Srinivasulu

Very informative thread ..... came across during web search. But, however, I just would like to share a thought with all members on this group.....While the progress with worshiping a soumya devatha can be slow and take its own time, let us not forget the power of pure bhakthi and devotion. Infact, there is a very interesting story that I deem it fit to share on this thread..... Near Thiruvannamalai, at the Murugan [subramanya] Sannidhi they worship Lord Muruga with only tamil hymns and there is an interesting story why this is done. Saint Arunagirinathar was a poet saint who resided in that temple and most of the time he used to write hymns on Lord Muruga and generally appeared to be very gentle and peaceful. He was respected by the local king and whenever the king used to come he used to sing praises of lord Muruga and give him blessings. Once it happened that a well-known tantrik visited the kingdom. Upon seeing the type of worship the king was engaged in, such as just singing hymns and praises of Lord Muruga he advised the king to change his methods. He advised the king saying that he is a ruler and should worship Ugra devathas by which he can also attain siddhis. The King immediately told the tantrik that he was just following what Saint Arunagirinathar has advised and that he believed in him. The tantrik decided to put Saint Arunagirinathar's devotion to test and told the king to call him for a challenge. The king along with the tantrik went to Arunagirinathar and presented the challenge. The tantrik challenged Arunagirinathar saying that if he can make Lord Murugan appear infront of him then he will accept his defeat. The saint simply started singing hymns of lord Muruga with certain syllables which are dear to him and he was waiting for Lord Muruga to appear. Meanwhile the tantrik invoked the fierce form of Goddess Kali and asks her to hold lord Muruga and prevent him from appearing. Arunagirinathar seeing that Lord Muruga was not appearing, immediately visualizes through his devotion to lord muruga that the tantrik had invoked a fierce form of the goddess. The saint started singing a hymn to lord muruga wherein he asks his mother to show mercy to her child and let him appear. Eventuallly Lord Muruga does appear on the pillar and the tantrik admits his defeat. So even to this day only tamil hymns are used in the worship of lord Muruga whereas in the other parts of the temple Sanskrit Agamanam is used. Needless to say the puranas are full of examples such as life of Prahaladha who only worshiped Lord Vishnu through pure bhakti and not invoking any mantras or elaborate rituals. Infact even the late kanchi paramacharya himself on various occasions has advised people to not spend so much time in researching mantras or over-analyzing horoscopes and instead go about their daily lives while following their dharma acharna and having faith in God. Last but not the least, in Rajaji's words "If Sri Adi Shankara who himself drank the ocean of Jnana as easily as water from the palm of one's hand, sang in his latter years the Bhaja Govindam song; it is sufficient to prove that Jnana and Bhakti are one and the same"