Wednesday, July 18, 2012

3. ஸ்வயம்பாலயா (சேலம்)

அன்பர் பிரகாஷ் (சேலம்) அவர்களின் 
இறை இன்ப அனுபவங்களின் நிறைவுப் 
பகுதியாக இந்த இடுகை வெளியாகிறது.
படித்துப் பாராட்டிய அன்பர்களுக்கு நன்றி.

3. ஸ்வயம்பாலயா (சேலம்)

  The Swaamiji gives Divine Words (Arul Vaaku) from 3.00 p.m to 6.00 p.m. from Friday to Monday giving solace to the devotees who seek divine intervention to their perils.  With the blessings of Lord Baala Murugan, the Swamiji gives them divine grace, mental strength and moral support to make the devotees comfortable to endure difficulties and solve their problems.  The number of couples blessed with child after consuming the Abhisheka milk on krithigai days is innumerable.  The children who were unable to speak are given the honey fortified with Swamiji’s prayers and those cured of the problem are also many.  On Krithigai days, many perform Anga Pradhakshana, participate in the day long Abhishekams, Archanas and Ratha Procession.  Swamiji’s Love and Compassion comes to the fore then when he not only instructs each and everyone to take food  but also enquires whether they have taken food and chides the volunteers if some had not taken food – breakfast, lunch and all – when he does not even takes anything upto 3 p.m.
Swamiji’s concern for the devotees is well manifested in the advices he gives to them to be very careful while travelling especially when they embark their journey to go back to their home in late night  in two wheelers.    Though the Swamiji does not does any gimmicks or orchestrates magic, we had the opportunity to witness the Swamiji’s command even over even the inanimate things like making the flowers to fall in a specific place on the deity, able to give kumkum to waiting devotees with empty hands, making the water tap stop and music player mute as if his hand is a remote control.
 The way the Swamiji decorates the God also have to be enjoyed – he puts an flower/ornament on the idol, comes back a feet, sees whether it is perfect and adjusts to perfection even if it is slightly out of place.  This reminds us of the way Paramahamsa Shri Ramakrishna Devar’s intense araadhanaa of Kali maatha.  His devotion and commitment in decoration of the Utsava Murthy is akin to a loving mother’s decoration of her child while taking it to a outing!  The happiness on Swamiji’s face on seeing the Murthi’s is just amazing and it descends to the devotees as well. 

ஓம் சரவணபவ.

 This is neither a Propaganda material nor invitation to any person to make them come to visit the “Swayambaalaya” but is a sharing of my experience to all like minded peoples devoted to Lord Muruga in the lines of “Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavanthu” and யான் பெற்ற இன்பம் பெறுக இவ்வையகம்”.
ஒரு அறிவிப்பு: திரு.பிரகாஷ் அவர்கள் எழுதிய இந்த கட்டுரையின் தமிழாக்கத்தை அவரே எழுதி அவரது இறைஇன்பம் (சொடுக்குக) வலைப்பூவில் வெளியிட்டிருக்கிறார். ஸ்ரீ ராஜபாலமுருகனின் திருப்படத்தை அவரது தளத்திலேயே கண்டு மகிழ்வுறலாம். நன்றி.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

2. ஸ்வயம்பாலயா (சேலம்)

வெற்றிவேல் முருகனுக்கு ஹரோஹரா. 

சேலம் இறையன்பர் திரு பிரகாஷ் அவர்கள் மனமுவந்து நம்மிடையே பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் ஸ்வயம்பாலயா இறைஅனுபவங்களின் இரண்டாவது பகுதியை இங்கே வெளியிடுவதில் பெருமை கொள்கிறேன். வர இருக்கும் இடுகையில் ஸ்ரீராஜ பாலமுருகனின் திருவுருவப் படத்துடன் கட்டுரை நிறைவு பெறும்.

ஆரம்பத்தில் இருந்து படிக்க சொடுக்குக: முதல் பகுதி


பகுதி இரண்டு

ஸ்வயம்பாலயா
(ஸ்ரீ ராஜ பாலமுருகன் திருக்கோவில், சேலம்)
ஓம் சரவண பவ குகனே
ஞான பண்டிதா நமோ நம.
About 50 years back, in the days when the means of transport are not as fast as now, a Brahmin mother was going to Palani from Salem on every Krithigai day.  On one such occasion, there was a huge crowd and she was not able to have the Darshan of the Lord Dhandayudhapaani.  Crest Fallen she sat in some corner lamenting as to how she was going to have the Darshan.  A small cute boy came to her, comforted and took her near the Sanctum Sanctorum.  He gave her the Abhisheka Kovanam(Loin Cloth) of the God with Vibhuthi to her.  He just vanished without saying anything when the Maa asked him who he was.  She enquired the Temple Priests about the child she saw and they all said there was no such child of the type she described in that area.  She clearly understood that it was Lord Murugaa himself who has showered his grace on her.  She returned to Salem and kept the Prasaadam she received in Palani in her Puja Room.  
At that time the most revered Peetadhipathi of Kanchi Sankara Mutt, Paramacharya His Holiness Shri Chandrasekara Saraswathi Mahaswamigal was camping at Salem.  When the Ammaiyaar recounted her experiences to the Paramacharya, he patiently heard and asked her to wait.  He went inside, was on a Nishtai,  came back and said “Murugan Prathyakshamaai unakku anugrahan panni irukkaan – Avanaal Unakku ellam nadakkum Po” – (“Lord Muruga has himself given his blessings – You will be bestowed with all with his benevolence”).  
She was performing pooja to the prasadam of the tiny bundle of loin cloth of Palani Andavar containing Vibhuthi.  With the grace of the Lord, the bundle started to grow.  She went on performing the Pooja, shifting the bundle from one vessel to bigger and again to another bigger vessel as the bundle went on to become bigger and bigger.  When the bundle has to be shifted to a sixth vessel, she received divine order to install it in the Vengai Aavudai.  She built the temple in the Vellai Malai, a small white mound and performed the Kumbhabishekam of the temple in 1976.  
She adopted her grand-son(the present Swamiji) as her heir, ordered that he should remain unmarried throughout his life and serve God and the Society.  She attained Jeeva Samaadhi in 1980.  The benevolence of the Lord Bala Murugan in giving boons sought to all the devotees are innumerable.  The Periya Swamiji, the Ammaiyaar’s son has made many developments to the temple creating a good infrastructure as well as laying out the detailed Do’s and Don’ts in the performance of day to day Poojas in the temple.  He attained Jeevan Mukthi after 22 years on the same date the Ammaiyar attained Jeeva Samaadhi.  Their Adhishtaanams are also in the eastern end of the temple complex and we can also get their blessings.
The austerities and penance, the soothing music is awe-inspiring and brings about the aura and positive vibe throughout the place. Though Softspoken and kind, the Swamiji never compromises on the high standards he has set, be it curbing use of cellphones inside temple complex, abhorring publicities and maintenance of high discipline.  
A devotee recounted the fate of a costly camera bursting when he specifically instructed the Moolavar Idol should not be photographed.  There is also one Lord Ayyappa Swayambumurthi in the Sanctum Sanctorum, a temple/sannadhi for it is in the offing.
படித்து வரும் அனைவருக்கும் நன்றி.
நன்றி: திரு.கே.பிரகாஷ், சேலம்.