Mandala Viratham !

[Guest guest]

Kanni moola Ganapthai Baghavane Saranam!Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa! Virathangal palavidham, ovvonrum oru vitham! Generally we would have heard about a lot of virathams. Mandala viratham is a special type of viratham which lasts for 48 days, the period generally specified as a mandalam.I write this blog when I myself following a 'mandala viratham', having compleed the first 5 days of it, I struck with an idea to write a blog about it. The mandala viratham which I am observing is a pre-requiste to go to Sabarimala, the hilly abode of Sri Dharma Sastha, known famously as Sri Ayyappan.Every viratha has some specific rules to be observed and mine has too. I have to follow 18 basic rules known as "18 niyamams" of Mandala viratha. They are... 1. Be thinking of the god all the time, spend time praying him, going to temples, etc. in the time other than what you spend for work. 2. Dont have a place in your mind for Kama, Krotha, Kobha and Moha (Lust, enemity, anger and affinity to material pleasures). 3. Dont gamble, lie, drink or eat non-veg. 4. Dont hurt others and be true by word and deed. 5. When you see poeple observing viratha similar to you, greet them with "swami saranam" respecting them as sri ayyappan himself.6. Respect the guru and parents as ayyappan and render your whole hearted service to them. 7. The respect you get for observing the viratha should be taken humbly rather than making use of it in wrong ways. 8. Dont cause expenses or trouble to your family and others because you are observing the viratha. 9. Under unavoidable circumstances of participating in birth and death ceremonies, remove the "thulasi maala" and end the viratha. On such circumstances, you cannot observe the viratha again for one year from the day of removing the maala. 10. Let every instance of viratha be

treated as your first time, and thereforth be observed with maximum strictness. 11. Believe that ayyappan resides in you when observing the viratha and hence live with a pure mind and body. 12. When people fall in your feet to get your blessings, think yourselves as a bridge to the lord and thereby convey their namaskaram(prayers/respect) to ayyappan itself. 13. Treat every women in the place of mother and give them motherly respect. 14. If someone wishes to observe mandala viratha, he shouldnot be prevented in doing so as the wish to observe such viratha is nothing but the lord wishing so.15. During the viratha day, you are forbid to apply oil to hair or take oil bath. 16. Dont go to houses other than poeple

observing viratha, neither to ceremonies like marriages, nor eat anywhere outside. 17. Try to have tulasi leaves always with you. 18. Under certain circumstances, even if you are unable to follow the viratha rules stirictly, you should not give up the moral attitude which you ought to have viratha time. These 18 rules are being followed for decades and hence form the basic rulesof the viratha. For the day-to-day activities, the following have to observed... * Wake up early in the morning, before the sun rises. * Have bath in chill water, preferably from natural sources and wells if possible. * perform pooja twice a day after taking bath, once int he

morning and again in the evening. * Donot eat non-vegetarian foods aswell eat only simple food items, restrain from eating spicy foods. * always keep thinking of the lord and keep chanting his names ot saranams. * Donot watch commercial movies or listenign to cinema songs, rather listen to devotional songs. * Eat only twice a day maximum, one time meal and one time simple tiffin. You are permitted to take fruits and milk if necessary. * Live a sainlty life, keeping yourselves away from human sentiments and pleasures. * Sleep in plain floor without a mat beneath or a pillow. Think that ground is your bed and thought about the lord as the pillow. * Do as much service you can offer to other people, be

usefull being to the society. * Dont drink, chew paan, smoke or gamble. * Dont lie or follow illegal/immoral/inethical practises. * Resplect all beings not only humans. * Never hurt others or trouble, also dont use indecent language. To start the viratha, you wear a tulasi beads maala, which can be put over you either by your mother or guru or in some temple by the preist. The viratha count begins from the instant you wear the maala and should extend for 48 days. At the end of 48 days, you can start your pilgrimage to Sabari mala.Practically speaking the rules for the viratha are actually a training to make your journey through the dense forest covered hills of sabari. The whole path is known as Periya Pathai, is 48 miles long and extends from Erimelu to Sabari

Sannidhanam. It covers two rivers ( Pamba and Azutha) and numerous hills, though it is said to be as a 5 hill journey ( Azutha malai, Kari malai, Neeli Malai, Gandha malai and Sabari malai). Actually the sabari forests consist of 18 hills denoting the 18 sithars/18 devathas protectign you. The same 18 applies to the 18 steps which is the last thing you have to climb in order to reach Sri Sannidhanam. The 18 number has a numerous significance... * 18 sithars* 18 hills of sabari* 18 niyamam of mandala viratha* 18 devathas protecting every human* 18 hands of sri vishnu* 18 chapters/adhyayams of Bagavadh Gita* 18 puranas of Hinduism

with Warm Regards

ManoRaj

 

 

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