God; and of service to God and godly men. That love, devotion, and service to God is the only way one can obtain His Grace. God is One and He is Shiva. That man must get over his bonds which keep him in ignorance and obtain inseparable union with Shiva through the Lord's Grace. 

Beautiful Rukku, our own Arunachala elephant, making sure that in spite of ornate, ceremonial silver elephants, she ALWAYS takes pride of place!

Kalia Nayanar and message of the Nayanars

Nayanar’s Message
[By Swami Venkatesananda]


"There have been many ‘intellectuals’ even in India who have looked down upon the path of Bhakti (devotion) as something inferior to Jnana (wisdom). Their short-sightedness becomes at once apparent when we study the lives of the great Four Teachers (Appar, Sundarar, Manickavachagar and Sambandar) and realise that these great Jnanis, too, were great Bhaktas who loved to visit Temples and sing the glories of the Lord. Look at the humility of Appar who carried Sambandar’s palanquin. It is not born of the weakness of the ignorant: but it is the culmination of true knowledge!

How shall we understand the wonderful spirit of renunciation that characterised the lives of many royal Nayanars, if we regard them as weaklings? They had understood the true nature of the world, and wanted only God . . . This great truth has been beautifully brought out again and again in these lives — love of God completely removes the devotee’s attachment to his own body.

Let us also never forget that in the case of all the Nayanars devotion invariably meant expansion of the heart, and, therefore, service and charity. It is essential that, in our study of these great lives, we take them as a whole: the sixty-three blending into one marvellous scripture on devotion. . . . Nayanars have to be read with this caution: we have to take them as allegories exhorting us to rout out the inner obstacles to our Sadhana, ruthlessly. The story of Eripatha Nayanar, for instance, should be taken as an exhortation for us to kill lust, anger and greed, the powerful impediments on our spiritual path which, in the twinkling of an eye wreck our worship of the Lord.

If we approach these saints with faith and devotion in our hearts, we shall grasp the message they have for us. We shall also understand why they gave such a great place to externals like the sacred ash, Rudraksha, etc. These symbols remind one constantly of God: and, when they are said to remove our sins, they remove our sinful tendencies, too, by constantly reminding us of God, and keeping evil out of our mind."



Kalia Nayanar


Kalia Nayanar is another of one of the 63 Nayanars whose story is associated with deepams and lamps maintained in praise of the Lord.


“Kalia Nayanar was an oil monger of Tiruvotriyur. His adoration of the Lord, to who he was highly devoted, took the form of lighting the Temple lamps daily. The bhakta was rich. But, in order to reveal his greatness the Lord impoverished him, so, Kalia began to work as a labourer in order to earn money to purchase oil for his worship. But even this became impossible. His depths of poverty were so dire that the bhakta even tried to sell his wife, but no-one would buy her.






At last, in despair at his plight at not being able to maintain the Temple lamps, Kalia decided to cut his own throat and use the blood instead of oil, to burn the lamps. In his attempt to do this, Lord Siva caught hold of his devotee’s hand and blessed him.

What greatness, and what intensity of devotion is portrayed in this simple life! Self-forgetfulness is the key-note in devotion. Remembering God always, the devotee is so thoroughly absorbed in Him, that nothing but God and His worship matters to him. By all means His worship must go on: no obstacle shall stand in the way. The devotee’s heart and mind are always positive, never letting a negative thought enter them. He sees opportunities in difficulties and is never beaten by any obstacles which serve him as steps to God!”
[By Swami Sivananda – abridged]

2017 Arunachala Karthigai Festival: Day 6. Day—Chandrasekhara on Silver Elephant: 63 Nayanars

In the festivities of the morning of the sixth day, a glorious Silver Elephant, leads a procession of the great Shiva devotees, the 63 Nayanars.

