Murugan beckons ..

[Vinayaka]

This is a video with beautiful bhajan showing the nature of the Murugan bhaktars on the island of Mauritius ... it calls. I missed Thai Pusam this year due to a physical injury.

 

[Viraja]

Yes, it is very hard indeed to have so many piercings all over the body and carry the kavadi. Devotees enjoy 2 kinds of rewards - gratification from having served their lord in a profound manner and actual fulfillment of their wishes (if any).

I recently learnt about the legend of Palani hills. In olden days, maharajas forbid those afflicted with Leprosy at the foot of the great Palani hills, at the time when the temple wasn't constructed. Sidhdha Bhoghar wanted to cure them. Therefore, he collected 9 different venomous poisons ('navapashanam') and mixed them with thousands of herbs and made the Murugan idol for worship. He offered Panchamirtha and other abhishekam to this Lord Murugan idol and offered the prasadham to the patients. They miraculously recovered!

Hope you enjoyed the legend behind Palani hills, that is, if you do not know it already (in which case it will be helpful to the readers)!

Cheers.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes, it is very hard indeed to have so many piercings all over the body and carry the kavadi. Devotees enjoy 2 kinds of rewards - gratification from having served their lord in a profound manner and actual fulfillment of their wishes (if any).

I recently learnt about the legend of Palani hills. In olden days, maharajas forbid those afflicted with Leprosy at the foot of the great Palani hills, at the time when the temple wasn't constructed. Sidhdha Bhoghar wanted to cure them. Therefore, he collected 9 different venomous poisons ('navapashanam') and mixed them with thousands of herbs and made the Murugan idol for worship. He offered Panchamirtha and other abhishekam to this Lord Murugan idol and offered the prasadham to the patients. They miraculously recovered!

Hope you enjoyed the legend behind Palani hills, that is, if you do not know it already (in which case it will be helpful to the readers)!

Cheers.

Please share, perhaps I haven't heard versions you're familiar with. I have enjoyed the darshan of Sri Palaniandavar. Amazing otherworldly place.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes, it is very hard indeed to have so many piercings all over the body and carry the kavadi. Devotees enjoy 2 kinds of rewards - gratification from having served their lord in a profound manner and actual fulfillment of their wishes (if any).

Also done as penance for deeds of an adharmic nature. In Mauritius it's more like going for coffee, and considered normal. Nearly everyone in the Tamil community, (and others too) do it. Thai Pusam is a National Holiday. The piercing looks far worse than it is. If you can go to the dentist and get freezing, you can have piecing done.

 

[ajay0]

Kavadi means burden, and cheerfully bearing burdens with a positive attitude is an austerity that creates inner strength. This inner strength or power of austerity will create an equanimous mind without agitation that unveils the Self or awareness.

It is for this reason that Vivekananda stated that only the strong can reach the truth.

'Are you strong? Do you feel strength? — for I know it is truth alone that gives strength. I know that truth alone gives life, and nothing but going towards reality will make us strong, and none will reach truth until he is strong.' ~ Swami Vivekananda

 

[Shantanu]

I used to believe in austerity but the attitude of my wife has changed me: I live life to the full now. That is existentialism.

 

[Vinayaka]

I used to believe in austerity but the attitude of my wife has changed me: I live life to the full now. That is existentialism.

Doing kavadi, for me, is living life to the fullest. How could one miss the opportunity?

 

[Shantanu]

Doing kavadi, for me, is living life to the fullest. How could one miss the opportunity?

I do not see myself as bearing any kind of burden upon myself. I just live from day to day and do what I can to improve myself. Posting in these forums is part of that quest as it teaches me to modify myself as I go along discovering new realities.

 

[Vinayaka]

I do not see myself as bearing any kind of burden upon myself. I just live from day to day and do what I can to improve myself. Posting in these forums is part of that quest as it teaches me to modify myself as I go along discovering new realities.

Oh, it's totally to each his own. I see burdens (challenges) coming at us whether we like it or not, though. But I get what you're saying ... you don't choose to add more burden. I don't in some ways either. For example, I choose not to go to violent movies, as that experience will burden my mind for awhile.

 

[Shantanu]

Oh, it's totally to each his own. I see burdens (challenges) coming at us whether we like it or not, though. But I get what you're saying ... you don't choose to add more burden. I don't in some ways either. For example, I choose not to go to violent movies, as that experience will burden my mind for awhile.

I just want a very peaceful life if I can.

 

[Vinayaka]

I just want a very peaceful life if I can.

I think we all do. So far so good here. Can't imagine being born in a war zone where you get no choice.

 

[Shantanu]

I think we all do. So far so good here. Can't imagine being born in a war zone where you get no choice.

To fight or not to fight: that is the question. It would appear that I had made the wrong choice in adopting 'dharmayudha' 20 years ago as I was brought up as a Vaishnava, but found to my utter regret that it was not a God-prescribed solution to the manner in which I had been persecuted. God does not prescribe 'dharmayudha' nor 'sanatan dharma' for that matter. The choice to engage is totally mine. Now I am repenting the choice that I made under the belief that it was a God-inspired mission to fight. The only good thing that came out of the 20 year 'dharmayudha' was the knowledge that I attained.