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Purananuru Wonders 11; Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia  Part- 51 (Post No.15,422)

Tamil Ships

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,422

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  14 February 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia -Part 51; One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 51

Item 355

Ships as big as Elephants

In Puram verse 26 poet Mankudi Kizaar compared ships in the Tamil Navy to the elephants in the Tamil battle field. If one expands one’s imagination one can imagine how big the Tamil Naval ships were.

Item 356 Secret of Monsoon Wind

Tamils used the wind force to sail their ships. Since they knew the direction and the force of the monsoon winds, they were able to go from the Ganges to up to Indonesia and Philippines. Hindus knew this trick from the time of Ramayana. Surphanakha and Ravana were able to sail up to Godavari river. Mahavamsam clearly explains how the Buddhist preachers used monsoon winds to come to Patna (Pataliputra) and waited for a few months to use the returning monsoon winds to go back to Sri Lanka. One Tamil idiot Ippalan (Hippalus) taught this trick to Westerners and enabled Persian king Darius and Greek King Alexander to invade India.

***

Item 357 Battle Field = Oven Simile

Tamil poets used one simile at least in five Sangam poems

They compared the battle field to cooking in the oven. Here the poet says Pandya king Nedunchezian’s battled field looked like

Heads of Enemy kings = Oven

Enemy Hands= Ladles

Enemy Blood = Water in the Cooking Pot.

***

Item 358 Great Supporter of the For Vedas

Though the poet sang abut the victorious battle, he did not forget to mention that the king was a great supporter of Vedic Brahmins who were well versed in the Four Vedas- Rik, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana Veda.

The reference to Four Vedas is sung by the poets from Tolkappiar times. Tolkappiam got the approval from the Acharya of Tiruvithankotu  who was well versed in Four Vedas. Panamparanar gave us this information to us in the Foreword to Tolkappiam.

***

Item 359 Enemies were Lucky

Poet makes a sarcastic remark that the king’s enemies must have done some penance to be killed by him. Hindus believe that Kamsa, Sisupala, Ravana, Hiranyakasipu, Vali, Kabandhan were lucky to be killed by Vishnu. They go to heaven directly. And the fact is their names will survive as long as Vishnu’s name survive.

Nedunchelian defeated Two Kings and five chieftains. Their names also survive until this day.

***

Puranānūru 26, Poet Mānkudi Maruthanār sang to Thalaiyālankānathu Cheruvendra Nedunchezhiyan,

1
Lifting your spear with a shining blade, you went on
your elephant into the wide battlefield, splitting the
enemy army like a ship a ship driven by the wind in the


huge, ocean with great depths, attacked and killed your enemy kings, and with fame, seized their royal drums.

2

Using crowned heads as stoves, you boiled their blood,
stirring it with their braceleted hands you used as ladles.
O Chezhiyan of murderous battles!  You did perfect ritual

3
offerings in battlefields, surrounded by Brahmins of
the four Vedas, calm with the breadth of their knowledge.

4

O Ruler whose sword never fails!  Your enemies have
certainly performed penances, for once they have won the
fame of being your enemies, even though they are not
victorious, they will live forever.

***

புறநானூறு 26, பாடியவர்: மாங்குடி மருதனார், பாடப்பட்டோன்: பாண்டியன் தலையாலங்கானத்துச் செருவென்ற நெடுஞ்செழியன், திணை: வாகை, துறை: அரச வாகை

1
நளி கடல் இருங்குட்டத்து
வளி புடைத்த கலம் போலக்,
களிறு சென்று களன் அகற்றவும்,
களன் அகற்றிய வியல் ஆங்கண்
ஒளிறு இலைய எஃகு ஏந்தி,  5
அரைசு பட அமர் உழக்கி,
உரை செல முரசு வெளவி

2
முடித்தலை அடுப்பாகப்,
புனல் குருதி உலைக் கொளீஇத்,
தொடித் தோள் துடுப்பின் துழந்த வல்சியின்  10

அடு களம் வேட்ட அடு போர்ச் செழிய!

