SriSri ChakraChakra The Source of the Cosmos

The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY

Bl ossom 11 Pet a l 4 December2007 Aim Gloum DecemberDecemberDecember NewsletNewsletNewsletNewsletterterterter Since the last issue...

Labour Day weekend marked to mark the arrival of their baby This year, Chaturthi was the end of summer and the in early 2008. conducted by Sri Balananda beginning of Aiya’s travels In the last three months, the (Shankar), as Aiya was out of abroad. Following a brief temple underwent a few physical town. The festivities began at 10 personal visit to California, Aiya changes as well. Aiya received a.m. with abhishekam and and Amma made their way to two massive baana lingams tarpanam with kush grass to the Australia in mid-September. during soma pradosham just Uttasava Ganapathi, seated about Upon arriving there, Aiya first before Navarathri, and plans are 10 feet front of the homa kunda in spent some time in Perth, where underway to get two the abhishekam basin. Like every he spoke at the Murugan temple, peetams made for them. One will year, devotees also offered 1008 performed a homam at the home be installed between the library ahuthis of modakas into the fire as of Sanjay Jaganathan, and spoke and auditorium, and one will be they circumambulated the at the - temple about in Kashi by the creek. Estimates shala during homam. agama shastras, temple rituals, for the construction of the new During the festivities, the and temple construction. Bhairava peetam under the Ganapathi on the way to kasi The next stop was Melbourne, Bhairava tree, as well as the Shiva received abhishekam and where Aiya spoke at the local shrine in Kashi have also come in. naivedyam as well. Shiva-Vishnu temple about After the sponsored kalasams shivalingams—the different types were taken around the temple and of lingams, where they are, and PPPast Month’s Events poured on Uttsava Ganapathi, he the general history of worship. was dressed and offered the final Ganapathi Chaturthi, Sept. 15 Amma and Aiya then went to ahuthi. In the evening, Ganapathi Sydney where Aiya did two by Abhi Somaskanda was decked in grand clothing and workshops in the local adorned with jewelry for the Subramanian temple. One session procession. After all the alankara was on general worship and the deepams were shown, devotees other was about Sri puja. circled the temple with cries of During the trip, Aiya did a couple “Arohara!” The evening concluded of private pujas, a Gayatri with maha prasadam and a lively Mahayajna followed by bhajans, bhajan session. and a Sri Chakra puja with abhishekam and bhajans. Sharada Navarathri, Oct. 11-21 Amma and Aiya returned to by Kamya Ramaswamy Rochester with no time to spare before the Dvaja-rohanam (flag- The theme this year was raising) ceremony for Navarathri worship of Raja Matangi and on Oct. 4. They spent the Maha , the two who remaining three weeks at the stand at either side of Sri temple. Three weeks after the end Rajarajeswari and act as her main of Navarathri was the attendants. Various pujas were culmination of the Kedaragowri performed to them and each vratham and the beginning of day, with the Devi going out as Skanda Shasti on the Nov. 9 , and on weekend. The following weekend every third night. A saw two momentous occasions on Top: The sponsors for Chaturthi carry homam followed on the last the same day—the wedding of the kalasam around the temple in Saturday, followed by the water- Kavita and Jana on the morning of procession. cutting festival on Sunday and Sun. Nov. 18, and the valaikaapu Bottom: Uttsava Ganapathi after Kulurthi on Monday. Read the full ceremony for Kathy and Soumitra tarpanam with kush grass. Navarathri recap on page 5.

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Kedaragowri Vratham (final Skanda Shashti (final day), Devasena. Once the thali was tied, devotees day), Nov. 9 Nov. 15 by Abhi Somaskanda by Kamya Ramaswamy prepared for Murugan’s secret After five days of Murugan’s As is the case every year, scores marriage to Valli outside in front Sahasranama archana, the sixth of women chose to sponsor the of the Dvara Ganapathi. All the day culminated in abhishekam, Kedaragowri vratham, which lights in the temple were turned archana with lotus and rose auspiciously had its last-day off and Valli was quietly carried ceremony on a Friday this year. out to wed Murugan. Devasena Women came to the temple for the ultimately found them and 6 p.m. puja, during which the initially refused Murugan’s vigrahams had abhishekam sweets to appease her, but performed to them and the eventually accepted. festival kalasam was carried Everyone enjoyed maha around the temple. At the end of prasadam after the final aarathi, the two-hour ceremony, ladies and the evening ended with tied the sharadu on their wrists bhajans. and received their prasadam from the full festival. Karthikai Villaku, Nov. 23 From top to by Abhi Somaskanda bottom: Boxes of prasadam This year’s Villaku festival was handed out to extraordinarily auspicious. In 28 ladies; addition to the festival and Ardhanareeswara pournami, Friday was also being prepared Swami Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s for archana; birthday. Ardhanareeswara A large hand-crafted lingam sat adorned with atop the homa kunda which was jewelry, covered with a platform for the rudrakshas, petals, homam, and Murugan’s festival. One thousand and eight and flower marriage to Valli and Devasena. tea candles adorned the lingam, garlands. The evening began at 6 p.m. and a smaller shivalingam was with abhishekam, followed by placed at the eight cardinal Murugan’s battle with Suran, an directions of the homa kunda. . After he speared and killed Several taller lamps surrounded Suran with his Vel, Murugan was the linga and tea candles were lit bathed in cold water to cool him along all the window sills in the down. He was then adorned with yajna shala. Inside the garba finery, waiting for his marriage to graha, small clay deepams were

