Stories of Arunachala

 The Origin

(Stories adapted from the Skanda Purana, Part 111) 

Once out of egoism Visnu and Brahma, forgetting the transcendental glory of Siva, engaged in an argument about who of them was the greatest. In order to protect the world from the consequence of such a fight Siva decided to reveal himself in a definite form somewhere in the world.

Having thus decided, Siva manifested Himself as a column of fire. The column was illimitable and transcended all the worlds. Brahma and Visnu blinded by the sight, stood confused and unnerved before the Effulgence. To discover the limits of Siva in the shape of the column of fire, Visnu, in the form of a huge boar began to vigorously dig the earth to find the lower end and Brahma took the shape of a swan and soared into the skies to find the summit of the pillar of light.

Visnu, in spite of boring into the earth and beyond, became dispirited by his futile attempts to find the source of the Column and returned exhausted. Vishnu realising his folly, caused by ego, which had led to him to forget the Supreme Self, took refuge in Siva. Thus praising and meditating upon him, Visnu regained the surface of the earth. In the same way, Brahma exhausted from his attempts to find the top of the column of Light, also understood the futility of his endeavours and turning his mind inwards took refuge in Siva.

Parvathi’s Penance at Kanchi

Once on Mount Kailas, it was spring time and the place was filled with the scent of flowers. Peacocks danced to the tune of humming bees and natural enemies such as elephants and lions, strolled about in harmony and contentment. Sages chanted hymns from the Vedas, and saints sat motionless, deeply absorbed in the Self. Gods, siddhas and devotees of Siva, wearing sacred ash and rudraksha beads, stood in prayerful attitude. Celestial damsels sang and danced to the accompaniment of musical instruments. It was here that Lord Siva and Parvati, sat in all their glory, pouring Grace on those before them.

After the hosts of devotees had left, Parvati and Siva rejoiced in one another’s company amongst the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayan mountains. The Goddess Parvati in a teasing mood slipped behind her Lord and playfully covered the three eyes of Siva with her hands.

As soon as the eyes were covered a darkness, produced by the Goddess’ playfulness, spread over the Universe and proved to be the cause of the untimely dissolution of the worlds. In response to the prayers of devotees and siddhas, Siva commanded Parvati to leave His eyes alone. Immediately the Goddess removed her hands and light pervaded the worlds. This moment of Divine sport (translated into millions of human years) resulted in the worlds meeting an improper and untimely destruction. On hearing Siva’s words of reproach, Parvati, stricken with remorse asked Him to advise her how to expiate her sin.

The Lord instructed Parvati to perform meritorious deeds for the upliftment of the land, assuring her on observation of austere rites, people would develop a firmer inclination towards righteousness. Thus under the Lord’s guidance, she travelled to a place called Kanchi to perform her penance. Taking off her ornaments and adorning herself with rudraksha beads she laid aside her divine garments and in their place wore two bark garments. Besmearing her body with holy ash, and contenting herself only with corn alongside the deer of the forest, Parvati continuously repeated the mantra Om  Namah Sivaya and also observed the code of religious conduct.

To test Parvati, Siva caused the river Kampa to flood. Knowing that if the object of her worship – a  linga made of sand was destroyed, it would cause good devotees to give up their lives, she protected the linga in the embrace of her arms. Remembering Siva, she remained motionless not wanting to be separated even for a moment from the linga. On seeing her penance and the test of her observance of Dharma, Siva declares,

‘Let human beings become blessed and satisfied by bowing down to this linga. I shall assume an effulgent form and stay here under the name Arunachala for the sake of (men’s) achievement of siddhi on the surface of the earth.’ (Chapter 4, v.36-37 Skanda Mahapurana)

and then instructs Parvati to go to Sage Gautama to ask him about devotion unto Siva, the greatness of Arunachala and thereafter to perform penance at that place. Thus, after blessing her devotees, Parvati went to Arunachala.

Gowri Arrives at Arunachala

(From Arunachala Purana by Saiva Ellappa Navalar translated by J.Jayaraman) 

Benediction:  Listen!  This sacred place Arunachala is where the Suns, the Moons, the astral divinities, the Devas, the Guardians of the eight directions, the Naga reptiles of the nether lands, the Garuda fliers of the skies, the ascetics, sages and the Brahmas and Visnus, gather for worship in multitudes, thus creating a traffic-jam while filling the air with reverential cries of ‘Hara, Hara’.