3


ஆன்ற கேள்வி அடங்கிய கொள்கை
நான்மறை முதல்வர் சுற்றமாக,
மன்னர் ஏவல் செய்ய மன்னிய
வேள்வி முற்றிய வாய்வாள் வேந்தே!  15

4
நோற்றோர் மன்ற நின் பகைவர் நின்னொடு
மாற்றார் என்னும் பெயர் பெற்று
ஆற்றார் ஆயினும் ஆண்டு வாழ்வோரே.

****

Item 360

In Puram verse 27, poet Poet Uraiyur Muthukannan Sāthanār translated Sanskrit word Satapatra Lotus as as 100 petalled flower (lotus)

சேற்று வளர் தாமரை பயந்த, ஒண் கேழ்
நூற்றிதழ் அலரின் நிறை கண்டன்ன,

Śatapatrayoni (शतपत्रयोनि) is a Sanskrit term that refers to an epithet of Brahman (the creator god in Hinduism). 

  • Meaning: It signifies one who has the “hundred-petaled” (lotus) as their source or origin.

***

Item 361 Visa Free Entry to Heaven

Hindus believe that those who live like great men praised by great poets enter into heaven. No Visa is required; Valluvar beautifully said that why Hindus believe all the Avatars and all the Saivite saints are called Gods. Arunagirinathar has Sung Saivaite saint Sambandhar is Lord Muruga himself.

He who on earth has lived in the conjugal state as he should live, will be placed among the Gods who dwell in heaven- Tirukkural Couplet 50

வையத்துள் வாழ்வாங்கு வாழ்பவன் வான்உறையும்
தெய்வத்துள் வைக்கப் படும்.—50

உலகத்தில் வாழவேண்டிய அறநெறியில் நின்று வாழ்கிறவன், வானுலகத்தில் உள்ள தெய்வமாகவே மதிக்கப்படுவான்.

This is also a reference to Kannaki and Kovalan sung by Ilango.

Here the poet says

I have heard that those whose fame is sung by poets
gain chariots that fly in the sky without charioteers.

***

Item 362 Aeronautics in Tamil

The reference to Pilotless Plane shows the advancement of Hindus in Aeronautics. Valmiki Ramayana show that Rama’s plane (Originally belonged to Kubera and seized by Ravana later) was fast and expandable and thought powered. Only now we see such Drones and pilotless planes and driverless cars  in the Western world.

Kannaki and Kovalan went to heaven by pilotless plane.

***

Item 363 Lesson from Moon 

Oriental religions only believe in rebirth and Sangam literature never knew the Abrahamic religions. Sangam Tamil poems explain only Hindu way of life.

Rebirth is in Bhagavad Gita and Bhajagonindam and the poet explains it with the waxing and waning moon.

The moon god
that roams above shows clearly even to those
who don’t understand that waning is true, waxing
is true, dying is true and being born is true.

Great Philosopher Adi Sankara said it in Bhaja Govindam

पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं

पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम् |

इह संसारे बहु दुस्तारे

कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे ‖ 22 ‖

punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ

punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam |

iha saṃsāre bahu dustāre

kṛpayā’pāre pāhi murāre ‖ 22 ‖

Birth again, death again, again resting in the mother’s womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of saṁsāra (cycle of repeated birth and death). O Murāri! by your causeless mercy please protect me (from this transmigratory process)

Before Sankara, Lord Krishna said it Bhagavad Gita

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |

तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि || 27||

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛityur dhruvaṁ janma mṛitasya cha

tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śhochitum arhasi

Translation

BG 2.27: Death is certain for one who has been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.

***

Item 364 Poet’s Advice to the king

Even if they have talents or not, please shower your
graces rapidly on those who come with sorrow,

This is one of the 32 Virtuous acts explained in Hindu scriptures.


