Guruprasad குருபிரசாத் விஜயராவ்

Loka-veeram Mahaa Poojyam Sarva Rakshaakaram vibhum
Parvathi hridayaanandam Shaasthaaram pranamaamyaham

Sastha Dasakam

The Bhagavan leela are not just stories; they serve as a guide for devotees to reflect, discuss, and use as a medium to reach a meditative state. By contemplating these divine pastimes, one can deepen their bhakthi (devotion). True devotion grows in the company of like-minded seekers, or through sathsang (holy gatherings). Such gatherings help transform a sanchala manas (restless mind) into an asanchala (steady) one.

கலையாத கல்வியும் குறையாத வயதும்
ஓர் கபடு வாராத நட்பும்
கன்றாத வளமையும் குன்றாத இளமையும்
கழுபிணியிலாத உடலும்
சலியாத மனமும் அன்பகலாத மனைவியும்
தவறாத சந்தானமும்
தாழாத கீர்த்தியும் மாறாத வார்த்தையும்
தடைகள் வாராத கொடையும்
தொலையாத நிதியமும் கோணாத கோலுமொரு
துன்பமில்லாத வாழ்வும்
துய்யநின் பாதத்தில் அன்பும் உதவிப் பெரிய
தொண்டரொடு கூட்டு கண்டாய்
அலையாழி அறிதுயிலும் மாயனது தங்கையே
ஆதிகடவூரின் வாழ்வே!
அமுதீசர் ஒருபாகம் அகலாத சுகபாணி
அருள்வாமி! அபிராமியே!

அபிராமி அந்தாதி.

To cultivate genuine bhakthi, one needs a bagayam (Fortune, blessing). Sathsangs provide focus, reminding us that itcha (intent or thinking) is more significant than mere kriya (action). The motivation behind an action, the heartfelt desire, plays a major role. Contemplating the divine, or Bhagavat chinthana, is central to spiritual life. Even upavasam (fasting) has a deeper significance—‘upa’ means near, and ‘vasam’ means living; it’s about living close to the divine.

As Thiruvaasagam reminds us: just even acting like devote and being with them has an opportunity for divine blessing.

நாடகத்தால் உன் அடியார் போல் நடித்து நான் நடுவே
வீடு அகத்தே புகுந்திடுவான் மிகப்பெரிதும் விரைகின்றேன்
ஆடகச் சீர் மணிக்குன்றே இடை அறா அன்பு உனக்கு என்
ஊடு அகத் தேநின்று உருகத் தந்தருள் எம் உடையானே.

திருச்சதகம், திருவாசகம்

There are stories on how Sastha received different Vaganas, Rishba (காளை), white elephant (Ref Kalabhakesari Vaajivahanam in Harivarasanam song – Kalabha – elephant, Kesari – lion, Vaaji – horse)

The Skantha Purana recounts that Siva himself took his five sons—Sastha, Ganesh, Muruga, Birava, and Virabadra—to Pushpagiri, where he became their guru and taught all 64 arts, one per day. Following this, Sastha traveled to Vaikunta, Kailasha, and Devaloga, imparting knowledge even to Brihaspati.

In Kailash, there exist kinnars (partly human, partly animal beings), kandarvars (celestial musicians connected to humans and gods), and siddha Ganas (Demented). Siva is known as Kripa Samuthra (ocean of mercy), and Ambal as Avyaja Karunamoorthy (kindness without any reason.).

• Sannithyam During weddings, the couple experiences sannithyam (the presence of God) even for a fleeting moment.
• Jeivan Mukthi (liberation while alive), Kondalini opening the skull kapala vṛtti. asymbolic breaking of coconut on skull during death ceremony.
• Bhagavat Bakthi should be strong. The Viswasam determins the strength.
• Panguni Uthiram is the day that marks the Jananam (birth) of Lord Ayyappa also celestial marriages of Shiva and Parvati, and Murugan and Deivanai
• Four stages of life: Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa (sacrifice of ahankara (ego)).

Poorna and Puskala

Lord Sastha is worshipped as Poorna Pushkala Sametha Hariharaputhra Swamy (Hariharaputra with Poorna and Pushkala). Ayyappa is consecrated with his consorts at temples like Achan Kovil and Aryankavu,

• Purna (Poorna) represents Perfection or Purnatva.
• Pushkala represents Prosperity or Abundance (Pushkalatva).

Poorna and Pushkala were born from the two eyes of the sage Satyapoorna, who was said to be a descendant (often specified as a son) of Kashyapa Prajapati (one of the Saptarishis). This account, referenced in texts like the Sankara Samhita, states that Poorna and Pushkala later took human form and married Lord Sastha (Hariharaputra).

Shri Puskala

The King of Nepal, Paliñavarman, was a great devotee of Mahakali and married Santha, the princess of Ujjain, where the Mahakali temple was located. The king, due to his intense devotion, performed extreme rituals, including animal sacrifice. Distraught, his wife Santha prayed to Lord Shiva. Shiva appeared in her dream and promised that his son, Sasta (who is the form of Shiva and Vishnu), would marry the daughter born to her (who would be the form of Ambika) and guide her husband to the right path.

Soon after, a daughter named Shri Puskala was born, whom the king believed was a gift from Mahakali. Wishing to attain eternal youth, the aging king planned to sacrifice 108 unmarried virgins to Mahakali. The virgins, tied up and brought to the temple, cried out to Shiva. In response, Shiva sent his son Sasta to Earth to protect the devotees. Sasta rescued the maidens and fought with the enraged King Paliñavarman. Sasta finally revealed his true form. Realizing his error, the king knelt before Sasta, who advised him that love is sufficient for the Goddess’s grace, not human sacrifice.

The king then requested that Sasta marry his daughter Puskala. Sasta agreed, and with the blessings of Parvati, Parameswara, Thirumal, and Thirumagal, the wedding was grandly performed.

Shri Poorna

Pinjakavarman, the king of Vanji Desam, married Manonja, the daughter of the King of Sindhu Desam (They are from Chera dynasty – Kulasekhara Alwar). A daughter, Shri Poorna, an aspect of Mahalakshmi, was born to them. From a young age, Poorna heard Sasta’s fame and worshipped him as her husband. When Poorna reached marriageable age, King Pinjakavarman went out to hunt a tiger that was terrorizing the village. He got lost in the dense forest and was surrounded by ghouls and ghosts. Realizing he was near death, he prayed to Bhuthanathan (Sasta). Sasta appeared and saved the king.

The king then prostrated before Sasta, requesting him to marry his daughter Poorna, who was deeply devoted to him. Sasta told the king that Poorna was his daughter due to his good deeds in a previous birth and that he would formally marry her at the right time, as she was the form of Mahalakshmi.

Later, Sasta, disguised as a Sivana-adiyar (Shiva devotee), visited Poorna. He challenged her devotion, questioning Sasta’s suitability and noting his marriage to Puskala. Poorna countered, expressing her unwavering faith and understanding of divine leelas (cosmic plays). Pleased with her reply, Sasta revealed his true form and promised to marry her soon. Accordingly, Sasta married Shri Poorna with the blessings of the Trimurthis.

The divine marriages are symbolic and should not be treated like human marriages. Poorna represents Iccha Shakti (the power of Will/Desire), and Puskala refers to Kriya Shakti (the power of Action/Creation).

The discourse was truly delivered with meditative attention. The kind divine words, references to practices, and playful moments (that midnight 2 a.m. walk was too good) were awesome to listen to. As mentioned, these discourses bring peace to the mind and impart nithya jaya mangalam, nithya subha mangalam in every Graha.

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