The holy mountain Arunachala - Part 1
0 Comments Published by Madhukar Organisation on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 2:13 PM.
Arunachala
Arunachala is a mountain of 820 meters height in the South Indian federal state Tamil Nadu, approximately 150 kilometers distance from Chennai (Madras) and 180 kilometers away from Bangalore. At his foot lies the city of Tiruvannamalai with its big Hindu temple Arnachalasvara. In the West Arunachala became famous because of the Sage Sri Ramana Maharshi, who was meditating in the caves of the mountain for many years until an Ashram was founded.
Geologically Arunachala is an isolated mountain of volcanic rock and he has a bare reddish cone.
Despite his low height he widely dominates the landscape. All sorts of medicinal plants grow on the mountain. In earlier times Arunachala was partly wooded, wild animals and pristine flora and fauna lived on him.
Since primeval times Arunachala is worshiped as a holy mountain. According to the Tamil legend he is older than the Himalayas and is considered to be one of the holiest places of India.
The meaning of the Sanskrit name Arunachala is “Mountain of Dawn” (literally aruna: morning redness, achala: mountain, also the unmovable)
He also is called “Hill of the Light”. This name refers to the “Divine Light of Shiva”, which is said to surround the mountain like an aura. (Shiva, literally translated from Sanskrit: “The Gracious One, The Friendly One”, is considered to be the destroyer of non-realization as a benedictive deity)
In the figurative sense “Aruna” stands for the liberated state beyond all oppositeness, “achala” stands for the unmovable, the stable, silence.
From Shankara (Sanskrit, śankara, adi means “beginning, source”, 788-820), one of the greatest Saints and philosophers of India, main representative of Advaita-Vedanta, is reported that he called Arunachala Mountain Meru, which, according to the Indian mythology, is the axis of the world, centre of the universe and residence of the Gods.
There are a lot of legends regarding the origin of the holy mountain. The most famous legend gives backgrounds for the adoration and the attraction of the mountain:
Vishnu and Brahma got into a dispute, which one of them would be the mightier one. Their dispute caused chaos on earth. Therefore the Gods requested Shiva to end the wrangling. Shiva answered their request and manifested himself as a pillar of light. Out of it he let a voice speak: “Who of both can reach the upper or lower end of the pillar be the mightier one.” Vishnu took the shape of a boar and dug himself deeply into the earth. Brahma was transmuting into a swan and flew up to the upper end. On his way up he saw a flower flying through the air. He took it as a proof for Shiva and he said he had found it on top of the pillar. Vishnu also could not reach the lower end, but he realized in his own inside the supreme light that shines in the hearts of all beings. He lost the awareness of the body, forgot himself and his goal to reach the lower end of the pillar of light. He confessed his failure to Shiva and praised him with the words:
“You are self-realization, the OM.
You are the beginning, the middle and the end of everything.
You are everything and you enlighten everything.“
He was acknowledged as the mightier one and Shiva forgave the ashamed Brahma his attempt to deceive. (Source: Gabriele Ebert, Ramana Maharshi, Sein Leben, S.59, Lüchow Verlag Stuttgart)
Quotes:
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi:
“Arunachala is the heart of the world, is Shiva himself.
As we identify ourselves with the body,
so Shiva, the supreme truth, identifies himself with the mountain.
It happens out of love for those who are seeking to realize Him.“
Madhukar:
“Yes, this mountain is Shiva himself.
When a human being can be enlightened, why not also a mountain?
Each one who has been there realizes
that even though he finds a red geological formation in a plain with paddy fields, it is much more a mystical place.
Bhagavan is still there!
This phenomenon of silent presence is described as soundless sound.
I would say: vibrationless vibration.“
Giri Pradakshina – the circumambulation of the holy mountain.
(giri, mountain, and pradakshina, circumambulation)
In Hinduism the ritual to circumambulate an object has always been a form of divine adoration. As Arunachala is seen as a manifestation of God Shiva, his circumambulation has always been considered to be very benedictive: it would still the mind, it would help liberation, forgive sins and fulfil wishes.
In the Holy Scripture, the Arunachala Puranam, manifold instructions can be found for the circumambulation of the mountain. So the pilgrim is advised to walk silently or singing, in inner silence, barefoot and slowly like a pregnant queen. Each day of the week has a special meaning according to the above mentioned goals and desires. Preferred days are full moon nights, especially the last full moon night of Deepam, the festival of lights, after lightening the holy flame. This celebration is already mentioned in more than 3000 years old Tamil scriptures.
The traditional path around the mountain is approximately 13 kilometers long and leads through Tiruvannamalai with its big temple. Through the circumambulation the mountain always should be on the right side. On the way there are a lot of shrines, smaller temples and several Ashrams.
Sri Ramana Maharshi has often practiced this circumambulation and also recommended it to his devotees, in the awareness: “Everything is inside of me”.
During his whole life he indicated the wonderful effect of the mountain. According to his statement Arunachala made him leave his home when he was 17 years old, as he was attracted by Arunachala:
„When Arunachala pulled me towards him, filled my mind in silence and I came close to him, I saw: he means absolute stillness”.
“Arunachala is within and not outside. The Self Is Arunachala.“
„For the human eye he is only a shape out of earth and rock, but his true form is divine light.“
“The secret of the mountain is the secret of the Self.“
“Arunachala thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on thee in
the heart, oh Arunachala."