 Annadhanam Pictures

AMAZING LIST OF 32 GOOD ACTIVITIES IN HINDU SCRIPTURES (Post No.7687)

March 13, 2020 9:37 am

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No.7687

Date uploaded in London – 13 March 2020

meritorious activities. Though the lists have a few changes in different texts most of them are same.

Here is the list of 32 good things with some examples:-

1.Setting up Maternity Homes

2.Providing Pre-Natal and Ante-Natal care for women

(Maternity care is provided in every culture around the world; but no one has listed it as one of the duties or as a meritorious work)

3.Piercing Ears of the Young born babies

4.Providing them Ear Studs

(Hindus have been practising acupuncture for thousands of years. I have already written how the grand old celibate of Mahabharata Bhisma lived on Arrow Bed for two months and decided the date of his departure from the earth. Hindus found out that piercing the ears in early years and wearing gold studs or at least a wooden stick will open the wisdom nerves. For women an extra piercing of nose is done when they reach teen age)

5.Giving Milk to Children

(Now we send milk powder to famine affected or economically backward countries. In the olden days provision of milk is listed as one of the 32 Dharmas (duty which earns merits).

6.Constructing Choultries

(From the period of Asoka till the Muslim and British occupation of India ,Hindu kings constructed Free Boarding and Lodging facilities for travellers, particularly pilgrims. My home town Madurai was famous for Mangamma Chattiram (choultry) very near Railway Station. About 100 years ago everyone stayed free of cost in the huge building with 100s of rooms. Very near that was a Marwari Choultry for people travelling to Rameswaram and Kanyakumari. I myself have taken 100s of pilgrims for Free lodging during the Opening Ceremony of Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. Several Tamil towns still bear the suffix Chattiram/Choultry in Tamil Nadu until this day reminding us of the golden days of free lodging and free boarding service)

7.Constructing Mutts

Mutts are religious centres with one religious head where Tamil or Sanskrit hymns are taught. They provided free hostel stay for students. Like the Christian parish, each Mutt has its own catchment area.

8.Pillars for Cows

Hindus’ greatest contribution to the world is domestication of cows and horses (and Decimal System). They worshipped Cow as goddess. So they constructed pillars to cows where they can rub their bodies to relive itching. And in such places water tanks provided continuous water supply for cows, horses and birds.

9.Setting up brothels

The needs of amorous men should not affect common men. To save the family women and teenage girls, Hindus provided (or allowed) separate places for Devadasis. Sangam Tamil Literature provides the pictures of Paraththai Cheris (Para Stree became ‘Paraththai’ in Tamil and Prostitute in English; cheri is  locality)

10.Provision of Dhobis/ Laundry Service

11.Provision of Barbers

Both these services were available free of cost for mendicants and ascetics. Others supported them by giving money or all the provisions for their families.

12.Provision of Mirrors

(When Hindu women celebrate some auspicious events in their houses they always invite young and teenage girls and provide them mirrors, combs and Kunkumam. So provision of mirrors is considered one of the good things. Till this day women are doing it during Navaratri, Durga Puja and several other women only events)

13.Water Distribution from Thatched Sheds

(From Mahabharata Sallian to Apputhi Adikal of Periya Purana in Tamil, we see people setting up water distribution sheds to provide good, clean and sweet water to everyone. Even today during Hindu festivals , hundreds of such thatched sheds are constructed to distribute water, butter milk (diluted Yogurt) and Panakam (sweet liquid with jaggery, cardamom and other spices. In a tropical country like India pilgrims desperately need this. Hindus follow this custom even in London ; during Tamil Temple festivals, Hindus distribute water bottles, juice cartons and butter milk.)

14.Help to have oil bath

(India is a tropical country lashed out by two monsoons. Therefore, dust is unavoidable. Every Hindu man is supposed to have an oil bath on Saturdays and every woman on Fridays. They apply gingelly oil or coconut oil with or without herbs and take a bath. This relives the body of dirt and pain. So provision of such service to poor people is considered a great act of merit. In Madurai there was a freedom fighter(A V Vaidhyanatha Iyer) who used to provide such service to children of slum dwellers. Now a days the concept and habit of oil bath is disappearing with the advent of shampoo culture.)