After performing penance at Kasi and at Kanchi (in Tamil country), Parvati reached Tiruvannamalai, made famous by her lord Siva manifesting as the Primal hill of fire, the holy precincts of which has been the abode for hosts of sages ever since.

As she passed through the main street of Tiruvannamalai she saw the upper stories of the houses lavishly embedded with maragatam (green-gems, whose sparkle the seven horses drawing the Sun’s chariot could well mistakenly take to be lush green lawn and plunge the chariot straight down). (306)

Going further down the street she reached the abode of her Lord the inmost Self, manifested here at Tiruvannamalai as a self-born igneous rock-linga, to serve as an eternal reminder to folly, about Truth and divine Grace.

After obeisance to the Lord at the Temple to the east, She moved towards the foothills. (307)

She saw on one side Hatha yogins in multitudes, persevering with standing on one leg with one’s toe on a pin-point, and the other leg folded cross-wise, and with eyes trained at the tip of the nose on the breath, thus sipping the dew of ambrosia born of their inner fire. (308)

She found on another side, Siva yogis desirous of gaining the ultimate Home, centred on renunciation of ego, doer-ship, and enjoyer-ship, regarding good and evil, action and reaction with equal eye, and with mind thus rendered quiet, gathered in a commingling free of any craving whatsoever. (309)

There were others given to the path of ritual worship of each and every servitor of the Lord, and thus spending their time in sipping the inner joy of the japa of the five sacred syllables; Na Mah Si Vaa Ya. (310)

She saw too, the Raja yogins practicing the eight-limbed yoga concerned with right body-language and mind-focus resolving itself through dhyana in samadhi. (311)

Continuing to look for a spot to pursue her tapas, she came upon the ashram of the sage Gautama. (312)

Gautama’s wife Ahalya and their son Satananda welcomed Mother Parvati, singing her praises. She enquired: ‘Where’s Rishi Gautama?’ The son replied, ‘Father has gone to fetch flowers and the sacred Kusa grass.’ (313)

And then adding: ‘O Sweet One, I shall fetch him in a trice’, ran off in haste to inform his father. (314)

Meanwhile the Rishi was returning with the other sages, kusa grass and flowers in hand, and gazed wonderstruck at trees and creepers in full flower, out of season, and wondered if this was his homestead at all! (315)

They stood conferring among themselves as to who might have arrived as to cause such a wonderment, when Gautama saw his son and called out, ‘What brings you here?’ (316)

Satananda announced, ‘Listen father, She who is the Mother of the Creator is here!’ Gautama cried out, ‘What divine blessing that she whom the great Veda attempts to encompass through sound (and fails) should visit our humble abode!’ (317)

He ran towards his son and embracing him kissed his forehead; danced engulfed visibly in bliss; broke into song; flung the kusa carefully plucked just a while ago, into the air announcing a god-send, ‘Our karmic bondage is gone once and for all, root and all!’ (318)

The whole group led by the sage Atri, with arms raised above their heads, neared the place where Parvati was and fell prostrate at their feet, singing. (319)

You are the eternal virgin whereas our Lord is eternally wedded to the supreme Truth, while the Vedas have been singing your eternal praises as the womb of all creatures; who is therefore capable of understanding your glorious mystery? (320) 

You create Siva as the first seed, and then you manifest in that as sakti, the life-force. Through this Sakti-Siva form you bring forth all beings! Who is capable of fathoming your essential non-duality! (321)

‘If the Self should become Maheshwara, Hara, Brahma and Hari, then you become Maheswari, Uma, Saraswati and Lakshmi. Alternatively whatever other form He assumes, you inhere as its compliment! (322)

In this way groups of sages were singing her praise when Gautama drew near, and as he did so, she began to join her palms in a namaste, when Gautama beating her to it fell prostrate at her lotus Feet. (323)

Looking up he cried out, ‘What has been my fortune that the Feet, which even Brahma and the maintainers of the dimensions could not reach, have graced by humble hut?’ (324)

Quick on the heels of his words, she replied, ‘If ever I needed any help I will trouble Subrahmanian, and if the matter remained unresolved there, I would seek the tusker’s (Vinayaka) help. And failing that I would surely come to you, dear Son!’ (325)

(The sage who saw none other than the Self, assumes the role of the lowly servant, and can such a drama have had a better finale than the reciprocation by Parvati addressing the jnani as Her primal born?!).

