Sunday, June 6, 2010

SivaPrabahara SiddhaYogi - Omalur Photos

Omalur Photos
1:PULIPPARA DEVI AND SIVA TEMPLE IN TOP OF ROCK

.To View from Pullimara Hills Part of Samadhi Sthal.

Lord Ayyappa Foot Marks on Pulippara Rock

Siddha Yogi Samadhi

Swamiji's Pooja Things

The photos of the things which are used by Swamiji in Omalur.
The below table has all the Pooja things used by Samy. It is in Kerala-Omalur.

Photos of the Pooja things

These Pooja things are used by SivaPrabahara SiddhaYogi Paramahamsar in Omalur.

Origin-of-the-Himalayan-Snowman

This article was originally published in "Gnanamani"- a Tamil monthly spiritual magazine, May 2001. Translated into English by Prof. V.K. Balasubramanian of Tiruppattur. Sri Siddharajan Swamiji of the Pambatti Siddhar Samadhi Peetam at Sankarankoil, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, South India is the blessed disciple and for many decades a close associate of Brahmasri Shiva Prabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar. Present in this article are certain invaluable details obtained from Sri Siddharajan Swamiji.

When the exponents of medicine like Sarkar and Sushrudar lived, once a tornado swept Kerala causing wide-spread havoc in its wake. Many huts and mud houses got razed down. It was then the pure prana-bodied Shiva Prabhakara Siddhayogi was walking along Mavelikkara. A macabre sobbing drew his attention. His heart melted on seeing a fifteen-year old boy by name Kochu Raman who had lost his parents. He asked the lad if he would accompany Him. The boy nodded his head affirmatively. Then both of them set out on their trip to the Himalayas.

On their way they reached Kashi. At that time a medical research conference was going on at Vyasar Peetam. Erudite physicians of kings like Sushrudar, Karaveeryar, Gopurarakshitar, Aupatheravar, Aurapar and Paushkalavadar were there present then. An interesting argument came up for deliberation. The contention of their argument was: "Can it be possible for a person to make an ordinary individual (a non-yogi) live for a pretty long period without death?". Saraka, a disciple of Sri Danvantari, the propounder of the Ayurvedic system of medicine, said: "One's life-span can be prolonged with the help of certain medicinal herbs", while another student Sushrudar contended: "It is feasible to increase the duration of life in the blissful state of inactivity by stopping the thought vibrations through a brain surgery".

Prabhakara Siddhayogi stood up and addressed the scholarly physicians: "Salutations to thee, pundits. Please listen to my suggestion". The radiation emanating from His face made them listen to Him with rapt attention. The Swamigal began to speak: "A person may be made to live for quite a long time by giving him a biscuit-like mushroom found in the Himalayan region to eat."

A pundit stood up and asked : "What is the medicinal property of the mushroom ?" The swamigal replied, "People in China and Japan have increased their longevity by the use of a mushroom. This medicine belongs to a rarely available species. It is called 'Lingshi' in Chinese and 'Reishi' in Japanese.

Mushrooms have a unique type of nutrient that strengthens our body. Generally there are three varieties of mushrooms found in most countries. They are: 1. Shell mushroom 2. Bud mushroom and 3. Straw mushroom. The one available in the Himalayan areas is of a different type.

That which expels the poison of fat only has the special nutrient to fortify our body. Mushrooms possess this exclusive property. They are to be purified before eating. In general the shell type of mushroom is superior. If this rare sort of mushroom available in the Himalayan region is identified with the help of a Guru and used, it is bound to strengthen our body.