The Nayanars are remembered as a group of 63 saints (poets) of the 6th to 8th century who were devoted to Lord Shiva. It was they who influenced the Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu. The names of the 63 saints were first compiled by Sundarar and the list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material for the famed Tirumurai.

Out of the 63 Nayanars, the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas are remembered best of all. Those four are: Tirugnasambandar, Tirunanvukkarasar (Appar), Sundarar and Manikkavasagar.

The principal teachings of the four Saiva Samaya Acharyas is of love and surrender to God; and of service to God and godly men. That love, devotion, and service to God is the only way one can obtain His Grace. God is One and He is Shiva. That man must get over his bonds which keep him in ignorance and obtain inseparable union with Shiva through the Lord's Grace.

Lord Chandrasekhara on Silver Elephant

Lord Chandrasekhara on Silver Elephant on Car Street

Lord Vinayakar on Silver Rat Vahana

The saints being carried in Palanquins

School Children carrying the Saints in Palanquins

63 Nayanars in Palanquins, Car Street

Four Saiva Samaya Archaryas

Message of the Nayanars

“There have been many ‘intellectuals’ even in India who have looked down upon the path of Bhakti (devotion) as something inferior to Jnana (wisdom). Their short-sightedness becomes at once apparent when we study the lives of the great Four Teachers (Appar, Sundarar, Manickavachagar and Sambandar) and realise that these great Jnanis, too, were great Bhaktas who loved to visit Temples and sing the glories of the Lord.

Love of the Lord cuts at the very root of our attachment to this world, and snaps all worldly ties, to father, mother, son, wife or relatives. As the stories of the Nayanars illustrate, the devotee is ever ready to renounce all, in favour of devotion to Lord Siva.

Let us also never forget that in the case of all the Nayanars devotion invariably meant expansion of the heart, and, therefore, service and charity. We have to take the individual tales of the Nayanars as allegories exhorting us to rout out the inner obstacles to our Sadhana.

If we approach these saints with faith and devotion in our hearts, we shall grasp the message they have for us. We shall also understand why they gave such a great place to externals like the sacred ash, Rudraksha, etc. These symbols remind one constantly of God: and, when they are said to remove our sins, they remove our sinful tendencies, too, by constantly reminding us of God, and keeping evil out of our mind.”

[Venkatesananda – Abridged]

Day 5. Daytime. Deepam 2020: Arunachaleswarar Temple

While we are all grateful that a 2020 Deepam Festival is being celebrated at Tiruvannamalai, it is hoped that this year and its reduced Festival is an anomaly never to be repeated and that devotees need not be deprived in future years of the majesty and delight of the Arunachala Karthigai Mahadeepam Festival.

In this regard, just as a reminder of what the usual Festival looks like on Day 5 of this Festival, I am posting three photographs below of an earlier year's celebration of this day. First photograph is of the Lord on his Silver Elephant Vahana, the second is of the 4 Saiva Samaya Acharyas and the third photo shows students carrying the rest of the 63 Nayanars on their own individualised palanquins. 

To read more about the significance of this day, please refer to this posting in the archives of an earlier year's Deepam at this link here.

To learn more about the Nayanars, go to this link here.

 

Lord on Silver Elephant Vahana

 

Saiva Samaya Archaryas

 

 

Nayanars on Individual Palanquins

 

Meypporul Nayanar

Nayanars were from varied backgrounds, ranging from kings and soldiers to untouchables. The story of each saint exhibits different aspects of devotion and is believed to inspire in the reader a greater intensity of love towards Lord Shiva.

The Periapuranam, which is regarded as one of the greatest devotional books in Tamil literature, is a compilation of the lives of these great saints and narrates the history of each of the sixty-three Nayanars.

The below narrative of the king Meypporul Nayanar, serves as an example by showing us the values of tolerance and of doing good even to enemies.



Meypporul Nayanar

The story goes thus:

Meypporul Nayanar was a pious king who ruled over the hill tribes of Sethi. He was chivalrous and brave and there was peace and plenty in his kingdom.. People worshipped him as the living God. He fought many battles and was always victorious.

