Arudra Festivals - अरुद्र समारोह
|
|
 |
The Hindu Arudra festival is observed in the month of Margasira also called Margali, corresponding to the English months of December- January, when the asterism Arudra (orionis) holds sway. The occasion is one specially favourable to propitiate the dancing aspect of Siva (Nataraj), by worshipping him.
The asterism going by the name Arudra has for its presiding deity Rudra, symbolising an aspect of the destructive force in the universe.
The constellation going by the name Orion, has in its north- east corner, the asterism Arudra under reference. The constellations, planets, etc., are macrocosmic centers through which forces are poured out into this solar system for the evolution of microcosmic intelligence including men and the devas. Every conscious entity in the system has a microcosmic centre. In fact there are indissoluble links of magnetic forces connecting the macrocosmic and the microcosmic centers. For the purification of men's bodies, a certain amount of will power is necessary to emphasise the flow the forces from the macrocosmic centre. In fact there are indissoluble links of magnetic forces connection the macrocosmic and the microsmic centers. For the purification of men's bodies, a certain amount of will power is necessary to emphasise the flow of forces from the macrocosmic centers through the microcosmic ones. Hence the worship of the deities presiding over constellations asterisms is intented mainly to serve this purpose.
Certain planets and constellations can emphasise various kinds of emotions in men and certain asterisms can influence mental and spiritual aspects. The asterism Arudra in the constellation Orion can pour such magnetic forces into men's bodies, that will burn all dross and retain only pure gold taken in its highest sense of unsullied light. Hence worship of Rudra on this occasion is considered to be specialty favourable for purifying lower and coarser emotions, in men.
There is a mystical allegory regarding the dancing aspect of Siva. The key for the understanding of the hidden meaning conveyed by the allegorical myth lies in the world 'dancing'. It stands for the expression 'vibration.' We all know that intense vibration shakes off impurities and makes object highly luminous and brilliant.
The myth says that Siva danced before the sages and others to show his superiority. The sages and others are said to have directed against him various obstructing elements symbolized by serpents, etc. Siva remained unaffected. He wore on his body certain forces symbolised in the myth, and trampled some under his feet. This portion of the allegory means that he shook away from him, the inassimilable forces and refined what could be refined out of the grosser forces.
It is also interesting to note that Siva, on this occasion, is said to have assumed the guise of a beggar, aided by Vishnu in the guise of a ravishingly beautiful woman, to teach the sages and their wives a lesson. Here also the meaning is clear. The word 'beggar' stands figuratively for the pure light divested of all garments of impurities. The enchanting damsel stands for the indescribably beautiful and brilliant form of light of Siva's body, when cleared of dross adhering to it in the form of passions, emotions, anger, lust and so forth. In this connection, the expression 'Naked Christ should be followed by naked disciples only,' may be brought to mind. The incident in the story of the gopis coming to Sri Krishna naked to receive the garments they have to wear thence forth, is also highly allegorical. It means that the gopis should be purfied of all grosser feelings and emotions to wear his garments, namely, the body of light.
The story of the pariah Nanda who is said to have passed through five and merged into the body of Nataraja in the Chidambaram temple as amass of light, emphasizes what is set forth above. The story itself, in brief, is as follows:
In a village named Adhanur, there was a wealthy Brahmin, who had a faithful and honest pariah servant named Nanda for cultivating his land. This servant was seized with an ardent desire to visit the temple of Nataraja at Chidambaram and pay his humble homage to the deity there. As he was a pariah of the lowest caste, the Brahmin ridiculed the idea of his going to Chidambaram to worship Nataraja, considered inaccessible even to the great saints like Sanka, Sanatana and so forth. Finally, to get rid of his importunities, the Brahmin gave him permission to go, after having finished the work of cultivation of his vast lands, thinking that Arudra in the month of Margali, would have passed, long before he even finished a small fraction of the work assigned to him. But a miracle was performed for Nanda by Nataraja, and the work of cultivation of the Brahmin's field was finished in a single night without any defect at all in the operation! The Brahmin was convinced of Nanda's greatness and sent him to Chidambaram after having begged him to forgive him and to bless him with the knowledge of god. At Chidambaram Nanda passed through fire to get purified of his low birth as a pariah and merged in Nataraja as a mass of brilliant light!
There is a curious custom that a kind of preparation called Kali is to be prepared to propitiate Nataraja on this occasion. The myth deriving the origin of the custom is as follows:
Once there lived a great devotee of Nataraja named Sendanar. The king, not recognising his greatness, had him imprisoned. His wife and son were eking out their livelihood by begging. One day the lad came to his mother in tears since he was insulted by his companions who taunted that he had no legitimate father. The woman approached her husband's teacher and master, one famous Pattinathar, at whose prayer, the elephant- headed deity Vinayaka restored Sendanar to his wife in a miraculous manner.
Sendanar was then directed to go to Chidambaram, earn money by selling twigs for fuel, and to feed one devotee of Siva everyday with the money obtained thus.
