അയ്യപ്പ സ്വാമി കൂടെ ഉള്ളപ്പോൾ നാം കാണുന്ന ലക്ഷ്ണങ്ങൾ

Ayyappan (Sastha or Dharmasastha or Manikandan) is a Hindu deity popular in the Southern India, particularly in the state of Kerala. Ayyappa is also known as the Hindu god of self-control. Ayyapa is considered as the son of Mohini (Vishnu) and Shiva and step son of Mother Parvati. He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil. The worship of Ayyappa has become very popular in the state of Kerala by members of all communities, in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The deity is mentioned in various scriptures and is revered in south Indian Hindu traditions. Although devotion to Ayyappan has been prevalent earlier, in South India, it has become popular only in the late 20th century. According to Hindu theology, he is the son of Harihara (Mahavishnu in the form of Mohini and Shiva). Ayyappan is also referred to as Ayyappa, Sastavu, Hariharasudhan, Manikandan, Shasta or Dharma Shasta and Sabarinath. The iconography of Ayyappan depicts him as a handsome celibate (Brahmachari) God doing yoga and as an epitome of Dharma, who wears a bell around his neck. He is honored by Muslims in Kerala, with legends wherein Ayyappan defeats and gains worship of the Muslim brigand Vavar.[2][4][5] In the Hindu tradition popular in the Western Ghats of India, he was born with the powers of Shiva and Vishnu to confront and defeat the shape shifting evil Buffalo demoness Mahishi. He was raised by a childless royal couple Rajashekara pandiyan and Koperundevi, and grows up as a warrior yogi champion of ethical and dharmic living. In the South Indian version, Ayyappan images show him as riding a tigress, but in some places such as Sri Lanka he is shown as riding a white elephant. Ayyappan popularity has grown in many parts of India, and the most prominent Ayyappan shrine is at Sabarimala, nestled in the hills of Pathanamthitta of Kerala. The shrine receives millions of pilgrims every year in late December and early January, many of whom prepare for weeks before and then climb the hill barefoot, making it one of the largest active pilgrimage sites in the world. The pilgrimage attracts a wide range of devotees, from diverse social or economic backgrounds, except women in their fertile age because Ayyappan is believed to be the celibate deity and a plethora of other arguments to vindicate the same. It remains one of the few Deities in Hindu tradition, that are respected by all religious communities, including Muslims and Christians in Kerala. The most significant festival linked to him is the Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranti), observed around the winter solstice. The name Ayyappan (sometimes spelled as Ayyappa or Aiyappan) may be related to as "Lord Father". The name may literally comes from "Ayyan" and "Appan" both meaning "Father". The root names "Ayyan" and "Appan" denotes Mohini (Mohini here called father, she is a female form of the god Vishnu) and Shiva respectively. However, the word Ayyappan is not found in South Indian versions of the medieval era Puranas, leading scholars to the hypothesis that Ayyappan may have roots elsewhere. The alternate theory links it to the Malayali word acchan and Tamil word appa which means "father", with Ayyappan connoting "Lord-father". The alternate proposal is supported by the alternate name for Ayyappan being Sastava (Sasta, Sashta, Sastra), a Vedic term that also means "Teacher, Guide, Lord, Ruler". The words Sastha and Dharmasastha in the sense of a Hindu god are found in the Puranas. Ayyappan is also known as Hariharasudhan – meaning the "son of Harihara" or a fusion deity of Hari and Hara, the names given to Vishnu and Shiva respectively. He is also called Manikanta from Mani, Sanskrit for precious stone, and kanta, Sanskrit for neck. In some regions, Ayyappa and Ayyanar are considered to be the same deity given their similar origin. Others consider him as different because their worship methods are not the same. Ayyappan is a warrior deity. He is revered for his ascetic devotion to Dharma – the ethical and right way of living, to deploy his military genius and daring yogic war abilities to destroy those who are powerful but unethical, abusive and arbitrary. His iconography is usually shown with a bow and arrow upraised in his left hand, while in his right he holds either a bow or a sword diagonally across his left thigh. Other depictions of Ayyappan, particularly paintings, generally show him in a yogic posture wearing a bell around his neck and sometimes shown riding a tiger. The life legends and mythology of Ayyappa varies across region like other Hindu gods and goddesses, reflecting a tradition that evolved and enriched over time, sometimes in conflicting ways. For example, the Sribhutanatha Purana text presents Ayyappan as an incarnation of the Hindu deity Hariharaputra, the son of Shiva and Mohini. #ayyappaswami #ayyappa #ayyappasongs #lordayyappa #sabarimala