Siddha Darshan Day
Mrithika Pooja, Go Thooli Pooja, Rishaba Pooja
In the article on the Pongal festival,
we not only described Siddha worship procedures but also how the
Pongal Day is timed. The day after Pongal (Jan/16/2ØØØ in India)
is also a very important day
in the spiritual world. This day is the famous Siddha Darshan Day.
It's also a day in which a handful of worship procedures like
Mrithika Pooja, Go Thooli Pooja and Rishaba pooja must be performed.
The purpose of this article is to describe these worship procedures
as conveyed to us by the Siddhas through the Sathguru, Guru Mangala
Gandharva Venkataraman. These worship procedures should be followed
by one and all, irrespective of race, religion or nationality.
Go Pooja (Cow Pooja)
The word "Go" means cow in Sanskrit.
Thus "Go Pooja" means worship of the cow.
The Siddhas instruct us that Go Puja is an important daily worship
procedure. They point out that a cow is so spiritually pure that
millions and millions of deities
take residence in and around a cow. Thus the very space occupied
by a cow is holy ground. Only very pure souls can take birth as cows.
Humankind should realize the spiritual significance of cows and learn
how these docile animals can contribute to our spiritual upliftment.
A human's bodily waste can only cause harm, whereas a cow's bodily
waste can heal! A cow's bodily waste in the form of urine and dung
are used in Siddha and Ayurveda medicinal systems to create drugs.
Cow dung is used in havan and homam fire ceremonies. Thus a cow's
bodily waste can contribute to the spiritual upliftment of humans!
A cow's bodily waste helps us get rid of the impurities in our minds!
This is something that humans should think about. This is an
"atma vichar" point; we should think about it for extended periods
of time and realize the spiritual significance of cows. This is the
advice of the Siddhas.
[More on Go Pooja (Cow pooja).]
On the day after Pongal, offer rice pongal to cows and other animals.
This is the way to start that precious day, say the Siddhas.
Only after we do this do we become qualified to perform the other
worship procedures ear marked for this day.
Mrithika Pooja
"Mrithika" means soil. The soil from sacred river beds is
worthy of worship, say the Siddhas. Collect some soil from
the river beds of sacred rivers like Ganga or Kaveri, after
making suitable payments to the river deities. Do this on
Asvini nakshatram day during
Angaaraka horai.
Store it in a small sandalwood box. Apply turmeric paste,
sandalwood paste, kumkum and vidbooti ash to this box
everyday and perform pooja for it daily.
This simple mrithika pooja ensures peace and
happiness in one's old age, say the Siddhas.
Mrithika pooja, as described above, is particularly
important on the day after Pongal.
Go Thooli Pooja
The dust raised by the hooves of cows is very sacred.
The soil particles that come into contact with the hooves
of cows (called "Go Thooli" in Sanskrit) are worshippable. In the days of yore, rishis
and Siddhas would collect these soil particles and apply
it on their foreheads everyday in the morning before
continuing their pilgrimages.
On the day after Pongal, collect soil from the hooves of cows
and store it in a small box made from the wood of sacred trees
like the peepul, banyan, neem or jack fruit. Keep this box
in your home shrine and apply turmeric paste, sandalwood paste,
kumkum and vibhooti ash to it everyday. Apply this soil
on your forehead daily. This confers the blessing of kaarya siddhi,
the good fortune of getting things done and accomplishing what you set out to do.
This helps us do good works in the world; this wouldn't work for selfish ends.
This procedure is particularly important for lawyers and judges.
If they apply this soil on their foreheads before appearing in court daily,
they'll not stray from justice and fairplay. Corruption and other vices
will not sully their work. The "Go Thooli" sacred soil is a spiritual
protective influence around them and their everyday work in the field of justice.
In olden days, whenever a group of cows would move around, people would gather near them and
prostrate themselves so that the "Go Thooli" dust raised by the hooves of the cows would fall on their bodies
and thus purify their minds. Cows were held in that much esteem hardly a half a century to a century ago.
But in this modern day, humans seem to have forgotten the spiritual importance of Sri Gomaatha.
Eating the meat of cows, using its skin to makes footwear, bags and other accessories - these are sinful deeds.
Never eat the meat of cows. Never wear footwear made from the skin of cows.
Even if you don't do Go pooja, at least make sure that you do not commit these sins.
Rishaba Pooja
The day after Pongal is also an important day for Rishaba pooja, the worship of bulls,
especially thosethat have not been castrated. On this day, feed them well; apart from their
customary feed, make sure that you feed them bananas as well.
The Siddhas say that one of the important results of this pooja is
getting rid of improper sexual desires. This pooja, by the grace of the Sathguru, neutralizes sins
like coveting another's spouse, straying from brahmacharya and the like.
But expiation is good only once; you must not commit the same sin again.
You must resolve to never even think of committing that sin from which you were absolved by the grace of the Sathguru.
Nandi Pooja
On this day, Sri Nandeesvara must be worshipped as part of Rishaba pooja.
One of the important facets of this worship is cleaning up the Nandi sanctum in the temple.
Make sure you do not use any sharp implements or your finger nails in the cleaning process.
