For those eager to take a walk around Arunachaleswarar Temple, there are currently two virtual online tours you can experience. One is the 360° tour at this link
and the other tour of Arunachaleswarar Temple, can be found at this link here
(Nandikesvara tells Markandeya)
"There is in the Southern Region, O ascetic, in the land of Dravidas, a great sacred place named Aruna associated with the Lord with the crescent-moon for his crest-jewel.
It extends to three Yojanas. It is worthy of being adored by Sivayogins. Know it to be the heart of the earth, attractive and thrilling to Siva.
There the Lord Sambhu himself has assumed the form of a mountain. He has the name Arunachala. He is conducive to the welfare of the worlds."
[Chapter 4, The Greatness of Arunachala: Skanda Purana -- I.iii(U).4.12-23]
Siva said:
Right Click to view image, then left click image to view in high resolution |
What is a Yojana
A yojana is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars, but it is currently believed that 1 yojana is around 12-15 kms i.e. around 9 miles. It is declared in the Shastras that 3 yojanas around Arunachala are blessed— which means around 30 miles i.e. 48 kms.
The etymology of the word ‘yojana’ is derived from the same root that gives us both the English word ‘yoke’ and the Indian term ‘yoga’. It is thought that ‘yojana’ initially meant ‘being yoked’, and that it was used as a unit of measure to indicate the approximate distance that a cow could pull a cart to which it was yoked.
The yojana is used extensively in ancient descriptions of Buddhist cosmology (and, presumably, Hindu cosmology as well). The size of layers of the Earth, the heights of mountains, and the depths of seas are all described using yojanas.
An auspicious joy-filled way to start July 2021 is to sing
along with the below video track "Chandrachooda" by Anoop
Sankar, which is full of life and vigour, and an example of the uplifting
inspirational enthusiastic fusion music coming out of India.
The word enthusiasm is derived from the two Greek words, "en"
and "theos" and literally means, "filled with God." The
word itself tells that people with enthusiasm and filled with God, will have a
better life and help create a better world.
The track is a celebration of Lord Siva—"One whose locks are
adorned by the moon! Oh pristinely pure one, the creator of auspiciousness! Oh
husband of ParvatI, salutations to thee! Oh handsome one, holding a deer and a
bow called pinaka in your hands, bearing the holy Ganges on your head, and
draped in a garment made from the skin of the elephant-faced demon you
destroyed!"
Isakki Swamigal Girivalam
May 2, 1917—January 9, 1991
Devotees are not yet allowed to perform Arunachala girivalam (during full moon) but as soon as restrictions are lifted and public transportation fully reinstated, I will make a posting with girivalam details here on Arunachala Grace.
In the meanwhile, I reproduce below a wonderful narrative of the great Arunachala devotee Isakki Swamigal who ever sang the praises and benefits to all of performing Arunachala girivalam. To read more of Isakki Swamigal and about his Arunachala experiences, visit this link here.
For several years Isakki Swamigal daily undertook Arunachala girivalam and started to become famous amongst locals. Groups of people started to follow him around the hill chanting 'Om Namah Shivaya,' and 'Arogahara! Arogahara! Annamalaiku Arogahara!' Increasingly more locals began to follow him during his giripradakshina. On every circumambulation, when reaching Panchamukha Point, Swamigal would stop and engage in meditation. During his days, Swamigal met and saw a number of siddhars and yogis who went round the hill on giripradakshina.
During his life, it is reported Isakki Swamigal performed Arunachala angapradakshina (pradakshina by rolling the body in a clockwise movement on the ground) 1008 times. Even today, it is thought that Swamigal in his astral form performs girivalam twice daily. Close to the statue at the Panchamukha Shrine it is believed Swamigal performs meditation each day at noon. Near that place there is a well which he created specifically in order to supply drinking water for devotees.
