Karthigai Deepam ; Annamalai Deepam Nov 24- Saturday

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Karthigai Deepam- Annamalai Deepam at Thiruvannamalai- Nov 24 2007 - Saturday - Full moon day

This year Karthigai Deepam is combined with Paurnami- Full Moon day which is very auspicious. Annamalai deepam and Karthigai Deepam and Full Moon day is celebrated at Samratchana, Ramrajya with yagams in the noon and lighting of the deepam in the evening and also Sathyanarayana Pooja and Prasadam various cultural programmes. Karthikai which takes its name from the Karthikai star falling on its full moon day, is favored for worship of both Shiva and Muruga. Vedas and puranas hail the Almighty as embodying the five elements, apah, vayu, tejas, prithvi, akasa (water, wind, light, earth and ether). The Tamil month 'Karthigai' derives its name from the star 'Krithiga'. Lord Shiva, with His divine light, created Lord Muruga, with the 'assistance' of the Krithiga goddesses. This fact makes it clear that the 'Karthigai' month is very special for Lord Muruga. On the full moon day of the

month of Kartigai November-December) -which falls on the ascension of the Kritigai star, the Hindus celebrate the Kartigai Deepam. It is on this day that the huge beacon is lit on the holy hill Arunachala in South India. Karthikai is the month set apart for worship of Shiva in his embodiment of light. Because of the confluence of Karthikai star and full moon day in this month, it is favored for worship of Muruga who, born in a spark from Shiva’s jnanagni, was brought up by Kruthika maidens. In Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu worship of the Almighty as light, called Annamalai Deepam, has gone on since ancient times. The soma vara vratam is ideal for Shiva. On soma vara – Mondays – in Karthikai month, the devout in Tamil Nadu and Andhra worship Shiva with shankabhishekam, with 108 or 1,008 conch shells. Annamalai Puranam has this explanation for Karthikai Deepam festival.

The tale of the gods: Brahma and Vishnu once engaged in an argument about who of the two was greater, and agreed that it would be the one who saw the head or feet of the Almighty. Brahma then took on the form of a swan and went in search of the head of God. Maha Vishnu took on the form of a boar, and, digging away at the earth, went in search of God’s feet. Vishnu could not reach it and conceded his defeat. Brahma, however, claimed falsely that he had seen God’s head. In consequence, the Almighty manifested himself as a flame and said, “Wherever a temple for me exists, there shall also be a temple for Vishnu, but not for Brahma.” It is this manifestation of the Almighty as a flame that we worship on Thirukkarthikai.

The 'Devas', the heavenly immortals, put in their best possible efforts to have a complete darshan of Lord Shiva. While in this process Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar conducted an extensive search in the sky and in the nether world respectively. Accordingly Lord Shiva gave a darshan to them in the form of flaming light whose ends cannot be defined. That is called as the 'Annamalai Deepam'. Other than this the Mondays of the 'Karthigai' month is celebrated as 'Karthigai Somavaaram' in all the Shiva temples.

Once Lord Shiva assumed the form of a hill at Tiruvannamali in South India. Here He quelled the pride of Brahma and Vishnu who were quarrelling as to their relative greatness. One day, when Lord Shiva was in meditation, Parvati left Him and went to the hill of Arunachala. There She performed penance. She was the guest of the sage Gautama. It was during Her penance hem that Mahishasura was Killed by Durga hidden by Parvati. Parvati saw Shiva as Arunachal lesvara. She was taken back by the Lord to His side, and made His Ardhangini once more, that is, She occupied half of the body of the Lord. Arunachalesvara is Tejo· Lingam. Arunachala or the Tiruvannamalai Hill is the place that represents the fire element. (The five elements are represented by five holy places in India) When the light on the top of the Tiruvannamalai Hill is unveiled on the Kartigai Deepam day, people see