15.Fodder to animals and Food for Birds

(Every Hindu is supposed to do Pancha Yagna / Five Sacrifices every day and one of them is Bhuta Yagna. That is to feed the pet animals, cow and birds in the vicinity and ants in the ground. Every housewife draws beautiful Kolams in the front of the house every morning. The Kolam/ Rangoli flour they use feed the ants. Then they cook rice and provide it to the crows. Others sprinkle grains for the birds. Feeding cows is a ritual for orthodox Hindus)

16.Cremating Dead Bodies

(If anyone who has no relatives dies, one or two take the responsibility of cremating the body with all due honours. Though it is a hard job, every town had some gooid people who did such work without expecting any money.)

17.Constructing Tanks, Lakes

(India is an agricultural country. Water is needed for irrigation. So kings constructed tanks and lakes in temples and outside the town. It helped irrigating the temple Parks called Nandavanams. It maintained the water table in every well at the back of the house. Now wells are replaced by taps. But yet tanks and lakes are needed for saving water. The town council maintain them. Sometimes they themselves construct them).

18.Saving Life

(Every day we read in news papers some stories where some people save the life of others. They become great heroes. If they survive then they get medals. Saving life is appreciated in every culture. In Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states every region has some Hero Stones for the heroes who saved the town from some dangers. Hindu epics and Puranas have lot of stories about saving even animals. Story of Sibi is in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature and earlier Puranas.)

19.Giving Eatables/Anna Dhanam

Providing sweets and other unavailable eatables to poor children is a good deed. During Deepavali (Diwali) sweets are distributed. Annadhanam , that is provision of food, is done in every temple.

20.Provision of Betel, Areca Nuts and Lime

Chewing betel leaves and Supari smeared with calcium hydroxide is a typical South Asian custom. This is considered one of the good things.

21.Helping the needy

It may be in the form of providing them food, attire, shoes/sheppals, specs, money. May even include psychological consultation. Consoling the bereaved.

22.Setting up Parks

Ancient Hindu literature, particularly, Buddhist Jataka Tales, give graphic accounts of big parks. Every South Indian Temple has attached Parks/ Nandavanam. People enjoyed going there. They served as rendez vous for lovers according to Sanskrit dramas. Hindus are environmentally conscious and allocated one particular tree for every temple.

23.Constructing Temples

India has over two lakh temples. Tamil Nadu alone has 45, 000 temples. They are huge architectural wonders. They serve the spiritual, religious, psychological, wander lust needs of Hindus.

24.Provision of Medicines

Jains of India set up hospitals even for birds and animals. All service is given free.  We read from inscriptions that hospitals were also constructed by Hindu Kings.

25.Food for Students

Students who studied the Vedas and its allied six subjects went round the towns and begged for food. They collect freshly cooked food and share it with their Gurus. Buddha followed this custom and banned cooking inside Viharas, monasteries etc. In Madurai, the Vedic students from Dhanappa Mudali Street and Rameswaram patasalai near River Vaigai used to come to my house for (begging) food. They must go to Brahmins houses and beg with the words Bhavati Biksham Dehi. Manu Smrti says that students of three castes must do it. Only the three words were used in different order.

26.Constructing Roads or Tom Tomming

There is a word in Tamil (araithal) which may mean constructing roads or  providing communication facilities like Tom Tom. In the olden days Orders of the Kings were communicated to people by drum beats. When I was a student, Madurai city faced Cholera disease. Then the tom tom man came and announced it by beating little drum. When ban orders under section 144 were proclaimed they did tom toming. So the word Araithal may be announcing, proclaiming or constructing roads with sand and stones.

27. Helping Prisoners with Food

Even community service to prisoners is listed as one. Tamil epic Manimekalai described the good service done to prisoners. Though they were named as criminals, Hindus never attached any taboo. Manu Smriti says the minute one undergoes punishment, the sin attached to the crime is done away.

