BLISS

BLISS
MY LORD SOMASKANDAR

Saturday, December 31, 2011

முருகன் அருணகிரிநாதருக்கு அடி எடுத்துக் கொடுக்கப் பாடிய திருப்புகழ் இது.



முருகன் திருப்பாம் 
முருகன் அருணகிரிநாதருக்கு அடி எடுத்துக் கொடுக்கப் பாடிய திருப்புகழ் இது. அருணகிரிநாதர் இப் பாடலில் சொல், பொருள், இசை நயத்தை மிக அழகாக கையாண்டிருக்கிறார். எனக்குப் பிடித்த திருப்புகழ் இது.
முத்தைத்தரு பத்தித் திருநகை
அத்திக்கிறை சத்திச் சரவண
முத்திக்கொரு வித்துக் குருபர …… எனவோதும்
முக்கட்பர மற்குச் சுருதியின்
முற்பட்டது கற்பித் திருவரும்
முப்பத்துமு வர்க்கத் தமரரும் …… அடிபேணப்
பத்துத்தலை தத்தக் கணைதொடு
ஒற்றைக்கிரி மத்தைப் பொருதொரு
பட்டப்பகல் வட்டத் திகிரியில் …… இரவாகப்
பத்தற்கிர தத்தைக் கடவிய
பச்சைப்புயல் மெச்சத் தகுபொருள்
பட்சத்தொடு ரட்சித் தருள்வதும் …… ஒருநாளே
தித்தித்தெய ஒத்தப் பரிபுர
நிர்த்தப்பதம் வைத்துப் பயிரவி
திக்கொட்கந டிக்கக் கழுகொடு …… கழுதாடத்
திக்குப்பரி அட்டப் பயிரவர்
தொக்குத்தொகு தொக்குத் தொகுதொகு
சித்ரப்பவு ரிக்குத் த்ரிகடக …… எனவோதக்
கொத்துப்பறை கொட்டக் களமிசை
குக்குக்குகு குக்குக் குகுகுகு
குத்திப்புதை புக்குப் பிடியென …… முதுகூகை
கோட்புற்றெழ நட்பற் றவுணரை
வெட்டிப்பலி யிட்டுக் குலகிரி
குத்துப்பட ஒத்துப் பொரவல …… பெருமாளே.
பாடலின் கருத்து
வெண்முகத்தை நிகர்த்த, அழகான பல் வரிசையும் இளநகையும் அமைந்த, தேவயானை (தேவயானை கிரியா சக்தி என்பதால், கர்ம யோகத்தை முதலில் அனுஷ்டிக்க அவளைக் குறிப்பிட்டார்.) தேவியின் தலைவனே, சத்திவேல் ஆயுதத்தை ஏந்தும் சரவணபவக் கடவுளே!   மோட்ச வீட்டுக்கு ஒப்பற்ற ஒரு விதையாக விளங்கும் ஞானகுருவே  என்று துதிக்கும் முக்கண்ணர் பரமசிவனார்க்கு, வேதங்களுக்கு முதன்மையான ஓம் எனும் மந்திரத்தை உபதேசித்து, இதிருவரும் (மும்மூர்த்திகளில் எஞ்சியுள்ள) திருமால், பிரம்மா ஆகிய இருவரும்,  முபபத்து முக்கோடி தேவரும் அடி பணிய நின்றவனே,   இராவணனுடைய பத்துத் தலைகளும் சிதறி விழுமாறு அம்பை விட்டு, ஒப்பற்ற மந்தார மலையான மத்தைக் கொண்டு பாற்கடலைக் கடைந்து, ஒரு பகற் பொழுதை வட்டமான சக்கிராயுத்தத்தால் இரவாக்கி,  நண்பனாகிய அருச்சுனனுக்கு தேர்ப்பாகனாக வந்து தேரினைச் செலுத்தி, பசுமையான நீலமேக வண்ணன் பாராட்டும் பரம்பொருளே, பரிவோடு என்னைக் காத்தருளும் நாள் ஒன்று உண்டோ?,
(இப்பாடலின் பிற்பகுதி முருகன் அசுரர்களுடன் செய்த போரினை விரிவாக வர்ணிக்கிறது).
 தித்தித்தெய என்ற தாளாத்துக்கு ஒத்து, சிலம்புகள் அணிந்த,  நாட்டிய பாதங்களை வைத்துக் காளிதேவி திசைகளில் எல்லாம் சுழன்று தாண்டவம் செய்யவும்,  கழுகுகளோடு பேய்கள் சேர்ந்து ஆடவும்,  எட்டுத் திக்குகளிலும் உலகங்களாஇத் தாங்குகின்ற எட்டு பைரவர்கள் (அசிதாங்கன், காபாலி, சண்டன், உருகு, குரோதன், சங்காரன், பீடணன், உன்மத்தன்)  இந்த அழகிய கூத்துக்கு ஏற்ப  ‘தொக்குத்தொகு தொக்குத் தொகுதொகு த்ரிகடக’ என்ற தாள ஓசையைக் கூறவும். கூட்டமாக பற்பல பறை வாத்தியங்களை அதே தாளத்தில் முழக்கவும், போர்க்களத்தில் கிழக் கோட்டான்கள் ‘குக்குக்குகு குக்குக் குகுகுகு குத்திப்புதை புக்குப் பிடி’ என்றெல்லாம் குழறி வட்டமாகச் சுழன்று மேலே எழவும,  சினேக எண்ணமில்லாத விரோத எண்ணங்கொண்ட அசுரர்களை, . கொன்று பலி கொடுத்து, அசுரர் குல மலை கிரௌஞ்சகிரி தூளாக,  தர்ம மார்க்கத்திற்குப் பொருந்த, போர்செய்யவல்ல பெருமாளே.