the big light and worship it. They recite again and again in a loud voice "Harohara". The esoteric meaning is that he who sees the light of lights that is burning eternally in the chambers of his heart through constant meditation attains immortality. The light on the Arunachala brings the message to you that the Self or Lord Shiva is self-effilgent, He is the light of lights. On the Kartigai Deepam day is South-India, people make bonfires in front of temples in the evening. It is said that Lord Shiva burnt the chariots of several demons who were torturing sags and celestials. This bonfire symbolises. this legend. People place rows of earthen lamps in front of their houses on the evening of Kartigai Deepam and worship the Lord. They also light a variety of fireworks. Annihilate the three impurities, namely, egoism, selfish action and delusion. Burin the mind, senses and the desires in the fire of

knowledge of the Self or Shiva Jnanam. Attain full illumination and behold the light of lights, which illumines the mind, intellect, sun, moon, stars, lightning and the fire. This is real Kartigai Deepam. There is another tale of a rat:

A small rat, in a Shiva temple, accidentally drew out the wick of the lamp, thereby, making the lamp glow and fill the temple with brightness. It is believed that this rat was, later on, born as a king as a reward for drawing out the lamp unknowingly. As a mark of this event on the full moon day or on the day of the 'Bharani' star of the Tamil month Karthigai called as the 'Mahabharani' on which day bonfires (called as 'sokkapaanai' in Tamil') are conducted in the temples. This is to mark that we have to set fire to our old thoughts, sins and sorrows. It is in the month of 'Karthigai' the devotees of Lord Ayyappa take on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala, the abode of Lord Ayyappa. Similarly 'Karthigai' month is very special for Lord Vishnu too. If the new moon day falls on a Monday during the Karthigai month then going round the peepul tree is tantamount to going round the Trimurthis - namely Brahma, Vishnu

and Shiva. That is why the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita states, "of all the trees I am the peepul tree." Similarly 'annabishekam' is being performed on the full moon day of the Karthigai month for Lord Shiva. Of the five holy shrines of Lord Shiva, the 'Pancha bootha kshetram', Thiruvannamalai is the 'Jyothi Kshetram' where the Lord is personified as the divine light combined with brightness and wisdom. ('Pancha Bootham' refers to the five elements of nature namely earth, water, fire, sky and air. Lord Shiva is worshipped in these forms in five shrines known as the Pancha Bootha Kshetram.) We are all aware that during the Karthigai month a huge light is lit on the hilltop and we all believe that the Lord is in the form of that light. Apart from this lamps are being lit in all the houses and it is a feast to see the houses glow with the lamps. So the Tamil month Karthigai is always associated with poojas, illumination, offerings..

It has always been a special month for the Hindus. Karthigai means illumination and brightness.

 

Yogi Ramsurat Kumar Swamiga ( at Thiruvannamalai) had meditated many times in the midnights in the graveyards to get the grace of Shiva. Baba had visited Yogi many times at Thiruvannamalai during his quest for GOD and stayed there at his place and sought his advice. Once when Baba was on fast for 48 days during his spiritual quest and after the Karthigai deepam - Thiruvannamalai Deepam, Yogi didn't have anything to give Baba to break his 48 day fast. Just then, an old lady brought rasam rice and mixture for the Yogi and in his Thiruvodu ( coconut shell using as his vessel) with rasam rice asked Baba to have it to break his fast. Then later, he washed his hands in the thiruvodu and asked Baba to drink it. By this, he transferred his divine energy to Baba throught this act.

 

The legend has also the import that God can be realized only through love, not with conceit; also, it is only through goodness or satvika the Lord’s grace is realized, not with an upward gaze, which is rajasa, nor with a downward look, which is tamasa.

 

May the light of lights illumine you all! May Lord Shiva bless you with more light! May you merge in this supreme light and attain the eternal adobe of bliss and immortality!

 

Love and Blessings from Baba Please view this link for more information about Thiruvannamalai Deepam at Thiruvannamalai.http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/placesofworship/tiruvannamalai.asp

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