The below narrative on Isakki Swamigal, is from a book by Howard Murphet. Murphet was one of the first Western devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and his books were important in introducing Sai Baba to the West, much in the same way Brunton's book "In Search of Secret India," introduced Sri Ramana Maharshi to the World.
Isakki Swamigal at Panchamukha Point |
Meeting Isakki Swamigal by Howard Murphet
One man we met on our first visit to Arunachala had done the circular sacred journey round the mountain in an extraordinary way and had a truly remarkable boon. This was Isakki Swamigal of Tiruvannamalai. We met him one evening as we stood by the side of a road coming out of the town. Along the road towards us, with the beat of drum, sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals, came a group of men. There must have been a dozen of them, some carrying a canopy under which walked a man. Surely a prince must be approaching, we thought. And when the group came in front of us and stopped, we could see that he was truly a prince of the spirit. His eyes were shining, a smile lit up his radiant face and around him was the unmistakable vibration of one who has reached a high level of attainment. My wife was so overcome that she pushed in through the crowd of men around him and touched his feet. Then she stood up and moved to join our friend and myself by the side of the road. Then the procession moved on with its joyous marching music.
Our friend, Ma Tallyarkan, who was residing at Tiruvannamalai, told us that it was Isakki Swamigal with a group of his devotees. From her, and from other people, we heard the story of his journey around the mountain and his boon. It seems that, lying horizontally on the ground, he rolled the whole eight miles along the circular route. When he stood up at the end of it, Lord Siva with his consort Parvati, were standing before him. With this boon of the Siva-Shakti darshan, came the gift of healing.
Isakki Swamigal was reported to be able to heal with spiritual power. Miraculous healings were the result and people came to him in great crowds. His consulting rooms could not cope with this huge influx, so he took up a position near the road on the other side of Arunachala from Tiruvannamalai. It was a quiet, pleasant spot. He went there at about three o'clock each morning and droves of people surrounded him at that time. Drawn by his elevated spiritual level, people began to gather around him, treat him at their guru, and move about with him—as we saw that evening by the roadside.
[Abridged from Howard Murphet narrative 1971]
I have posted below a light-hearted story about our position in the Universe. To read more light-hearted morality tales, please visit my website at this link here.
"A flea decided to move with his family into the ear of an elephant. So he shouted, "Mr. Elephant, Sir, my family and I plan to move into your ear. I think it only fair to give you a week to think the matter over and let me know if you have any objection?"
The Elephant, who was not even aware of the existence of the flea went his placid way so, after conscientiously waiting a week, the flea assumed the Elephant's consent and moved in. A month later Mrs. Flea decided the Elephant's ear was not a healthy place to live in and urged her husband to tell the Elephant that they were moving; in such way so as not to hurt the Elephant's feelings.
So, Mr. Flea put it to tactfully to the Elephant, "Sir, we plan to move to other quarters. This has nothing at all to do with you of course, because your ear is spacious and warm. It is just that my wife would rather live next door to her friends at the buffalo's foot. If you have any objection to our moving, do let me know in the course of the next week." The Elephant said nothing, so the flea changed residence with a clear conscience".
Moral of the Story: Relax—the Universe is not aware of your existence!
[Anthony De Mello]
In an earlier posting at this link here I uploaded photographs of the Groundbreaking and Bhumi Puja for the Temple Construction of the new Shirdi Sai Baba Shrine to be built on the Girivalam Roadway near the junction of Kanji Road.
Below are photographs of the ongoing construction and I have also included an image of a rough plan of the upcoming Shrine and contact information of the group responsible for this Shrine.
Rough Plan of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Shrine |
Details of Temple Founders and Contact Information |
I hope to continue posting updates of the ongoing development of this new Shrine on the Girivalam Roadway.
I recently received these two beautiful photographs of Arunachaleswarar Temple and its nine Gopurams. Have embedded the photographs on Arunachala Grace at the resolution I received them at so those interested can enlarge, print and frame the photos.