Then she narrated all the events culminating in her arriving at Tiruvannamalai as directed by her lord. When the Mother of all spoke thus, Gautama (who had once given an errant Indra, the king of the gods of mantras, the wielder of the thunder-bolt, a piece of his mind over the Ahalya episode) uttered these words. (326)

‘This areas is the supreme among sacred places. A single good deed multiplies manifold. So conducting your sincere tapas in this very place you will certainly receive the fruit of the Lord manifesting on His sacred white bull and reabsorb you as His left half. (327)

‘(O Mother) even Visnu, Brahma, the Vasus, Indra and a host of Munis had in days gone by, made their dwelling here and completed the penance of solitude. The place is right and the time auspicious. Thy penance is thus assured of success.’ And the Mother of all said, ‘I will accomplish it likewise’. (328)

Long live jnana! Long live the good! Long live the nation, order, wealth and charity! Long live dharma, the mantras, and worship and song! Long live the way of instruction! Long live those who embraced the all having heard of it and realised it! Long live the servitors of the divine Feet! Long Live! (648)

Those who read, hear or, write this down or have this poem written down will get to rule over this vast world, along with children as desired for, and undiminished comfort and attain to the very being of Arunachala by virtue of the Love of the Supreme. (649)

The Greatness of Arunachala

(Stories adapted from the Skanda Purana, Part 111)

In answer to her request, the sage recounts the glory of Arunachala, explaining it would be impossible to describe the entire greatness of Arunachala even by the means of millions of Brahmanas. That Lord Siva, the Lord of Arunachala,  has been worshipped by the Gods and adored by siddhas, gandharvas, sages and others for dispelling sins and fulfilling wishes. That on being visited, Arunachala drives out sin and on being served He bestows that which is desired. To glory the sacred Mount, even from a distance, is sufficient for Him to bestow salvation. Yogins who meditate on the form of the Column of Effulgence obtain merger with Siva. Charitable gifts given and penance practised in the presence of Arunachala acquire eternal benefits.

The sage recounts to Parvati the story of the dispute between Brahma and Visnu when Siva, in order to destroy their pride, appeared as a Column of Fire. And how desiring to attain the limits of the pillar of light, Visnu and Brahma assumed the forms of a boar and swan and proceeded to the nether regions and up into the sky. When both returned exhausted and with pride destroyed, Siva took the form of a motionless hill known as Arunadri consenting to abide eternally in the form of linga, so devotees could worship Him.

Gautama further related the story of how the celestial damsel, Tilothama, sought refuge at the feet of Arunachala to escape the amorous advances of Brahma and how the Lord saved her and chastised Brahma. The Lord instructed him to be rid of all sins by meditating upon Arunachala and promised all evil produced by mind, word or body will be destroyed the moment one beholds Arunachala and promised the Hill will cleanse all sins through circumambulations, prostrations, recollections, worships and devotional praise. The Lord also stated:

‘. . . . . I myself am Arunachala, on seeing the peak of which people will not only have the benefit of having their eyes but also the destruction of all sins and the acquisition of the vision born of knowledge.’  Skanda Mahapurana Chapter 5 vv. 70-71

On hearing Siva’s words, Brahma bathed in the lake, duly worshipped Arunachala with great devotion and thereby dispelled his sins and regained his Lordship.

The sage Gautama recounts to Goddess Parvati how the fire linga came to exist on earth, and how it became cool and visible to all. That in the Krita Yuga, the Hill was a mass of fire, in the Treta Yuga Hill of jewels, gold in the Dvapara Yuga and emerald in the Kali Yuga. At the humble prayer of the devas, Arunachala began to cool and become visible to all and thereafter rivers and streams began to flow.

The Fight with Mahishasura 

In this story Brahma relates how the demon Mahishasura was attracted to the beautiful Goddess Parvati and how he was lured to meet his end.

The devas, oppressed by the demon Mahishasura, who had taken the form of a buffalo, came down to earth and took refuge in the Goddess. They piteously told her about their sufferings and how they lived in fear and were compelled to obey all Mahishasura’s commands. They could do nothing, as the demon Mahishasura was invincible having obtained a boon from Siva that no man could kill him.

Hearing their cry of fear, the Goddess assured the devas of her protection and vowed to kill the great asura by strategy. Hearing such words of assurance the devas returned in peace to their abode. After they had left, Parvati manifested herself as the resplendent delusion Mohini (enchantress) and appointed four Bhairavis to keep watch on all four sides of Arunagiri, ordering them to admit only those who came to worship Arunachala and were tired, hungry and thirsty. Then after appointing strong men to guard the boundaries of Arunachala, extending to two yojanas (24 kilometres) the Goddess continued her penance at the ashram.