To left, top and bottom: Devotees lighting lamps and more than 1008 tea candles for Karthikai Vilakku.

Please visit www.srividya.org for more festival pictures! From top to bottom in this column: Pictures from Skanda Shashti. 3 Aim Gloum

placed in front of all the sannidhis Kids` Matangi Homam, Dec. 30 In Three Months and along the main sanctum, in by Kamya Ramaswamy Devi willing, the next issue of front of Devi, Maha Ganapathi The children of the temple are the Sri Chakra Magazine will be and the Shivalingam. With all the holding their annual Raja Matangi up on the temple’s website tea candles and villaku’s, the homam just before the beginning (www.srividya.org) at the yajna shala was radiant. of the new year. All children are beginning of March 2008. Because it was Swami’s invited to attend and sponsor the The March issue will mark the birthday, Aiya chose to weave homam, which is performed to aid beginning of springtime! The Sri bhajans into the puja after every them in their education. All kids Chakra again asks anyone with two lines of chanting. Just as the will have a hand in its any articles or story ideas to puja ended, an aarathi was done preparations, chanting and send them in, or talk to Abhi or to Swami’s picture inside the execution. Please call the temple to Kamya at the temple. This temple. register. magazine cannot keep publishing without Thai Pongal, Jan. 14 contributions from devotees! Dravida Vedam VI - Bhajan/CD by Kamya Ramaswamy Articles, poems, stories, and the release, Dec. 1 like about any spiritual topic are Pongal falls on a Monday, and by Kamya Ramaswamy welcomed and will be accepted. will see a typical simple style of Please e-mail us at Aiya and his crew of bhajan puja performed by Aiya. It will [email protected] masters traveled to the Sai Baba include the traditional boiling over by February 15, with your temple in Scarborough to release of the sakkarai pongal kalasam, submissions. We want to hear the sixth installment in the which will be placed on a burner from you! Dravida Vedam CD series. The CD overtop a kolam drawing in the The editorial will return. was first produced during central area of the temple. Meanwhile, the Sri Chakra Navarathri, where Aiya Everyone present will be able to would like to thank the explained the amazing power of offer a handful of rice into the volunteers who selflessly some of its songs which were kalasam, in prayer to Lord stepped up to make this issue composed by Thirujnana to bless the land with fruitful what it is—Aiya, Kathy Allen, Sambhandar. They are all about returns. Gratuz Devanesan and Sri the temple at Thiruvavadhurai Shangaranarayanan. and the CD is comprised of the Maha Shivarathri, March 5 Sri Gurubhyo Namaha! temple’s history and pathikam. by Kamya Ramaswamy Aiya said if a devotee even listens To left, to these holy songs, he will receive The night will be filled with clockise great wealth from Lord Shiva. multiple chantings of the Rudram from top: and copious offerings of bilvam to Varahi and all the aspects of Lord Shiva in the Matangi Upcoming Events temple. Falling on a Wednesday evening this year, puja that night drawn by a Thiruvempavai, Dec. 15-24 will commence sometime between devotee for by Kamya Ramaswamy 7 and 9 p.m. and wrap up between Navarathri; 6 and 7 a.m. the next morning. If Aiya and As usual, the daily pujas for temple Nataraja will begin at 5 a.m. and Rochester is not hit with too much snow, the two baana lingams that devotees typically last about two hours tying string are sitting near the creek at Kashi each day. Devotees will gather in around may even be installed by or before the temple and do one silver pradakshanam (circumambulation) Shivarathri. kalasams; during each stanza sung from the Dvaja Thirupalliyezhuchi volume and stambam do a pancha-upachara puja after decorated each stanza. After the 20th and last with stanza, Aiya will do the final garlands aarthi and puja will be over for following the day. Ardhra Dharshanam afternoon marks the final day of the festival, bali. and it will commence at 4:30 a.m. and include a full abhishekam and alankaram to Nataraja and Sivakami.

