Gurukkal Blogs

  Agasthyar sidhar Agasthyar sidhar In Ramayana Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh N amaste           In Ramayana, we find the meeting of Agasthya and Rama at two points. The portion which I recited now is from Aranyakandam. It is the section of the epic in which Sri Rama, Sita Devi and Lakshmana are travelling through the forest. They visit Agasthya’s ashram. This episode illustrates Agasthya seeing Rama for the first time and the joy it brings him.            Agasthya appears later at a totally different location in the epic. Where? There Agasthya teaches Rama the Aditya Hridaya Mantra which praises the Sun God. In part that I recited, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are in the forest with Sutheeshna and they reach Agasthya’s ashram. We can see Agasthya appears in Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Vedas and the Upanishads.As we are now celebrating Ramayana month of Karkidaka in Kerala,             it is auspicious to reflect on Agasthya’s important presence in the Ramayana.           Agasthya has

  Koothambai Sidhar Koothambai Sidhar Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh " Andathukappal akanta sudarine Pindathul parppayadi Kuthambai pindathul parpayadi. "           T he divine light that fills this universe is also within you. Just as we cannot see nothingness or vacuum, we are unable to sense the Brahmam within us. It is because of our ignorance. These lines are by Koothambai Siddhar, who is prominent among the 18 Siddhars. The depth of the lyrics are as impressive as the beauty of their composition. Siddhar tradition is the continuous exploration of the separation and the unity of Parabrahmam and the body or Andam and pindam.           The pursuit to understand the Siddhar tradition is futile without a spiritual angle. Koothambai Sidhar songs are pearls of pure wisdom. The name Koothambai itself is different. Koothambai is an ornament that women wear on their ears. In those times, his mother made him wear them and called him lovingly after the ornament. At the age of 16, Koothamba

  Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh The Agasthyarkoodam Trip Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh           A nother “Agasthyayanam” has been completed. The 24th trek or pilgrimage. Every year, the mountain converses with the heart invites motherly affection. The heart leaps, excitement drums up in the mind and yet another pilgrimage begins. Even without us consciously knowing.            As usual, this time to there is a fifteen-member team accompanying from Agasthyam Kalari. 26km walking trail from Bonacaud Forest Station. First-day halt at Athirumala base camp after crossing Karamana, Vazhapindi, and Attayar rivers and the large grasslands.            It is a tougher climb on the second day. Through rocky outcrops and bamboo forests, we ascend above the clouds to witness the majestic summit, Agasthya Darshanam, towering above with an embedded history of eons. It’s a dreamy landscape of immense beauty. Situated 1868m above sea level on the Western Ghats. Team at Agasthyarkoodam   UNESCO declared this beautif

Lord Shiva and Nandi   Nandi Devar Sidhar Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh      A gasthyamuni is revered as the Adi Siddha among the eighteen Siddhas.             Nandi Devar is also considered to be an Adi Siddha. While he is considered to have obtained the 8 siddhis from Shiva on one side, devotees consider him to be Nandiswar, the vehicle of Siva. Nandi represents infinitely patient waiting. He is a massive bull that waits for time. Nandi Devar is the guru of Tirumular, Patanjali and Sattaimuni among the Siddhars. He developed Siddha medicine, the physical transformation of Kayakalpam, and the alchemy of Rasavadavidya.     Here’s a mythological story. Lord Shiva and Nandi             Not many know about the birth story of Nandi. Sage Shailabha, through severe penance, obtains a boon to have an immortal son. He had prayed to Shiva for 1000 years. His body was covered by a termite mound. Termites began feeding on him. He became a skeleton. Siva appeared before him and granted the boo

     Nature's poetry written in the whispers of leaves. 🌿🍃 Agasthyayanam     Gurukkal Dr. S Mahesh Experiencing Agasthya at Podigai                     M ountains have always been symbols of culture formation. They form the basis of origin and evolution of societies. Some mountains tower above us bearing the weight of epics and myths over eons. They stand tall confident that the time and battles that pass by their foot will not bother them.  Many religions and traditions are centered on such legendary mounts.  Even today, they are believed to be the stairways to the heavens.  For practitioners of Yoga, the Kailasa is a spiritual fountainhead. Abode of Aadi Yogi Siva. It is a Moksha portal for devotees. Buddhism and Jainism also accord importance to Kailasa. The great agasthya peak      Mount Olympus, Ararat, Mount Sinai etc are some of the royal mountains that have been worshiped throughout history. In India, just as Kailasa in the north, Agasthya peak soars in the south. Te