The glory of Arunachaleshwara
On this auspicious day of Kārthigai Dīpam, let's immerse ourselves in the nectar of Aruṇāchaleśvara's names and know about him.
One gets liberated if he beholds the Lord in Puṇḍarīkapura (Cidaṃbaram) or born in Kamalālaya (Thiruvārūr) or lose his life in Kāśikapura. All these may not be conceivable to everybody so one gets liberation just by remembering Śrī Aruṇāchala Kṣetra. By "remembering" it doesn't mean to remember once and forget about it the following second. It means to continuously meditate upon Aruṇāchalam, Lord Aruṇāchaleśvara and Devī Apītakucāmba.
Muthu Swāmi Dīkṣitar has uniquely composed Kīrtanas for Pañchabhūta Kṣetras. He has sung about both Pārvatī and Parameśvara in Kāñchī, Jambūkeśvaram, Kālahasti and Cidaṃbaram yet he sings about Śiva alone in Aruṇāchala Kṣetra since here Śrī Pārvatī Parameśvara is in the form of Ardhanārīśvara and are conjoined.
Aruṇādri mountain itself is regarded as a Śivaliṅga. Śiva here is known as Aruṇācaleśvara and Umā as Apītakucāmbikā or affectionately as Aṇṇāmalaiyān and Uṇṇāmulai Ambā. The word "Aṇṇā" means inaccessible. Pūrṇabrahma Mahādeva is inaccessible in reality. Since he is unapproachable he descends so that his devotees can behold him, embrace him and be with him. He frees the souls (Paśu) from bondage (Pāśa) and liberates them. Names, for example, 'Aruṇācaleśvara', 'Analācaleśvara', 'Śoṇācaleśvara' and so on means the Lord of Red or Fire mountain. Devī Umā is revered as 'Apītakucā' which means the unsuckled breasts. In Saundaryalaharī, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya Bhagavatpādal describes how Umā breast-feeds Gaṇapati and Skanda. Pārvatī fed Saṃbandhar with her milk (Milk of knowledge) which turned Saṃbandhar into Jñāna Saṃbandhar. If we analyse its meaning it means "She, who will not let her devotees take birth again and drink mother's milk." In short, she gives Mokṣa and frees the Jīva from the cycle of birth and death. The Kāśi Khaṇḍa says the equivalent...
"He who drinks the nectar of the name Umā while in his mortal life, O Kumārasaṃbhava, will never again suck milk from his mother. Oh, Brāhmaṇa, Chitragupta and the god of death will never take note of him who repeatedly chants 'Umā' day and night, the two syllabled maṇtra, though he may have committed sins."
The festival of Kārtigai Dīpam is said to be celebrated because it was the day when Śiva manifested as Jvālāliṅga in between Brahmā and Viṣṇu but Śiva Purāṇa says that it was on Ārdrā Nakṣatra in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa. The Śiva Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa, Kāmika Āgama says us to revere the Lord with lights of lamps in the month of Kārttika with the star grouping named Kṛttikā. It is also said that this was the day when Tripurāsura was destroyed by Lord Umāpati.
Gaṇapati Muni in Umā Sahasram says that the entire Aruṇāchala mountain itself is Śrīchakra Mahāmeru, while in the Bindu is seated Mahā Kāmeśvara and Mahā Kāmeśvarī as Aruṇāchaleśvara and Apītakucāmbikā. As the Sahastranāma says "Mahā catuḥ ṣaṣti koṭi yoginī gana sevithā" 64 crores of Yoginīs are themselves present in Aruṇādri and are serving Pārvatī Parameśvara. Once someone asked Śrī Ramaṇa Mahaṛṣi that if it's true that there are Yoginīs present in Aruṇā mountain. Ramaṇa Mahaṛṣi, through his touch, showed him the vision of innumerable Yoginīs serving Pārvatī Parameśvara. That person was stunned and fell unconscious. The only place where the Yoginīs are themselves present on earth is Aruṇāchala.
Appayya Dīkṣitar once visited Aruṇādri Kṣetra, suddenly he was laid up with high fever. Just as a child would call his mother first before calling his father, Appayya Dīkṣitar prayed to Mother Apītakucāmba to relieve him from this fever, not only this fever but also the fever of Saṃsāra. The composition is known as Śrī Apītakucāmba Stavaḥ. He was instantly relieved from his fever. In the Śrī Apītakucāmba Stavaḥ, Dīkṣitar beautifully says...
"śoṇīcaleśam upasṛtya bhajeta ko vā
na syāttavāmba savidhe yadi sannidānam ||"
"Oh mother, if you are not present beside the Lord of Śoṇīcala (Śiva), how can one even approach him?"
Similarly, in Vaśiṣṭha-Rāma Saṃvāda it is referenced that "Wind is recognised by motion, fire by heat and Śiva who is consciousness, purity and tranquillity, is known by his vibratory energy (Umā)." Just as Mānikkavāsagar says Umā showers her blessings on Śiva devotees even before the Lord. Such is the affection of Ambā on her devotees.
The Lord of Aruṇagiri removes all the sins of those who merely see Him and of fulfils all the desires of those who worship Him. He grants Liberation even to those who utter the word ‘Aruṇācala’ from a distance. A mere vision of Aruṇāgiri will grant the benefit of bathing in all the holy tīrthas and performing all yajñas and yāgas. The trees growing there are profoundly blessed as they are persistently adoring Hara as Hill with their leaves, flowers and fruits. The clouds above Aruṇagiri are honoured as they perform Abhiṣekam to Mahādeva as Hill. Everything living on the Hill which is verily Girīśa himself as fortunate. Indeed, Even millions of tongue can't sing the magnificence of Śrīman Mahādeva. Even though the title says "The glories of Aruṇācaleśvara" I've failed and made an unsuccessful attempt by trying to describe his glories which is infinite. Let's indulge ourselves in chanting his divine names and constantly remember him.
Namaḥ Pārvatīpataye Hara Hara Mahādeva!
Hara! Hara!
Yours,
Śivapādahṛdaya
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