4 The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam ~ 6980 East River Road ~ Rush, NY 14543 ~ Phone: (585) 533 - 1970 Aim Gloum rrrr thrithrithrithri uuunnn araaraaraara nnddd NaNaNaNavvvv ooowww by Kathy Allen nnn From October 11 to Matangi and Varahi. In total the 22, the temple there were 42 kalasams in the was rife with yajnashala for the full festival and activity as scores of they were all worshiped every people poured in day. during the annual Originally Aiya was talking Navarathri festival. about doing Varahi for first 3 As many people days, then Matangi, then Shodasi. already know, thanks But he said they would not allow to Ramesh Anna and for just some devatas to be the Madhvanaths worshipped one day at the who wrote the main exclusion of others. So, instead Navarathri malar, Aiya invoked all of their mula and with the Guru’s in the daily puja. Then grace, the temple did Devi selected different portions Varahi, Matangi and from the malar for a different Shodasi upasana as focus each day. the theme for The first two days we did the Navarathri this year. shodasa upachara puja for It was very intense. Matangi and Varahi. The third Aiya said this was day we did Matangi the first time he has Sahasranamam Homam, the done any Varahi fourth day was Varahi astottara upasana in the homam and the fifth day was temple. Varahi aavarana homam. On the The first morning sixth day we performed Varahi we installed all the kalasams in Sahasranamam Homam, the the yajnashala; the usual seventh day was Matangi Ganapathi, Bhairava, and the 10 aavarana homam and the eighth Digdevatas, plus several smaller day was Matangi astottara kalasams that represented the homam. four Gurus, the 10 Dasa The ninth day was unbelievably , and various forms of powerful as an unprecedented

Navarathri 2007 pictures!

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number of people received diksha during the homam, with many receiving the very advanced Mahashodasi mantra and Purna diksha (Mahavakyam). To add to the incredible vibrations, Lalita Sahasranamam Homam was performed with Aiya and Sri Shangaranarayanan at the helm and a crowd of people chanting the Devi’s names. The last Saturday of the festival was Vijayadasami, which was a really busy day. We started with Chandi Homam at 3 a.m. After it wrapped up at about 8 in the morning, volunteers and the gathering crowd had a small break before the grand kalasam puja at 9 a.m. There were 27 sponsors doing kalasa puja to kalasams that were specially ordered just for Navarathri. Around noon, the kalasams circled the temple and Devi received their abhishekams, plus the Maha Kalasam (the festival kalasam made of clay) and the Maha Varahi kalasam and Raja Shyamala kalasam. This took about an hour, but the activities were still not over—some volunteers dressed the Devi while others readied the huge chariot for the second procession. Around 2 p.m., Devi was mounted onto the ratham and was pulled around by devotees. The “morning” activities were completed around 4:30 p.m. as Aiya hoped, but then it was time for the evening program. There was the Vidyaarambam puja for children starting their education, as well as the beginning of Kedaragowri vratham. Sunday saw the water-cutting ceremony, where everyone got the chance to bathe Devi and various temple vigrahams outside. That night, the festival bali was offered and the Navarathri flag went down, with Mr. Venugopala Rao Ganji and his wife Kanakeshwari amma receiving the garments that were worn by the dvajastambham all through Navarathri. Navavarna puja was done by different upasakas on each night

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of the festival. These are the upasakas who have done the Sri Chakra Puja each night:

Day 1: Swati (Naveen) Day 2: Mohan (Rupa) Day 3: Shankar (Gowri) Day 4: Kathy (Soumitra) Day 5: Jana (Charu) Day 6: Sundara (Ahalya) Day 7: Kanakeshwari (Venu) Day 8: Kumaran Peripanathan Day 9: Sri Shangaranarayanan

There were also different musical artists who performed on each night of the festival in the brand new auditorium hall, which sits adjacent to the temple and overlooking the hill. Some of the esteemed artists were no strangers to the temple, such as the carnatic singers Ragavan Manian and Aparna Thiyagarajan, and the bharatanatayam dancer Vinitha Navaratnam. But audiences saw a brand new event in the katha-kalakshepam on the evening of the ninth day, where Sangeetha Kalanidhi TN Sheshagopalan, Mullaivasa Mouli and Thanjore Murugapoobathy told a story through song and speech.

7 Aim Gloum NaNaNaNavvvvaraaraaraarathrithrithrithri specialspecialspecialspecial!!!

During Navarathri, the temple was the next day’s function, the total gurus help you achieve this status graced with the presence of a divine divine energy from the most soon. guest, Sri Shangaranarayanan subtlest para brahmanda mandalam I would love to have you all (Sathyanandhanathar) founder of where all the gurus are united with me and I am prepared to the Sri Raja Matangi Sri Vidhya with the Divine Mother forever. It spend a whole day with you. My Peetam, Adyar, in Chennai. A Sri Vidya is therefore easy for everyone to wife will love to give you all upasaka for more than half a century, climb up the ladder through the divinised food and filter coffee. this humble student of Devi helped guru and reach the state of My daughter and son-in-law will Aiya conduct the Chandi homam- “Being” instantaneously and be greatly honoured. Please let Srividhya homam and Shadamnaya “become” the energy itself and me know when you would visit homam and talked to the crowd on roam with the gurus hand in and I shall keep myself absolutely many occasions. Below is an edited hand in that energy forever. free. Wherever I am in New Jersey version of a letter he wrote to one of the There are no strict rigmaroles in or in Chennai, you are welcome at temple’s children after returning to his approaching the Divine whether any time as you are pleased. Our home in New Jersey. In it, he expresses conventional or unconventional. meeting, I assure you, shall bear his love for the temple and the Love and heart are most the gift of the Guru Mandalam happiness he felt during Navarathri. important. There is nothing to and Divine Mother to be digested say that every upasaka transmits and experienced for ever. I am spell bound by the love divine energy. Most of them are Can you pass on my heart felt and energy poured on me and into power houses possessing the thanks to Haranji and his beloved me by every one there and made divine for themselves and sakthi (She is full of Divine Energy me absolutely helpless but to cry. without “care and share.” and I have not seen her rest even I do not know whether it is the Ultimately they are pulled down for a while) and the score of love that made me cry or the to roam as and devotees who took care of me as energy that made me to give up the duty of those who understand their own child and gave me all myself in to all your souls. I know that divine is absolutely pure and the help, guidance, support, that love is nothing but the cannot be polluted by anything, assistance and above all the totality of the divine energy that help them to come back as human pouring into me the divine love. should enter every one without beings. True Upasakas do Let us meet soon and in the caste creed or essentials. It is open continuous thapas in the constant meantime may Divine Mother and to everyone and I am looking for remembrance of the Guru - Master, the lineage of Gurus into which some one to rob me and loot me of never possess the divine for she has merged be with all with all these and spread them to themselves and be selfish, and you. everyone around. distribute the Divine energy to Aiya is my greatest spiritual everyone to merge with the friend and for him it is my duty to Divine Mother, who is nothing but do my best and I had nothing to the absolute divine without any Regards, offer to him than transmitting to afflictions, grossness and the pure Yours affectionately, every one over there who of the purest to enjoy the bliss. S.SHANGARANARAYANAN attended the chandi homam and May Haranji and the lineage of (SATHYANANDHANATHAR)

8 Shangaranarayanan, Aiya, and the temple devotees. Aim Gloum

The temple was alive with many small miracles and manifestations of the Devi during Navarathri. But it was also so full of activity that the TTempleemple subtle ways She showed herself could really only be seen by a calm mind and a sensitive eye. LorLoreeee The eighth day of the festival was very powerful, especially during LorLoreeeeee the Mahashodasi mula mantra homam. Aiya was sitting on the south side of the homa kundam and Sri Shangaranarayanan, who was the The stories of the devotees VIP guest this year, was sitting on the north side and offering lotus at the Sri Rajarajeswari petals dipped in honey into the fire. As the homam progressed, Aiya PPPeetam create the veryyy spotted Akka (Sri Mathioli Saraswati Amma) sitting amid the flames, essence of the temple’s soul. calmly accepting the honey-dipped lotus petals and eating them! Aiya has verified all these Two days later was the tenth day of the festival, which saw the tales for their authenticity,,, Navarathri Mahakalasam being taken out and placed on a chariot to and he urges devotees to circle the temple. As it was a large clay kalasam, Aiya, Amma and Sri share their experiences for Shangaranarayanan sat on the small chariot to hold it secure. The procession was almost complete when the kalasam rounded the the benefit of future the benefit of future Isanya corner of the temple property outside. That’s when Sri generations. All identities will Shangaranarayanan spotted a giant black bee appear out of nowhere be kept in the strictest and amid the chaos, circle Aiya, Amma, himself and the kalasam three confidentiality unless times. As it perfectly went around and then subtly flew away, Sri otherwise informed. Shangaranarayanan knew it was a manifestation of the Devi, who showed up to bestow Her blessings on the puja. When everyone was back inside the temple, he told the crowd another miracle that had happened while the chariot had been outside. The volunteers were trying to hoist the kalasam back inside, but for some reason the wheels would not budge over the threshold. Sri Shangaranarayanan then whispered to Aiya that they should chant the mula mantra for Asvarudha Devi, who would surely eliminate the obstacle. They had only said the mantra twice when the wheels suddenly moved and the kalasam was able to re-enter the temple! Devi’s grace was apparent in these and many other ways during the festival—it was cold and rainy for most of the 10 days, but on the day of the water-cutting ceremony the temperature outside shot up and the sun finally came out. Also, despite the cold weather outside, it was usually broiling inside because of the heat generated by all the intense pujas and chanting.

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It was a great occasion when a comprised of saffron, all connected their own soul and mini mahayajnam was done by fragrances, several sands collected heart to their brain (omnipotent the upasakas belonging to the as per dictums, 51 matruka- to omniscience), which was then lineage of gurus under Sri Haranji akshara herbal powder extracts, connected by lineage and order to of the Rochester temple—Sri sandalwood etc. Even though Sri the soul and brain of their guru, Rajarajeswari Peetam—on the 8th Haranji and his Sakthi were not parama guru, parameshti guru, September 2007. physically present due to a parapara guru and finally to the The function was held at the previous commitment, their anandhakya guru (the Divine New Jersey residence of Devi and spiritual presence was felt by Mother herself). With the help of Suhir (disciples of Sri Haranji) and everyone. Sudha Devi the entire energy was was performed in accordance The entire Navavarna puja was brought down and installed in the with Sri Sathyanandhanathar’s completed and thereafter the kumbha teertha. directions and under These his immediate activities presence. It was were originally followed by planned that Navavarna the function puja. After would be done mantra by eight pushpam, couples, or 16 Lalita people, who had Sahasranamam Maha Shodasi and Trisadhi upadesham and parayanam were competent with the to do the Ganesa Navavarna Graha” sloka puja. However, were only six couples chanted by and five more every one. upasakas could Chanting of take part in this these entitles divine merger. one to The main ensure that feature of the the puja is Mahayajnam is given the TheThe Grea Greatt Event: Event: The The new new Jersey Jersey

By Pujya Sri Sathyanandhanathar minimini Maha Mahayyyyyyajnamajnam for for (Sri Shangaranarayanan) SriSri Lalit Lalitaa Maha Mahatriptripurasundariurasundari

when the upasakas do the shad-amnaya puja was done with status of “sarve poorthikari” and aavarana puja to the lineage of 3300 mantras, followed by Lalita “sarva siddikari” in their upasana their gurus and to the stula, Sahasranamam archana and of Divine Mother. sukshma and karana sareeras Trisadhi. Kanyaka puja and Usually this type of (physical, spiritual and causal Suvasini puja were also done as mahayajnam takes two to three bodies). In doing so, they would per protocol. days to be done but in this be installing their own atma The atma sakthi of the guru instance it was cut down to just a sakthi into the specially erected mandalam was strongly day, curtailing the Suvasini, kumbha. established in the kumbha by Kanyaka and Samiyika puja to the The kumbha contained the drawing the energy from the guru minimum extent possible. This water of purity, which was mandalam. Each devotee first puja also enables the devotee to

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enjoy the bliss of tripthi or the Guru and vice-versa, so that Below: satisfaction—the worshipped, finally the Guru-Sishya-Divine Close up of worship and the worshipper Mother (Energy) become one. installed becoming one and united. Unique as it was, the Rudra kalasam Another specialty of this unique parayanam was also done to topped with mahayajnam is that the divine establish the fact that Siva is a maha energy is transmitted and offered latent energy and Sakthi is potent meru; Right: Devi to all the pitrus. These are dead energy. dancing persons in the family, those killed On the next day, arthi was done in accidents or calamities, and to the kumbha, and nrityam, brahma-rakshasas who could not kadyam and padyam were all complete their upasana of Devi sung by the devotees available. properly so that their souls got The holy water was also elevated and merged with the distributed to all. ultimate reality. All devotees have placed their By this act all pitru doshas and plea at the lotus feet of their guru kula (family deity) doshas get (Sri Haranji) that such a removed and the upasakas are mahayajnam with all the sishyas blessed. Eventually, the plants of Aiya participating be done at and animals around the the Rochester temple for the environment of the yajnam welfare of the society. receive the blessings of the Divine Loka samasta sukino Energy for their own progress. bhavanthu—Sarve janaha sukino It is also unique that once the bhavanthu. mandala and the visesha-argya patram for the puja are established, it becomes “Sarvam Brahmamayam/Tejomayam/ Gnanamayam” and everyone Pictures including entering the place from becomes a part of the Divine mahayajnam Energy. Naturally, no calamities held in the happen during such a puja. New Jersey After the sanka-udvasam, the home of sanka tirtham was sprinkled on Devi and everyone’s face to ward off all Suhir evils. Afterwards the devatas installed in the kumbha were offered to go their original places (yathastanam). The kumbha tirtham was distributed to everyone so that they could take it home, have a head bath with the holy water and also sprinkle it all over their homes, offices, etc. This will remove all the vaastu defects and ensure that all negative forces are removed permanently. Prosperity for everyone will ensue. Sri Sathyanandhanathar explained the significance of each step of this unique maha yajnam, the importance of the guru in one’s life, how to interact with Him or Her for total integration, how to offer our atma sakthi to

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636363 NaNaNayyyanmarsanmarsanmars Iyarpakkai Nayanar december 2007 by Gratuz Devanesan

We do not know the true name reaching the highest liberation. It Set their mind on and ask for, of this saint, who once lived in the is Shiva, who in his compassion, You gladly give without any coastal city of Kaaviri-poom- seeks to wash away even this objection, pattinam (situated where the taint—and undoubtedly, it is only I have come here today to you Kaveri river merges with the Shiva who would know how. Seeking one thing. ocean). his saint is known to the It is so that Shiva came, If that would be agreeable to you, world only as Iyarpakkai disguised as a simple Brahmana, I may tell you that.” Nayanar. Sekhilaar writes: one day to Iyarpakkai. Knowing all too well that it was in Iyarpakkai, still overflowing On account of the blessing Iyarpakkai’s heart to fulfill all the with love, urged the Brahmana to Of the immeasurable contentment of wishes of a Brahmana, Shiva tell him what this wish was, re- heart approached him in this disguise. affirming that whatever was Arising from serfdom Iyarpakkai thinking to himself, within his possession was the To the Sire who bears the Ganges on “Lo, my Father, my Lord’s devotee Lord’s and he would give it freely. His crown has come,” rushed to greet the With a slight smirk on his face the He fulfilled through action Brahman and invite him inside. Brahmana then expressed his Whatever the devotees of holy bodies After performing with heartfelt wish. Adorned by the sacred ash love ‘elaborate and noteworthy Had in their thoughts; formalities,’ he said: “Your wife, the abode of your love, And he cherished and served them Desiring her, I came here.” In the conviction that all the “I presume that on account of great blessings Thavam Iyarpakkai’s eyes lit up in joy as Gained by leading a householder’s life Formerly performed by me, it seemed he saw this not as Resplendently according to the O Muni, you have graciously come insult, but as an opportunity to eternal here.” serve the Lord. And unchanging righteous code of conduct Shiva, in the form of that “This is indeed a great favor (Laid down for the householder) Brahmana, stood now quite close Done to me by you, my Lord, Were the fruits of the greatness to Iyarpakkai and with an For you have desired and object Arising from doing the bidding expression of indifference to the Of those devotees love that Iyarpakkai projected, he It seemed Iyarpakkai’s only said: concern was that he might not Iyarpakai was considered a “Having heard that, considering as have what the Brahmana would Vijnanakalar. Vijnanakalars are quite proper ask for and that maybe he would human beings of the highest Whatever the devotees of the Lord of be unsuccessful in obtaining it. caliber, who have only a taint in matted locks But, seeing how it was ‘only’ his the form of ahamkara (pride) left in Decked abundantly with Kondrai wife that was asked of him and them that prevents them from flowers knowing exactly where she was,

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Iyarpakkai Nayanmar

he seemed relieved. Promising hesitantly as to what was Iyarpakkai’s sacrifice is so great without any further delay that he transpiring. Iyarpakkai indeed that Sundarar sings: would provide the Brahmana explained that they were all with said ‘object’ he marched off leaving the city for a trip, and “Sevitor am I to Iyarpakkai also, into the house. He brought this reassured them that there was Who never said, ‘I have not.’” wife out of the house and in front nothing to worry about. of the Brahman told her, However, his relatives were inquisitive and would not relent. “Today you to this man of true Believing that something was Thavam not right they pushed I have given.” Iyarpakkai and insisted that neither he nor his wife should His wife, first a little flustered leave. Initially it was just words, gained her composure and then but when fists started to fly, submitting to her husband’s Iyarpakkai did not hesitate to desire asked only if there was pull out his sword and cut down anything else he wished before all that tried to refuse passage. she departed. Together they And so he killed his own worshipped the feet of the relatives in order to ensure that Brahmana and took leave from the servitor of lord would have each other. his desire fulfilled. The relatives The Brahmana, ready to take the relented and the Brahmana wife away now said to Iyarpakkai along with Iyarpakkai and his that he would need an escort. The wife left the city. relatives of Iyarpakkai who lived The Brahmana said that this on the roads would surely not let was sufficient and took leave a man walk away with another from Iyarpakkai. As they walked man’s wife, and although out of Iyarpakkai’s view, he Iyarpakkai agreed they wouldn’t heard his name being called care. The Brahmana demanded again by this Brahmana, that Iyarpakkai himself escort the Iyarpakkai’s last trace of two at least until the boundaries ahamkara had been cut away as of the city. Iyarpakkai took his he gave away his wife and sword and shield and willingly removed himself from his own agreed. relatives. Thereby, he gained Along the way a few relatives at mukti and lived the rest of his first came and asked him life as a jivan mukta.

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antinganting GallivGallivGallivGallivantinganting throughthroughthroughthrough the the the the old old old old yyyyy By Kamya Ramaswamy countrcountrcountrcountryyy

I’ve been told it’s called “pulling world, Annamalaiyar a Kamya”—the act of quitting Annamalai has west one’s job to pursue spiritual an uncanny gopuram endeavours. I did it last October power to draw so I could come to Navarathri and one’s eyes I did it again this June so I could toward it at all run off to India for two months. times. Although in my defense, I would Swamigal’s like say that Devi gave me my job ashram sits back after the first time and it was directly on the entirely Aiya’s fault the second road that leads time. into It was actually during last Thiruvannamalai Navarathri when, in between sips from Bangalore of his tea, he said to me in a so we couldn’t matter-of-fact sort of way, “You help but stop know you have to write a book, by. I could feel don’t you?” I almost did a spit- the vibrations getter stronger and elephant and about two thousand take. But he persisted. “You have stronger with each step I took more people and you might have to write a book on your ancestor toward the adhisthanam and I an idea of what it was like. I Seshadri Swamigal! Why else do couldn’t help but burst into tears realized eventually during that you think Devi made you study upon seeing the simple but day that we had to do the journalism?” elegant Shivalingam sitting inside girivalam—the 14-kilometer trek “Because I stink at math,” I said. the shrine. It was like facing the around the Annamalai mountain, I wasn’t kidding. ocean—I felt so humbled but so which is the ultimate puja to But somehow I gradually found lucky to have finally reached the Shiva in Thiruvannamalai. I myself booking flight tickets, peetam. didn’t want to do it at first filling out Visa applications and We went to the Annamalaiyar because I was worried about my finally boarding a plane back to temple the next day, which was, mom’s arthritis, but I knew that the old country with my mom. amazingly, during the we would regret it if we left She was the best person to have Thirumanjanam festival. This without at least trying. along because she was even more was the nakshatram day on Less than halfway through, I felt interested in finding out new which Shiva and got like I was walking on nails. It information about Swamigal than married. I didn’t even find that wasn’t the walking that was a I was, and she was the perfect out until exiting the temple—as problem—it was doing it barefoot translator and traveling buddy. we left the shrine, the main priest that I wasn’t used to. Seven hours We set off for Thiruvannamalai stopped us, took a giant flower later (the whole thing should only even before the jet lag subsided. garland off Arunachalam and told take three hours, by the way) we It’s where Swamigal spent the last my mother to put it on me. Did reached the house again. 40 years of his life, upon hearing this mean I was now married to A week later, we headed off to the word “Arunachalam” from Shiva? Man… who would pay for Kanchipuram, not really for the lips of his dying mother when that wedding? research but to see the Big Lady. he was only 19. I could As we came outside, we saw the There’s always a feeling of understand the magical pull of the utsa Nataraja and Sivakami being familiarity in Kanchi—like no mountain that both he and carried around the temple and it matter where you’re from, you Ramana Maharshi felt—as the was even more raucous than a feel like you’ve been there before. largest swayambu-lingam in the Rochester festival. Throw in an That was exactly the feeling I got

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Right top: when walking through the upper Awesome Outside halls of the Varadaraja Perumal Bala! Seshadrì temple. I knew that I had been Swamigal’s there before in another life. birthplace in The birthplace of Seshadri Kanchi; Swaigal is interestingly enough Bottom: on the same street, only a five- Outside minute walk away. It was Seshadrì appropriated by the Kanchi Swamigal’s Mahaperiva in the latter half of ashram the 20th century when he heard it was all but lying in shambles. Swamigal’s grandfather, who was the Kamakoti Shastri in the mid- 1800s, was the last person in our lineage to hold that post. The house had probably been owned by him, since girls during that It was a long bus ride but we that every day a miracle happens time used to give birth in their arrived in the evening. The signs in Nemili and the miracle that parents’ home. of Bala were everywhere— day was that a mother and outside the house were a cluster daughter walked in at exactly 6 p.m., all the way from Aiya’s Inside of little girls who were wearing Seshadri the cutest little paavaadai outfits Swamigal’s and playing. Everyone was birthplace singing bhajans as we entered the in Kanchi peetam, and we were seated near one of the pillars right up front. Bala’s shrine was majestic. Although it’s her temple, there was a tiny Rajarajeshwari vighraham sitting above the infamous Bala vighraham. Mulabaagal temple in Rochester! There was more to the speech but I could only listen to it from underneath the hanky where my face was buried. God, I sobbed for close to 10 minutes but it was so freeing. As I sat through the rest of the We went to Nemili the next puja, I felt like I was home. evening, which was the most I felt like I was visiting the electrifying experience of this Queen when we went to see entire trip. When I called Giant Bangalore Shiva Kamakshi Devi the next day. Ezhilmani mama before we left, he Before we went in, we stopped off sounded unusually overjoyed. It She’s best friends with her mom, too! I at Kamakoti Shastri’s house to see made me wonder if I’d said the thought. I took in the rest of the him. Little did any of us realize at correct thing in Tamil… cascading peetam and all of a the time that he would attain sudden I felt a lump in my throat. moksha exactly one month later, Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry… I on August 9th. He asked me to wasn’t sure why I was so perform the dasamudras in his emotional but I was desperately puja room, which shocked me so trying to suck it back. Just then, much that I totally forgot how to the singing tapered off and do them. But after I did, we were Ezhilmani mama started taken straight into Kamakshi’s speaking. shrine and blessed with a 20- From what I understood of his minute dharshanam of Devi!! excellent Tamil, he told everyone That temple is one of the few

Kamya and Shyamala in Nemili 15 Aim Gloum

First floor of Meru temple places in the world Guruji where I could happily and spend eternity. Ammah It held so many parallels to a tiny little Kamakshi temple that’s tucked away in a village about 100 kilometers north of Bangalore. The town is called Mulabaagal and the temple is stunning. Inside the entrance sits Once we got a snakepit housing a cobra they in, I couldn’t worship as Lord Muruga, and help but surrounding the main shrine are think it was life-sized, painted carvings of all as though the goddesses from the 51 someone had peetams! painted a On the side of the temple was a completely different background it but I was traumatized at the wall-sized carving of the around our Devi in Rochester. time. Meenakshi kalyanam, and outside She was wearing a glowing We relaxed in Devipuram once I the temple were statues from the white sari (my favourite colour) learned to be at one with all the and the Devi Mahatmyam. and she was exactly the same, critters. I think part of receiving We had walked in during but nothing else was. The walls Devi’s grace from that place is poornima, right in the middle of were adorned with murals of the learning to see and accept her in Navavarna puja! As the camphor Dasamahavidyas and scenes everything there. Even—ugh—the arthi was offered to Kamakshi, I from the Devi Mahatmyam. The lizards. The power of the Meru saw her eyes come alive just like head priest there seemed to be temple is such that it makes you the goddess in Kanchi. You could listening while I explained to my want to keep circling it and see all her power in those eyes. aunt about the Mahavidyas, and visiting each of the Khadgamala We met up with Ramesh anna in he brought us up to the main devis over and over again. Chennai, trying to get to as many peetam, which is elevated a I was lucky enough to be able to temples as possible before metre above the ground. We perform the puja one morning to everything closed at noon. One of talked with him about Sri Vidya Sahasrakshi Rajarajeshwari, and the places we went there was the and our temple in Rochester and it was only then that I realized Kapaaleeswara kovil, which held a he was thrilled that so many exactly where my own guru came lot of meaning for me because it people were into such an ancient from and why he teaches us the was the place where my great- art so far away from India. way he does in Rochester. Guruji’s great grandmother handed over I couldn’t believe what method is to condense everything her Sri Chakra in 1941. She happened next—he did an in terms of mantras and was the last upasaka in my family archana for us and sat us down methodology, but Aiya expands it (up until us, of course) and we tried in the centre aisle directly in line all. Maybe he realized at one point to find her yantra but without any with Devi so that we were close that it was just the smart thing to records, it was impossible to locate. enough to see her smile. He made do, after hearing, “But It was the Tamil month of Aadi, me sit on the Sri Chakra carved whhhhhhhhhy, Aiya?!” for the meaning we couldn’t get train or into the stone ground, gave us a millionth time. bus tickets to a lot of temple towns flower from Devi’s breast, and We often went up to the highest because they were packed with loaded us lots of kumkum points we could climb to because travelers. I was disappointed so prasadam to take home with us. those were the places that were our relatives took us to the I practically danced out of there. the most serene (and often devoid Rajarajeshwari temple in The last stop of our trip was of mosquitoes). The Kamakhya Bangalore, which turned out to be Devipuram. I told Guruji ahead and Shivaalayam temples sit amid one of the best experiences I had on of time that he wasn’t allowed to several hills, all of which you can this whole trip. It’s a massive ignore me this time—he totally see while standing on top of them property complete with an ashram gave me the cold shoulder when or in the bindu of the Meru temple. and a lecture hall on one side, and I last saw him in 2003 and didn’t After spending most of your life in the line to get in to the actual say one word when I tried to densely populated areas that are temple winds right around the talk to him. It was actually filled with concrete, it’s a surreal corner. hilarious now that I look back on feeling to be one of only a few

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Sahasrakshi Rajarajeswari in Devipuram people for miles and miles in the middle of a forest. We flew back to Canada just a few days after leaving Devipuram, lugging precious cargo. In the temple right now sits what I refer to as the Bala Mala. It’s a garland made of 2000 strips of coloured paper with “Sri Bala Thunai” written on each strip. Ezhilmani mama in Nemili told me that Balatripurasundari manifested herself into the papers and he wanted our temple to have that garland. Children who come to the temple and lightly touch it will receive her blessings. Happily, my research on Swamigal seemed to have reached its climax about halfway through the trip, allowing me to enjoy the rest of it. What a nice memory to think about while I now work through hours of digital tape, fumbling my way toward writing a book. Oh yeah… the book... I forgot about that. If you’re interested, it’ll be released in early 2008 and include a full account of Swamigal’s life and miracles, original prayers and hymns that were written for him, as well as the inner workings of organizations and people that use his name today. Let’s just hope I win the lottery because Devi is keeping me jobless until I finish this thing.

Koti Lingeshwaram

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Sr i G u r u bhy o N a ma h

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