Varma Kalai


Varma Kalai (The Art of Vital Points)
Varma Kalai (the art of varmam) is considered to be very sacred. It is believed that Lord Siva taught this art form. It is one of the oldest form of South Indian martial art and healing system. The aim of Varma Kalai is to produce healthy individuals. The main purpose of this rare ancient art of varmam is to save the precious human lives. Varma Kalai is very popular in southern part of the county, more particularly in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
The term varmam appears in the  Rigveda where Indra hits Vritra in a varmam with his vajra. This system of varmam is part of  Sidha Vaidhyam, whose origin is attributed to mythical sage Agastya and his disciples.
According to the above versus, Lord Siva taught varmam to his wife Parvathi; later Parvathi taught varmam to their son Lord Murugan. Lord Murugan then taught Siddha Agasthiyar. Agasthiyar later gave a written form that reached the masses. But the original texts, directly written by siddhas, are not available now. Saints who have grasped the meaning of the siddhas sayings have given a poetic form, which is used in modern day learning. So far, around 50,000 songs are available.
Varmam has grown under three independent schools of thoughts, mainly governed by three ancient siddha’s namely Akasthiyar, Bohar and Rama Devar, The narrated history has been mentioned in the 41st prose of ” Kai Mathirai Thiravukol ” as follows:
                                                    
One of the current available texts ‘Sarasuthram’ gives the criteria for teaching varmam to eligible students.
It says that a varmam teacher should teach varmam only to a ‘sivayogi’.  Sivayogi  means devotee of Siva. Knowledge of Varma Kalai  is passed through generation after generation. People who have mastered the art are called asaans (masters). Varma asaans are also known as varmaanis. In order to learn this Art, it is necessary to work with an Asaan for a minimum period of 12 years.
Classifications of Varmam
Human body is divided into five areas in which varma points are discussed. They are:
UnitAreaNumber of Points
IFrom Top of the Head till Neck25
IIFrom Neck till Naval Point45
IIIFrom Naval Point till Anus9
IVBoth Hands14
VBoth Legs15
Total108

Varma Therapy

Studies about each varmam’s (pressure points) characteristics like location of the varmam, depth and width of varmam, the pressure with which the varmam has to be tuned to cure diseases constitutes the mainstream study in varma therapy.
The various techniques that can be applied to cure varmam related injuries are:
  1. Marukaalam
  2. Thirumal Murai
  3. Adangal Murai
  4. Thiravukol Murai
  5. Thadaval Murai [Applying massage techniques]
  6. Marunthu Murai [Applying medicines]
  7. Vayu Nilai Amarthal
  8. Kattu Murai
Techniques like Marukaalam and Thiravukol Murai are used for instant relief. Techniques like Thadaval Murai and Thirumal Murai should be done at least for three consecutive days to give relief from varmam related injuries