28.  Helping Beggars

Lame, Dumb, Blind and disabled or invalids beg for food. Hindus are asked to help them.

29.Helping to get Married

Nowadays we see Costly matrimonial service. In the olden days, some good hearted men and women helped youngsters to get married. They did not stop with exchanging horoscopes. They went all the way to cook food for hundreds of people who attend the wedding ceremonies. They collected money for  the minimum gold jewels and the Mangala Sutra (Thali).

30.Feeding the Ascetics

Adi Shankara streamlined Hindu worship into six divisions; Providing them food for those is considered a great religious duty. Even Buddhis followed this. They went to monasteries and provided food to the monks.

31 and 32. In the above listing piercing ear and providing ear stud is given as one itme. But it is given as two different duties or meritorious acts in the Tamil verse. And in the same way provision of betel leaves and Lime are given as two different duties.

32 அறம்

1).வண்ணான் புன்னாவிதன் காதோலை சோலை மடந்தடம் வெண்

சுண்ணாம் பறவைப் பிணஞ்சுடற் றூரியஞ் சோறளித்தல்

கண்ணாடி யாவிற்குரிஞ்சுதல் வாயுறை கண்மருந்து

தண்ணீர் பந்தற் றலைக்கெண்ணை பெண்போகந் தரலையமே

2).மேதகுமாதுலர்க்குசாலை யேறுவிடுத்தல் கலை

யோதுவார்க் குண்டி விலங்கிற் குணவோடுயர்பிணிநோய்க்

கிதன் மருந்து சிறைச் சோறளித்தலியல் பிறரின்

மதுயற்காத்தநற்கந்நியர் தானம் வழங்கலுமே

3).கற்றவறுசமயத்தார்க் குணவு கருதும் விலை

உற்றதளித்துயிர் மீட்டல் சிறார்க்குதவனற்பான்

மற்று மகப்பெறுவித்தல் சிறாரை வளர்த்த்லெனப்

பெற்றவிவற்றினையெண்ணான்கறமெனப் பேசுவாரே

–உபமானசங்கிரஹம், இரத்தினச் சுருக்கம்

32 அறச் செயல்களின் பட்டியல்:-

1.ஆதுலர்க்குச் சாலை (ஏழைகள்=ஆதுலர்)

2.ஓதுவார்க்கு உணவு (மாணவர்களுக்கு)

3.அறுசமயத்தோர்க்கு உண்டி (உணவு)

4.பசுவிற்கு வாயுரை (உணவு)

5.சிறைக் கைதிகளுக்கு உணவு

6.ஐயமிட்டு உண் (பிச்சை போடுதல்)

7.திண்பண்டம் நல்கல் (விழாக் காலங்களில் பொங்கல், வடை)

8.அறவைச் சோறு (அன்னதானம்)

9.மகப்பெறுவித்தல் (பிள்ளை பெறுதல்)

10.மகவு வளர்த்தல் (பிள்ளைகளை வளர்த்தல்)

11.மகப்பால் வார்த்தல் (அவர்களுக்கு பால் வழங்கல்)

12.அறவைப் பிணஞ்சுடல் (அனாதைகள் இறுதிச் சடங்கு)

13.அறவைத் தூரியம் ( தூரியம்=மேள வாத்தியம்

அளித்தல்)

14.சுண்ணம் அளித்தல்

15.நோய்க்கு மருந்து வழங்கல்

16.வண்ணார்

17.நாவிதர்

18.காதோலை

19.கண்ணாடி

20.கண்மருத்து

21.தலைக்கு எண்ணெய்

22.பெண்போகம்

23.பிறர்துயர் காத்தல்

24.தண்ணீர் பந்தல்

மடம் அமைத்தல்

26.குளம் வெட்டல்

27.பூங்கா வைத்தல்

28.ஆவுறுஞ்சுதறி (பசு முதலிய பிராணிகளுக்கு நீர்)

