Ayyappa Swamy

Ayyappa Pooja

Ayyappan is a Hindu deity and Lord Ayyappan is worshiped in a number of shrines across India at Kulathupuzha and Kerala he is worshiped as a child at Achenkovil in conjunction with his consorts Pushkala and Poorna and at Sabarimala as an ascetic a celibate meditating in solitude for the benefit of all mankind.The name Ayyappan is used as a respectful form of address in Malayalam and the famous mantra Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa can be directly translated as Give me shelter Lord Ayyappa He is considered to be born out of the union between Mohini, and Shiva.The most famous Ayyappa shrine in India is the one at Sabarimala with over 50 million devotees visiting it every year making it the second largest pilgrimage in the world.

Lord Ayyappa Names
Ayyappa is known as “Hariharan Puthiran” because he is the son of both Hari(Vishnu) and Haran(Siva). His most common name is Manikandan because soon after his birth his parents (Mohini & Shiva) tied a necklace with a bell (mani) around his neck (kandan).

Ayyappan is a famous South Indian Hindu deity. Lord Ayyappan is worshipped in a number of shrines across India at Kulathupuzha, in Kerala, he is worshipped as a child; at Achenkovil in conjunction with his consorts, Pushkala and Poorna; and at Sabarimala as an ascetic – a celibate meditating in solitude for the benefit of all mankind.

 

Different names of Loard Ayyappan Dharmasasta, Hariharasutan, Manikandan, Sathanar, Sastan, Cattan (from Sanskrit Sasta), Ayyanar, Natrayan, Nattarasan, and Bhutanathan.
Lord Ayyappan is a symbol of religious unity and communal harmony. Being born out of Mohini (the female incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and Lord Shiva, answered Rajasekara’s prayer and ordered Dharmasastha to take the avathar of Ayyappan.

Ayyappan took the form of a baby with a golden chain and bell around his neck and placed himself near the Pamba river. King Rajasekara who was returning after hunting in the forest adjoining the banks of River Pampa, along with his men, heard a child crying from somewhere in the forest. Surprised, he went round and reached the banks of River Pampa. There he saw a beautiful and divine child (i.e. Ayyappa) kicking its legs and crying out, and was in a dilemma whether to take the child to the Palace or leave it there itself.

As graced by the Bhagwan King Rajasekara completed building of the temple with 18 steps to reach there. When the King was thinking how to put Dharmasastha’s figure in the temple for darshan to devotees, he recalled the words of the Bhagwan, the River Pampa was a holy river like River Ganga, Sabarimala was a holy place like Kasi.

Dharmasastha sent Parasuraman to Sabarimala who created the figure of Lord Ayyappa and installed it on the day of Makarasankranthi, the day on which the Makara Jothi appears.

Every year 4.5 to 5 crore peoples comming to Shabarimala irrespective of caste or creed and adorn themselves with garlands and irumudis, chants slogans on Lord Ayyappa, bathe in holy river Pampa, climb up the eighteen steps & get the grace of Ayyappa.

The most famous Ayyappa shrine in India is the one at Sabarimala with over 50 million devotees visiting it every year, making it the second largest pilgrimage in the world

The asura princess Mahishi was burning up with anger at the trick the gods had pulled on her brother, the asura king Mahishasura. As Mahishasura was blessed with invulnerability to all men, the gods had sent goddess Durga, to fight and kill him. Thus, Mahishi began performing a fearsome set of austerities, and pleased the creator god Brahma. He granted her the boon of ruling the universe and being invulnerable except to a being that had the combined strength of both Shiva and Vishnu. Since such a person did not exist, she thought she was safe and began conquering and plundering the world.

The gods implored Shiva and Vishnu to save them from this catastrophe. Vishnu found a possible solution to the problem. When Vishnu had taken on the Kurma Avatar, he also had to manifest himself as Mohini, the enchantress, to save the nectar of immortality from the demons who were not willing to share it with the gods. If he became Mohini again, then the female Mohini and the male Shiva could have the divine child who would combine their powers and beat Mahishi.

Some versions give a slightly more detailed version of the union of Shiva with Vishnu. One version tells that the asura Basmasura had so pleased lord Shiva with his austerities that Shiva gave him a boon of anything he wished. So Basmasura asked for the ability to burn to ashes anything which he placed his hand over. No sooner had Shiva granted this, than Basmasura ran after the god, threatening to turn him to ashes.

Shiva called to lord Vishnu for help. He hid himself in a certain tree as Basmasura ran here and there searching for the god. Vishnu became aware of the events, and decided that he would take the female form Mohini, "the Enchanting", and try to trump the asura's powers. When Basmasura saw Vishnu in this form, he was bewitched by her beauty. He earnestly tried to court her. So Vishnu instructed Basmasura to hold his hand over his head, and vow fidelity. With this act, Basmasura was reduced to ashes.

Vishnu found Shiva and explained the whole affair to him. Shiva asked if he too could see Vishnu in this female form. When Vishnu appeared thus, Shiva was overcome with passion, and united with "her" (Shiva's seed caught in Mohini's hands, per one version of the story). The two gods thus became "HariHara Murthy", that is a composite form of Shiva and Vishnu as one god.

From this union lord Ayyappan was born. He combines in himself the powers of Vishnu and Shiva, and is a visible embodiment of their essential identity. Lord Vishnu gifted the new-born deity with a little bejeweled bell necklace, so this god is called Manikanthan Swamy. The Tamils call him Ayyanar, and he is also called Shastha or Shasthappan by most South Indian communities.

In most Tamil versions of the story, the legend ends with the birth of the god, and with his passage around the region. But in Kerala, the story continues with Ayyappan's adoption by the Pandalam Raja, and the subsequent encounter with Mahisi