AYYAPPA SWAMY IS OUR BEST SWAMY
INTRODUCTION
Ayyappa Swamy is our best Swamy, since we are offering special pujas to him during the Tamil months of Karthigai, Margazhi and Thai Months, and Mandala Puja also takes place during that period. Unlike visiting other temples, we cannot easily visit the Shrine of Lord Ayyappa which is situated in Sabarimala at Kerala.
Those who prepare themselves to visit this pious temple must observe fasting for a period of 41 days, which is also called as one Mandalam, and during that time, the devotees must wear the holy Thulasi Manimala which would be given by the Gurusami, and the devotees must not eat non vegetarian food, and onion and garlic also must be avoided in their food. They also must visit some temples in the mornings and in the evenings and they must take bath at least for two times in a day. Then after the completion of 41 days, they have to approach the Gurusamy, those who have visited Sabarimala for more than 18 times would be called as Gurusamy, and with his help, the Devotee must take the Irumudi, items consists of coconut filled with pure ghee and also some other puja items, and they must eagerly proceed for their travel to the sacred temple Sabarimala.
In ancient times, when there was no proper road facilities for visiting the Sabarimala, the devotees would seek protection from Lord Ayyappa, and they used to frequently praise his glories, like, “SWAMIYE SARANAM AYYAPPA”, “AYYAPPA SWAMIYE ENGAL KULA SWAMIYE, “AYYAPPA ARUL MAZHAI POZHIYAPPA”, and due to their frequent chants of Ayyappa Mantra, they would never get afraid of wild animals or they would never feel tired of walking for a long distance with their bare foot.
Since Lord Ayyappa requires his devotees to be pure and pious, he is insisting his devotees to follow the rules and regulations for visiting his temple at Sabarimala. Similar to Lord Krishna and Lord Muruga, Lord Ayyappa gives darshan to us in the form of an young boy, and at the age of twelve, he fought with the demoness Mahishi, killed her, and also granted her the very good position of dwelling at his lotus feet, and due to that, Still Mahishi is having a separate shrine at Sabarimala Temple, and she is worshipped as Ma Mancha Mata.
During the Tamil month Karthigai, we can hear the nice songs of Lord Ayyappa, such as “SWAMIYE SARANAM, SARANAM PON AYYAPPA”, sung by Sri Veeramanidasan and also the evergreen song Harivarasanam which was sung by Sri.K.J.Yesudas.
The various forms of Lord Ayyappa are Lord Ayyananar, Karuppaswamy and Kathavarayan. Worshipping Lord Ayyappa is a good act, since he contains the features of both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, and that’s why he is also known as “HARIHARAN”.
“SWAMIYE SARANAM AYYAPPA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR