THE KINGDOM OF SHIVA

Tungnath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mounta...in range of Tunganath in Rudraprayag district of Tehri Garhwal. The Tunganath (literal meaning: Lord of the peaks) mountains form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys. Located at an altitude of 3,680 m and just below the peak of Chandrashila, Tungnath temple is the highest Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is the second in the pecking order of the Panch Kedars. The priest at this temple is a local Brahmin from Maku village, unlike the other Kedar temples where the priests are from South India, a tradition set by the eighth century Hindu seer Sankaracharya. It is also said that the Khasi Brahmins officiate as priests at this temple. During the winter season, the temple is closed and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple priests are moved to Mukunath, which is 19 km from here. Best time for pilgrimage to the shrine is summer months (end April or early May to October) as the temple remains snow bound and unapproachable. During this period even Chopta, the nearest road head remains deserted. It is an ancient temple built in the North Indian style of temple architecture. It is small in size and can barely accommodate ten people in the sanctum. Surrounding this temple, there are a number of small shrines of several gods. The sanctum part of the temple abuts the hills where the sacred standing black rock (swayambu) with tilt to the left, of 1 ft height, denoting the form of arms of Lord Shiva is worshipped. Among the smaller shrines, the central temple is of goddess Parvati, Shiva’s consort. Away to the far right there is a group of five small shrines dedicated to the Panch Kedar, which include Tungnath also as one of the Panch Kedar, in addition to the main Tunganath temple. Near the Akash Ganga water fall, close to Tungnath, a temple to Nanda Devi is located to denote that it is descending from heaven. The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the Akashkamini River. The temple lies about 2 km below the Chandrashila Peak 4,000 m. The road to Chopta is just below this ridge and hence provides the shortest bridle approach path for trekking to the temple from Chopta, over a short distance of about 4 km.Chopta is 63 km (39 mi) from Rudraprayag towards Karnaprayag and is reached from Rishikesh via Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag. From the top of the Chandrashila peak, picturseque views of the Himalayan range comprising snow peaks of Nanda Devi, Panch Chuli, Banderpoonch, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth on one side, and the Garhwal valley on the opposite side could be witnessed. The valley between Chopta and Tunganath temple has wooded hills with rich alpine meadows with rhododendron coppices and also agricultural fields. The rododendrons, when they are in full bloom during March, display dazzling colours ranging from crimson to pink. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun 258 km. The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh 241 km

Arudhra Darshan or Arudara Darshan is observed in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December – January). It is essentially a Shaivite festival and celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva, which is represented by the Nataraja form. Arudhra signifies the golden red flame and Shiva performs the dance in the form this red-flamed light. In 2013, Arudhara Darshan is on December 18. The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. This cosmic dance takes place in every particle and is the source of all energy. Arudra Darshan celebrates this ecstatic dance of Lord Shiva. It takes place on the full moon night (along with Arudara Birth Star) in the month of Margazhi and this is also the longest night in a year. The festival is mainly observed in the Tamil speaking world. The most important Arudhra Darshan festival takes place at the Chidambaram Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu. The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva is enacted on the day. Most of the temples around the world with Lord Nataraja and Shiva as deity perform the Arudhra Darshan. The Thiruvathirai Festival dedicated to Shiva and Parvati is observed on the day in Kerala.

God is love,God,is not fear.The only fear ,is not knowing God

It is impossible not to notice how "different" people literally fill the ranks of Lord Shiva's Ganas- The merry men. What does this really signify? Shivji accepts all! Caste and colour, form and appearance , these do not deter Him whatsoe...ver in remembering that all come from One source, all have the same aspirations: of simply being happy. and perhaps more importantly, a great message for those who consider themselves the followers of Shiva: Learn to love all beings, the only ghosts and goblins you must stay away from, are those created by your judgmental mind.

Mananam, Sravanam and Kirtanam

In the Sivapurana it has been told that once Sanatkumara was traveling in an aircraft and happened to see sage Parasara, practicing austerities (tapas ) on the banks of the river Saraswathi. Sanatkumara stopped by and asked the latter the reason for being at such a lonely place. Sage Parasara replied that having done his ordained duties as a teacher and helped lots of... students to gain knowledge, he decided to practice austerities for his own salvation. Sanatkumara then revealed to him the knowledge he received earlier from Nandikeswara and suggested him to practice mananam, sravanam and kirtanam instead of austerities as effective means of attaining the grace of Lord Siva and achieve liberation. These three means are explained below. Mananam: Uttering the Siva mantras or prayers, contemplating or meditating upon the grandeur and significance of Siva or the sacred texts of Saivism and performing similar mental activities. Sravanam: Listening from others, or in a gathering of Siva's devotees, about Lord Siva, the concepts of Saivism, the books on Saivism, the life and activities of Nayanars or other devotees of Siva. Kirtanam. Singing the glory of Lord Siva either alone or in the company of other devotees. When it is done in groups it is called bhajan. Devotional singing helps the mind become stabilized in God. The Worship of Sivalinga According to the Sivapurana, in the age of Kali (kaliyuga) ,worship of Siva in the form of Sivalinga is the best means of liberation. Woship of Sivalinga can be done either at home or in a Siva temple or a sacred place such as the banks of a sacred river. The linga has to be worshipped by the traditional means (sadupachara) of dhyana, avahana, asana, padya, arghya, achamaniya, abhisheka, vastra, bhasma, gandha, akshata, pushpa, bilva, dhupa, dipa, naivedya, tambula, mahanirajana, mantrapushpa, namaskara and prardhana. The Significance of Sivalinga. As the highest reality Siva is both Saguna (with form and qualities) and Nirguna (without form and qualities). The Siva linga is a rendering of Siva in his formless or nirguna aspect. Saguna Siva is known by his five aspects known as panchanana aspect and there are temples in India where we can see a Sivalinga having five faces representing these five aspects. According to the followers of Saivism, Nirguan Siva is the highest reality, the absolute principle, the formless unknown Self of all and the one indivisible Supreme Reality. Sivalinga represents this aspect of Siva and therefore its worship is considered to be the highest form of worship we can perform.

A Question To Shiva

Few days back, one girl asked Shiva that She feels no one understands her. She wants to do best for everyone, still everyone is against her. She always has problems at home and in the office too. Shiva asked her, if she understands herself. She said of course I know myself. Shiva said you know yourself but do you understand yourself and she was confused. She wants to do good for everyone, but why does she want to do good? When you are asking someone to do something, do you want best for him or do you want him to appreciate you? She said that but ultimately i am doing good for everyone. No, your deep intention is to do good for yourself and what reflects in our action is very small part of it. What we feel is the major part of who we are. You are into conflict yourself for everything inside you. You want to do something, you want something and you say something else. Till the time your every word, thought, feeling and action is in alignment, you will never have peace inside you. Till the time you will not have peace inside you, you will always have conflicts around you in everything you would do because this is what you are creating. So what should I do? Then Shiva Said Write down all the things. Write down all your thoughts. Write down all your feelings. Write down all your intentions. Write down all your actions. Write down everything without judging. Why should I write down, when i know them already. You know them, but you are not aware of them. Human mind is very intelligent. It would try to cancel everything without you being aware of it and you would lose your real thoughts or let's say you would bury them. It would disguise everything under the wrap of nobility. Don't judge anything good or bad. Just be aware of all of them so that you can have a clarity and then start sorting them out. Ask yourself why do I desire this? What am I gaining from this? Is it important to have my way all the time? What would happen if I do not have everything as per me? What would I lose if my expectations are not met? What am I gaining in all this? What should I leave behind? What are the things I actually want in myself? Why do i have so much resentment? Question all your intentions, feelings, desires, thoughts and actions. Once you get the clarity inside you, you will get the clarity everywhere. After two months of working on herself and on her thoughts, she was able to get into harmony with herself. She started liking herself and she also started liking everyone else. When she started liking everyone else inside herself, then everyone also got into harmony with her. You cannot create peace around you till the time you do not have peace inside you. You cannot be happy if you wait for something to happen. You can be happy if you are happy now and then you will have happiness everywhere. Whatever you have inside you, you create around you. If you want to have harmony around you, create harmony inside you. Be at peace yourself and everything else would be peaceful too. If you have love inside you, you will have love around you. Be happy, be peaceful, be love.

Lord shiva to see with us

It is natural to forget about God, but there are many helpful ways that we can avoid distraction, that we can remember to keep seeing God Siva everywhere. One of the practical ways to bring God Siva into the midst of all this is to keep repeating His name. Do japa when you find yourself forgetting, when you just can't see God at all, let alone everywhere. Repeat "Aum Namah Sivaya." When life becomes difficult or strained, say to yourself "Siva Siva" or "Aum Sivaya" or "Namah Sivaya." Mentally put it all at His feet. See Him in everyone that you meet or confront, regardless of the circumstances. He is there as their life force, but you just need to quiet the mind to see. Smile when you feel unhappy with someone and say to yourself, "How nice to see you, Siva, in this form." Animals, beggars, princes, politicians, friends and enemies, holy men, saints and sages are all Siva to the soul that loves God. He smiles and thinks to himself, "How nice to see you, Siva, in this, another of your many forms.

"There is one thing only that God Siva cannot do. He cannot separate Himself from me." He cannot separate Himself from you, because He permeates you. He is you. He created the soul, the Vedas and Agamas tell us. He created your soul, and your soul is evolving, maturing through karma, through life, on its way back to Him. That is the goal of life, to know Siva, to love Siva and to find union in Him, to dance with Siva, live with Siva and merge with Siva. This is what the oldest religion on the Earth teaches and believes

The small town of Ujjain

Set on the banks of the river Shipra, the small town of Ujjain gets awakened by the spiritual calls of aarti bells. These bells seem to be the lingua franca of this place. It is one of the holiest cities of the country—a place of the dakshinmukhi (south facing) jyotirlinga Mahakaleshwar where all roads seem to lead to the deity.

The Skanda Purana describes the glory of Ujjain (Mahakaala Vana) in great detail. Ujjain was the capital of Avanti. It played an important role during the periods of the Mauryas and the Guptas.

Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Benaras, Kanchipuram, Dwarka and Ujjain are considered to be the seven Mukti Sthalas (pilgrimage centres) of India. Ujjain is also home to the Kumbh Mela, when Jupiter resides in the zodiac sign of Scorpio.

The first stop in Ujjain is always the Mahakal. Legend has it that demon Dushana tormented the holy province of Avanti and Shiva appeared from the ground and vanquished the demon and, then upon the request of the inhabitants of Avanti, took up permanent abode here as Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga. Lord Shiva is not only the guardian and patron deity of this city, but also the ruler.

The temple has a lake in the centre to draw water for performing abhishek of Lord Shiva. The temple is known for its Bhasma aarti at 4 O’clock in the morning. Though now the temple has changed its ways and the aarti is performed from vibhooti (holy ashes), still this is an experience worth getting up at 4 am for.

Far removed from the bustle of the city is the Gadkalika Temple, a place where Kalidas is said to have received knowledge after being blessed by Goddess Kali. The temple is simple and an unassuming one. Ujjain boasts of myriads of such assets one can’t afford to miss. This is the religious capital of central India—a place of legends. On the banks of the Shipra stands the Siddhvat tree. This is the tree believed to be standing since thousands of years. The tree’s origins lie in the days of yore when Parvati meditated here. Aurangzeb is said to have ordered the tree to be uprooted and stumps burnt. In spite of all this, the tree grew and flourished again, and became a sacred entity.

Outside the boundaries of the city are the Bhartruhari caves. Bhartruhari was the elder brother of King Vikramaditya. According to legend, after realising the infidelity of the world around him, he became an ascetic and joined the Nath sect. The caves are situated on the banks of the Shipra and are, even today, an idyllic spot. A little turn towards the city and one lands at the temple of the guardian deity of the city, Kal Bhairav, a lord whose prasad is liquor. Pilgrims flock to the temple to offer wine to the lord. The temple has some paintings of the Malwa time but the only thing that will draw your attention is the deity into whose mouth liquor is poured. Inside the temple also exists Patal Bhairavi temple, and nearby an old temple is located in the forest where King Vikramaditya gained ‘Baital Sidhhi’.

Next on the ‘must see’ list in Ujjain is the Harsiddhi Temple, an abode of Goddess Parvati. The temple is one of the 52 Shakti Peeths situated all over India. Shakti Peeths are places where parts of Sati’s body fell as Shiva danced ‘Tandava’ after being enraged by Sati offering herself to fire at her father’s place. Two huge Deepasthambs (pillars for lighting lamps) stand proud, welcoming the devotees. At night the two Deepastambs being fully lighted give a majestic look.

One thing that has the potential to captivate any spiritual being is the evening aarti at the Ram Ghat. A long string of steps leading down to the river become witness to the evening prayers to the river Shipra. As the day melts into night, the vibes of the prayers increase. The steps are all cleaned for the daily rituals. Three priests take the centrestage and perform the aarti. The river water gets lit by numerous earthen lamps offered by the devotees. The mantras start resonating in the air. After some time the flames become the most glaring light on the ghats. This sight is enough to make your day. The numerous temples dotting the ghat also start their pujas around the same time. The aarti can very well be compared to the one at Haridwar or Benares but sans fanfare and the milling crowd.

Temples dotting every corner of Ujjain make it worth visiting. Not just for its spiritual value but also for the very beautiful views of the river Shipra that meanders through the holy city.

MAHADEV @ POST CARD

Top 10 Most Sacred Lord Shiva Places

Lord Shiva, is the most worshiped God among all and is believed all over the world. We find his disciples not only in India which is a country where he is worshiped, but there are people around the Globe and since many previous centuries there are beautiful temples built in the name of lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is believed to be the destroyer and is the destroyer of ego of mankind. He is a reason for a new creation and a new individual and hence Lord Shiva is considered the reason, for the new creation by Brahma who is a creator and Vishnu the preserver. There are so many temples all over the world which are very important with its power, history, architectural heritage and in truth the peace the temples offer. India alone have many Lord Shiva temples. Considering Lord Shiva is worshiped all over the world, the top 10 Lord Shiva places are

10. Baphuon Shiva Temple in Angkor- Cambodia

Cambodia is a place of many temples and each one is as famous for its rich heritage and for ancient architectural built. The temple was rebuilt from its ruins and it was constructed by Udayadityavarman II. It was poorly constructed in comparison to all the other temples in Angkor and the French were trying to rebuild it. They were forced to leave before they could complete the process. The famous thing of this temple is the bas-reliefs which are the ancient scenes of daily life carved in small squares of rocks, although only few could be seen and remaining are destroyed. These temples are under the process of rebuilding, though there are lot of ruins which is beyond any correction.

 

 9. Katasraj temple in Pakistan

 Before the partition, India and Pakistan had been one nation, and there were certain temples located around the areas of Pakistan. Some of these temples are still there, even after the partition and people visit these temples on occasion of the festivals. Katasraj temple is located in the Katas village of Chakwal district of Punjab in Pakistan. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the oldest one which has existed since the times of Mahabharatha. It is believed that Pandava brothers spent their time here at the time of their deport. The Pakistan government wants to take measures of restoration as it is one of the world heritage site.

 8. Thiru Koneshwaram temple of Trincomalee-Sri Lanka

 Sri-Lanka is also one of those place which has a rich heritage of temples and Hindu deities. Thiru Koneswaram of Triconmalee is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the entire continent is proud with many Lord Shiva temples. The temple is built on top of the Swami Rock. This temple is known with multiple names and is also known as the “sacred hill of three temples”. The temple is been mentioned in many epics and it goes back for many centuries. It is considered that the architecture of the temple has a great influence of the Pallava dynasty who have also built many prominent temples. The temple has been destroyed by the Portuguese invasion and its under renovations.

 7. Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal

 Nepal is another place of many Shiva temples and lot many devotees of Lord Shiva. Pashupathinath temple is the most sacred and famous among all the other temples situated on the river banks of Bagmathi. Pashupathi is one of the names of many different names to Lord Shiva. There are many different stories about how the temple came into existence and it is believed that Lord Shiva, when he tried to escape from Varnasi took concert here in this place in the form of a gazelle . When he was found he tried to escape along the banks of the river and in the meanwhile his horns broke into four pieces. Since then he is worshiped here as Pashupathi. The temple is 26.3 meters above the ground. This temple is open only for Hindu disciples.

 6. Puru Ulun Danu Bratan- Indonesia

 Puru Ulun Danu temple is one of the most beautiful and spectacular temples of Lord Shiva and it is build on the lake Bratan. There are four different gods worshiped here and the Lingga Petak Temple is the Shiva temple. The temple is built by the king of Mengwi in 1633. This temple is situated in Bedugal islands 1239 m above sea level and is one of the famous temples of Bali.

 5. Ramnathaswamy temple

 A temple built in the 12th century is another of the famous Jyothirlingam temple of India and the most sacred of all. The temple is a pilgrimage place for most disciples of Lord Shiva and is also known as the longest corridor temple. According to the epic stories, Rama built this temple in the name of Lord Shiva after the battle of Lanka. A grand festival of worshiping Lord Shiva is held from June 15th to July 15th every year. The temple measured about 15-20 acres with a large compound wall. The famous thing of this temple is its longest corridor in the world about 6.9 m height, 400 feet in both east and west. Total length is about 3850 feet.

 4. Somnath Temple

 Somnath temple is one of the Dwadasa Jyothirlinga temples in India and most sacred place for the Hindu Lord Shiva disciples located in Gujarat. The temple was destroyed by Mohamed Ghazni in 1025 A.D and it is rebuilt. Lord Shiva was worshiped by moon here and hence known as the Somnatha. The moon God was cursed by his father-in-law for neglecting his 26 wives and showed more interest in Rohini. Lord Brahma advised him to build a temple in the name of Lord Shiva. The temple is constructed in the Solanki style. The details of the pinnacle height with 155 feet, Kalash atop weighs 10 tonnes, the flag is 37 feet long and all these details attracted Ghazini to look for himself and destroyed it. Later Sultans Allauddin and Muhammad Begda also were reason for more destruction of the temple. Later, when the Maratha’s took over Gujarat, a small temple was built next to the destroyed one and God is worshiped here ever since.

 3. Kedarnath temple

 Kedarnath of the Himalayas is one of the highest and most sacred of the Shiva temples worshiped in India and is one of the Jyothirlingam temples. This temple can be visited only six months in a year and the remaining period of the year it is too cold to visit as it is located in the Himalayas and during that period it is covered by snow. The Lord’s idol is brought down to the other temple and is worshiped until the the temple on top reopens after the winter and snowfall. The pilgrims have to visit all the other famous temples on the way to visit Lord Shiva temple such as the Rishikesh, Devprayag, Sonprayag etc. The famous story of Lord Shiva cutting the neck of Lord Ganesha and replacing it with elephant head, has a statue of headless Ganesha here in Gaurikund. The route to this temple is a difficult one and heavy vehicles cannot pass through. Some walk through it and for some aged people there are carriages. Although how much ever difficult it is, people consider its worth it to visit the Lord here.

 2. Lingaraj Temple

 Some places are known for its temples and Bhubaneshwar is a city of Orissa with many famous temples, which are world famous and is a tourist attraction as well. Among all those, the largest is the Lingaraj temple. The temple is said to have built in the 7th century by the ruler Yayati Kesari. Inscriptions from the king Kalinga king Anangabhima III period of 13th century are seen here. Based on the structure, the Parasurameshawara temple dates back the oldest among all the temples and Lingaraj temple is dated to the 10th century. According to the stories, the Bindu Saras lake is built by Lord Shiva for Goddess Parvathi to quench her thirst when she kills the two demons Kritti and Vasa who desires to marry her. It is believed that this place is one of the favorites of Lord Shiva, which prompts for the Goddess to visit and look for herself about its uniqueness. The temple tower rises up to 180 feet and is completely carved.

 1. Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet

 The most sacred place for Shiva and the most visited of all is the Kailash Manasarovar where it is believed of Lord Shiva existence. The Manasa Sarovara is the most holiest lake in the entire world and the water is considered as the blessed water and used for healing purposes. Mount Kailas is a 6,714 meter high peak in Tibet. There are two lakes to the south of this mount and they are Manasarovar and Rakas Tal It is one of the major religious beliefs of people all over the world who try to visit Mount Kailash at least once in their lifetime. The Lake Manasarovar is the most sacred of all and it is believed to be the heavenly place, while the Rakas Tal is an evil lake. Although there are scientists arguments as both the lakes have been one lake many years ago and the changes now can be a reason of evolution. According to the scripture of Pali that Lord Buddha took bath here in Rakas Tal, which was called as the Lake Anotatta.

Siva Temples of South India

TWELVE JYOTIRLINGAS

 

PLACE	NAME OF LORD
Somnath (Gujarat) Srisailam (AP) Ujjain (MP) Omkareswara (MP) Kedarnath (UP) Bhimashankar (Maharashtra) Varanasi (UP) Tryambakeswar (Maharashtra) Vaidyanath (Bihar) Nageswar (Gujarat) Rameswaram Ghirishnesh	Somnatheswara Mallikarjuneswara Mahakaleswara Omkareswara Kedareswara Bhimashankara Visweswara Tryambakeswara Vaidyanath Nageswara Ramanathaswamy Ghirishneshwara

PANCHA BHOOTA KSHETRA
 
The five great Elements of nature are represented at each one of these temples. Together these temples are called the Pancha Bhoota Kshetras

PLACE	NAME OF LORD	Element
Srikalahasti (AP) Kancheepuram Tiruvannamalai Chidambaram Tiruvannaikaval	Srikalahastiswara Ekambareswara Arunachaleswara Nataraja Jambukeswara	Air Earth Fire Akasha (Ether / Space) Water

ASHTA VEERATANNA KSHETRA
These are certain places where Lord Siva assumed Rajo Guna and performed heroic deeds for destroying evil forces. Eight such places are specifically mentioned and collectively called Ashta Veerattana Kshetras.
 

