The Journey in search of "Tat-Tvam-Asi".

I have noticed that every year during the  "The Journey of Tat-Tvam-Asi season" (OR) the "Sabarimala Mandala season" that falls between Mid - November to Mid - January many visitors come to my blog using the key word - Sabarimala.
Hence i thought of writing this post once again.

As informed earlier my grand father was a Guruswamy - A Spiritual Guide - A travel Guide who took thousands of Ayappa devotees to Sabarimala and helped them HIKE THE HILLS to TAT-TVAM-ASI

A devotee will practice celibacy-Brahmacharya for 41 days prior to the pilgrimage.

Today it is reduced to 2-3 days.

The Irumudi (travel bag) which a devotee carries on his head should contain the following. 

Camphor , Rice , Rose water , Ghee , Sandal wood paste and Coconut.

Coconut represents Human Body. 

Coconut is broken and the water from the coconut is drained out. Metaphorically it means  your body is now internally clean and you have drained out EGO, LUST,  JEALOUSY AND DESIRES from your body.

Coconut is now filled with Ghee.
Ghee represents the "Life source - Soul".
You carry all the items on your head during the hike barefoot to the top of the Sabarimala Hill. 
The path to the Peak of the hill is strewn with stones, dense forest, wild animals and ridges.

Once you reach the top of the hill and enter into the temple premises called Sannidhanam, you will encounter with holy 18 steps.
These Holy 18 Spiritual steps will lead you to Sanctum Sanctorum.
The Holy 18 steps represents the following :
First 5 Steps : Senses - Sight , Sound , Smell , Taste , Touch
6. Kama -  Desire
7. Krodha - Anger
8. Lobha - Avarice
9. Moha - Lust
10. Madha - Pride
11. Maltsarya - Unhealthy Competition - basically the survival game
12. Asooya - Jealously 
13. Ahamkar - Boast
14. Satwa -  Goodness and Purity
15. Rajas - Passion and Activity
16.Thamas - Destructive and Chaos
17. Avidya - Ignorance
18. Vidya - Knowledge and Enlightenment.

After mounting  the holy 18 steps the first thing you see is "Tat Tvam Asi" written on the sanctum. When i was 8 year old i had been to Sabarimala. I dint knew the meaning of Tat Tvam Asi then, however the first thing that i saw after mounting the holy 18 steps is still present fresh in my memory. 

"Tat Tvam Asi" means "Thou Art That" meaning " Iam That" - "Iam Brahman".

Lord Ayappa is surrounded by Bhuta Ganas. Bhuta Ganas are demons with long teeth, big bellies. They are terrifying forms but cause no harm to anyone. It is believed that their job is just to appear on stage. They represent materialism.

In life sometimes you are surrounded by Bhuta Ganas ; They come only to test your strength and courage. With all the power they have - they can do nothing ; they cannot stand before a PURE ETHICAL ASPIRANT.

Above the complexities of the dense thick hilly forest, inside the sanctum you see Lord Ayappa sitting in the Naishtika Brahmachari Pose.
The sitting pose is called Ardhasana in Yoga. It is also called as Brahmacharya Pose.

Surrounded by Bhuta Ganas that represents materialism, the lord is free from all afflictions, the one who is pure in content manifests with Abhaya Mudra.

Once you get a holy glimpse of Lord Ayappa, Ghee is now removed from the coconut and offered  to Lord Ayappa for Abhishekam and the coconut which now represents Perishable Body is put into fire.

This clearly means that our body is perishable.

Brahmacharya is a spotless Chastity.
Brahmacharya is the absolute control of all SENSES. When you practice Brahmacharya - you prevent your sexual energy from moving downwards and redirect the sexual energy upwards. When the sexual energy reaches your Brain your level of Consciousness + Wisdom + Awareness RISE.

Brahmacharya is not about SUPRESSING sexual energy it is about transforming Instinctual Impulse into a more subtle energy that is divine and spiritual.

One should get married only after Brahmacharya is established inside them. 

Man has degraded himself by becoming a puppet in the hand of DESIRES.

He has sunk into an object form of slavery.

Whether Married or Not  -  Men and Women should practice Brahmacharya at-least for one month every year.

My Grand father practiced Brahmacharya for 41 days every year during the Sabarimala Mandalam season. However he was married and was a householder with 2 sons and 2 daughters and my mother being the youngest of all.

What does practicing Brahmacharya teach you?

You dont have to lay on your back to catch a man.

You dont have to compete with another woman to win a man.

You dont have to compete with another man to win a woman.

You dont have to turn yourself into a bait to catch a mate.

The fundamental instinctual desire (Kama) is mate-sex; only then comes power, wealth, title, position.

During celibacy you conserve your sexual energy, with this you dont move to the second level of Kama - Wealth, Power or Position.

To a celibate who conserves sexual energy with great efforts - The Naked Body belongs to the one whose naked soul attracts you.

To a man or a woman who knows how to conserve sexual energy  what is there unattainable in the world?.  Ardhasana is also called as  Brahmacharyasana.

In the ocean of spirituality when you completely forget the past, present and future - your only presence in this world can be described by 3 mere words - "Swamiye Sharanam Ayappa".

Happy Makara Vilaku.