He did this for a long time, but on account of incessant heavy rain, his fuel used to be wet and so could not command any buyer who would pay cash for it. Undaunted, he exchanged his bundle of twigs for a quantity of flour on the Arudra day, prepared this simple preparation called Kali and offered it to Nataraja. Before partaking of it, he searched and also waited for a devotee of Siva, who would partake of it first. Lord Nataraja himself is said to have partaken of the preparation, in the guise of an aged Brahmin, and disappeared with a quantity of it which was subsequently found strewn in his temple to be picked up and eaten by the people! The custom of preparing Kali on the Arudra day is said to have originated from this incident.
Although this festival is observed in all places considered sacred for the worship of Siva, yet Chidambaram in the South Arcot district is said to be specially important.
The other places held sacred for the worship of Nataraja and for the observance of the Arudra festival are Perur near Coimbatore, Kuttalam near Tenkasi, Tinnevelly, Madurai and Tiruvalangadu near Madras (Chennai).
At Tiruvorriyur near Madras, in the temple of Audipurisvara, there are a number of lithic records, relating to gifts for the observance of the festival. On the south wall of the central shrine, there is a record of king Rajendrachola I (A.D. 1012- 43), for bathing the god Mahadeva of that place with clarified butter on the birthday festival of the king which fell on the Nakshatra Tiruvadirai in the month of Margali. Again, there is another of the 8th year of king Rajarajadeva making a gift of money for offerings to the god Karanai Vitankadeva, on the day of Tiruvadirai in the month of Margali.
On the north wall of the first prakara of the Arunajatesvara temple at Tirruppanandal near Kumbakonam, there is a record of a Vijianagara king gifting land for conduction the festival of Margali Tiruvadirai.
The south wall of the mandapa in front of the Virattaneswara temple at Valvaur near Mayavaram contains a record of the 5th year of the Chola king Rajadhirajadeva (1st July, 1167) gifting money for getting the Tiruvembavai recited before the image of Vadavurali Nayanar on Margali Tiruvadirai festival day.
On the north wall of the central shrine in the Karkotakesvara temple at Kamarasavalli, Trichinopoly district, there is an inscription dated in the reign of Chola king Rajendrachola, 29th year, Risabha, Wednesday, Arudra, corresponding to May 6th, 1041 A.D., for performing the Sakkai Kuttu dance, thrice on each of the festivals Margali Tiruvadirai and Vaigasi Tiruvadirai.
On the west wall of the central shrine in the Mahalingasvaran temple at Tiruvidaimarutur, there is a record relating to the 37th year of king Parantaka I making gift of land for celebrating the Tiruvadirai festival.
On the western wall of the Nagesvarasvarin temple in Sulurpeta, Nellore district, there is a record dated in the 2nd year of the reign of king Vijiayanda- gopaladeva, about his giving land for the performance of a festival during Tiruvadirai.
The asterism going by the name Arudra has for its presiding deity Rudra, symbolising an aspect of the destructive force in the universe.
The constellation going by the name Orion, has in its north- east corner, the asterism Arudra under reference. The constellations, planets, etc., are macrocosmic centers through which forces are poured out into this solar system for the evolution of microcosmic intelligence including men and the devas. Every conscious entity in the system has a microcosmic centre. In fact there are indissoluble links of magnetic forces connecting the macrocosmic and the microcosmic centers. For the purification of men's bodies, a certain amount of will power is necessary to emphasise the flow the forces from the macrocosmic centre. In fact there are indissoluble links of magnetic forces connection the macrocosmic and the microsmic centers. For the purification of men's bodies, a certain amount of will power is necessary to emphasise the flow of forces from the macrocosmic centers through the microcosmic ones. Hence the worship of the deities presiding over constellations asterisms is intented mainly to serve this purpose.
Certain planets and constellations can emphasise various kinds of emotions in men and certain asterisms can influence mental and spiritual aspects. The asterism Arudra in the constellation Orion can pour such magnetic forces into men's bodies, that will burn all dross and retain only pure gold taken in its highest sense of unsullied light. Hence worship of Rudra on this occasion is considered to be specialty favourable for purifying lower and coarser emotions, in men.
There is a mystical allegory regarding the dancing aspect of Siva. The key for the understanding of the hidden meaning conveyed by the allegorical myth lies in the world 'dancing'. It stands for the expression 'vibration.' We all know that intense vibration shakes off impurities and makes object highly luminous and brilliant.
The myth says that Siva danced before the sages and others to show his superiority. The sages and others are said to have directed against him various obstructing elements symbolized by serpents, etc. Siva remained unaffected. He wore on his body certain forces symbolised in the myth, and trampled some under his feet. This portion of the allegory means that he shook away from him, the inassimilable forces and refined what could be refined out of the grosser forces.
It is also interesting to note that Siva, on this occasion, is said to have assumed the guise of a beggar, aided by Vishnu in the guise of a ravishingly beautiful woman, to teach the sages and their wives a lesson. Here also the meaning is clear. The word 'beggar' stands figuratively for the pure light divested of all garments of impurities. The enchanting damsel stands for the indescribably beautiful and brilliant form of light of Siva's body, when cleared of dross adhering to it in the form of passions, emotions, anger, lust and so forth. In this connection, the expression 'Naked Christ should be followed by naked disciples only,' may be brought to mind. The incident in the story of the gopis coming to Sri Krishna naked to receive the garments they have to wear thence forth, is also highly allegorical. It means that the gopis should be purfied of all grosser feelings and emotions to wear his garments, namely, the body of light.