Disorders that can be cured by Varma Therapy

Various other disorders that can be cured with the help of varma therapy are:
  • Nerves weakness
  • Body shivering
  • Disk prolapse
  • Dehydration
  • Cervical spondylosis
  • Head ache
  • Sciatic Problems
  • Eye problems
  • ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) problems
  • Bone joints and arthritics
  • Gland disorders (like Diabetes, etc.)
Varma Sastra
Although most of the vital Varma Sastra texts in palm leaf have been  lost, presently more than 100 are traced out. Each book  consists of 100 to 1000 verses. These Sastras were not available to common men until the recently. Some of the books which are available are given below.
1.Brahma Nila Sutram
2. Vahada Nidanam
3. ‘Marma Nidanam
4. Kadikaram’ (Kannadi)
5. Marma Sutram
6. Marma Sutra Thiravukol
7. Agastiya Thiravukol
8. Marma Thiravukol
9. Marma Aani Thiravukol
10. Marma Kandi
11. Marma Bheerangi
12. Marma Bheerangi Thiravukol
13. Marma Narambarai
14. Ulpathi Narambarai
15. Odi Muri Chari
16. Kettu Mura Chari
17. Odivu Murivu Kettu Suttiram
18. Murivu Kettu Thiravukol
19. Narambarai Suttiram
20. Kaivallyam
21. Marma Alavu Nool
22. Naalu Mani Mathirai
23. Marma Kuru Naadi Sasthram
24. Kuru Naadi Sasthram

Saturday, December 3, 2011

                                A SWEET WEIGHING OVER 18 KILOS                                                             ·        There is big statue of Lord Ganesh inside the temple. This 6 X 4 feet                        statue was discovered when the Nayak king was digging the earth for sand and               stones for the temple. A big (Mukkuruni) kozukkattai or modak made up of 18 kilo rice and several kilos of jaggery/sugar is offered to it every year on Ganesh                    Chathurthy day. Kozukkattai or Modak is a steamed rice offering inside which is              Puranam made of coconut or other grains.                                                                          

·        Inside the temple there is a wedding hall (Kalyana Mahal) in which two huge circles-Bhugolam and Gagolam- are drawn. The geography of the world is drawn by a famous astrologer.

                                               48 YEAR WONDER

·        ·When Malikkaffur, the commander of the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji, invaded Madurai region he plundered all the palaces and destroyed the temples. But the clever priests and administrators removed all the priceless idols and jewels to distant places like Kanyakumari and erected a fake sanctum sanctorum. Behind this was the real sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Griham). After Muslim rulers were driven away, the temple authorities opened the temple and the oil lamp was still burning there which was lit 48 years before. The flowers were still fresh. It was recorded in the temple record books called Seethala Puththakam .                                       ·        Vijayanagar Empire sent a commander by name Kampanna Vudaiyar who drove away the invaders. His brave wife Ganga Devi accompanied him to the battle field and wrote whatever she saw there in Sanskrit poems. The book is called Madura Vijayam. Her live reports from the battled field beat                                   the modern day BBC and CNN war correspondents. She did it 700 years ago

·        ·Float Festival in January: Every year in January a float festival is held in a near perfect square shaped tank calledMariamman teppakulam. It measures 950 X 1000 feet. In the middle of the tank is a Mandap.                                                           ·Palli Arai Deeparadhanai-Going to Bed room and saying Bye Bye for the day is done every night for the god. The god will enter Meenakshi’s bedroom at 10 pm in the night. A lot of people assemble to see this daily event.       

 AARTI TO MIRROR                                                                                                                                                                                              
·                                                   .                                         

·        ·Lord Shiva blesses his devotees in three ways RUPA, ARUPA and RUPARUPA: Form, Formless and shapeless (form but not a shape - Linga). To express this principle there is a festival celebrated every year in Ani Uththiram (June) and Markazi Arudra day. The Nataraja idol is taken to a mandap and a circular mirror is placed in front of the idol. It reflects the idol. ·On that day Aarti/Deeparaadhana is done to Nataraja idol (RUPA), reflected image in the mirror (ARUPA) and the main god in Linga form in the sanctum sanctorum (RUPA ARUPA). A big principle is explained to the general public with demonstration. One feels like a science student attending a laboratory in the science class.                                                                                                             ·Near the God’s Garba Griha is Six pillar mandap where in108 dance gestures are depicted. In addition to the five musical pillars in the Adi Veethi , we have musical pillar in the Kampaththadi Mandap and 1000 pillar mandap. The sculptors had selected such type of stones to show their skills.                                                     

