Swamikku SwamiyE Bhakthan

Lyrics & Rendering: Dr. A. P. Sukumar Photos & Videos: Achyuta, Adithya & Sukumar Thurga Amman Kovil, Burnaby, BC. Canada
Lyrics available at the Mathrubhumi Sabarimala portal. http://harivarasanam.in/ml/ayappa.asp?ID=32&FM=P


Swamikku Swamiye Bhakthan
Dr. A. P. Sukumar
A true devotee of Swami is indeed Swami himself- this is particularly true for Ayyappa Swami and His devotee. Ayyappa Saranam Chanting strengthens the bhakthi in one and seeking refuge in Swami gives him the release from fear and desire (lust)

At the dawn of the month of Vrischigam (Mandala season), a devotee puts on a mala (made of beads strung in a thread) as a symbol of decision to take the vratham (vow of celibacy and good behavior) for the 41 days. He wants to walk up and take refuge at the divine feet of Swami Ayyappa- the Swami who himself has walked up the 18 steps to reach the ultimate sanctum Santorum. Ayyappa Swami, who took Sabarimala as his abode is none other than Dharma Sastha himself.

In the season when the Mandala mornings are echoing the Saranam chanting all around, in the period when my mental space is distinctly filled with the thoughts of Ayyappa Swami, my guru (preceptor) advices me that the best recourse to get rid of afflictions of the age of Kali (kali malam) is to scale up the Kari Mala (hill). To get rid of sorrow (maal) and to remove impurities (maalinyam) from my mind, I put on a mala (under the gurus guidance).

(On my head), In a bi-folded cloth bag I carry both my sins and virtues (sukrtham and dushkritham) along with a coconut filled with ghee and walk up the path (to Sabarimala) with the hope of submitting them at the sanctum Santorum of the Swami then people call me Swami as well. When my ego breaks asunder just like the ghee-coconut is broken (to release the ghee for swamis abhishekam) I become one with Swami- thus becoming a real devotee of Swami (worthy of that name).

(thathvam asi here the swami and the devotee become one and the same- pure advaitha. Only in the case of Ayyappa as a deity, the concept is such. For Swamy Ayyappa, His bhaktha is a swamy (namesake in the beginning). All bhakthas who have put the mala to go Sabarimala (in the vratham) is called swamy in kerala (police swamy, headmaster swamy, peon swamy, clerk swamy, etc...)

The bhaktha becomes a real Swamy when he sheds his ego and becomes worthy of the name Swamy. The symbolism of breaking the coconut filled with ghee is about releasing the self devoid of ego. Ego is the five sheaths of the body represented by the shell of the coconut and the ghee, the self. We release the self from the ego and submit it to Swami Ayyappa and becomes the same as Ayyappa Swamy. Thats why 'thathwamasi' (that thou art- it is nothing but you..) is written at the top of the temple. It is the only temple and deity where pure advaitha vedantha is being practiced. All other temples may give you a 'dwaitha' bhavam.)

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• Swami
• Ayyappa
• Saranam
• Saranamayyappa
• Sabarimala
• Makaravilakk