Money Corrupts Devotion

Let me start with a story----------

A man who was very meek and humble used to come to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa every now and then. Whenver he saw Paramahamsa, he always did a namaskaram and saluted him utmost reverence and respect. After sometime he stopped coming and they knew nothing of what had happened to him. 

One day, Paramahamsa and few of his disciples, went over to a nearby place in a boat. As they were getting down from the boat, they saw the same person sitting on the bank of the Ganges, where, in the fashion of big folks, he was enjoying the pure air of the river. On seeing Ramakrishna, he accosted him in a stylish tone with the words, "Hallo Thakur! How are you doing now?" 

Everybody were taken aback seeing the drastic change in his behaviour.  Paramahamsa simply smiled and said  "I tell you,  this man must have come by some riches. Can't you see what a great change has come over him?" 

--------

I could not avoid my mind relating this story - when I met a devotee at Sabarimala during September.. I know this person for the past 4-5 years (Iam sure many of you would be knowing him and will be difficult for you to beleive this)... I still remember how he lived as a humble devotee... and our encounter was almost similar to the above story... 

He did a very great service to the Lord and really hats off for the work done, by which he is quite known to everybody. But Hariharaputra's game is always unique... Once you come into His clan, then your test begins... And you can pass the test Only by His grace...

The first test from Swami is regarding ego and desire.

(In Mahabarata - Satyaki has a platform - which actually brings out all the inner truth in your mind... something similar happened that day)

Money is the object of temptation... 

Right in front of the Lord - from the very beginning his talk was literally around money... Just casually I asked about the Makara Jyothi yatra... Immediately  he gave a reply.... "If any of your friends are interested just ask them to contact me... Its just 7000 rupees per head... You see.. Iam influential and can take people along with _________ " 

This person is a bachelor and Ive heard the same person saying, "Ayyppa is everything for me"(few years back).

But this time... I really felt disheartend to see this change in him

He continued... 

"If I just say Ayyappa - Ayyappa and keep on spending everything for God, who will look after me? And when Mahalakshmi comes, one has to take all steps to keep her with you. When opportunity comes, only fools dont utilize it" 

I still wonder what made him talk all the truth in his mind....

The desire for money makes such a difference in a man!

I dont mean that one has to become a sanyasi and never touch money... But doing it in the name of God and exploiting the devotion - is something unacceptable... There are a number of ways that you can make more money... 

Sastha is a Kalpaka Vruksha, the wish-fulfilling tree. You will certainly get whatever you ask of him. He has never turned anyone empty handed... As one thinks, so one receives... Iam sure he is going to earn a lot by this January....

Iam not writing this to attack anyone personally... Its just my observation on yet another the leela of the dearest son of Mohini

Lets pray that everyone of us qualify His test.

Gnana Sadgurunathane.. Sharanam Ayyappa

Kanthamalai and Ponnambalamedu

Can u clarify about sacred ponnambalamedu and kanthamallai. Is there is any temple over there ?

- a devotee

----------------------

Kanthamalai and Ponnambalamedu - both are two different entities..

As Ive already explained it here

Sastha Temples and Shat Chakras

http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2010/08/six-sastha-temples-and-shat-chakras.html

Kanthamalai is not a place which exists in the physical plane. Its like Kailasam and Vaikuntam... they exist but you cannot see them...

Sasthru lokam is known as Tejovathi or Mahakaalam and at this Sasthru lokam- the hill in which the Lord resides is known as Kanthagiri or Kanthamalai. 

Kanthamalai is a place which exists in the Sukshma Plane and cannot be seen with the naked eyes.. 

It is in this Kanthamalai the Supreme Lord Maha Sastha resides with Poorna and Pushkala, His eternal consorts and all his devotees reach this FINAL ABODE and worship him there...

Just like we say "Sri rangam" as Bhooloka Vaikundam and Chidambaram as Booloka Kailasam - Since one cannot reach here directly,  some people consider Ponnambalamedu to be the Kanthamalai of Bhoolokam..

But please be clear Kanthamalai is totally different... Ponnambalamedu is one among the eighteen hills that surround Sabarimalai...

Ponnamblamedu - the mound of pon ambalam - Golden Temple....

It is the most sacred and divine place... The spot is very sacred and the divinity charged there in the atmosphere is beyond imagination..

The rahasya behind is - it is actually the spot where Parasurama installed the Adhi Moolasthanam - Temple of Sastha (Which probably might have been in Gold - as the name suggests)

Later during the historic age, this temple was destroyed and looted by a dacoit named Udayanan..  during this time the advent of Ayyappa took place who annihilated Udayana and instructed the then Pandalam Raja to construct the Dharma Sastha temple - the present temple - where it is situated now. When the temple was rebuilt - Ayyappan finally merged with the jothi which appeared at Ponnambalamedu

(I am not elaborating this wonderful history of Sabarimala and Arya Kerala Varman here.. If devotees are interested to read please let me know - I shall write the detailed story as a series later)

Few years ago, when I was doing research for my book Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam - while discussing with Shri Viswanatha Sharma, he shared me his experiences there and showed me the photographs taken at the ponnambala medu..

We dont find any temple there now.. I was told that there were ruins of a temple- but nothing is to be seen now... today we see a yantram with "XX" beejam engraved there...

There is also a pond there named as Seetha Kulam and there is a cave just below the concrete platform - which is almost not reachable now... 

I personally have a feeling that apart from this concrete platform which is seen now the holy spot is elsewhere - but very closely located in the vicinity... 

