Chidambaram
‘Sabhapathikku
Vere Daivam Samaanamaakumaa?’
This was the ‘Akaasha Kshethram’ in the ‘Pancha Bhootha Kshetrams’. Chidambaram
is the ‘Kanakasabha’ which is one of the
five ‘Sabhas’ of Lord Siva. This is
where people like Manikkavachakar had their Samadhis by ‘Vilaya Praapyam’ into the ‘Nataraja
Sannidhi’ as a ‘Jyoti Vilayam’.
This is the place where the ‘Ambaram ie
Aakasham’ is ‘swayam-prabham’ as
the ‘Chitswaroopam’ where the Lord
does his ‘Ananda Tandava Natanam’.
Trying to write itself chokes ourselves with emotion – How do we even try to
say anything….
The temple is well documented by
a lot of luminaries. Still I found every one having a description of their own
upon their visits. The ‘Chitswaroopa
Spandanam’ is ‘Yogi Hrid-Dhyana
Gamyam’, but I saw that it is knowingly or unknowingly perceptible to all
who are the ‘Adi Panipavar’ – the
ones who surrender to him - at his Sannidhi.
We went to the temple having a
general understanding that we would visit the temple, then go to Tillai Kali
temple, have our darsanam there, then
come back to spend the time here. Teacher was planning to do a parayanam of Soundarya Lahari. Well the sequence unfolded slightly different for
some of us.
We (myself, Malini, Rishi,
Father, Mother, Saumya and her children) travelled in the Tavera and reached
the place while others had already gone in and had their darsanams. When we tried to enter the main mandapam for close darsanam
of the Nataraja Moorthi we were asked
to take separate coupons for the same. While taking this I had requested the Archaka, to show us the Chidambara Rahasyam. For this he told us
that this would take about another half an hour to one hour time and we agreed to
wait for it. My uncle had told about the Chidambara
Rahasyam and had given guidance on how to understand the same.
While we stood inside the main mandapam we could see all the poojas and
the rituals done by various archakas
inside. In between they asked all of us who were standing there to move out due
to some ritual. The Archaka asked us
to wait at the side and we were waiting to see what would happen. We could see
the main Pujari of the temple coming
in after some time and again people were let in. We also went in through the
left stairway where the main Pujari
went in. After sometime, it was the time for Abhishekams and all who were standing there even the ones with
tickets to see the Rahasyam were
asked to stand outside. I was counting on the Lord’s blessing, we were left
undisturbed there, with a full view of all the Ahishekams done in our front!!!
The ‘Sphatika Lingam’ was brought from inside. The Abhishekams were with Milk, Honey, Water and a lot of other such
items. Once this was fully over and the main Pujari went inside, other people standing outside were also called
in. After the Deeparadhana, it was
time to show the Rahasyam. We were
asked to come to one side to see through the wall columns where the Aakasham was shown by way of Golden
Bilwa leaves. This was shown and naturally the same was like a force upon us
when we saw it. Father could not see it properly and told the Archaka the same. We were wondering when
they would show this the next time. Again they were kind to call out for all
those who wanted to see it again and we had the fulfilling darsanam again.
Unable to think much or plan
further after the flow of events we just came and stood at the foot of the mandapam where the full grandeur of the Nataraja Moorthy was visible and a full Deepa Aradhana happened. The Perumal Anantha Sayanam on the immediate
left also was seen. After some time when crowd had come down we went in for darsanam there. Again we came back to
the front of the Mandapam and sat
there practically blinking and just gulping the nectar of Sabha Grandeur we were seeing.
‘Nischintaye Sivadhyanam’ – My uncle had told us the depth of its
meaning. The live example, we were made to witness ourselves.
We sat in the Sannidhi for a long period of time and
then slowly went around the temple. There was a Sabha Mandapam directly in front of the main place. Kaali and on a side, Sarabheshwarar was there. Saw Muruka Sannidhi, the other deities
including the main Siva deity which is on the back side of the Nataraja Sannidhi. The Four Vedams were shown depicted as
personifications in pictures. We sat in the outer prakaaram and had some water from the arrangements kept. Coming out
of the temple, a strong breeze was kind of following us which filled our
hearts.
‘Krupaanidhi Ivarapolai Kidaikumoo Indha Bhoomi Thannil’
My uncle had also instructed us
to necessarily visit Tillai Kali as the Lord himself had given a boon to her
saying that “A visit to my abode here will only be complete when the person
visits you also along with it.”
We proceeded to Tillai Kali
temple. The main deity is Brahma Chamundeswari with four faces. There is a
separate Sannidhi for Kali fully
draped in Red Vermillion, with her gaze slightly down as a show of the result
in the Dance Duel with Lord Siva. She was looking both graceful and fierce at
the same time with the entire colour, the Sandhya
time and the lamps. There was Deeparadhana
when we went there and we had our Darsanams
there. This is one of the rare temples (probably only one) where Dakshinamurthi
is in a feminine rupam – Kadambavana Dakshinarupini and
Saraswathi Devi graces the praakaram
as Veena Vidyambika.
Again something unique happened
here. We were given some Puliyodaram prasadam
by one of the Archakas. I went
back into the temple and saw him standing at the main deity. After giving dakshina to him, I moved into the nearby
table where a person who looked like a temple authority was sitting. He was
talking to another person of importance – judging from appearance and the way
all people were reacting to him. Once this person moved, I enquired for the
details of the deity and the main sanctum. He was kind enough to tell me the
details. I also bought two small picture of the deity. Then I asked about a
particular detail on which he first showed some surprise and enquired from
where I was coming from. Then he told the details of the same and it was
connected with the Rahasyam. Filled
with unexplainable bliss and remembering my Uncles words that Lord Siva has
made the rule of visiting Devi inorder to make the Darsanam full, we came back and then rested after having food.
Teacher and others who managed to
carry on with the original plan came back, had the parayanam done, had the good fortune to see the Abhishekams, Unjal Seva etc and had the Prasadam from the temple before they
also retired to their own rooms.
‘Orutharam
Shiva Chidambaram Endru Sonnal Podhume
Paragathi Pera Veru
Puniyam Panna Vendumaa’
No comments:
Post a Comment