PRICELESS JEWELLERY                                                            
·       
·        ·The jewellery of Goddess Meenakshi is amazing. Each jewel has a story. This is one of the most expensive collections in India.                                   · There is an interesting story about one of the jewels of Goddess Meenakshi. Rose Peter (1812 to 1828) was one of the District Collectors appointed by the British. One day while he was sleeping there was a big thunder storm in Madurai. A little girl appeared before Rose Peter and asked him to get out of the building as soon as possible. When Rose Peter came out a big lightning struck and destroyed the building. His enquiries led him to identify the figure with Goddess Meenakshi. He was a devotee of Meenakshi. As a token of gratitude he made gem studded golden shoes and donated to Meenakshi. Each shoe weighs 28 tolas (A tola is approximately 11.5 grams). 412 red stones, 72 emeralds, 80 diamonds and cat’s eye, pearls, sapphires four each decorated the shoes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ·Pandya country was famous for its pearl industry. So we can see pearls, pearls nothing but pearls everywhere in jewellery. The biggest and rarest pearl is the size of a Jack fruit seed (in Tamil Pala Kottai). Muthu/pearl  Cherukku, Pearl crown top, Pearl mango shaped crown, pearl gown (angi), pearl garland, Pearl kadivaalam, parrot made up of pearls.               

KADAMBA TREE                                                                 
·        
·        ·Madurai was a forest full of Kadamba trees 2,000 years ago. There is one Kadamba tree still protected inside the temple, very near Durga statue. Kadamba tree was the temple tree in other towns like Thiruk kadambur, Kadambanthurai. We can see Kadamba trees growing in many other places. This has got many medicinal properties. A Tamil proverb goes as “udambai kadambaal adi“ meaning “Beat your body with Kadambu”. The hidden meaning is “Treat your body with Kadambu”.

·        ·There are 44 epigraphs in the temple. In Kangasabhai next to Kadamba tree there is a musical inscription with Ragas and 35 Talas (Tune and Rhythm).

·        ·In addition to separate shrine for the Navagrahas (nine planets), Navagrahas are carved on the ceiling as well.

·        ·Tirumalai Nayak and his two wives are portrayed in two places inside the temple and outside the temple. But he has made his figures carved on the floor as well. This is just to get the dust of the devotees from their feet. Hindus believe God’s devotees are greater than Gods themselves. Several stories are there to show that God had asked his devotees to get the apologies from the devotees when they were hurt.                                                                           .                              ANCIENT BOOK LAUNCHES
·           ·Book Launches: Sacred books are always launched in a temple. According to this ancient custom, Tirukkural of Tiruvalluvar and Meenakshi pillaitamil of Kumara kurubarar were launched in this famous temple.                                                   ·        The marvel of ancient engineers came to light when the plan showed that a straight line from the East tower is drawn to the West tower that line will pass through the main god Shiv Linga of the temple. If a line is drawn between the South and North towers that will divide the Gods sanctum sanctorum in to two halves. So precise is the plan.                                                                                       ·  Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a curtain where in Meenakshi temple’s daily activities are painted.                                                                            Meenkshi amman thunai..................
( tnks for reading this.....hope u will search for  them all when u visit madurai  ....................)


Saturday, November 26, 2011

nan kanda thiruthalangal- MADURAI


.MADURAI is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is 300 miles south of Chennai/Madras.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple is an architectural wonder. When one climbs to the top of the South Tower to have a bird’s eye view of Madurai, one can’t but wonder about the engineering skills of our forefathers                                                      Madurai Meenakshi statue is made of a particular green colour stone called Maragatha Kal. But it is not the precious emerald. Hindus associate green colour with the planet Mercury (Bhudhan). Anyone who has got a weaker Bhudha in their horoscope come to Madurai to cure the evil effects of the planet. It is a Bhudha Kshetra.                                                                                              ·        Meenakshi is also associated with the green colour bird parrot. It is in her hand. Till recently a lot of parrots were kept in a big cage inside the temple. Now they are all freed.                                                                                                      ·        The Meenakshi Sundareswarar (Lord Shiva is called the beautiful one Sundara +Eswara) temple is in the centre of the town Madurai in South India. The streets are arranged in squares within squares- a beautifully planned city keeping the temple at the heart of the city. Ancient Tamil literature compared this plan to a lotus flower

·        Each street carries the name of a Tamil month. That means goddess idol will be taken through that street during that particular month. Now it has slightly changed.

·        Temple occupies fourteen acres. There are twelve towers, big and small. The tallest of the four major towers (gopuram) is the south tower which is 161 foot – 52 meter high. Two of the small towers are covered with gold plates.

LADIES FIRST
·        Contrary to the custom followed in all the major temples of Tamil Nadu Goddess Meenakshi (meaning fish eyed) is worshipped first by the devotees in this temple. In other temples the male deity will be worshiped first. Here Arti/Deeparadhana is done to Meenakshi first.
·        Meenakshi was born with three breasts. The Pandya king and the queen, who were her parents, were told that the third breast will disappear when she sees the right man. This happened when she met Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva). Even today a statue with three breasts can be seen in Pudumandapam opposite temple.

