51 sakthi peetam

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Sakthi valipadu is a way in which one attains jnanam through being in

the world, not running away from the world. Another thing is that it

is a practical way which caters to the needs of the people. However

so, it also contains deep spiritual truths sadly overlooked by many.

 

Sakthi peetam means seat of Sakthi. The Sakthi in the human body is

the manam. This is the sakthi. It is by which one knows this and

that. The witness of this manam is Shivan. This is the atma. Both

these cannot be separated, with death it flies, the manam follows the

atma. As such both are depicted as husband and wife, the inseparable

symbolization.

 

The story of Sakthi peetam comes from the story of Sati. Sati dies

due to the insult of the father Daksha. Due to this Shiva revolts and

kills Daksha who will then be resurrected with a goat's head. Shiva

carries Sati's body lamenting throughout India by which Vishnu cuts

off the body little by little. The parts of body falling off is said

to become the Sakthi Peetam. Finally Shivan realizing his folly

retires to the Himalayas and attains samadhi. He will reunite with

Sati as Parvathy in the future and also become inseparable from Her -

thus the form Ardhanariswar. The place Sati's body fell off becomes

revered.

 

The story of the Sakthi Peetam is a story of Self Realization. It is

the story of attaining Mukthi and Atma Jnanam. Sati is the mind of

the aspirant. The mind has four modes which is manas (awareness),

chittam (likes and dislikes), buddhi (intelligence) and anavam (ego).

It is by the death of selfish ego and becoming 'thillaiambalam'

(naked of selfish ego) can one know the Iraivan which cannot be

clothed and clothes all (thiruchitrambalam). The burning of Sati

symbolizes the burning of the anava. Thereafter Shivan attains

Mukthi. Thus Daksha gets destroyed. Daksha is 'Dak' or 'Terk'. As

such it denotes southwards. This symbolization of southwards is said

as mind going outwards and dissipitated through desires. The mind

must enter the moolam (base of spine) and reach the Sindhu (top of

head) to get mukthi. As such Kali (kalatin atipathi - mistress of

Kala, kalatai vendravel - transcending kala) is said as Dakshina

Kali. Here Dakshi is 'Terkil nulainthu sinthuvai pidipathu'- reaching

Sindhu by entering the moolam (south - base of spine), thus shortened

as 'terk'+'sin' or 'daksin'. Here 'sin' is sindhu. For this reason

also She is known as Uttara (north - upwards,Sindhu) Kali.

 

Upon attaining Mukthi, the Karma performed by the atma gets

extinguished. This is because it is not attached to the selfish anava

anymore. However so it must experience the Karmam it has done before.

This is the Karma due.

 

Thereafter there is Karma due only to be experienced. Shivan is

the 'arigaravan' (aran=haran) the one which knows. Vishnu is the mind

also. It is the (ari=hari) 'arigaravai' - through which one knows.

Both joined become Hari Haran. This is the Ayappan and Murugan (Aro

Garan) who live in the hills. These hills are the head of the human

being, it is the topmost part just like the hill being the topmost

part of the earth. So the balance Karmam only is suffered

disattachedly by the realized Soul. Suffering thus this Karmam also

gets reduced and thereby one attains Mahasamadhi. Without entering

mukthi one will again get rebirth by which one forgets all of one's

possessions and loved ones. But regardless of this memory, it is the

same person who feels the pain and pleasure. By Mahasamadhi the atma

and manam will never be separated again. It is the Ardhanariswar. It

is the Mayai which makes this appear so. Vidyai is the knowledge

gained by entering this OM which spans in our body from the base of

spine to the head. It is also known as the kundalini.

 

The mind comes out through the five senses. It is through the sense

of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell that the jivatma knows the

world. It is also symbolized by the five headed serpent Vishnu

sleeps. Vishnu and Sakthi is the one and same only. The mind which

only knows through the five senses is the jivatma. It cannot know

anything without the senses. If these get dulled, in sleep etc.

nothing can be known. As such the grace of Iraivan is to make one who

is in the state of Jivatma to merge into the One Being which is

Iraivan only. This is the 51. The hindu matham is replete with these

kinds of numerical symbolizations.

 

Apart from this it also denotes the state of Ayan by which one

becomes the jivamukthan. The state of Ayan is symbolised by

Kartikayan (one who becomes ayan by merging into the inner jothi -

also symbolized as the constellation of Kartikai and Agaya Gangai).

It is also the Narayan (the ayan in the physical body). The mind

pervades the physical body as water, this is the Nara also. The state

of Ayan is attained by merging the ego (earth) into the manam

(water), the water into the Akaya gangai (fire), becoming the jothi

and moving upwards (wind) and finally abiding in the chidakasam in

the centre of the head (space). This is also the brahmarundram. Only

by knowing this five state (aimpulan adaitavan) can one know the One

Iraivan.

 

Though Iraivan is everywhere, the sakthi of intelligence is

manifested most in the human being. Likewise is also the Sakthi of

Arul (grace). The Sakthi Peetam are the places on earth for the ones

in the path and everyone in general to receive this grace. It is a

push for those in dhyanam, it is a solace for those in the ulagam

(world).

 

In everyplace where there were Sakthi worshippers, the peetam has

been established, more accurately discovered. It is the mind which

gets tied to this physical plane and thus bound by the physical body.

When it gets disentangled through dhyanam it can feel this sakthi in

the peetam. The sakthi from the Peetam gives strength to the body

maintained by the double coiled snake. It gives strength (sakthi) to

buddhi, it gives strength to willpower and to overcome pull of anava

which is jealosy, greed, anger, ignorance, blinding passion, pride,

shame, fear and disgust. It gives sakthi to follow the conscience and

do the right/good thing. But in foremost it gives the sakthi to cross

the layam and enter akalam, this akalam is the doorway to

brahmarundram. Layam is the period the atma disentangles from jadam

(physical body) but couldn't enter OM, as such it swoons. It is by

decree of Iraivan that the jivan is aware in jadam or OM only.

 

In Malaysia, the land I live also there are Sakthi Peetams. It is

found everywhere. It is more of a discovery rather than a place where

it is installed. However so, unlike India 51 symbolic peetams are yet

to be established. To establish this peetam, the body of Sakthi has

to be attributed to the places where her Arul Sakthi manifests and

the corresponding philosophy expounded.

 

This manifestation of Arul is without any requests from the devotee.

Truly this is what is known as Peetam. It is not that other temples

or homes do not have it. In truth all places are in Iraivan alone.

But the manifestation differs as explained. This manifestation

pertains to Sakthi (that which moves) alone. The Arul Sakthi is

brought to us by our own endeavor of bhakti and sadhana. It overflows

on its own in Peetam. Hence is the difference.

 

I myself have experienced a few of these peetams in Malaysia.

Needless to say they are as powerful as those in India also, namely

the Tarapith (peetam of Taradevi) and Peetam of TripuraSundari.

 

The sun is the same only from any part of the world. It is for us to

make use of it and remove the darkness of ignorance from ourselves.

 

The end.