English Tamil

 

 

AUSTERITIES (VRATHA RULES)

 

 

     
 

The Vratham or Vratha for visiting Sabarimala Ayyappa Sannidhanam or Swamy Ayyappa Temple starts on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrichikam (this year on 17th November 2014) and culminates on Mandala Pooja Day (27th December 2014) or Makara Sankranti day (14th January 2015). On observing this Sabarimala Vratham (austerities), the mind and soul get purified as the devotees undertake certain practices and cleanliness. Here are some of the customs and rules of the austerities. Maladharanam – Wearing of Mudhra Mala The Sabarimala Ayyappa Vratha is marked by the wearing of "Thulasi Mala" (garland) or "Rudraksha Mala”, bearing the locket of Lord Ayyappa. The temple priest or Guru Swami instigates the Mudra Mala to the devotee (Maaladharanam), by chanting mantra or simply “Swamy Saranam”. Guru Swamy is an Ayyappan devotee who has completed 18 successive years of Sabarimala pilgrimage and he guides others for the pilgrimage. The garland is to be obtained after sanctification in a temple or pooja room. Devotees offer "Dakshina" to Guru swami or the priest. Subsequent to this ritual, the devotee wearing the "Mala" is called as "Ayyappan" or "Swamy" and the female (aged between 1 and 9 or above 50 years) devotees are called as "Malikappuram" (who is the Shakti of Lord Ayyappa).

Below are the austerities and rules that are to be followed for taking the Ayyappa Sannidhanam pilgrimage

1) On the day before starting the vratham, the devotee has to shave, trim his nails and hair and make himself clean. The Thulasi Mala or Rudraksha mala should be cleaned and smeared with saffron and milk and placed before the image or idol of Lord Ayyappa. Only a pair of colored (black, blue and saffron) dhoti and towel/shawl is to be used by the devotee.

2) Taking bath twice/thrice daily and performing puja by chanting 108 Ayyappa Saranams(sarana Gosham) form part of the austerity. Apart from Saranam gosham, devotees can chant Ayyappa Gayatri Mantra, Ayyappa Ashtottara Stotram, Loka Veeram Mahapoojyam Ayyappa Namaskara Sloka or any other mantras and prayers of Lord Ayyappa.

3) During the Sabarimala Vratham, the devotee should wake up early in the morning, offer prayers and perform pooja to Lord Ayyappa.

4) Self Beautification is prohibited during the observation. This include:

- 1. Oiling Hair
- 2. Shaving, hair cutting and nail cutting
- 3. Oil Bath

5) The devotee of Ayyappa Swami shall not take part in any of the social activities. He shall spend his time only by prayers, poojas, visiting temples and helping the poor/needy.

6) The devotee should consume only vegetarian food and abstain from non-vegetarian, alcoholic drinks or drugs, chewing betel leaves, smoking and gambling.

7) you should stay away for women during their menstrual cycles.

8) You can humbly surrender to the Lord each time as Kanni Samy and with that reverence, if you worship the Lord, He bestows in you all His divine blessings.

9) Avoid the enemies like Lust, Anger, Greed and Seductive Attraction

10) You should not hurt anybody either verbally or physically, and consider all co-devotees as Lord Ayyappan himself.

11) The Swami should not feel proud for the respect he gets during his observance for the pilgrimage.

12) The devotee should not in any way cause trouble to his family members because of his vratham.

13) He should practice pure Brahmacharya (celibacy) in his deeeds, words and thoughts, during the pilgrimage period. Only vegetarian food and fresh fruits are to be consumed. He should sleep only on the floor, avoiding pillows. Some devotees do not use footwear so as to make their feet adjusted to climb the Sabarimala hills barefooted.

14) You should never take off your mala during the vratha time, it should be removed only by your Guru swami at the end of the vratha or the pilgrimage.

15) A devotee who puts ayyappa mala should go to Sabarimala. If he can’t go to sabarimala he has to do the irumudi kattal (ghee coconut) and offer the ghee for abishekam to Lord Ayyappa. The irumudi marks the completion of the vratha. Without irumudi the vratha is not completed.

16) The Swami shall avoid himself from the proximity of dead body. If he happens to see one, he shall not eat anything until he takes bath.

17) Service to your Guru is service to the Lord Himself. Your Guruswamy is there to clear all your doubts about the vratha. It should be remembered that the blessings of Lord Ayyappa would reflect on those who strictly follow these rules.

 

PILGRIMAGE

 

Traditionally people who come to the Temple of Swami Ayyappan must observe 41 days vratha to be followed according to specified rules (austerities). The Vratha begins in mid-November, the devotees begins the Vratha by wearing a necklace made with tulasi or rudraksha with a pendant of Swami Ayyappan, this necklace must be put to them by a Guruswami (person who done the pilgrimage to Sabarimala at least eighteen times). During Lent vegetarianism is prescribed and a clean body and absolute purity. The devotees call themselves Swami. They must do poojas (religious ceremony) food offerings to Swami Ayyappan. The devotee celebrating a pooja must invite other devotees that he knows and offer them food sanctified by offering to Swami Ayyappan. Devotees usually wear black clothes, blue or saffron. For devotees visiting the Sanctuary Sabarimilai, departure is preceded by a grand pooja. During this pooja every devotee has to fill a coconut (nei-thenga) with ghee (clarified butter). Nei-thengai and another coconut are put in a bag with rose water and several symbolic ingredients. The bag containing these elements is called Irumudi. Every devotee must wear Irumudi on his head when he leaves to Sabarimala. Before heading to Sabarimala, devotees have to go to Erumeli to go get some sacred ash (Thirunuru) in front of the mosque of Vavar and fulfill the spiritual dance called Petta-thulal. Then After bathing in the river Pampa, they begin their journey to the shrine of Sabarimala. At the top of Sabarimala on the heights, devotees access to the Temple by the 18 sacred steps (Painettupadhigal). Then after prayers at the Temple, the Ghee contained in coconut devotees is given to a priest for abishekam on the statue of Swami Ayyappan. This sacred ghee is given back to devotees who brings them home. Today the cult of Swami Ayyappan is known and practiced by millions of Hindu 60 million each year to visit Swami Ayyappan temple during the festival between mid-November and mid-January. Swami Ayyappan is also known in Sri Lanka but in the name of Ayyanar. But in fact Ayyapan is the incarnation of Ayyanar or Dharma Sastha. Swami Ayyappan appears annually in the sky on the day of Mahara Sakranthi (between 13 and 15 January) as a flame called Mahara Jodhi to bless his devotees. The 18 holy steps represent the 18 major obstacles that must be overcome to attain Moksha.

 

 

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