Showing posts with label arunachala samudra website. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arunachala samudra website. Show all posts

14 September 2020

Arunachala Jigsaw Puzzles and Kolams



Have uploaded a new section onto the website Arunachala Samudra entitled "arts and crafts". The first offering is nine jigsaw puzzles of Arunachala scenes. 

The second offering is a history of Kolams (Rangoli in North India) and a page of 13 instructive animations showing, step by step how to make Kolams. 

Hope you enjoy.



Nine jigsaw puzzles on the Arunachala Samudra Website



13 Kolams. Animated kolam on left, completed pattern on right



3 July 2020

Efficacy of Self Enquiry









Recently uploaded new material on the Arunachala Samudra website. So please check out these new postings. 


In particular you might enjoy looking through the section on Self Enquiry, at this link here

The section which is Ramana Maharshi-centric is filled with His advice and suggestions regarding Self Enquiry and how to perform it. This is invaluable information in these trying times. 

As to the efficacy of Self Enquiry, Sri Sathya Sai Baba said: 

"All agitations will cease the moment one enters, "Who Am I?". This was the sadhana that Ramana Maharshi achieved and taught to his disciples. This is also the easiest of all disciplines." 
[Sri Sathya Sai Baba] 

Just a little Self Enquiry helps still the mind. 

In this regard there is an interesting quote by Frank H. Humphreys, an Englishman who came to India in 1911 to serve as assistant superintendent of police in Madras. He was the first Western devotee of Ramana Maharshi. 

Later in his life, he turned away from worldly things, entered a monastery and became a monk. 

“The phenomena we see are curious and surprising—but the most marvellous thing of all we do not realize, and that is that one and only one illimitable force that is responsible for all the phenomena we see and the act of seeing them. Do not fix your attention on all these changing things of life, death and phenomena. Do not think of even the actual act of seeing them or perceiving them, but only of that which sees all these things, that which is responsible for it all. This will seem nearly impossible at first, but by degrees the result will be felt. It takes years of study and daily practice, but that is how a master is made. 

Give yourself a quarter of an hour a day. Try to keep the mind unshakably fixed on that which sees. It is inside you. Do not expect to find that ‘That’ is something definite on which the mind can be fixed easily—it will not be so. Though it takes years to find that ‘That’, the results of this concentration will soon show themselves in four or five months time—in all sorts of unconscious clairvoyance, in peace of mind, in the power to deal with troubles, in the power all around, always unconscious power. 

I have given you these teachings in the same words that the master gives to his intimate disciples. From now on, let your whole thought in meditation be not on the act of seeing, nor on what you see, but immovably on that which sees.” 


28 March 2017

Arunachala Samudra Upgrade



Arunachala Samudra website is currently undergoing reformatting and recoding to make the website accessible to all internet devices. All of the many pages of the website have to be individually upgraded, including the numerous photo galleries, audios and videos—this takes time and is the reason for the current erratic display of the website. 

Taking this opportunity to include 3 new sections on the reformatted Website, that will be populated over the coming months. The three new sections are entitled: Arunachala, Lord Siva and Albums. Next week new material will be uploaded onto the site including a large and comprehensive section on Parvathamalai, information on the Dasa Lingams on Arunachala girivalam roadway and a fascinating narrative with photographs of the great Isakki Swamigal of Panchamukham Darshanam. 

Will gives updates on the progress of the Website upgrade. 






11 December 2015

2015 Karthigai Festival: Prayascitta Ceremony


2015 Arunachala Deepam

In the Introduction of the Section entitled Prakarama, Vimanas, Gopurams on my web site Arunachala Samudra, I make mention of the four purification ceremonies (prayascittas) previously observed at the top of Arunachala, for which priests used to go up to the summit of the mountain. Nowadays the only prayascitta ceremony (purification) regularly observed on the summit of Arunachala is after the completion of the Karthigai Festival. 

"Tiruvannamalai is one of the major sacred places of Tamil Nadu not only because of its great mountain Arunachala, but also because of its huge Arunachaleswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Siva and also to the many and frequent festivals which occur at this place. 

The mythology of the Lingodbhavamurti, the column of light (which is unvarying in all its parts whether it be the top or bottom) commemorates that there is no actual difference of any part of Arunachala. However even though Arunachaleswarar Temple is fully identified with Arunachala, for which it is also a substitute—certain variations between the bottom and top of the Hill were previously recognised four times a year by observance of purification ceremonies (prayascittas) for which priests used to go up to the summit of the mountain. 

Those four times were: Mahasivaratri Festival acknowledging the supremacy of Lord Siva, the Marriage Ceremony celebrating the union of Lord Siva with the Goddess, Karthigai Festival with its multitude of legends and symbolism, and the fourth and last purification ceremony represents separation from the Goddess and the renewed manifestation of the supremacy of Siva the great Yogi. 

However over the years the difficulties of the climb for aging gurukkals and other factors has led to less emphasis being paid to these purification ceremonies occurring on the summit of the Hill itself and nowadays the only prayascitta regularly observed on the summit of Arunachala is after the completion of the Karthigai Festival."


2015 Karthigai Prayascitta Ceremony on Arunachala Summit


Purification Ceremony end of 2015 Karthigai Festival

Arunachaleswarar Temple Priest performing Ceremony

Summit of Arunachala end of 2015 Karthigai Deepam

Lord Shiva's Feet Summit Arunachala

After the Cauldron is brought down from the Hill and returned to its permanent resting place inside the Arunachaleswarar Compound, an additional purification ceremony is observed in connection with the Deepam Cauldron.


