Narasimma Sastha

I heard about this temple, few months back - the name of the Temple is Narasimma Sastha. I was confused hearing the name. Later I remembered a temple in Kerala where Sastha demanded Primal worship from Narasimma and the ferocious Lion God actually admired the valor of Sastha and accepted to offer the first worship to Sastha and then to him.

But this temple located at Adipuram, Thuthukudi Dist is totally different... This temple is actually having two separate shrines for Narasimma and Sastha  

Forest at Sabarimala !

DEAR SHRI ARAVIND SUBRAMANIAM!

THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH US. FOR THE

COMMON FOLK LIKE US LIKE TO HEAR FROM PERSONS LIKE YOU. 

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION IS IMPROVING THE FACILITIES AT SABARIMALA? IN OLDEN DAYS IT WAS COMPLETELY FOREST AREA. IS IT NECESSARY THAT PEOPLE STILL SUFFER IN THE FOREST AREAS? 

WHY NOT WE MODERNIZE THE ROUTE AND MADE AS THAT OF OTHER TEMPLES?

Sundar,

Dubai

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Dear Sir,

Who am I to comment on this ?  Please understand that Only Ayyappan's Chitham will prevail in His poonkavanam...

Modernization at Sabarimala? The entire Poonkavanam is Swami's forest and He wants to be there in solitude...

Please understand that he has just given us a chance to offer our devotion to him...

In the name of facilities you cannot disturb his abode.. This is a greatest sin which most of the devotees are doing. 

If you are looking for facilities, you may get it.. But you wont get Swami then...

A true Ayyappa devotee sees pleasure in all the hardships of the yatra and Sabarimala is his home... Thats the reason most of the age-old devotees (Pazhamalakkaar) still prefer the "Long-Route" and strongly oppose laying roads and any other change in the forest.

I can recollect an incident which happened around Mid 1980s

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetadipathi Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal made his first visit to Sabarimalai. He, along with his group camped at Nambiyar Guest house. Many journalists of all important dailies were also present there to interview Swamigal.

In the midst of the conversation, Swamigal expressed that, "There should be better facilities at Sabarimala. Forests should be cleared off. Even the Neelimala path should be cleared and expanded."

When the talks were going on, a person from Sri Matam came running. He was perplexed and went near Swamigal and informed him that a member of their group was lying dead in the Marakkoottam area.

The Shankaracharyar was shocked and ended his talks abruptly... He remained in meditation for some time... He opened his eyes and came out saying "I have withdrawn all my statements"

He closed his room for a long time and came out only during the deeparadhana. He went in front of Lord Ayyappa; had his darshan and called "Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa" for a long time.

After this a special reception was arranged at the temple premises and the then Devaswom Board president enquired the Swamigal what reforms were to be brought about for the development of the temple. 

Swamigal gave an immediate reply "Ayyappa is very powerful ! His forest should be taken care of and maintained as it was".

Meera - The Epitome of Bhakti

When real life incidents are recorded in movie form, most of the time it fails to record the original feeling...

But this movie is something extraordinary, which depicts the real epitome of  Bhakti

Whatever be one's Ishta devata - one has to crave for such an immaculate bhakti like Meera

Mahaganapati Tarpanam

Dear Anna, I wish to know about the Ganapathy Tarpanam. When I met you at Sabarimali, You suggested me to perform this tarpanam for 41 days. You also gave me a picture for the Chatur Avruti Tarpanam

I took your words as upadesham and have started doing the tarpanam and completed 10 days and I could see the result immediately. So I want to know its greatness.

Krishnan, 

Mumbai

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This post is solely meant for Upasakas.. For some it may sound Greek and Latin. Anyway, even by reading this, I think we contemplate on Ganapati and Ganapati may cast his Kataksham on us... Since Vinayaka Chaturti is fast approaching I thought few of our readers may be benefited.

Ganeshas Tarpana Priyah: says Sasthram

So the easiest way to please Ganapati is performing the chaturavrutti tarppanam. 

A person can earn the grace of the Lord speedily by offering this 444 tarpanams. 

The water should be mixed with vasana dravyams like chandanam, cardamom, Saffron etc and this tarpanam is done with the moola mantram of ganapati along with the all his avarana devatas. This in turn removes obstacles, bestows us all good things in life

The qualification for this is proper upadesham of (28 lettered) Moola mantram of Maha Ganapati 

This may be done for Ganapaty yantram, or yantram drawn with turmeric or sandal. Or else some may use Sonabadra stone directly for doing the tarpanam. This changes according to one's acharam. 

Do the shodochopachara puja to ganapaty and after that pour the suganda jalam on the yantram/bimbam while chanting the prescribed Mantra and "Tarpayami namaha". Each tarpanam in repeated 4 times.

There are 28 aksharas for the Maha Ganapati moola mantra. 

Ganapathy Tarpanam starts by doing tarpanam with all these 28 aksharas individually.

So 28 Moolam Tarpanam + 28 Aksharam Tarpanam = 56 x 4 times= 224 Tarpanams

In the same way, each the avarana devatas(along with their consorts separately) of Ganapaty are to be pleased by doing tarpanam .

1. Lakshmi - Vishnu

2. Girija and Haran

3. Rati and Kama

4. Mahi and Varaha

5. Mahalakshmi and Mahaganapati

6. Riddhi and Amodha

7. Smruthi and Pramodha

8.Kanthi and Sumuka

9.Madanavati Durmuka

10.Madadrava and Avigna

11.Dravini and Vignakarta

12. Vasudhara and Shankanidhi

13. Vasumati and Padmanidhi

For each of the above couples separate Tarpanam

So 13 x 2 = 26 

So 26 Moolam Tarpanam + 26 Devata Tarpanam = 52 x 4 times each= 208 Tarpanams

Separate Tarpanams for Maha Ganapati = 4 + 8 = 12

So 224 + 208 + 12 = 444 Tarpanams

Another notable feature followed in few schools of chaturavrutti tarpanam is unique. ie doing tarpanam with what are all moola mantrams one has got upadesham - through Mahaganapati. This inturn helps a lot in mantra siddhi and earn the grace of one's ishta devata.

After the Tarpanam one can consume the Tarpana jalam as prasadam and also give the same to 

all the people in the house.

When this is done for 41 days, this becomes a yagna and this process removes any obstacles in all the endevours, removes fears and gives success, gives mental clarity in thinking and blesses with all the aishwaryams. 

After this one can continue to do this every even daily or atleast on every Fridays.

Sri Adisankara has mentioned in Prapancha Saram, that all people irrespective of of caste, creed or religion can do it to seek the blessings of Lord Maha Ganapati.

Ayur arogya maishwaryam balam pushtir mahatyasha

kavitvam bukti mukti cha chaturavrutti tarpanaat

By doing Ganapati Chaturavrutti Tarpanam regularly one is blessed with Ayuh- a long life, Arogyam- good health, Aishwaryam - dharmic wealth, Balam - strength, Pushti - lasting eminence, Mahat Yashas-great honour and veneration , Kavitvam- Literary skills, Bukti - enjoyment of worldly life and Mukti - Moksha ie salvation and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. 

Anaimukhan Sodharane Sharanam Ayyappa