Sources:
Gabriele Ebert, Ramana Maharshi, Sein Leben, Stuttgart, Lüchow Verlag
Martin Mittwede, Spirituelles Wörterbuch, Sanskrit German, Sathya Sai
Vereinigung, Bonn
Lexikon der Östlichen Weisheitslehren, Otto Wilhelm Barth Verlag
Satsang with Madhukar
Madhukar, Einssein, Lüchow Verlag
Labels: Arunachala
Arunachala is a mountain of 820 meters height in the South Indian federal state Tamil Nadu, approximately 150 kilometers distance from Chennai (Madras) and 180 kilometers away from Bangalore. At his foot lies the city of Tiruvannamalai with its big Hindu temple Arnachalasvara. In the West Arunachala became famous because of the Sage Sri Ramana Maharshi, who was meditating in the caves of the mountain for many years until an Ashram was founded.Geologically Arunachala is an isolated mountain of volcanic rock and he has a bare reddish cone.
Despite his low height he widely dominates the landscape. All sorts of medicinal plants grow on the mountain. In earlier times Arunachala was partly wooded, wild animals and pristine flora and fauna lived on him.
Since primeval times Arunachala is worshiped as a holy mountain. According to the Tamil legend he is older than the Himalayas and is considered to be one of the holiest places of India.
The meaning of the Sanskrit name Arunachala is “Mountain of Dawn” (literally aruna: morning redness, achala: mountain, also the unmovable)
He also is called “Hill of the Light”. This name refers to the “Divine Light of Shiva”, which is said to surround the mountain like an aura. (Shiva, literally translated from Sanskrit: “The Gracious One, The Friendly One”, is considered to be the destroyer of non-realization as a benedictive deity)
In the figurative sense “Aruna” stands for the liberated state beyond all oppositeness, “achala” stands for the unmovable, the stable, silence.
From Shankara (Sanskrit, śankara, adi means “beginning, source”, 788-820), one of the greatest Saints and philosophers of India, main representative of Advaita-Vedanta, is reported that he called Arunachala Mountain Meru, which, according to the Indian mythology, is the axis of the world, centre of the universe and residence of the Gods.
There are a lot of legends regarding the origin of the holy mountain. The most famous legend gives backgrounds for the adoration and the attraction of the mountain:
Vishnu and Brahma got into a dispute, which one of them would be the mightier one. Their dispute caused chaos on earth. Therefore the Gods requested Shiva to end the wrangling. Shiva answered their request and manifested himself as a pillar of light. Out of it he let a voice speak: “Who of both can reach the upper or lower end of the pillar be the mightier one.” Vishnu took the shape of a boar and dug himself deeply into the earth. Brahma was transmuting into a swan and flew up to the upper end. On his way up he saw a flower flying through the air. He took it as a proof for Shiva and he said he had found it on top of the pillar. Vishnu also could not reach the lower end, but he realized in his own inside the supreme light that shines in the hearts of all beings. He lost the awareness of the body, forgot himself and his goal to reach the lower end of the pillar of light. He confessed his failure to Shiva and praised him with the words:
“You are self-realization, the OM.
You are the beginning, the middle and the end of everything.
You are everything and you enlighten everything.“
He was acknowledged as the mightier one and Shiva forgave the ashamed Brahma his attempt to deceive. (Source: Gabriele Ebert, Ramana Maharshi, Sein Leben, S.59, Lüchow Verlag Stuttgart)
Quotes:
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi:
“Arunachala is the heart of the world, is Shiva himself.
As we identify ourselves with the body,
so Shiva, the supreme truth, identifies himself with the mountain.
It happens out of love for those who are seeking to realize Him.“
Madhukar:
“Yes, this mountain is Shiva himself.
When a human being can be enlightened, why not also a mountain?
Each one who has been there realizes
that even though he finds a red geological formation in a plain with paddy fields, it is much more a mystical place.
Bhagavan is still there!
This phenomenon of silent presence is described as soundless sound.
I would say: vibrationless vibration.“
Giri Pradakshina – the circumambulation of the holy mountain.
(giri, mountain, and pradakshina, circumambulation)
In Hinduism the ritual to circumambulate an object has always been a form of divine adoration. As Arunachala is seen as a manifestation of God Shiva, his circumambulation has always been considered to be very benedictive: it would still the mind, it would help liberation, forgive sins and fulfil wishes.
In the Holy Scripture, the Arunachala Puranam, manifold instructions can be found for the circumambulation of the mountain. So the pilgrim is advised to walk silently or singing, in inner silence, barefoot and slowly like a pregnant queen. Each day of the week has a special meaning according to the above mentioned goals and desires. Preferred days are full moon nights, especially the last full moon night of Deepam, the festival of lights, after lightening the holy flame. This celebration is already mentioned in more than 3000 years old Tamil scriptures.
The traditional path around the mountain is approximately 13 kilometers long and leads through Tiruvannamalai with its big temple. Through the circumambulation the mountain always should be on the right side. On the way there are a lot of shrines, smaller temples and several Ashrams.
Sri Ramana Maharshi has often practiced this circumambulation and also recommended it to his devotees, in the awareness: “Everything is inside of me”.
During his whole life he indicated the wonderful effect of the mountain. According to his statement Arunachala made him leave his home when he was 17 years old, as he was attracted by Arunachala:
„When Arunachala pulled me towards him, filled my mind in silence and I came close to him, I saw: he means absolute stillness”.
“Arunachala is within and not outside. The Self Is Arunachala.“
„For the human eye he is only a shape out of earth and rock, but his true form is divine light.“
“The secret of the mountain is the secret of the Self.“
“Arunachala thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on thee in
the heart, oh Arunachala."
Sources:
Gabriele Ebert, Ramana Maharshi, Sein Leben, Stuttgart, Lüchow Verlag
Martin Mittwede, Spirituelles Wörterbuch, Sanskrit German, Sathya Sai
Vereinigung, Bonn
Lexikon der Östlichen Weisheitslehren, Otto Wilhelm Barth Verlag
Satsang with Madhukar
Madhukar, Einssein, Lüchow Verlag
Labels: Arunachala
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