Do it with utmost care. Apply coats of sesame oil and coconut oil to Sri Nandi's divine frame.
Apply turmeric paste and sandalwood paste and circunambulate Him 108 times. This is the first
part of Nandi worship on the day after Pongal.
On this day, recite all your improper thoughts, evil dreams and the like in the ear of Lord Nandi.
Whatever secrets you may be bottling up within yourself, tell them to Sri Nandi.
You may be wondering that if you mention it any human, it may have adverse effects.
You may feel that you can't tell it any soul.
That's ok, but don't bottle them up inside you;
just reveal all these innermost secrets, irrespective of whether they are good or bad,
to Lord Nandi on the day after Pongal and request expiation from Him for these improper thoughts, desires and secrets.
Sri Nandeesvara will do the needful and take care of you.
In the days of yore, people sought expiation for a day's bad karma on that day itself.
Thus they did not accumulate any bad karma at all. Because of their conscientous efforts
to lead a karma free life, they were promoted to the post of pithru devas. We should
try to emulate this. Daily Nandi pooja is one of the ways of achieving this. Make cure you
circle Sri Nandi's sanctum everyday. This is very important, say the Siddhas.
Lord Nandi is the patron saint of all bulls everywhere. On this day after Pongal,
make sure you do Go Pooja, Rishaba Pooja and also Kaarunya Tharpanam rites for all living things,
including animals, birds and insects.
Siddha Darshan Day
The day after Pongal is Siddha Darshan Day, a day on which we must get the darshan of a Siddha.
It's also "Atma Darshan Day" as a result of atma vichar or self inquiry.
It's also a day on which we should get the darshan of a temple tower with nine shiny kalasam ornaments
at the top. This is symbolic of the human body, the temple of nine gates, and the associated karma
traffic that happens through these nine gates. Realizing that the body is the stage on which the
drama of of pleasure and pain is enacted, the spiritual aspirant submits his or her soul to God,
the indweller of the temple with nine kalasam ornaments.
This day is also the day on which we should get the darshan of 1008 cows.
Thus there are many things we need to do on this day after Pongal, say the Siddhas.
However, the most important is getting the darshan of a Siddha.
Hence it's generally known as Siddha Darshan Day.
Make it a point to do this every year.
It's important that we realize that getting the darshan of a Siddha is only the first step.
What's really important is leading a life that the Siddha would approve of.
We need to reform ourselves and lead a life of selfless service, because that's what
every Siddha wants from us. Every Siddha, from time immemorial, has lead an exemplary life
of service for the sake of others. This is what they expect from us too. Ask yourself
how you can be helpful to others less fortunate. Give the gift of food to the poor.
Give the gift of clothes, education and free medical help; improve their lot in lives.
Contribute to their betterment with both your body and wealth.
Do all of this in a selfless way. This is the proper followup to getting the darshan of a Siddha.
On the day after Pongal, the Siddhas are waiting to confer the blessing of selfless community service
on all of us. All they want from us is that we lead lives of selfless service and that we offer
comfort and solace to the poor, the sick and the infirm. This selfless service coupled with devotion
is the bedrock on which the temple of spiritual upliftment can be built.
The Lord sends us His representatives in the form of Siddhas to show us the way.
These great souls are in every part of the world, but particualrly in India and especially in
Tamil Nadu, the land of the Siddhas. Siddhas are beyond scientific analysis.
Devotion and surrender are the prerequisites in our life with them. Only then will they
work their spiritual alchemy on the lead of our human hearts and transform us into spiritual gold.
Every one of us must seek out the Sathguru. A life led without a Sathguru is useless.
To stop the seemingly endless cycle of birth and death, one must have a Sathguru.
But how can each one of us get a Sathguru? Easy! Perform Arunachala giri valam with
that as your goal and Lord Arunachala will send you your Sathguru! This is a Siddha guarantee.
On this Siddha Darshan Day, visit the jeeva samadhi tomb shrines of great Siddhas.
There are literally thousands and thousands of these tomb shrines all over India.
Here are just a few of them: Sri Ram Paradesi Siddha and Bade Sahib Siddha in the Pondicherry area,
Sri Poda Siddha in the Kancheepuram area, Sri Karapaathra Siddha in Madras, Sri Shirdi Baba and Sri Meher Baba
in Maharashtra and so on.
Ask them for a Sathguru and a life of selfless service. By their grace, you'll definitely get a
Sathguru. The jeeva samadhi tomb shrines are temples alive with the spiritual energy
of Siddhas. They are holy grounds which can grant you eternal peace and happiness; they can
bless you with everything you ask for. Ask them for a Sathguru!
Act on this rightaway! Make a new beginning on this Siddha Darshan Day by visiting
the jeeva samadhi tomb shrines! And make it a point to do it every year!
What you have read in this article are Siddha revelations concerning
the celebration of the day after Pongal, the Siddha Darshan Day.
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| Om Salutations to Arunachala |
| Om Salutations to Soorya and Chandra |
| Om Salutations to Sri Agasthiar |
| Om Salutations to the Maha Guru |
| Om Salutations to the Agasthiar Lineage |
| Om Salutations to the Siddhas |
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