The Bhoothanaathopaakhyaanam is the main Purana containing the legend of Sri Dharma Sastha or Sri Ayyappa. Before describing the story we shall have a glimpse of the general characteristics of the ancient texts called the Puranas. It is wrong to brand the many stories in the Puranas by the English term ‘myth’. The composers of the Puranas were Master Minds. A serious reader will be marveled at their mastery over the language, minute analysis of human situations, their wondrous ability to present the opposing points of view with equal ease and justice, their synthetic presentation, etc. In these texts a technique of discriminative imagination is effectively employed to bring the conditioned human mind in touch with the life-transforming spiritual values, gradually equipping mind for higher contemplation. Some of the stories, which would appear as mere hyperbolic imagination, have profound inner meaning, which will be revealed to the serious seeker, while they unconsciously inculcate values in the common folk as they relish these stories. The approach of the Puranas can be compared to that of the surrealistic style of painting. They disturb us, nourish our faculties of imagination, help to break the patterns of routine thoughts and give us solace, reassurance and joy by pointing out the higher potentials of life. They have often utter disregard for the time and space factors. Birds, animals and men can be seen freely engaging in serious discussions on the mysteries of existence! It is especially indicated in some of the Puranas that the stories should not be considered as historical events but should be taken as symbolic treasures which when opened using the proper keys reveal their profound truths.
While examining the following symbolic Puranic incidents, we must bear in mind that Sri Ayyappa philosophy and worship are profoundly spiritual, universal and timeless and the spirituality involved transcends the Puranas and history.
According to the above-mentioned Purana, two divine personalities, Datta and Leela were husband and wife. While Datta wanted to enter spiritual life, Leela under the influence of insatiable lust was against it. They cursed each other and degraded themselves to be born as buffaloes. Leela who was born to a demoniac Asura with the head of a she-buffalo and human body did intense penance and obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that she could be killed only by a son born to Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu, an impossibility. This boon made her very haughty and egoistic that she oppressed the three worlds and placed herself on the throne of Indra, the king of the Devas, the celestials. The Devas and the Rishis prayed to Lord Vishnu to give them relief from her oppression and Lord Vishnu assured them protection.
Because of a curse of the sage Durvasa, the Devas were also in another great trouble then having lost their everlasting youthfulness. However, the Devas could somehow manage to get temporary co-operation of the demoniac Asuras, their eternal enemies and they together churned the Ocean of Milk from which emerged the Amrita, the potion that would bring them back eternal youth. However, the Asuras forcibly took away the Amrita. Lord Vishu, thereupon assumed the form of an enchantress called Mohini. The Asuras fell an easy victim to her charms and Mohini deceptively took away the Amrita and handed it over to the Devas.
Thereupon Lord Siva wanted to see that form of Mohini and seeing the most enchanting form fell in love with her form. A son, Dharma Sastha was born to them. Thus the impossible condition for the destruction of the demoniac Mahishi - the she buffalo - was materialized. (The story thus engagingly highlights the oneness of the spiritual aspects of Siva and Vishnu and the vibrant Power of that Unity conceived by Dharma Sastha.)
Eventually, Dharma Sastha killed Mahishi and threw away the dead body at Azhutha, on the eastern side of the river Azhutha, which is a branch of the river Pampa . When Dharma Sastha killed Mahishi, the thankful and overjoyed Devas and Rishis prayed to Him and worshipped Him by installing an imaginary idol of Dharma Sastha at Ponnambalamedu. They showered the idol with flowers and worshipped it by performing Pooja with camphor flame. Ages after when Sri Rama along with Lakshmana was passing through the region in search of Sita, they happened to meet the women sage Sabari who was observing penance at Sabari-peedom. According to her advice, Sri Rama put up his temporary abode at Sabarimala (the present location of Sabarimala temple) and installed the idols he worshipped at that place. Eventually, sage Parashurama installed the idol of Dharma Sastha at the same sacred spot.
However, according to the above-mentioned Purana the Devas placed this child born to Lord Siva and Mohini on the banks of Pampa where the Mahishi was living for sometime in the company of Sundara Mahisha, who was Datta born as a buffalo because of the curse. Here, it is described that Rajasekhara, the king of Pandalam, saw the child during one of his hunting expeditions and the childless king took the boy and brought him up as his son. He was named Ayyappa. According to the Purana the boy grew up in the palace mastering many arts including the martial arts. The king wanted to make him the heir to his kingdom. When he reached the age of 15 the childless queen gave birth to a son. The queen, it is said, wanted her son to be the heir to the throne and in order to remove Ayyappa from the scene she conspired with some people and feigned incurable illness. They prevailed upon the royal physician to prescribe that only a leopard’s milk can cure the disease. Thereupon, Ayyappa volunteered to go to forest to fetch the leopard’s milk. The queen and her associates were happy that their plan succeeded as they felt sure that the young boy would never return from such a dangerous expedition. In the Purana it is said that it was when Ayyappa reached the forests he destroyed the demoniac Mahishi. Here we come across a great gap in the time sequence. The churning of the Milky Ocean, which is a highly symbolic story with profound inner meaning, is said to have occurred Yugas ago and king Rajasekhara found the child in the forest comparatively in the recent past. As we have said earlier, the Puranas being texts that contain stories with highly hidden meaning should not be considered as history records. As the truths they convey are timeless they often have scant regard for the time factor. Eventually Ayyappa came back mounted on a leopard and in the company of a group of leopards. All then realized the divinity of Ayyappa.
