திருசிற்றம்பலம் (tiruciṟṟambalam - sacred gnosis revealed)
Hinduism is such a beautiful religion which gives spiritual significance all through the year by distributing its auspicious religious events spread across different months of the year, giving an opportunity for devotees to regularly stay in spiritual contemplation.
மாதங்களில் நான் மார்கழி (mātaṅkaḷil nāṉ mārkaḻi – among months I am maargazhi)
While as stated above, each month is spiritually special in its own way, the month of மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास(mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month) is considered the pinnacle of spiritual events. In fact, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण परमात्म (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇa paramātma) Himself declares "மாதங்களில் நான் மார்கழி (mātaṅkaḷil nāṉ mārkaḻi – among months I am maargazhi)", as testified in the following verses
Even the sacred पाञ्चरात्र आगमशास्त्र (pāñcarātra āgamaśāstra) glorifies the spiritual importance of this month by dedicating an entire section titled "धनुर्मासमहात्म्य (dhanurmāsamahātmya - greatness of Margazhi month)". This month is also considered as शक्तिपीठमास / சக்தி பீட மாதம் (śaktipīṭhamāsa / saktipīṭamātam – pedestal month of spiritual energy). However, unfortunately, among many ignorant masses, this sacred term "பீடமாதம் (pīṭa mātam – pedestal month)" has been badly corrupted and is used in a derogatory sense of "பீடை மாசம் (pīḍaimātam – inauspicious / evil month)" as they superstitiously believe that the scriptures advise not to plan any marriages or any other auspicious domestic events during this month. However, the truth is otherwise. Yes, although it is true that it is generally recommended not to avoid such events, as far as possible; yet the reason for that is not because the month is considered பீடை மாசம் (pīḍaimātam – inauspicious / evil month). On the other hand, this month is considered too sacred or spiritual to indulge in mere लौकिक /भौतीक कार्यक्रमाः (laukika/bhautīka kāryakramāḥ – mundane/materialistic activities) rather than focusing on आध्यात्मिक/आधिदैविक कार्यक्रमाः (adhyatmika /athidaivīka kāryakramāḥ - spiritual / divine activities).
Esoterically, a human year in the terrestrial
realm corresponds to a divine day in the spiritual realm and accordingly, the
human month of மார்கழி
மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास (mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa
- mid Dec to mid Jan month) maps to the sacred ब्रह्म मुहूर्त काल (brahma muhūrta
kāla) in the Divinely realm. This fact further adds to the
sanctity of the month.
The whole month is considered very sacred and a
முப்பது நாட்கள் பாவை நோன்பு (muppatu nāṭkaḷ pāvai nōṉbu
– thirty days of virgin austerity) is observed very religiously
practiced spiritual rite. Esoterically, பாவை (pāvai - virgin) represents the
potentially untapped जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) who
indulges in rigorous நோன்பு (nōṉbu - austerity) measures to manifest
its latent spiritual conscience and eventually commune with the परब्रह्मन् (parabrahman - Supreme Divinity).
This month is auspicious to both in the शैवमतसंप्रदाय (śaivamatasaṃpradāya – Shaiva theological tradition) as well as in the विष्णवमतसंप्रदाय (viṣṇavamatasaṃpradāya – Vaishnava theological tradition) alike and is being associated with the two important religious scriptures and correspondingly two important spiritual events viz.
- திருபள்ளியெழுச்சி மற்றும் திருவெம்பாவை பாராயாணம் (tirupaḷḷiyeḻucci maṟṟum tiruvempāvai pārāyāṇam – contemplation of tirupalliyezhucchi and tiruvempavai): Contemplation of the two beautiful mystical poems composed at the holy temple-town of திருவண்ணாமலை (tiruvaṇṇāmalai) by வான் கலந்த மாணிக்கவாசகர் (vāṉ kalanta māṇikkavācakar), the renowned சைவ நாயன்மார் (caiva nāyaṉmār – saiva saint) as part of his magnum opus poetic masterpiece திருவாசகம் (tiruvācakam). Here these two poems eulogize the முப்பது நாட்கள் பாவை நோன்பு (muppatu nāṭkaḷ pāvai nōṉbu – thirty days of virgin austerity) as observed by जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) in the भक्तिभावन (bhaktibhāvana – devotional attitude) of communion with the परब्रह्मन् (parabrahman - Supreme Divinity) theologized as परमशिव (paramaśiva – supreme auspiciousness / omnibliss).