He was well versed in the Agamas and an ardent devotee of the Lord. To him Siva and His devotees, adorned with matted locks, Rudraksham and sacred ashes represented the only truth, Absolute Truth: and all the rest of the world was straw. He saw everything as Sivamayam. Siva Bhaktas enjoyed absolute freedom in his country: they were honoured by the king and the people alike. Though he ruled the kingdom as the king, his mind was always at the Lord’s Feet. Daily, special prayers and festivals were conducted in the temples in his realm.






Nayanar’s fame spread far and wide. This evoked the jealousy of Muthanathan, the king of a neighbouring state. He collected an army and attacked Nayanar several times; but he was repeatedly defeated. So, Muthanathan resorted to foul-play. One day, he disguised himself as a Siva Yogi and entered the palace at night. The gate-keepers did not question him, but allowed him to proceed. Dathan, the faithful and intelligent servant of Nayanar, was guarding the bedroom in which the king was sleeping. When the Siva Yogi approached the bedroom, Dathan tried to dissuade him from disturbing the king’s sleep; but the Yogi refused to listen, saying: ‘I have some secret Shastra to teach the king. I cannot wait.’ So, Dathan had to allow the Yogi to enter the bedroom of the king, though he was a little suspicious.

Nayanar’s wife got up and, finding a Siva Yogi in the room, quickly awakened her husband. The Siva Yogi told the king that the Shastra was a great secret, revealed by the Lord Himself, and that only the king was entitled to hear it. At once the king sent even the queen away and prostrated before the Yogi, ready to receive the secret. At that moment, the Siva Yogi, who was none else than the jealous king Muthanathan, quickly stabbed Nayanar on his back, with a knife he had kept hidden.

The shrewd Dathan, as he entered the room, found the king on the floor in a pool of blood and Muthanathan with a knife in his hand. He was ready to strike down Muthanathan, when the dying Nayanar said: ‘Datha, he is our man. He has the appearance of a Siva Yogi and so must be honoured as one. Do not harm him. Kindly escort him to the borders of our kingdom, and see that he is unharmed.’ Dathan obeyed the commands of his master. As he was escorting Muthanathan, the people who had heard what happened went to attack Muthanathan, but, as soon as Dathan told them of the king’s commands, they withdrew, admiring the supreme devotion of their king. Thus, Muthanathan was safely escorted out of the kingdom. And, Dathan hastened back to the palace to convey this news to the dying king who was eagerly waiting for it.

As soon as Dathan conveyed the news to the king, the Nayanar called all his Ministers and relatives to his bedside, and spoke to them as follows: ‘It is our duty to serve the Bhaktas. They must be honoured and worshipped at all times and under all circumstances. Let our people walk in the footsteps of the Siva Bhaktas. Let the country be flooded with Siva Bhaktas. By their blessings, let peace and prosperity reign in our land.’ With these words, he closed his eyes and meditated on Lord Siva.

Lord Siva at once appeared before him and blessed him as follows: ‘I am immensely pleased with your devotion to My Bhaktas. I am immensely pleased with your cosmic love and your unquestioning devotion to My devotees. Even in a murderer you saw Me. You are, therefore, fit to reach the Highest Abode which even the Devas cannot hope to reach. You will soon come to My Abode.’ With these words the Lord disappeared: and Meypporul Nayanar (whose name means ‘one for whom God is the sole reality’) also attained His Abode.

2015 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Early Evening: Lord Shiva as Pichandavar

On the 8th Day of Karthigai Deepam as celebrated at the Arunachaleswarar Temple, there are traditionally three different processions. The first in the morning is that of Lord Chandrashekara on the Horse Vahanam on its circumbulation and meeting of the Maharadham. The second procession on the 8th Day is that of Lord Pichandavar (which is Lord Siva in His manifestation as a beggar). The third procession, which occurs later in the night is that of the Lord on the Vahanam of a White Horse.

Lord Shiva as Pichandavar

Pichandavar (i.e. Beggar)

Beautiful detail work on Vahanam

All night processions brilliantly illuminated

Lord Shiva as Pichandavar 

One story of Lord Shiva in the form of Pichandavar (beggar) goes like this: 

Punithavathiar as Karaikal Ammaiyar was called (the only woman saint of the 63 Nayanars), was born in a Vaisya family. Her father was Danadathan. He was a wealthy virtuous merchant. He and his dutiful wife prayed to the Lord for a child, and the child the Lord blessed them with they called Punithavathy. From her childhood, Punithavathy had an intense love for Lord Siva and His bhaktas. She was married to Paramadattan, a wealthy Vaisya. Both of them were leading an ideal householder’s life. 

To read more go to an earlier posting on Arunachala Grace at this link here. 

2016 Karthigai Deepam at Arunachala

Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Tirukovil 

Tiruvannamalai 

Thirukarthigai Deepam Festival 2016 

Arunachala Deepam Cauldron in daytime during earlier Festival

30 November, 2016 
Wednesday Night: Durgai Amman Urchavam 

1 December, 2016 
Thursday Night: Pidari Amman Urchavam 

2 December, 2016 
Friday Night: Vinayaka Urchavam 

3 December, 2016 
Saturday Morning (early): 7.15 to 8.30. Flag Hoisting 
Morning (late): Panchamoorthy Silver Vimana procession 
Night: Athigara Nandi Vahana 

4 December, 2016 
Sunday Morning: Chandrasekhara in Surya Perai Vahanam Night: Silver Indira Vahanam 

5 December, 2016 
Monday Morning: Chandrasekhara in Bootha Vahanam 
Night: Shima Vahanam 

6 December, 2016 
Tuesday Morning: Chandrasekhara in Naga Vahanam 
Night: Kamadhenu and Virikpaksha 

7 December, 2016 
Wednesday Morning: Chandrasekhara in Rishabam 
Night: Big Silver Rishabam 

8 December, 2016 
Thursday Morning: Elephant with 63 Nayanars 
Night: Silver chariot 

9 December, 2016 
Friday: Maharadham 

10 December, 2016 
Saturday Morning: Chandrasekhara on Horse 
Evening: Pichandavar 
Late Night: Big Horse 

11 December, 2016 
Sunday Morning: Chandrasekhara on Purusha Meruga Vahanam 
Night: Kailasha (Ravana) Vahanam 

12 December, 2016 
Monday Early morning: 4 a.m. Bharani Deepam 
Evening: 6 p.m. Mahadeepam 
Late Night: Golden Rishaba Vahanam 

13 December, 2016 
Tuesday Night: 9 p.m. Chandrasekahra Theepal, Ayyankulam Tank 

14 December, 2016 
Wednesday Morning: Arunachaleswarar girivalam 
Night: 9 p.m. Parashakthi Theepal, Ayyankulam Tank 

15 December, 2016 
Thursday Night: Subramanian Theepal, Ayyankulam Tank 

16 December 2016 
Friday Night: Vinayaka and Chandikeshwara Theepal 

2016 Deepam Programme in Tamil

2014 Deepam Festival. Day Eight—Afternoon: Pichandavar

Lord Shiva as Pichandavar 

One story of Lord Shiva in the form of Pichandavar (beggar) goes like this: 

Punithavathiar as Karaikal Ammaiyar was called (the only woman saint of the 63 Nayanars), was born in a Vaisya family. Her father was Danadathan. He was a wealthy virtuous merchant. He and his dutiful wife prayed to the Lord for a child, and the child the Lord blessed them with they called Punithavathy. From her childhood, Punithavathy had an intense love for Lord Siva and His bhaktas. She was married to Paramadattan, a wealthy Vaisya. Both of them were leading an ideal householder’s life. 