·        Though Srirangam temple is the largest temple in Tamil Nadu, Madurai temple is more famous than other temples and listed as one of the world wonders. One can see 33,000 statues on the towers and inside the temple.

·        Lord Shiva in Nataraja form (Dancer) changed his balancing foot for the sake of a Pandya king. This place is called Silver Temple (Velli Ambalam). Four famous Natrajas in four other temples use a different foot. In Madurai he lifts his right foot and stands on his left foot.

64 MIRACLES
·        Lord Shiva performed 64 miracles to save his devotees in Madurai which are known as 64 Divine Acts. So every week a festival is celebrated in the temple.

·        Madurai temple is one of the 64 Sakthi kendras (centres).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          There is a beautiful 1,000 pillar Hall. Now it has got 985 pillars each with a different style or statue. It will take months to study all the sculptures. 

It was erected in 1685 by Ariyanatha Mudaliyar who was the chief minister in Viswanatha Nayak time. Each pillar here will tell you a story. To mention a few, there is a nomad woman (kurathi) with four of her children. Even the basket she carries looks like a real one. There are lots of mythological stories carved out on pillars. Saraswati playing the Veena is a beautiful statue. Five headed snake, Rathi, Purusha Mirugam and the mythical animal Yali are other remarkable ones. Some of the stones like Rathi on swan emit musical notes when tapped.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (There are 1,000 pillar mandaps in Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram, Tiruvarur, Tiruvanaikka, Tiruvarangam and Tirunelveli. If all the seven 1000 pillar mandaps are to be rebuilt today it will cost us millions of rupees.  Indians must realise the value of these world wonders and keep them intact for posterity. They are engineering marvels.)                                                                        ·        Just in front of the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Sundareswarar is the Kambathadi Mandapam. The monolith statues there are carved with very great skill. 25 forms of Lord Shiva are shown here. The statue of most famous wedding scene of Meenakshi and Sundareswara is located here. Like one enjoys Michael Angelo’s most famous Creation of Adam painting at Sistine Chapel of Vatican City where one hand reaches the other hand, minute carvings of fingers and hands of three figures-Meenakshi, Shiva and Vishnu on a monolith is really a wonder in stone
                                      
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BUTTERED FOR 700 YEARS

·        Near that Kambaththadi Mandap are huge statues of Veera Bhadrar and Bhadrakali. Butter is applied by the devotees continuously for seven hundred years on this huge Kali statue. When a Muslim Fakir started building a mosque in temple land in spite of objection from the devotees, blood came out from the eyes of this Kali statue. Immediately the fakir stopped construction. Just to subdue the anger of Kali butter was thrown on her. This has been going on for centuries now.                                                                                                                                   

·        Goddess Meenakshi’s influence is so great even the children born in Madurai are named after her. Even the lullaby the children hear is about Meenakshi.

·        Recently a poem written like a drawing (Chiththira Kavi) is discovered inside the temple. The letters are in a circle. If one starts from the middle and read it like we add up numbers in magic squares, the poem will appear in full. This type of poem is called Chiththira Kavi meaning Picture poems or Drawing Poems. It may be squares or circles or pictures of flowers or chariots --anything one could imagine.

·        The biggest festival of the temple is called Chitra festivalwhich occurs in April/May every year. It attracts a million people from different parts of India. A big Chariot is pulled through the city by thousands of people. Idols from two other temples also join the God and Goddess.

ANIMAL MAGIC
·        Of the 64 divine acts of Shiva a heron, a swallow, pigs, tiger and deer, an elephant, horses and foxes are involved. Shiva blesses not only human beings but also the birds and animals in Madurai.

·        The temple precinct measures 850 feet by 730 feet. Though the temple was built in 12th century by Pandya kings, many of the towers date from the date of Tirumala Nayak (1623-1655). All credits go to the Nayak kings.

GOLDEN LOTUS TANK

·        Inside the temple there is a tank where a Golden Lotus is floating. Thousands of years ago a merchant by name Dhananjayan saw Indra doing Puja with golden lotus flowers. In memory of this one golden lotus is floated in the tank. The lotus is the National Flower of India.

·        Once the poets from the ancient Tamil (Sangam) Academy competed with one another to launch their books inside the temple. The legend is that it wouldn’t allow any unworthy poets to climb the Sangam float or board. It will throw them out. Tiruvalluvar launched his most famous Tamil bookTirukkural in the temple by boarding the Sangam float.

( WONDERS OF MEENATCHI  TO BE CONTINUED..........)