29.விலங்கிற்குணவு

30.ஏறுவிடுத்தல் (இனப்பெருக்கத்த்துக்கு காளைகள்)

31.விலைகொடுத்துயிர்காத்தல்

32.கன்னிகாதானம்

***

Puranānūru 27, Poet Uraiyur Muthukannan Sāthanār sang to Chozhan Nalankilli,

1

When one counts those born in fine, noble families,
only a few have gained fame and songs by poets,
like a row of flowers with many petals, shining
brightly, yielded by lotus plants that grow in mud.
Many have vanished like the leaves of lotus plants.

2

I have heard that those whose fame is sung by poets
gain chariots that fly in the sky without charioteers.

3

My Lord!  O Chētchenni Nalankilli!   The moon god
that roams above shows clearly even to those
who don’t understand that waning is true, waxing
is true, dying is true and being born is true.

4

Even if they have talents or not, please shower your
graces rapidly on those who come with sorrow,
looking at their thin waists.  May those who oppose
your unspoiled strength, remain without generosity!

Ms Vaidehi Herbert’s Translation is used; thanks.

புறநானூறு 27, பாடியவர்: உறையூர் முதுகண்ணன் சாத்தனார், பாடப்பட்டோன்: சோழன் நலங்கிள்ளி, 

1

சேற்று வளர் தாமரை பயந்த, ஒண் கேழ்
நூற்றிதழ் அலரின் நிறை கண்டன்ன,


வேற்றுமை இல்லா விழுத்திணைப் பிறந்து,
வீற்றிருந்தோரை எண்ணுங்காலை
உரையும் பாட்டும் உடையோர் சிலரே,  5
மரை இலை போல மாய்ந்திசினோர் பலரே,

2
புலவர் பாடும் புகழுடையோர் விசும்பின்
வலவன் ஏவா வான ஊர்தி
எய்துப என்ப தம் செய் வினை முடித்து எனக்
கேட்பல், எந்தை சேட்சென்னி நலங்கிள்ளி!  10

3
தேய்தல் உண்மையும், பெருகல் உண்மையும்,
மாய்தல் உண்மையும், பிறத்தல் உண்மையும்,
அறியாதோரையும் அறியக் காட்டித்,
திங்கட் புத்தேள் திரிதரும் உலகத்து
வல்லார் ஆயினும் வல்லுநர் ஆயினும்,  15

4
வருந்தி வந்தோர் மருங்கு நோக்கி
அருள வல்லை ஆகுமதி, அருளிலர்
கொடாஅமை வல்லர் ஆகுக
கெடாஅத் துப்பின் நின் பகை எதிர்ந்தோரே.

 —Subham—

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HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL-32; இந்துமத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி–32 (Post No.15,414)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,414

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  11 February 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

ஆங்கில எழுத்து H- ல் துவங்கும் சொற்கள்

Words beginning with the English letter ‘H’

நாளைய தினம் தமிழில் வரும்; It will be posted in Tamil Tomorrow.

***

Halayudha

1) an epithet of Balarāma.

2) Name of the author of अभिधान-रत्नमाला (abhidhāna-ratnamālā).

Derivable forms: halāyudhaḥ (हलायुधः).

Halāyudha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms hala and āyudha (आयुध).

Halāyudha (हलायुध).—A Sanskrit poet who lived in the 10th century A.D. A mahākāvya called Kavirahasya is his most important work The hero in the great poem is Krṣṇa III. A King of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa dynasty, and poet Halāyudha was a courtier of his.

***

Hala

Hala was a satavahana king who lived around first century CE. His wife was Malayavathy, Hala started composing poems. His Prakrit poems are part of Gatha Sapta Sati. He was called Kavi Vatsala, one who was a great patron of poets. He gave them gold coins for beautiful verses like his predecessor Emperor Vikaramaditya. He imitated Vikramaditya in all his deeds. Like Vikramaditya he started an era in his name, Salivahana Shahapta, though he did not win any big wars. Like Vikramnaditya who was the patron of great poet Kalidasa he was the patron of Gunatya and others. We can see the inspiration he got from Kalidasa and Vikramaditya. Many poets of Gatha Sapta Sati have imitated Kalidasa, but they are not very popular.