( For the meaning of the symbolism of this Puranic story including the churning of the Milky Ocean, the symbolism of the union of Lord Shiva and Vishnu and that of the annihilation of buffalo, etc., please refer the profusely illustrated book ‘Sabarimala: Its Timeless Message’. The book also contains a detailed comparative study of history and the Puranic story, besides many illuminating facts about Shri Ayyappa philosophy and worship. Details of the book can be obtained by visiting the website: www.integralbooks.com and can be ordered by sending a message to sri@integralbooks.com )
Rajasekhara, king of Pandam, probably lived around the 12th century A.D. According to the Ayyappan Pattukal, the ballads on Sri Ayyapppa, during one of his hunting expeditions he came across the Divine Child on the banks of Pampa, where he also saw a Yogi in meditation. The Yogi advised him to take the child to his palace. (The details can be obtained from the above-mentioned book.) The boy was named `Ayyappa'. Since the child had a golden bell around his neck, he was also known as `Manikantan' (meaning `one wearing a bell around his neck'). The child was taken to the palace by the Raja and entrusted to his queen who had not borne him any offspring.
Ayyappa grew as an extremely brilliant boy. People began to admire him as the re-incarnation of Lord Dharma Sastha. Before his twelfth year, Ayyappa could master all Shastras and Vedas as well as the art of warfare. The Kingdom of Pandalam was then under threat from some oppressive chieftains. Ayyappa went around the country and mustered the co-operation from the neighbouring areas. . Irrespective of caste, creed or religion, a large group of people followed him to assist him in maintaining law and order. Among his chieftains were Vavar, a Muslim leader; and Valiya Kadutha and Kochu Kadutha, who were from the backward tribes. Eventually the oppressive chieftains were vanquished.
When Pandalam and neighbouring areas became calm and peaceful and free from the terrorists,King Rajasekhara wanted to make Ayyappa his successor to the kingdom of Pandalam. But Ayyappa himself had no such desire. Ayyappa requested the King to renovate the temple of Lord Dharma Sastha at Sabarimala, which was in a very dilapidated condition. The king agreed and made arrangements for the renovation of the temple. When the royal entourage, which included the armed forces carrying all the necessary materials for construction and stocks of food reached the place which is today known as Saramkuthi, near Sabarimala temple , Ayyappa requested the king and his soldiers to leave all the weaponry beneath a big banyan tree there, as carrying of weapons to a temple premises was a sacrilege. Accordingly, the sword, spears, clubs etc. were left at the foot of the banyan tree and the entourage proceeded to the temple. This was on the sacred ‘Makara Sankranti' day. Suddenly a big storm arose accompanied by heavy rains and fog. Visibility deteriorated and the people could not even see each other. When the storm and rain subsided and the fog gave way, Ayyappa was seen merging into the idol of Lord Dharma Sastha in the Sanctum Sanctorum. King Rajasekhara was heart broken seeing this and implored Ayyappa, "I have made all arrangements for your coronation and what shall I do with all the ornaments which were made for your coronation ceremony? As an answer the king heard a voice from the direction of the idol : "I am entering eternal meditation and Cosmic Consciousness for the welfare of the universe. However, every year at the time of Makara Sankranti, I will wake up from my meditation and open my eyes to see and bless this world. At that time you may adorn my idol with all the ornaments that you have made for my coronation ceremony. All who worship me are blessed as they will come closer to my Universal Consciousness." With these words, Lord Ayyappa closed his eyes and entered into meditation once again. . (Further reading is available in the Chapter Ayyappa Cult ) To abide by the divine commandment, `Thiruvaabharanam' ( a set of holy ornaments) is brought to Sabarimala every year on the Makara Sankranti day which falls around January 14th each year. The temples of Malikapurathamma, Kadutha and Vavar Swamy are also located in close proximity of the main temple. These are the other three temples which a pilgrim must visit during his pilgrimage. The legends associated with all these three can be found elsewhere on this site. To learn more about Lord Ayyappa's links with Pandalam Royal family, please visit their web site at: http://www.ayyappa.com
Source : http://www.saranamayyappa.org/Lord_Ayyappa.htm