PLACE	NAME OF LORD
Tirukkoyilur Tiruvadigai Tirrukadavur Parasalur Kurrukai Valuvur Virkudi Kandiyur	Andhakasura Samharam Tripura Dahanam Kala Samharam Daksha Samhanam Kama Dahanam Gajasura Samhanam Jalandrasura Samharam Brahma’s head was plucked

SAPTHA VIDANGA KSHETRA
 
Saptha Vidanga Kshetra are the seven places where the seven places where the seven Lingas said to have been brought by Mucukunda Chakravarti from Devaloka are worshpped. These Linga Murti’s are called “Vidanga” because they were created by Maya without a chisel (Vi means without and Danga means Chisel). Further each of these places are indentified with a dance form of Thyagaraja (Lord Siva)
 

PLACE	NAME OF LORD	DANCE
Tiruvarur Tirunallar Nagapattinam Tirukuvalai Tiruvaimur Tirukkaraivasal Vedaranyam	Veedhi Vidangar Nagara Vidangar Sundara Vidangar Avani Vidangar Nila Vidangar Adi Vidangar Bhuvani Vidangar	Ajapa Natanam Unmatha Natanam Para Vira Taranga Natanam Biringa Natanam Kamala Natanam Kukkuta Natanam Hamsapada Natanam

PANCHA SABHA
The five places where Lord Nataraja performed his Tandavam are collectively known as Pancha Sabha meaning five assembly halls of Lord Nataraja
 

PLACE	NAME OF SABHA	DANCE
Chidambaram Tiruvalangadu Madurai Tirunelveli Kutralam	Kanaka Sabha Ratna Sabha Rajata Sabha Tamira Sabha Chitra Sabha	Ananda Tandavam Oordhva Tandavam Sandhya Tandavam Muni Tandavam Tripura Tandavam

PANCHA ARAMA KSHETRAM
 
Pancha Arama Kshetram are those five places where the pieces of a Swayambhu Linga are installed. This Swayambhu Lingam was being carried by Tarakasura in his throat, which was broken into five pieces by Kumaraswamy (Subramanya) during the course of the battle with him and these pieces fell at the following places.
 

PLACE	NAME OF LORD
Drakshashrama Samalkot Gunipundi (Bhimavaram) Palakollu Amaravati	Drakshashrama Swamy Bhimarama Swamy Somarama Swamy Kshirarama Swamy Amararama Swamy

ARUPADAI VEEDU
 
The Arupadai Veedu are identified as directly associated with Lord Muruga. These six places collectively are called the Arupadai Veedu

PLACE

Tiruttani Swamimalai Palani Pazhamudir Solai Tiruparakundram Tiruchendur

Navagraha Kshetra
 
Worship of the Navagraha Murti is done in various ways not only to appease them for mitigation of their malefic influence but also to seek their blessings for acquiring peace, wealth, prosperity and longevity of life in the world. Perhaps, to satisfy this need, a shrine is set up apart for the planetary deities in all Siva temples. They are installed on a single platform with the Sun God as the presiding deity in the centre.  There are however a few temples where one or the other of the Navagraha deities individually find a shrine exclusively dedicated for them
 

Suryanarkoil Tirvarur / Tingaloor Vaitheeswaran Kovil Tirvenkadu Alangudi Kanjanoor Tirunallar Keezhperupallam Tirunageswaram

Sun Moon Mangal (Mars) Budha (Mercury) Guru (Jupiter) Sukra (Venus) Shani (Saturn) Ketu Rahu

 

Would be great if  You can leave a response

 ॐ नमः शिवाय

Aum Namah Shivai (ॐ नमः शिवाय) is the foremost mantra for lord Shiva and is chanted by millions of devotees every day. In the simplest meaning Aum namah shivai simply means

    I bow to Shiva or
    Salutation to Shiva

But then, the mantras significance goes far beyond its literal meaning. The subtle meaning, the resonance of its sound makes this mantra a maha mantra.

Significance of Mantra

Mantra is general are sounds, syllable, words or a group of words that are capable of performing transformations. When pronounced correctly radiate  powerful sound energy. Most of these mantras have originated in Vedas and they have powerful and positive effect on the person who recites them and even on the surrounding environment.

Several of the mantras in Vedas are Japa Mantras (meant for meditation) and they consist of seed letters (बीज अक्ष्रर). These bija-mantra are simple in their layouts and seem to have a equally simple meaning; yet their sound radiate vibrant energy and have a subtle meaning. Aum namah shivaya is one of the finest examples.

The manatra has got two variants –

    The  Five lettered mantra (पंचाक्षर मंत्र) consisting of letters Na (न), Ma (म), Shi (शि) , va (वा), ya (य) .
    The Six lettered mantra (षडाक्षर मंत्र) which is obtained by prefixing the seed letter Aum (ॐ) to the five lettered mantra.

