Shri Shirdi Sai speaks-25th oct/Tallest Murugan statue in Malaysia

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Om Sai Ram !Om Ganeshaya Namaha

Jai Maata di!Om Nama Shivaya!

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Today , we will be visiting the Sri Murugan Temple “ Batu Caves †in Penang

, Malaysia.

Located at the Sri Subramanian Temple at the foot of Batu Caves,Lord Murugan

statue is the tallest statue of a Hindu deity in Malaysia and ofcourse another

master craft by sculptors from India

The statue is 42.7meters.As you approach Batu Caves you will see this towering

statue of Lord Murugan, which dominates the scene from a kilometer away.

Malaysian Hindus regard Lord Murugan as a manifestation of valor, beauty,

youthfulness, vitality, masculinity and happiness.

In Hinduism, Karttikeya (also Murugan, Subramaniam, Skanda) is either a son of

Agni and Svaha or Ganga, or Shiva and Parvati. This confusion arises from an

interesting myth.

Shiva decided to create a magical spark, which would give birth to a deity.

This spark was so bright and luminous that only Agni, god of Fire, could carry

it. Agni deposited the spark, according to Shiva's directions, in the Ganga

river. Ganga then nourished the spark, causing a living being, Karttikeya, to

spring from it. Karttikeya is the god of masculinity, war and leader of the

armies of the gods.The festival of Thaipusam, celebrated by Tamil communities

worldwide, commemorates both Karttikeya's birthday and the day he was given a

vel (lance) by his mother Parvati in order to vanquish the evil demon

Soorapadam. In art, he is depicted as having six heads, twelve arms and twelve

legs. He rides a peacock and wields a bow and arrow in battle.

Batu Caves is one of Malaysia's most famous tourist destinations especially for

the colourful Thaipusam festival.

This attracts up to 800,000 devotees and spectators; the highlight is seeing

devotees in a trance carry kavadi, a metal frame attached to the body. The

procession of the jewelled chariot containing the statue of Lord Murugan would

start early in the morning, as early as 4.00 am on the eve of Thaipusam.

Devotees would walk from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple and throw coconuts on the

ground beside the chariot (the walk take approximately 8 hours to reach Batu

Caves). Penitents then atone for their sins and commemorate the giving of the

vel by dragging kavadis (â€burdensâ€) up the 272 steps to the cave and

depositing them at the feet of the deity. Family and friends will guide the

kavadi bearers up the 272 steps of Batu Caves to go to the Temple Cave, some

using drum beats and flutes as a driving rhythm while others hear the shouts of

‘vel, vel, vetri vel’.

I bet none of you have seen the above picture before.Many of the devotees carry

kavadis, large frameworks with various metal skewers and hooks, which are used

to pierce the skin, cheeks and tongue. Priests attend to the kavadi bearers.

Consecrated ash is sprinkled over the hooks and skewers piercing the devotees

flesh before they are removed. No blood is shed during the piercing and removal.

In 2007, the festival attracted more than 1.5 million pilgrims, making it one of

the largest gatherings in history.

 

My heartfelt pranams to Lord Hanuman who teaches us the lesson of devotion and

love for God.

Rising almost 100m above the ground, Batu Caves actually consists of three main

caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest, referred to as the Temple Cave, has a

100m-high ceiling, and features ornate Hindu shrines.

Below the Temple Cave is the Dark Cave, with its amazing rock formations and a

number of animals found nowhere else.

Stalactites jutting from the cave's ceiling and stalagmites rising from the

floor form intricate formations such as cave curtains, flow stones, cave pearls

and scallops which took thousands of years to form.

 

 

The routes are scattered all around the side of Batu Caves, which is made up of

limestone hills rising to 150m.

 

 

 

Batu Caves is made up by three main caves and several small ones. The Temple

Cave or Cathedral Cave is the best known and biggest of the Batu caves. To reach

the temple cave, you must make your way up 272 rock stairs and through numerous

macaque monkeys.

May Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati shower their blessings on all of us.

Message from theteachings of Sai baba for 25th October

Faith without Devotion and Learning without Understanding are Useless

Whatever task we undertake, we should execute it with devotion. This, in turn,

protects the practitioner. The lives of those with spiritual inkling becomes

meaningful. When children are brought up with discipline, they have great

future. Baba used to preach 'whatever task is undertaken, accomplish it with

total devotion'. In prayer, the mind should meditate on God and while reading,

the mind should not deviate from the subject. Baba loved such devotees.

Likewise, adversities on the path of devotion should be treated as tests and

with firm faith in the Merciful Baba, we should abide by His words to overcome

the hurdles and get saved by Sai, our Saviour.With great concern, Baba protects

His devotees and cleanses their sins too. Even in the past, Sri Krishna, the

Universal Teacher, acknowledged that only the sincere can acquire the knowledge

of self. Baba admitted that Meghashyama, a great devotee of Baba, worshipped Him

with pure devotion. The teachings of

Sadguru may appear a bit tough and harsh. But, if followed with utmost

sincerity, one could easily grasp the true essence. In the Bhagavad Geeta, Lord

Krishna explained to Arjuna, 'Only the devout soul gets enlightened and

experiences bliss'. Hence, faith without devotion and knowledge without

understanding are useless.

 

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