And it is holiest of holy spots and it is not an adventure or testing the divinity.. so most of the devotees wont venture to go there...

Kaanthamalai vaasane Sharanam Ayyappa.... 

Ponnambala Vasane Sharanam Ayyappa...

Again Makarajothi

Makarajothi is the hot topic again....

A news item was published after the meeting at Trivandrum, where the Board President Rajagoplan Nair had said something regarding "man-made"

And again many have started giving interviews and opinions - even when no one cared for it...The best part is within few minutes the wikipedia page has been updated and written "Makara Jyothi is a man-lit fire"

Some people have expressed their feeling that they are not ready to believe this; Some people say that they have lost their faith...

Many of my friends and devotees called me and "expressed their disappointment(???!!!)" over the issue....and said they have decided not to come for jothi hereafter...

But the best part to be noted is not even a single person said "i have lost faith in God"... This is Bharatham ! This land is a land of rich heritage and culture built on a very strong foundation called faith...

My dear devotees... who are we to bother or worry? As I already said, without His will not even the electron inside an atom can move... So when things are happening, it is happening according to His will. A true devotee is least bothered with all these issues....

People who come to sabarimala as a picnic, who think sabarimala as yet another temple, who wear maala on the previous day and people who come for the sake of coming - they may have some problem in understanding and digesting these issues..

A true devotee who follows the Vrutham sincerely, for whom Sabarimala is his home, for whom Ayyappan is everything - they dont have any problem....

This is the thathwa of sabarimala - when u see Ayyappan in everything - when that though process is instilled in the mind - HE SEES AYYAPPAN IN THE JYOTI - he is least bothered whether it is man made or God made...

NO ONE IN THIS WORLD CAN SHAKE THIS TRUE FAITH .....

We are eargerly awaiting and planning the yatra for next year 2012's Jothi Darshanam !!!

I once again conclude with my same golden words - "FAITH BEGINS WHERE REASONING ENDS"

---------------------------------

You can also read this post

Wonderful approach on this issue by Sri Sastha Gopal

http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2011/01/on-makarajyothi-comments-by-devotee.html

On Makarajyothi

After the Tragic incident in Pulmedu on January 14, the controversy over makarajyothi has been kindled.  Some describe only the star is of primary importance, some others consider both the star and the light and there is yet another group which says everything is mere coincidence. The atheists and the so-called rationalists are utilizing the opportunity to hurt the faith of the believers.

The Kerala High Court wanted to know on Thursday whether or not the ‘Makarajyothi' is a man-made one ? Adding a new dimension, right from the Cheif Minister everyone is passing their own comments on the iise

Now, along with all this - Tantri of Sabarimala temple Maheshwararu has said "Makarajyothi is the celestial star Siries and Makara villakku a symbolic deeparadhana (aarthi) lit at Ponnamabelamedu, "There is a deliberate attempt to create a controversy by stating that 'makara vilakku' is being lit by some people in the forest," he said.

Generations after Generations we are associated to the Sabarimala Temple... And what I have learnt from my Great Grand Father's (Chaami Anna) life is simple - Faith Begins Where Reasoning Ends

The belief in "Our" Lord  is beyond jyoti or star or Garuda or anything.

Many people have asked me same question and asking me the same question and everybody wants to know whether its man made or natural....

The Contoversy about Makara Jothi - let me make one point clear... we are not going there to watch any magic show there

Dear devotees... let us be clear... The term makaravilakku is ancient. But it has nothing to do with lighting a Vilakku (Lamp) .. Vilakku in Kerala means festival of that particular temple and since Sabarimala's festival happens on Makara masam its called Makara Vilakku. Makara Vilakku is Five days festival starting from the festival on the day of makarasamkramam with flag-hoisting, including Tiruvabaranam, the procession from Malikappuram,  etc and end on the sixth with guruthi.

The Garuda which flies over the procession from Pandalam is a tangible proof for the divinity.... and You cant make a specific star appear on the sky on a specific time...

Makarajyothi, whether it is man-made or not, has found a divine religious niche in the minds of every Ayyappa devotee. The Ponnambalamedu, is the most divine spot where the ancient Sastha shrine stood.

The belief in Ayyappa is beyond jyoti or celestial star appearing over Horizon

Whether or not the Jothi is man-made, devotees are sure to throng the holy shrine merely due to the divine experience that the penance and the hardships in reaching the temple give to the devotees after hours of trekking through dense forests. 

My simple answer is you believe what you want to believe... thats all

Please answer my query... where is God ? Just imagine this - You walk over a on a particular stone which lies in front of your house... One Fine morning a sculptor notices it ans carves out a beautiful Ganapati idol in it. Now the Ganapati is installed in the nearby temple and everyone - including you will start worshiping it. The same stone in which you placed your foot daily is now bathed with milk and honey....

Now where is God ? In the stone or In your belief ? When you saw a mere stone you walked over it.. when you see God inside even you are standing it queue to offer your worship...

When millions and millions crave for the Jothi and amonst the million Sharana Goshams even if a single Sharanam is true, the Lord WILL MANIFEST IN JOTHI SWAROOPAM

All these learned men are now making a futile attempt of shaking the unwavering faith of millions of devotees.

As a mere slave of Sastha who has visited Sabari Hills for years now, I have seen and experienced my Master.... Even this is his divine leela...

There can be people for whom the faith comes only if there is some miracle. Upon them these "news items" may have an impact..  The husks may fly away this time....

Sathya Swaroopane Sharanam Ayyappa !!!