Important to understand, is the fact that each of the letters of this mantra has got special meaning and vibration.
Vibration of Aum namah shivaya
 
Aum (ॐ)

Aum (ॐ) is the universal sound; it represents the supreme being – the param brahm – Shiva. Aum is a the most important of all bija-mantra and a complete mantra in itself. Yet is used as the begining of most of the Vedic mantras. Aum (ॐ) itself consist of three syllable  A (अ) , U (उ) , M (म) and represents conscious, unconscious or dream, and subconscious or deep sleep states. Aum has got another explanations too. But then an entire explanation will require a dedicate volume of works.
Five lettered mantra (पंचाक्षर मंत्र)

The remaining 5 letters, represent the 5 primary elements which constitute the entire universe – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Sky (Space).

    Na (न) is the sound of earth (पृथ्वी).
    Ma (म) effects water factor (जल).
    Shi (शि) energises the fire factor (अग्नि)
    Va (वा) energises the air factor ( वायु)
    Ya (य) energises the  space (अंतरिक्ष)

Everything in the universe, including our body is made up of these five basic elements. The sound of each of these 5 letters effects the respective constituents thus causes a positive vibration with purifying effect. Thus the mantra purifies the whole body and the surrounding.
Namah Shivaya represents Transformation

Apart from the positive vibration that the mantra produces, it has got a subtle meaning and significance. Shiva has many aspects – embodied or the personified and a transcendental existence in as formless, attribute less  non-being or the universal being.

    Na (न) represents the concealing aspect of the Lord Shiva. It is an aspect which is not evident and needs maturity of individuals.
    Ma (म) represents the material world and our binding with the material existance. It is in three forms – ego our of ignorance, the cause and reward of karma (work) and illusion (माया).
    Shi (शि) represents Shiva himself.
    Va (वा) represents the revealing aspect of Shiva; one that is achievable by concentration and maturity. It is the spiritual awakening.
    Ya (य) represents the soul. It signifies unification of individual soul to the universal soul. It unifies the chanter with Shiva.

So what is the overall significance? namah shivai is mantra that causes transition from the concealing (not knowing) and materialistic existence to knowing the Shiva, realising him through spiritual awakening and finally attaining him. Thus one who enchants the mantra is sure to achieve Shiva. Note Shiva is the centre and the pivot of the transformation.
Namah Shivai is Shiva

Yet another explanation defines the five lettered word as -

    His feet are the letter Na.
    His navel is the letter Ma.
    His shoulders are the letter Shi.
    His mouth, the letter Va.
    His radiant cranial centre aloft is Ya.

Thus the five letter defines Shiva. Now how does this explanation go with the previous one. Well they are different ways to explain the same idea. We Start with Na (न) his feet and then subsequently rise to achieve the whole of him.

Namah Shivai negates Ego

One of the final and perhaps the most beautiful way to understand Namah shivai is this way -

    Na (न) signifies not or negation. mah (म:) means mine. So Namah (नम:) means not mine. What is not mine? that belongs to Shiva (शिवाय).

Thus this maha-mantra, in its subtle meaning, emphasises negating our ego of possession and moving to the state of being possessed by the supreme being.

    There is only one truth; Wise poeple and sages explain it in different ways.

Would be great if  You can leave a response

8 Shocking things done by Lord Shiva before reaching the Amarnath cave

Among the many shrines of Lord Shiva, the cave of Amaranth is a world-famous destination. The Shivling made of ice in the cave is the symbol of people’s faith and trust. The beginning of the journey till this cave has numerous stops in between that are extremely beautiful and increases ones faith in Shiva even more.

The legendary importance of Amarnath’s cave is related to the secret of immortality told to Lord Shiva’s wife Parvati. When Lord Shiva was insisted by his wife to reveal the secret of immortality, he decided to proceed towards the cave. On his way to the cave he did a few things,which were great according to his devotees. Because of these few things, the entire way to the cave became blissful. 

Actually, in order to reveal the secret of amarkatha, Lord Shiva left his son, vehicle, etc in various isolated places, which is why all these places seem like tirthasthal.

There are two ways for Amarnath journey – Pahalgam and Sonmarg Baltal. According to mythology, Lord Shiva took the Pahalgam route to reach the cave.

Pahalgam - When Lord Shiva took Parvati to the cave to tell her the amar katha, he first left his vahan, Nandi at the same location.  This place was later called as Pahalgam. It is 96 kms from Srinagar and is surrounded by mountain peaks.