While Parvati was engaged in penance, there was no type of distress at all. The rains were plentiful, crops grew and the trees bore abundant fruits. Animals antagonistic to one another gave up their previous animosity, and neither external nor internal enemies prevailed. All the sages became content and praised the Goddess, who day and night continued to perform severe penance.

One day the demon Mahishasura, far from his own place, entered the forest of Arunachala whilst hunting animals. The animals then took refuge in the ashram of the Goddess and the asuras, chasing them, were denied entrance as it was a place of penance for Parvati. After entering the ashram, disguised as birds, the asuras seeing the Goddess soon returned to Mahisha praising her enchanting beauty. The demon, stricken with lust, disguised himself as an old man and entered the ashram, where he was told that the maiden of the ashram was doing penance in order to obtain a valiant husband, capable of performing great deeds.

After Mahisha spoke of his glories, the Goddess said she would become the wife only of a valiant man: ‘If you are such a man, display your strength. If you fail, admit that you are weak.’

On hearing these words Mahisha became enraged and sprang towards the Goddess with the object of killing her. At his approach Parvati transformed herself into Durga, the fiery and invincible Goddess. On seeing this, the demon made himself into the size of a mountain and gathered his vast armies from all quarters. But the Goddess was offered weapons and missiles by Brahma, Visnu, Siva, the dikpalakas, devas, mountains and seas. With many hands blazing due to the multitudes of arms, missiles and weapons, Durga, the great Maya, wore a coat of mail and immediately rode on her vehicle, the lion. Unable to bear her effulgence and seeing her terrible form, the demon Mahisha fled.

Knowing that the wicked Mahishasura could only be killed by subterfuge, the Goddess sends a monkey-faced muni named Suraguru to the demon. The demon becomes enraged on hearing the muni’s message from Parvati of abandoning adharma and following the path of righteousness. Thereafter the demon, gathered his armed forces and surrounded Arunagiri. The ensuing battle ended when the Goddess pierced the demon with her trident and cut off his head.

The Goddess Joins Siva

Sage Gautama instructs the Goddess to bathe in a holy pond thereby expiating the sin of killing the Mahishasura, a devotee of Siva. The Goddess thereupon proceeded to do what was suggested and the world was blessed by her presence in that holy spot. At the end of her penance the Goddess celebrated a festival in the month of Karthika (November-December) – when Krittika was in conjunction with the moon. She propitiated the Lord of Arunadri with all the prescribed offerings and then prayed:

“Visvarupa! God in the form of Sonachala! Effulgent one! Linga in the form of a hill! Remover of all sins! Obeisance to Thee. They glory could not be realised even by Brahma and Vishnu as Thou art truly fiery. But Thou hast cooled down for the welfare of the world.”

When the Goddess stood praying, Arunadri manifested as an Efflugent Column blazing in all directions and resembling the rising of millions of suns. The Goddess and a multitude of sages prostrated with great veneration before the pillar of light. While the Goddess stood overcome with joy, the Lord rose out of the Effulgence and blessed her. Parvati bowed to Sonadri and requested His great Effulgence be seen in the month of Karttika at the great festival with the constellation named Krttika. Promising, ‘By seeing this supreme brilliance every year, let all the creatures be liberated from all sins,’ the Lord vanished within the mountain.

Granting of Boons to Parvati

The mother of the Universe bowed to Siva and prayed for non-separation from him. The Lord, pleased with the words of her prayer, granted everything desired by her as a boon. The Lord himself now appears as the red Hill which is adored by the whole world. It grants every boon. Shambu himself with Gowri shine as Arunachala.

Those who have darshan of it, or meditate upon it, have liberation. All kinds of wealth accrue to those who hear of the glory of Arunachala. Those who remember Arunachala will become pure in mind and become absolved of their karmas. A mere darshan of Arunachala will grant the benefit of bathing in all the holy tirthas and performing all yajnas and yagas. He will obtain the grace of Sadasvia. It is here that Siva fell in love with His own magnificent form and lost the desire to dwell at Kailasa. Arunachala fulfils the wishes of those who adore Him with circumambulation, prostration and who perform austerities.

Brahma continued: ‘Neither by me nor by Visnu can the greatness of this mountain be accounted in words even in the course of hundreds of crores of years.