***

Hampi

Hampi was the capital of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th-century.

Set amid dramatic boulder strewn hills and the calm flow of the Tungabhadra River, Hampi is one of Karnataka’s tourist destinations. Once the capital of the powerful Vijayanagara Empire, Hampi today stands as a vast open air museum. The closest railway station is in the city of Hospet (Hosapete), 13 km away.

Hampi spreads across a large landscape, with monuments. Important places include Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, Hampi Bazaar, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Matanga Hill and Tungabhadra Riverbanks.

***

Hariharan

Harihara is a composite Hindu deity representing the synthesis of Lord Vishnu (Hari) and Lord Shiva (Hara), symbolizing the ultimate unity of Vaishnavism and Shaivism. Depicted with Shiva on the right and Vishnu on the left, this form embodies the harmony between creation and destruction. It highlights that the two deities are one supreme, indivisible reality. Sankara Narayanan is another name.

***

Harijan

First recorded in 1930–35; from Neo-Sanskrit Harijana “person of Hari” (a name for Vishnu), hence, in Gandhi’s conception, a child of God. (in India) a member of a group formerly known as the untouchables.

***

Havis

Havis (Sanskrit: हविस्) primarily refers to an oblation, Cooked rice offering, or sacrifice in Hindu rituals, commonly consisting of ghee, grain, rice, or milk offered to gods in a Yagya/ Yaga/Havan. It represents items offered into fire, often used to signify dedication in sacred ceremonies. When they offer it, they say Idam na mama – It is not mine.

***

Hatha yoga

Haṭhayoga (हठयोग) pays particular attention to the acquisition of supernatural powers and the conquest of disease and death. Majority of the extant texts of Haṭhayoga are associated with the Nāth siddhas. The Tamil Siddhas of about the 10th to 15th century also wrote poems on the concepts of Haṭhayoga. Hatha-yoga is the physical aspect of the practice of yoga. There are 3 main factors involving practice of hatha-yoga: asanas (practice of postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and dhyana (meditation).

***

Harsha vardhana ( 606 to 647 CE)

King Harshavardhana was also known as Harsha. He was the son of Prabhakar Vardhana.  He built a huge empire that extended from north & northwestern India till the Narmada in the South. His capital was Kannauj. Harsha was a great patron of the arts. He himself was an accomplished writer. He is credited with the Sanskrit works Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda. Banabhatta was his court poet and he composed the Harshacharita which gives an account of Harsha’s life and deeds. Harsha generously supported the Nalanda University. His deeds were praised by Chinese Buddhist traveller Xuanzang in his writings.

***

Haridwar

The holy city of Haridwar (Gateway to God) in Uttarakhand is a breathtaking city, replete with temples. it is a magnet for religious pilgrims from all over the globe. Important temples include  the Har ki Pauri and the Chandi Devi Temple.

Haridwar also termed as ‘Gateway to Gods’ is known as Mayapuri, Kapila, Gangadwar as well. Haridwar is also one of the four places; where Kumbh Mela occurs after rotation of every twelve Years and Ardh Kumbh after every six years. Haridwar is one of the first towns where Ganga emerges from the mountains to touch the planes. It is one of the Seven Holy Cities of India.

***

Heramba

Heramba is five-headed and ten-armed form of the Hindu deity Ganesha, symbolizing the protector of the weak, fearful, and oppressed. Seated on a lion (simha-vahana), this form represents supreme power, fearlessness, and the removal of inner and outer obstacles. The name is derived from He (weakness/helplessness) and ramba (protection), defining him as the saviour of the meek. Heramba Ganapati is one of 32 forms of Ganesha;it is depicted with five heads (representing the five senses or elements) and ten arms holding various weapons and symbols like a noose, beads, battle axe, and a broken tusk. Unlike the traditional mouse, Heramba rides a lion, symbolizing mastery over ego and primal instincts.