The story of the pariah Nanda who is said to have passed through five and merged into the body of Nataraja in the Chidambaram temple as amass of light, emphasizes what is set forth above. The story itself, in brief, is as follows:
In a village named Adhanur, there was a wealthy Brahmin, who had a faithful and honest pariah servant named Nanda for cultivating his land. This servant was seized with an ardent desire to visit the temple of Nataraja at Chidambaram and pay his humble homage to the deity there. As he was a pariah of the lowest caste, the Brahmin ridiculed the idea of his going to Chidambaram to worship Nataraja, considered inaccessible even to the great saints like Sanka, Sanatana and so forth. Finally, to get rid of his importunities, the Brahmin gave him permission to go, after having finished the work of cultivation of his vast lands, thinking that Arudra in the month of Margali, would have passed, long before he even finished a small fraction of the work assigned to him. But a miracle was performed for Nanda by Nataraja, and the work of cultivation of the Brahmin's field was finished in a single night without any defect at all in the operation! The Brahmin was convinced of Nanda's greatness and sent him to Chidambaram after having begged him to forgive him and to bless him with the knowledge of god. At Chidambaram Nanda passed through fire to get purified of his low birth as a pariah and merged in Nataraja as a mass of brilliant light!
There is a curious custom that a kind of preparation called Kali is to be prepared to propitiate Nataraja on this occasion. The myth deriving the origin of the custom is as follows:
Once there lived a great devotee of Nataraja named Sendanar. The king, not recognising his greatness, had him imprisoned. His wife and son were eking out their livelihood by begging. One day the lad came to his mother in tears since he was insulted by his companions who taunted that he had no legitimate father. The woman approached her husband's teacher and master, one famous Pattinathar, at whose prayer, the elephant- headed deity Vinayaka restored Sendanar to his wife in a miraculous manner.
Sendanar was then directed to go to Chidambaram, earn money by selling twigs for fuel, and to feed one devotee of Siva everyday with the money obtained thus.
He did this for a long time, but on account of incessant heavy rain, his fuel used to be wet and so could not command any buyer who would pay cash for it. Undaunted, he exchanged his bundle of twigs for a quantity of flour on the Arudra day, prepared this simple preparation called Kali and offered it to Nataraja. Before partaking of it, he searched and also waited for a devotee of Siva, who would partake of it first. Lord Nataraja himself is said to have partaken of the preparation, in the guise of an aged Brahmin, and disappeared with a quantity of it which was subsequently found strewn in his temple to be picked up and eaten by the people! The custom of preparing Kali on the Arudra day is said to have originated from this incident.
Although this festival is observed in all places considered sacred for the worship of Siva, yet Chidambaram in the South Arcot district is said to be specially important.
The other places held sacred for the worship of Nataraja and for the observance of the Arudra festival are Perur near Coimbatore, Kuttalam near Tenkasi, Tinnevelly, Madurai and Tiruvalangadu near Madras (Chennai).
At Tiruvorriyur near Madras, in the temple of Audipurisvara, there are a number of lithic records, relating to gifts for the observance of the festival. On the south wall of the central shrine, there is a record of king Rajendrachola I (A.D. 1012- 43), for bathing the god Mahadeva of that place with clarified butter on the birthday festival of the king which fell on the Nakshatra Tiruvadirai in the month of Margali. Again, there is another of the 8th year of king Rajarajadeva making a gift of money for offerings to the god Karanai Vitankadeva, on the day of Tiruvadirai in the month of Margali.
On the north wall of the first prakara of the Arunajatesvara temple at Tirruppanandal near Kumbakonam, there is a record of a Vijianagara king gifting land for conduction the festival of Margali Tiruvadirai.
The south wall of the mandapa in front of the Virattaneswara temple at Valvaur near Mayavaram contains a record of the 5th year of the Chola king Rajadhirajadeva (1st July, 1167) gifting money for getting the Tiruvembavai recited before the image of Vadavurali Nayanar on Margali Tiruvadirai festival day.
On the north wall of the central shrine in the Karkotakesvara temple at Kamarasavalli, Trichinopoly district, there is an inscription dated in the reign of Chola king Rajendrachola, 29th year, Risabha, Wednesday, Arudra, corresponding to May 6th, 1041 A.D., for performing the Sakkai Kuttu dance, thrice on each of the festivals Margali Tiruvadirai and Vaigasi Tiruvadirai.
On the west wall of the central shrine in the Mahalingasvaran temple at Tiruvidaimarutur, there is a record relating to the 37th year of king Parantaka I making gift of land for celebrating the Tiruvadirai festival.
On the western wall of the Nagesvarasvarin temple in Sulurpeta, Nellore district, there is a record dated in the 2nd year of the reign of king Vijiayanda- gopaladeva, about his giving land for the performance of a festival during Tiruvadirai.