- திருப்பாவை பாராயாணம் (tiruppāvai pārāyāṇam - thirupavai contemplation): Contemplation of the famous poem composed by சூடிக்கொடுத்த சுடர்கொடி ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டாள் நாச்சியார் (cūṭikkoṭutta cuṭarkoṭi srī āṇṭāḷ nācciyār), the eminent வைணவ ஆழ்வார் (vaiṇava āḻvār – Vaishnava saint). Here too, there is a glorification of முப்பது நாட்கள் பாவை நோன்பு (muppatu nāṭkaḷ pāvai nōṉbu – thirty days of virgin austerity) as observed by जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) in the भक्तिभावन (bhaktibhāvana – devotional attitude) of communion with the परब्रह्मन् (parabrahman - Supreme Divinity) theologized as भगवान् श्री कृष्णपरमात्मा (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇaparamātmā) who in turn is the विभव अवतार महाविष्णोः (vibhava avatāra mahāviṣṇoḥ - glorious incarnation of cosmic expanse . omnipresence).
Thus, the objective of both these
masterpieces is to kindle and awaken the dormant जीवात्मन् (jīvātman
– corporeal soul) from the deep slumber and to commune with the Divine परब्रह्मन् (parabrahman - Supreme Divinity). In fact, the
beauty here is that, this would be a two-way call for the ying and the yang to
work together as explained below:
A wake-up call to the जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) to arise and awake and break open from the clutches of அசுத்த அவித்யாமாயநித்திரை / अशुद्धाविद्यामायानिद्रा (asudda avidyamāyanittirai / aśuddhāvidyāmāyānidrā – impure nescient-mystery slumber). In the verses of ஸ்ரீ மாணிக்கவாசகர் (sri māṇikkavācakar) from திருவெம்பாவை (tiruvempāvai) focuses on the same. Similarly, ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டாள் (sri āṇṭāḷ) also handles the same in திருப்பாவை (tiruppāvai) as illustrated in the following verses:
A सुप्रभातम् (suprabhātam – early morning) wake-up call to the परब्रह्मन् (parabrahman - Supreme Divinity) to awaken Him from His சுத்த அவித்யாமாயநித்திரை / शुद्धाविद्यामायानिद्रा (sudda avidyamāyanittirai / śuddhāvidyāmāyānidrā – pure-nescient-mystery slumber) to dissolve the பாசபந்தம் / पाशबन्ध (māyā / pāśabandha – binding fetter). Again ஸ்ரீ மாணிக்கவாசகர் (sri māṇikkavācakar) addresses them in திருபள்ளியெழுச்சி (tirupaḷḷiyeḻucci), while ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டாள் (sri āṇṭāḷ) for her part handles the same in திருப்பாவை (tiruppāvai) itself as illustrated in the following verses:
மார்கழி மகோத்சவங்கள் (mārkaḻi makōtcavaṅkaḷ)
Again, from the पञ्चाङ्ग सनाथनधर्मस्य (pañcāṅga sanāthanadharmasya – almanac of eternal religion) a viz. the Hindu religious calendar, and more specifically speaking, according to वाक्यपञ्चाङ्ग (vākyapañcāṅga – aphoristic almanac) followed both in the शैवमतसंप्रदाय (śaivamatasaṃpradāya – Shaiva theological tradition) as well as in the विष्णवमतसंप्रदाय (viṣṇavamatasaṃpradāya – Vaishnava theological tradition) in South India, the two most important theological events viz.
# |
Event |
Temple |
1 |
श्री वैकुण्ठ एकादशि महोत्सव (śrī
vaikuṇṭha ekādaśi mahotsava) |
celebrated annually at the holy shrine of திருவரங்கம் / श्रीरङ्ग (tiruvaraṅgam
/śrīraṅga - srirangam) |
2 |
श्री
आरुद्रा दर्शन महोत्सव (śrī ārudrā darśana
mahotsava) |
annually
celebrated at the sacred temple town of சிதம்பரம் (cidambaram) |
Interestingly these two temples are given highest importance in their respective traditions. For example, the திருவரங்கம் /श्रीरङ्ग (tiruvaraṅgam /śrīraṅga - srirangam) is considered the first among the sacred ஆழ்வார் பாசுரங்களால் மங்களாசாசனம் செய்யப்பட்ட வைணவ திவ்யதேசங்கள் (āḻvār pācuraṅkaḷāl maṅkaḷācācaṉam ceyyappaṭṭa vaiṇava divyadēcaṅgaḷ - sacred temples eulogized by poems of Vaishnava alwars) which are around 108 and similarly, சிதம்பரம் / चिदंबरम् (cidambaram / cidaṃbaram) is the first among the சைவ நாயன்மார்களால் பாடல்பெற்ற திருகோயில்கள் (saiva nāyaṉmārkaḷāl pāṭalpeṟṟa tirukōyilkaḷ - sacred temples eulogized by poems of saiva saints) and from an esoteric spiritual essence, the ஸ்ரீ ஆனந்த தாண்டவ நடராஜ மூர்த்தி /श्री आन्नन्द ताण्डवनटराज मूर्ति (srī āṉanda tāṇṭava naṭarāja mūrtti / śrī ānnanda tāṇḍavanaṭarāja murti – sacred frantic bliss dance of dance king iconography) who is the अर्चावतारदेवता (arcāvatāradevatā – adorable incarnation deity) in the holy shrine at சிதம்பரம் / चिदंबरम् (cidambaram / cidaṃbaram) is called as சபாபதி / सभापति (sabāpati / sabhāpati - lord of conclave/stage) while ஸ்ரீரங்கநாதமூர்த்தி / श्रीरङ्गनाथमूर्ति (srīraṅganātamūrtti / śrīraṅganāthamūrti – lord of sacred stage iconography) who is the अर्चावतारदेवता (arcāvatāradevatā – adorable incarnation deity) in the holy shrine at திருவரங்கம் /श्रीरङ्ग (tiruvaraṅgam / śrīraṅga - srirangam). Thus, respectively both share deep philosophical synergies in their name legends viz. அரங்கநாதர் (araṅganātar - Lord of Stage) and சபாபதி (sabāpati - lord of conclave/stage).
