King
Rajasekara told Manikandan that the Diwan was responsible for
all these things and hence he should be punished. However, Manikandan
told the king that he need not punish the Diwan and all had happened
only through the will of God, and he told further that time had
come for him to go to Devaloka since the task for which he took
avatar himself on the Earth is completed and asked the King what
boon he wanted from him and he was ready to give it as he was
much pleased by his devotion. Immediately, King Rajasekara told
him that they wanted to raise a temple in his memory and suggest
a suitable place for the temple. Manikandan aimed an arrow which
fell at a place called Sabari, where in Sri Rama's era a Sanyasini
called Sabari observed Dhavam. Lord Manikandan told the King to
build the temple in that place and then he disappeared.
As
per Saint Agasthya's advise, King Rajasekara laid the foundation
stone for the building the Sabarimala Shrine. Bhagwan Manikandan,
had made it clear that he would grace only those devotees who
offer Dharshan after performing Vritha for fortyone days keeping
themselves isolated from family desires and tastes and leading
a life like Brahmacharya, thinking of good things always, and
that while coming for his darshan, they shall carry the holy irumudi
on their heads, as the Bhagwan did when he went to the forest
to fetch tigress milk, and bathed in River Pampa raising slogans
of Saranam and climb the eighteen stairs.
As
graced by the Bhagwan King Rajasekara completed building of the
temple with eighteen steps to reach it. 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 as River Ganga, Sabarimala was a holy place as
Kasi. Dharmasastha sent Parasuraman to Sabarimala who carved the
figure of Lord Ayyappa and installed it on the day of Makarasankranthi,
the day on which the Makara Jothi appears. Every year lakhs and
lakhs of people throng to Sabarimala 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 and get the grace of Lord Ayyappa, the Dharmasastha.
JEWEL
CASKET
The Jewel Casket is carried on head from the ancestral residence
of the royal family of Panthalam to the Shrine on the day. A Garuda,
the Brahaman kite, follows this ornaments carrying procession,
hovering about in the sky. After these ornaments are worn on the
Lord the bird circles the temple in the sky three times and disappears.
Excited by this sight the devotees begin to chant "Swamiye
Saranam Ayyappa". A Star never seen before in the sky appears
on the day of Makara Jothi day before the sighting of the Jyoti.
A Jyoti is seen for a little time on the hilltop showing the presence
of Swamy Ayyappan gracing his devotees.
|