Not only that: with chanting of the Phala-Athi Phala mantra, imparted by Sage Viswamitra to Lords Rama and Lakshmana, given here for the benefit of readers, the Lord of death can be vanquished:

om hreem phale mahaadevi
hreem mahaphale gleem chaturvida
purushaartha siddhiprade tat savithur
varadaat ke hreem varenyam
bhargo devasya varadaat ke
athi phale sarvadayaa moorthe
phale sarvaksheet prabhoma naasini
dheemahi diyo yo naa jaate
prachaarya: yaa prachotayaat aat ke
pranava siraskaat ke hoompat svaahaa

Some of the scholars present there refused to accept Prabhakara Siddhayogi's speech. They asked, "How are we to accept it without proof?" Readily the Swamigal came forward, "What I state is absolutely true. Keenly look at this orphan lad Kochu Raman standing beside me. You may even conduct all preliminary medical tests too. By the administration of a medicinal herb I am going to transform him to possess a deathless body." People were wonder-struck by the solemn assertion of the Swamigal's statement.

Then the Swamigal took Kochu Raman to the ranges of the Himalayas. Initiating Kochu Raman into the Phala-Athi Phala mantra with a clear heart, he led the lad through the unpolluted Himalaya terrains, showed him the precious herb, instructed him on how it should be collected during the pre-winter season and eaten after removing its poisonous portion.

Prabhakara Siddhayogi lodged Kochu Raman in a cave and properly trained him for one and a half months. A year rolled by. The Swamigal took Sushrudar and Sarakar to the cave where Kochu Raman stayed and called out his name at the top pitch of his voice. A thunderous noise resembling the roar of a lion responded the call. Sushrudar and Sarakar were infact startled. A strange eight-foot tall, hairy animal with the semblance of a man, emerged from the cave and bowed low before the Swamigal.

The two scholars raised their eye-brows in utter astonishment with the question on their lips, 'Is he that Kochu Raman?' His feet alone measured three feet and hands hanged down upto his knees. It was the northern most end of the mountain forests and the origin of snow formation. The two renowned Pundits sojourned there for ten days and tested Kochu Raman's minerals, sub-minerals, stool, tresses and the like and to their great bewilderment found out that the snowman was totally free from any symptoms of the three basic types of maladies - namely, mucus ('kapam'), rheumatism ('vaadam') and bile('pittam').

Gladly they embraced Prabhakara Siddhayogi and asked who he - the creator of the first snow man - really was. In reply, Prabhakara Siddhayogi closed His too physical eyes but opened the sacred Third eye - the most exclusive feature of Lord Paramashiva and thus revealed His stupendous identity. They both stood glorifying the Lord.

Thus spoke Prabhakara Siddhayogi, " O, the distinguished disciple of Sri Danvantri, the very avathar of Lord Narayanan, Maha Sudarshana and Vasudeva and who carried the urn of nectar, I am the creator of the first snow man, as you said. My energy is Narayana Chaitanya, the primodial nature. It was he who became Sri Danvantri, your guru. The divine herb Kochu Raman ate is the form of Sri Maha Vishnu. I am the mantra form of Rudra which removed its poison. I myself am the primeval Jakova."

Reverentially both of them saluted Prabhakara Siddhayogi. Then Kochu Raman bowed and beseeched Him, "Swami! I am immensely delighted to know who you are. I have a wish to be fulfilled. Please permit me to make you an appeal." The Swamigal granted him permission. Kochu Raman continued: "It is disgusting for me to live all by myself in the cave. Kindly send me a companion." The Swamigal welcomed his suggestion and replied that he would get him a female partner for the rapid expansion of his race.

The next day the Swamigal brought with him, Bhotia, a four and a half feet tall girl of thirteen from the Himalayan forests, and handed her over to Kochu Raman and said, "Do not frighten her. Bhotia, you need not be afraid of him. Both of you happily live together and beget children. Kochu, give her your food. My blessings to you both".

After the passage of a few months, again the Swamigal brought some other medical experts and showed them Kochu Raman and Bhotia, the first snowman pair. After a year, Bhotia measured seven and a half feet tall and had transformed almost like Kochu Raman. As tresses grew thick like mat all over their bodies, they needed no clothes to cover them up with.