2015 Karthigai Deepam Cauldron back at Temple


7 September 2014

Development of Arunachala Samudra Website


Thanks to the generous support of a sponsor of Arunachala Samudra, I was able to recently arrange the upload of the beautiful divination programme Arunachala Oracle. The programme is based on the same premise as the Leaf of Impartiality (utilised in India for many hundreds of years) and is a system with which one tries to access the will of Divine Providence. 

Currently I am busy researching material in respect of new uploads in the following sections of the Arunachala Samudra website: 

Arunachaleswarar Temple 
History 
Girivalam 
Spirit Centre 
Sacred Power 






Depending on financing, I will also introduce new visuals and graphics in the Temple and Girivalam section. Whilst enlargement and improvements continue on Arunachala Samudra, I am also working with my webmaster to make this definitive Arunachala website available in (to begin with) Telegu. 

For more information about how to sponsor the continuing development of Arunachala Samudra, please get in touch with me by email, my contact is at the top left column of this page. 

25 July 2014

God's Fool -- Tale about Purity and Innocence

Once there came from the desert to the great city a man who was a dreamer, and he had naught but his garment and a staff. And as he walked through the streets he gazed with awe and wonder at the temples and towers and palaces, for the city was of surpassing beauty. And he spoke often to the passers-by, questioning them about their city – but they understood not his language, nor he theirs.

At the noon hour he stopped before a vast inn. It was built of yellow marble, and people were going in and coming out unhindered. “This must be a shrine”, he said to himself, and he too went in. But what was his surprise to find himself in a hall of great splendour and a large company of men and women seated about many tables. They were eating and drinking and listening to the musicians. “Nay”, said the dreamer. “This is no worshipping. It must be a feast given by the prince for the people, in celebration of a great event.”

At that moment a man, whom he took to be the slave of the prince, approached him, and bade him to be seated. And he was served with food and wine and most excellent sweets. When he was satisfied, the dreamer rose to depart. At the door he was stopped by a large man magnificently arrayed. “Surely this is the prince himself,” said the dreamer in his heart, and he bowed to him and thanked him. Then the large man said in the language of the city. “Sir you have not paid for your dinner.” And the dreamer did not understand, and again thanked him heartily.






Then the large man bethought him, and he looked more closely upon the dreamer. And he saw that he was a stranger, clad in but a poor garment, and that indeed he had not the wherewithal to pay for his meal. Then the large man clapped his hands and called – and there came four watchmen of the city. And they listened to the large man. Then they took the dreamer between them, and there were two on each side of him. And the dreamer noted the ceremoniousness of their dress and of their manner and he looked upon them with delight. “These,” said he, “are men of distinction.” And they walked all together until they came to the House of Judgment and they entered. The dreamer saw before him, seated upon a throne, a venerable man with flowing beard, robed majestically. And he thought he was the king. And he rejoiced to be brought before him. Now the watchmen related to the judge, who was the venerable man, the charge against the dreamer; and the judge appointed two advocates, one to present the charge and the other to defend the stranger. And the advocates rose, the one after other, and delivered each his argument. And the dreamer thought himself to be listening to addresses of welcome, and his heart filled with gratitude to the king and the prince for all that was done for him.

Then sentence was passed upon the dreamer, that upon a tablet hung about his neck his crime should be written, and that he should ride through the city on a naked horse, with a trumpeter and a drummer before him. And the sentence was carried out forthwith. Now as the dreamer rode through the city upon the naked horse, with the trumpeter and the drummer before him, the inhabitants of the city came running forth at the sound of the noise, and when they saw him they laughed one and all, and the children ran after him in companies from street to street.

And the dreamer’s heart filled with ecstasy, and his eyes shone upon them. For to him the tablet was a sign of the king’s blessings and the procession was in his honour.

Now as he rode, his heart swelled with joy, and he cried out with a shout. “Where are we? What city of the heart’s desires is this? What race of lavish hosts? – who feast the chance guest in their palaces, whose princes companion him, whose king hangs a token upon his breast and opens to him the hospitality of a city descended from heaven?” And the procession passed on. And the dreamer’s face uplifted and his eyes were overflowing with light. 

[Kahlil Gibran – Abridged] 


For more beautiful and inspirational short stories please visit my website at this link here

25 September 2012

Maha Deepam Calendar 2012-2022


This year, as is well know, Mahadeepam will take place on Tuesday November 27, 2012. But for those wanting to keep a record for upcoming dates of Mahadeepam at Arunachala, below is a list of the Mahadeepam dates for the next 10 years.


Lighting of the Mahadeepam, 2011


Arunachala Maha Deepam 2013-2022

17th November 2013 (Sunday)
5th December 2014 (Friday)
25th November 2015 (Wednesday)
12th December 2016 (Monday)
2nd December 2017 (Saturday)
23rd November 2018 (Friday)
10th December 2019 (Tuesday)
29th November 2020 (Sunday)
19th November 2021 (Friday)
6th December 2022 (Tuesday)


The days preceding the lighting on the Mahadeepam are also well visited by pilgrims. The schedule of the Deepam Festival Calendar generally follows the same format each year, to view last year's programme, with photographs of each day go visit my website at this link here
 

Lights of Arunachaleswarar Temple 2011


As soon as the schedule for the 2012 programme is released by the Arunachalaleswarar Temple, I will post it on this site.