Happy Ardra Nakshatra
Aum Namah Sivaya
Today is this month's Ardra nakshatra. In Kadavul Temple, Shiva Nataraja is receiving a glorious abhishekam of ghee, fresh milk, yogurt, honey, sandalwood and more. This is a great day to tune yourself into the Cause of all causes; the Source of all sources: Lord Shiva.
Yajurveda, Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 10.17-21:
Lord Ishana—the Supreme Lord and Revealer of all knowledge and spiritual disciplines, the nourisher and controller of all living beings, the Directing Lord of Sadasiva, He who is the guiding and directing authority for the eight Vidyeshvaras, who directs Brahma, Vishnu and others—may He present Himself in this Sivalinga. By such benign presence, let there occur absolute purity and auspiciousness in me. Om.
As guided by my guru, I realize the form of Siva known as Tatpurusha. I meditate with pure mind and refined intellect on the Great Illuminator. Let Tatpurusha—who cuts asunder the limiting bonds of the souls and by this act comes to be known as Rudra—guide, enlighten and strengthen my organs of knowledge and action and my internal faculties.
Salutations to Lord Siva who manifests Himself in countless benign forms, in frightful and terrifying forms, and to all those countless forms of Rudra (eulogized in the Sri Rudram hymn). Salutations to all such manifestations of Lord Siva.
Salutations to the luminous Lord who sportively creates everything. Salutations to the One who is eternally the Eldest, transcending the great cycles of time. Salutations to the One whose lordship excels all other Gods. Salutations to the One who wards off the sufferings of all living beings. Salutations to the One who is Eternal Time. Salutations to the One who sets into operation the divisions of time and maintains the worlds in an orderly way. Salutations to the One who, being the source of strength, strengthens the auspicious forces. Salutations to the One who, being the wielder of strength, withdraws the strength of inauspicious forces and extirpates them. Salutations to the One who guides all souls to ultimately reach Him.
I submit my mind, speech and body totally and repeatedly to Lord Sadyojata, who manifests Himself and instantaneously creates bodies and worlds, who appears to devotees in the forms contemplated by them and yet transcends such forms assumed by Him and who has a retinue of Deities formed of millions of mantras. May He make my form as of His own form.
3 Responses to “Happy Ardra Nakshatra”
From Our Gurus' Teachings
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October 12th, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Aum Namah Shivay!
October 13th, 2017 at 6:50 am
Aum Satcit Ekam Śiva
October 15th, 2017 at 3:49 pm
What a gorgeous picture of Shiva Nataraja!