Are there any other persons who known these details? Prabhakara Siddhayogi kept the creation of the snowman race a secret for a long time. After He had taken 16 different corporal coils by the exclusive process of metempsychosis, when he was strolling in Kerala bearing the names of "Satti Swami" and "Bhagavan Swami" recently he disclosed it to me and some others for the first time while we were all sitting on a pial under a banyan tree near the Shiva temple at Thirunakkara. At that time A.G. Menon, an advocate of Kottayankadu, Aippu, Mathew and Sukumaran were with me. A.G. Menon asked the Swamigal a doubt, "Swami! Is the snow man a man or an animal?".

He exclaimed 'Ay! It was Kochu Raman of Mavelikkara!' Other details presented here are gathered from different sources in due course of time. A.G. Menon has brought out a book entitled 'M.N. Stories', printed by Viswamitran Press, in which details of the snow man are given. News of the snow man has been published in 'Mathrubhumi' journal as well.

Original link :

http://www.indiadivine.org/articles/424/1/Origin-of-the-Himalayan-Snowman/Page1.html

By Senthil Dhinakaran | Published 08/10/2008
Category: Articles on Hinduism

Saturday, May 8, 2010

The common questions pertaining to the spiritual practices

Here are answers to some of the common questions pertaining to the spiritual practices followed since ages:

*** Why do we light a lamp?

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day at dawn and dusk- and in a few it is maintained continuously (akhanda deepa). All auspicious functions and moments like daily worship, rituals and festivals and even many social occasions like inaugurations commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion.
Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness ignorance. The Lord is the "Knowledge Principle" (Chaitanya) who is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is worshiped as the Lord Himself.
Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievements can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth. Knowledge backs all our actions whether good or bad. We therefore keep a lamp lit during all auspicious occasion as a witness to our thoughts and actions.

Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our "vaasnas" or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the "vaasnas" get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly, we should acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.
A single lamp can light hundreds more just as a man of knowledge can give it to many more. The brilliance of the light does not diminish despite its repeated use to light many more lamps. So too knowledge does not lessen when shared with or imparted to others. On the contrary it increases in clarity and conviction on giving. It benefits both the receiver and the giver.
Swami Chinmayananda said :
Which else shall beautify a home
But the flame of a lovely lamp?
Which else shall adorn the mind
But the light of wisdom deep?

*** Why do we have a prayer room?

Most Hindu homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp is lit and the Lord worshipped each day. Other spiritual practices like "japa" (repetition of the Lord's name), meditation, "paaraayana" (reading of the scriptures), prayers, devotional singing etc. is also done here. Special worship is done on auspicious occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and the like. Each member of the family - young or old - communes with and worships the Divine here.
The Lord is the owner of the entire creation. He is therefore the true owner of the house we live in too. The prayer room is the master room of the house. This notion rids us of false pride and possessiveness.
The ideal attitude to take is to regard the Lord as the true owner of our homes and ourselves as the caretakers of His home. But if this rather difficult, we could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest. Just as we would house an important guest in the best comfort, so, too we felicitate the Lord's presence in our homes by having a prayer room or altar, which is, at all times, kept clean and well decorated.

Also the Lord is all pervading. To remind us that He resides in our home with us, we have prayer rooms. Without the grace of the Lord, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished. We invoke His grace by communing with Him in the prayer room each day and on special occasions.
Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific function like bedroom for resting and sleeping, the drawing room to receive guests, the kitchen for cooking etc. the furniture, décor and the atmosphere of each room are made conductive to the purpose it serves. So too for the purpose of meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conductive atmosphere - hence the need for a prayer room.
Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting done there pervade the prayer room. Even when we are tired or agitated, by just sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted.

*** Why do we do namaste?

Hindus greet each other with "namaste". The two palms are placed together in front of the chest and the head bows while saying the word "namaste". This greeting is for all - people younger than us, of our own age, those older than us, friends and even strangers.
Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a cultural convention or an act of worship. However there is much more to it than meets the eye. In Sanskrit namah + te = namaste. It means - I bow to you - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you.
Namaha can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.