Chandanbadi – the next place after Pahalgam is Chandanbadi. It is 16 kms from Pahalgam. According to beliefs, Lord Shiva did a very unique thing here. Also known as Chandramauli, Lord Shiva sacrificed the moon from his headhere. The moon then waited for Lord Shiva to return here. This is how the name of this place became Chandanbadi. 

Pissu Top – Slightly ahead of Chandanbadi is Pissu Top.  The importance of this place is related to the darshan of Amarnath. According to this, for the darshan of Amarnath, a huge fight between the Gods and Demons occurred.That time with the help of Lord Shiva, Gods defeated the Demons. With the dead bodies of demons, a mountain was formed. From then this place is known as Pissu Top. 

Sheshnag – After Pissu Top the next destination is Sheshnag. Lord Shiva had dropped the snake from his neck here. There is a lake of blue water here, which proves that this is the place of Sheshnag. It is 12 kms from Chandanbadi.

Mahagunas Mountain – it is around 4 to 5 kms from Sheshnag. It is at an altitude of 14,000 feet. It is believed that Lord Shiva had left his beloved son Ganesha here. This place has several waterfalls and scenic overlooks. The winters are extremely cold here.

Panchatrani – it is 6 kms from Mahagunas Mountain. It is at an altitude of 12,500 feet. It is believed that Lord Shankar sacrificed the five Panchabhut here i.e. space, air, water, fire and earth. Here is the confluence of five rivers. It is believed that five rivers flowing here come out from the tangles of Lord Shiva’s hair.

Amarnath Cave – this is the final desination of the journey. The cave is situated at an altitude of 13,500 feet. The path of 3 kms to the cave is covered with snow. After crossing the river of ice, the cave is finally seen. The cave is about 100 feet long and 150 feet wide.In this cave the ice-Shivling is formed. In this cave Lord Shiva told the secret of immortality to Parvati.

 

Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh have the world’s largest Shivalinga

A miraculous discovery of Shiva Lingam of Sidheswar Nath Temple took place in the 1-forthnight of July'2004. According to the Hindu Calendar, it is the month of Shravana, a sacred month to worship Lord Shiva. A Nepalese, Mr Prem Subha was cutting tree standing at the right of the Lingam. The tree was expected to fell just over it, fortunately, nothing harmed it and the tree landed a few meters away from the Lingam. He felt surprised over it and looked at the rising stone. Suddenly something struck in his mind and realized that it was not a mere stone. It stood clearly visible which appealed him to believe it as Shiva Lingam. Being fully inspired with his beliefs, he started telling the people all about what he had seen and what had happened.
The mystery of this Lingam in Ziro has obviously mentioned in the SHIVAPURANA in 17th chapter of the ninth section (Nava Khand ke Satrahwa Adhyaya) edition 1893 that the tallest Shiva Lingam will appear at a place which will be called Lingalaya and the later the whole will be known as Arunachal.
Now it makes everyone belief about the reality of its appearance. There one can see not only the Lingam but also the image of Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha with trunk turning leftward. It is also said that the goddess of water, the Ganga lives with Lord Shiva. Therefore, the constant flow of water from the base of the Lingam can be clearly seen.

Location : It is about 4 Km away from Hapoli township. The height of Shiva Lingam is 25ft. and 22 ft width at Kardo. Million of devotees who offer their prayers, worship and faith of Lord Shiva in the remote Himalayan region of Tribal beliefs and tradition

About Ziro:
Ziro is the head-quarter of Lower subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh located in north eastern part of India. It is located at an altitude of 5754 ft. Its unique scent and temperature are subjects of thought for many passing through. The weather is cool in summers and chilling cold in winters sometimes below zero degrees.
It feels  thousand heavens  on earth , to see the sunrise  at around 4.30 in morning with the fresh eyes and appreciating the  unique mountains with green skin. The Valley’s  air which is “distinctly and undeniably soft” touching  the face curing what ails you.All in all an excellent way to spend a whole day, enjoying  time communing with the natural wonder all around.

People of Ziro:
Ziro is a fascinating place where people of many different communities and religions live together in unity, the denizens, the business people and the people serving Arunachal government from other states and other places of Arunachal Pradesh. A supportive and healthy environment among people is a live example of unity in diversity.
Denizens of Ziro:  Apatani Tribal is the denizen of Ziro and belongs to Mongoloids ethnic group.
Languages:
Apatani-the local language spoken by denizens.
Hindi and Assamese:  Almost everyone can communicate in Hindi & Assamese.
English -known to majority of people.