The Eighteen Steps to the Path of Liberation

[Guest guest]

The Eighteen Steps to the Path of Liberation:The eighteen steps of the temple Sanctorum represent the necessary Spiritual Sadhana to go Beyond human perception. In an earlier posting to answer a question from Sri. Greg Goode, Sri. Sadananda gave an interesting interpretation to the significance of "Eighteen." This is the symbolic path of the Realization of Truth and potentially, there are infinite explanations. The eighteen chapters of Gita appear to be the most pertinent explanation of the eighteen steps of Sabari Hill Temple. While crossing each of the eighteen steps to the Ayyappa Swami Sannidhanam, the Seeker expresses great determination to relinquish the sensual perceptions one

by one. The necessary Sadhana to prepare the mind, body and intellect to remove the sensory perceptions are beautifully described in the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad Gita. The crossing of the eighteen steps symbolic completion of Sadhanas stated in the eighteen chapters of Gita. Chapter 1 : The Seeker's status of mind - Confusion, Fear and Misery - Seeks help from Guru.(Arjun is the seeker and Lord Krishna is the Guru to get him out of the misery) Chapter 2: Seeker asks the Guru to explain the Truth of Human Life (sThitaPrajnA Yagna - Conversation between Arjun and Sri.

Krishna) Chapter 3: Guru explains the path of Karma Yoga. Chapter 4: Seeker learns the principles behind the Sanyasa Yoga. Chapter 5: Seeker understands the importance of renunciation of selfish desires. Chapter 6: Seeker learns the Sadhana of Meditation to control the mind. Chapter 7: Guru teaches the Seeker the ways and means of living without desires. Chapter 8: Guru illustrates the importance of restraining the nine-gated city of human body. Chapter 9: Seeker learns to diverts the attention away from the ego-centered consciousness to the Divine Plane. (Yoga Sadhana of Sovereign Mystery or Devotion). Chapter 10: Guru teaches the Buddhi Yoga Sadhana to control the Mind and the senses. Chapter 11: Seeker

understands the essence of Bhakti Yoga Sadhana and direct complete attention to God while carrying out the duties. Chapter 12: Seeker learns to Devote and Contemplate and gets the qualities of a True Devotee. Chapter 13: Guru describes the qualities of a True Jnanai with Total Wisdom.Chapter 14: Seeker learns the Sadhana of Perfection and the qualities of a Perfect Yogi. Chapter 15: Guru teaches the Yoga of Supreme Person to the Seeker. Chapter 16: Seeker learns to acquire the True Human Nature with the presence of Divinity. Chapter 17: Guru teaches the fundamentals of the Yoga of the Threefold Division of Faith. Chapter 18: Seeker regains the memory and renounces the egocentric desires. It is possible to explain the connection between the eighteen

chapters of Gita and the eighteen steps of the Ayyappa temple. The devotees of Sri Ayyappa believe that the Gita verse 66 in Chapter 18 is a direct reference to Dharma Shasta. Dharma Shasta establishes the Dharma and the entire Gita describes the importance of human Dharma and the only way to abaondon the Dharma is surrendering to the Lord. Sarvadharman Parityajya Mamekam Saranam Vraja;Aham Twaam Sarve Papebhyo Mokshayishayami Ma Sucha(Abandon Worldly Dharmas and Surrender to Me; I Shall Rescue You From Sins and Sorrows).This verse is commonly present in all Ayyappa temples and the devotees treat this verse as a direct commandment from Dharma Shasta. First line of the verse asks the devotee to abandon worldly Dharmas. Dharmas refer to rules, standards and laws imposed by society to guide material life. The root

cause of material life is desires. Sorrows, Sins and Attachments are illusions of lower ignorant consciousness of mind. Dharmas in essence are the barriers of our liberation from Sorrows and Sins. In the second line, the Lord orders the devotee: "Surrender unto Me, I Will Rescue You From Sins and Sorrows and Help you to reach the Highest Spiritual Consciousness. Divine life is Real, Eternal and free from illusions of Sins and Sorrows! Liberation is impossible without Total Surrender to His feet. He only can release us from the worldly ties. The Lord promises to shower His Grace to liberate and ultimately to realize Brahman. Dharma Shastha has established this Eternal Dharma of realizing the Highest Spiritual Consciousness.Symbolic Unification of Atman and Brahman The devotee is reminded eighteen times that worldly possessions hinder the progress of liberation and finally reaches the sanctum Sanctorum of Ayyappa Swami. The forty-one days of Vrath is to force the mind to withdraw from attachments to worldly possessions and to direct it toward the Absolute Truth. The walk by foot through the jungle symbolizes that the path to spirituality requires greater efforts. The coconut represents the human body, the outer shell of the coconut symbolizes ego, and the ghee is the Atman (human soul). Coconuts have three eyes: two eyes represent the intellect and the third eye is the spiritual eye. The Meditating Yogic posture of Sri Ayyappa represents the Brahman. The rear compartment of the Irumudi symbolizes 'Praarabdha Karma' (accumulated worldly possessions). The devotee exhausts all the worldly possessions during the journey. The devotee opens the spiritual eye of the coconut, breaks the coconut and pours the ghee (Atman) onto the idol (Brahman). At this time, the devotee has detached the ego and worldly possessions. He or she has developed an attitude of total surrender to the Lord (infinite love for the Lord). The devotee begs Him to grant the total Unity with the Lord. This liberation of Atman from Ego and Wordily Possessions is the Message of Vedanta in Symbolic Language. This Symbolism is flawless and complete. What a beautiful demonstration of the Artistic Perfection of Symbolism in the great land of Sankara!

Photos Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays, whatever.