One day Paramadattan sent two mangoes to his house. Punithavathy kept them safely so that she could serve her husband with them at meal-time. In the meantime, a Siva Yogi (in the form of Pichandavar i.e. Lord Shiva as beggar Avatar) appeared before her hungry and completely exhausted. Punithavathy worshipped him and offered bhiksha. As she had nothing to give except the mangoes, she gave one to the guest. At midday Paramadattan returned to his home. His wife served him with one mango, which he so enjoyed that he asked for the other. In a state of turmoil, his wife appealed to the Lord for help. 

When she finished her prayer, mysteriously a mango fell onto the palm of her hand. She gave it her husband. He noted that it was exceptionally sweet and asked her to tell him from where she got it—as he was quite sure it was not the mango he had sent. Punithavathy told him the truth. Paramadattan, however, would not believe this and challenged her to produce another. She prayed again to the Lord and another mango appeared on her palm—which she gave to her husband. But, at once it disappeared from his hand. He was astounded and finally understood his wife’s greatness. He felt that it was a great sin to live with her as her husband. On the pretext of going to a foreign country for trade, he sailed with a ship load of goods. On return, he established himself in a big city in the Pandyan kingdom, married a Vaisya girl and lived happily. He had a daughter by her who he named Punithavathy, after his first wife. 

Punithavathy’s relatives came to know of her husband’s whereabouts and took her there in a palanquin. When Paramadattan heard that Punithavathy was coming to him, he, with his second wife and child, went forward, and fell at Punithavathy’s feet. When the people demanded an explanation, he revealed that he regarded her, not as his wife, but as a Goddess. Punithavathy understood his mental condition, and prayed to the Lord: ‘In that case, Oh Lord, deprive me of my present physical charm and let me have a demoniacal form.’ Her prayer was immediately granted and her charming body was transformed into a skeleton. 

She then went on a pilgrimage to Kailasa. Feeling that it would be a great sin to place her foot on such sacred grounds, she made the last part of the journey on her head. Goddess Parvati was surprised to see Punithavathy’s strange form and her wonderful devotion. Lord Siva told her of Ammaiyar’s greatness. When she went near Him, Lord Siva welcomed her with extreme love and granted her a boon. She fell at His Feet, and prayed: ‘Oh Lord of Mercy, give me sincere, pure, unalloyed, eternal and overflowing devotion unto You. I want no more birth. If, however, I have to take birth here, grant me that I should never forget You. Whenever You dance, I must be at Your feet singing Your praise. This is my only wish.’ Lord Siva granted the boon and asked her to proceed to Tiruvalangadu to witness His dance. She went to that place and spent her life singing the praise of Lord Siva. 

A famous festival is celebrated at Karaikal, Pondicherry State which is known as Mangani (Mango) Festival in which mangoes are thrown onto the street in front of the route Lord Pichandavar (avatar of Shiva) will take in his procession during the Festival 

2017 Karthigai Deepam: Arunachaleswarar Temple Preparations

Months of preparation go into making sure Arunachaleswarar Temple and Tiruvannamalai are ready to host the annual Karthigai Deepam Festival. 

The below photographs show some of the preparations undertaken at the Temple over the last few weeks. 

The Alankaram Mandapam which will be home to the God Alangarams prior to each function

Cleaning of Shrine accoutrements at Arunachaleswarar Temple

Cleaning the Bali Pitha (Sacrificial Altar) outside Siva Shrine

Cleaning base of the Dvaja Stambha (Flag Staff)

Umbrella for the God

Wooden Blocs for under the wheels of God Chariots

Preparing Stands for the 63 Nayanars

Cleaning Silver Vahanam

Cleaning and repainting Vahanas for processions during Festival

Cleaning Thers (Chariots) to be used in God Processions around the Temple streets

The huge chariots have been cleaned and painted (notice the cow under the chariot)