The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, "may our minds meet" indicated by the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a gracious form of extending friendship in love and humility.
The spiritual meaning is even deeper. The life force, the divinity, the Self or the Lord in me is the same in all. Recognizing this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we salute with head bowed the Divinity in the person we meet. That is why sometimes, we close our eyes as we namaste to a revered person or the Lord as it to look within. The gesture is often accompanied by words like "Ram Ram", "Jai Shri Krishna", "Jai Siya Ram", "Om Shanti" etc. - indicating the recognition of this divinity.
When we know this significance, our greeting does not remain just a superficial gesture or word but paves the way for a deeper communion with another in an atmosphere of love and respect.

*** Why do we prostrate before parents & elders?

Hindus prostrate to their parents, elders, teachers and noble souls by touching their feet. The elders in turn bless by placing his/her hand on or over our heads. Prostration is done daily, when we meet elders and particularly on important occasions like the beginning of a new task, birthdays, festivals etc. In certain traditional circles, prostration is accompanied by "abhivaadana" which serves to introduce oneself, announce one's family and social stature.

Man stands on his feet. Touching the feet in prostration is a sign of respect for the age, maturity, nobility and divinity that our elders personify. It symbolizes our recognition of their selfless love for us and the sacrifices that they have made for our welfare. It is a way of humbly acknowledging the greatness of another. This tradition reflects the strong family ties which has been of India's enduring strengths.
The good wishes (sankalpa) and the blessings (aashirvaada) of elders are highly valued in India. We prostrate to seek them. Good thoughts create positive vibrations. Good wishes springing from a heart full of love, divinity and nobility have a tremendous strength. When we prostrate with humility and respect, we invoke good wishes and blessings of elders which flow in the form of positive energy to envelop us. This is why the posture assumed whether it is in the standing or prone position, enables the entire body to receive the energy. The different forms of showing respect are :
Pratuthana - rising to welcome a person.
Namaskaara - paying homage in the form of namaste.
Upasangrahan - touching the feet of elders or teachers.
Shaashtaanga - prostrating fully with the full body touching the ground in front of the elder.
Pratyabivaadana - returning a greeting.
Rules are prescribed in our scripture as to who should prostrate to whom. Wealth, family name, age, moral strength and spiritual knowledge in ascending order of importance qualified men to receive respect. This is why a king though a ruler of the land would prostrate before a spiritual master. Epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata have many stories highlighting this aspect.

*** Why do we wear marks on the forehead?

Most religious Indians, especially married women wear a tilak or pottu on the forehead. It is applied daily after the bath and on special occasions, before or after ritualistic worship or visit to the temple. In many communities, it is enjoined upon married women to sport a kum kum on their foreheads at all times. The orthodox put it on with due rituals. The tilak is applied on saints and images of the Lord as a form of worship and in many parts of North India as a respectful form of welcome, to honour guests or when bidding farewell to a son or husband about to embark on an journey. The tilak varies in colour and form.
This custom was not prevalent in the Vedic period. it gained popularity in the Pauranic period. Some belive that it originated in South India.

The tilak or pottu invokes a feeling of sanctity in the wearer and others. It is recognised as a religious mark. It form and colour vary according to one's caste, religious sect or the form of the Lord worshiped.
In earlier times, the four castes (based on verna or color) - Braahmana,Kshatriya,Vaishya and Sudra - applied marks differently. The brahmin applied a white chandan (sandalwood paste) mark signifying purity as his profession was of a priestly or academic nature. The Kshatriya applied a red kum kum mark signifying valour as he belonged to the warrior races. The Vaishya wore yellow kesar or termeric mark signifying prosperity as he was a business man or trader devoted to creation of wealth. The sudra applied a black bhasma, kasturi or charcoal mark signifying service as he support the work of the other three divisions. Also