I have separately discussed the esoteric specifics on both these topics in different blogs elsewhere. For more details, please refer to the following blog-articles
சபரிமலை மகரஜோதி தரிசனம் (sabarimalai makarajōti darisaṉam)
Again, it is typically on the last day of the sacred மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास (mārgaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month), which coincides with the event of போகி பொங்கல் (pōgi poṅgal), the grand event of சபரிமலை மகரஜோதி தரிசனம் (sabarimalai makarajōti darisaṉam) occurs, as it is believed that it is on this day, Lord ஸ்ரீ ஐயப்பன் (srī aiyappaṉ) considered as the महाविभव अवतार (mahāvibhava avatāra – supreme glorious incarnation) of His Holiness श्री धर्मशास्ता (śrī dharmaśāstā) after accomplishing the mission of His terrestrial incarnation, returns back to His पर अवस्था (para avasthā – transcendent state). Interestingly, ஸ்ரீ ஐயப்பன் (srī aiyappaṉ) who is the नैष्टिक ब्रह्मचारिन् (naiṣṭika brahmacārin – perfectly chaste) is also believed to be हरिहरपुत्र (hariharaputra) in perfect alignment with the शैव-वैष्णव संमेलन (śaiva-vaiṣṇava mata saṃmelanana – Shaiva Vaishnava theological synergy).
Interestingly, some form of ஜோதி வழிபாடு / ज्योति उपासन (jōti vaḻipāṭu – light worship) is an integral part of Hindu spiritual calendar for all for months falling between ஐப்பசி (aippasi – mid-oct to mid nov) & தை (tai – mid jan – mid feb). In the following blogs, I have shared my two cents on the spiritual significance of each of these events:
Month |
Event |
Blog Article |
ஐப்பசி (aippasi – mid-oct to mid nov) |
தீபாவளி (dīpāvaḷi) |
Spiritual
significance of दीपावलि महोत्सव
/ தீபாவளி மகோத்சவம் (dīpāvaḻi
utsava / dīpāvaḷi magōtcavam – grand diwali
festival) https://whatisgod-religiousfestivals.blogspot.com/p/spiritual-significance-of-dipavali.html |
கார்த்திகை (kārttikai – mid nov to mid dec) |
கார்த்திகை மகாதீபம் (kārttikai magātīpam) |
கார்திகை மகா தீப திருவிழா (kārtikai magā dīpa tiruviḻā)
https://whatisgod-religiousfestivals.blogspot.com/p/kaarthigai-magaa-dhipa-thiruvizhaa.html
|
மார்கழி (mārgaḻi - mid Dec to mid Jan) |
சபரிமலை மகரஜோதி (sabarimalai makarajōti) |
ஓம்! சுவாமியே சரணம் ஐயப்பா! (ōm! suvāmiyē saraṇam aiyappā!) https://whatisgod-religiousfestivals.blogspot.com/p/om-suvamiye-saranam-aiyappa.html |
தை (tai – mid jan – mid feb) |
தைபூச ஜோதி தரிசனம் (taipūca jōti taricaṉam) |
அடியேன் நோக்கில் வள்ளலார் (aḍiyēn pārvaiyil vaḻḻalār - Vallalar in my humble perspective)
https://whatisgod-iraamalingavallalaar.blogspot.com/
|
Merry Christmas
Interestingly மார்கழி மாதம் / मृगशीर्ष मास(mārkaḻi mātam / mṛgaśīrṣa māsa - mid Dec to mid Jan month) is also very special in Christianity. According to Gregorian Calendar, 25th of December is being widely celebrated across globe, to rejoice the birth anniversary of His Holiness Jesus Christ, the Begotten Son, one of noblest of souls, who out of His infinite compassion and mercy underwent the unimaginable agony and suffering of his crucification as an act self-sacrifice for the sake of world.
# |
Blog |
URL |
1 |
Spiritual significance of Jesus Christ – His birth, resurrection and atonement |
https://whatisgod-religiousfestivals.blogspot.com/p/spiritual-significance-of-good-friday.html |
திருசிற்றம்பலம் (tiruciṟṟambalam - sacred gnosis revealed)
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