***

Himalaya

Himālaya (हिमालय):—means ‘abode of snow’; the Himālaya range of mountains in the north of India has the highest elevations in the world; in mythology personified as husband of Menā or Menakā .

KALIDASA used the following name for the Himalayas:-

Himalaya ,Himadhri ,Adhrinatha ,Bhutaresvara,

Ekapingala, Gauriguru, Girichakravartin, Kuberasaila,

Nagendra, Sailaraja, Hemakuta, Kailasa, Krauncha,

Inndhamadana, Kshiddarapati, Pralayadhri

This mountain is referred to in over 150 Sanskrit books covering all subjects including herbs, medicine, gems and animals. But the references in the Vedas, Ramayana , Mahabharata , Kautilya Arthashastra , Jataka Tales and 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature are important.

From Sangam Tamil literature, we have the following references :

Puranaanooru – 2-24; 34-21; 39-15; 132-7; 166-33; 214-11; 369-24; 39-15

Akanaanooru – 127-4; 265-3

Paripatal 8-11; 8-12; 1-51; 5-48

Sirupan – line 48;

Natrinai – 356, 369,

Kurunt – 158;

Pathitruppaththu – 11-23; 43-7;

Perum- line 429

Kali – 38-1; 92-18; 105-75

POST SANGAM SILAPPADIKAARAM- in about 20 places

***

Hindu

1. Geographical and Historical Origin

Sindhu to Hindu: The term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu (river/Indus), which Persians changed to ‘Hindu’. They have n H in their language.

Boundaries: Ancient texts, such as the Brihaspati Agama quoted on the site, define the land of Hindus as spanning from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean (Himalayamh samarabhya yavat indu sarovaram).

2. Definition of a Hindu (Scriptural & Cultural)

a Hindu is one who is virtuous, shuns unnecessary violence but is capable of destroying anarchic elements, and is a protector of the Vedas and cows. It is the oldest religion in the world.

Beliefs: A Hindu is defined as one who accepts the “Pranava Mantra Om and the authority of  the Vedas, believes in rebirth and Karma Theory; he worships the cow, and the River Ganga, and considers the Vedic Rishis as their Gurus.

3. “Hindu” in the Context of Tamil Culture Sangam Tamil literature has references to Hindu Gods, their flags, Vahanas, weapons, origins and their special attributes

Vedic gods, such as Raka, Muka, and Maha Maya, are worshipped in Tamil Nadu villages as Rakayee, Mukayee, and Mahamayee.

No Founder: Hinduism is emphasized as a religion without a single founder, often referred to as Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law).

Hindu culture is unique in its consistent worship of the Goddess and high regard for women ; only religion where Women and Goddeses are worshipped till this day.

Holy Books- Vedas; Epics Ramayana , Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita); Tamil and other vernacular language Hymns.

***

Hiranya dhana

Hiranya denotes gold, a precious metal associated with gods and prosperity, frequently mentioned in hymns praising donations (Dhana Stuthis).  It is one of the Sixten Dhanas mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Vedic literature describes the donation of gold alongside cattle and horses.

Mahādāna (महादान).—There are sixteen Mahādānas or “Great gifts”. They are: (1) Tulāpuruṣadāna, (2) Hiraṇyagarbha dāna, (3) Brahmāṇḍa dāna, (4) Kalpakavṛkṣadāna, (5) Gosahasradāna, (6) Hiraṇyakāmadhenudāna, (7) Hiraṇyāśva dāna, (8) Hiraṇyāśvaratha dāna, (9) Hemahastiratha dāna, (10) Pañcalāṅgalakadāna (11) Dhārādāna, (12) Viśvacakradāna (13) Kalpalatā dāna, (14) Saptasāgaraka dāna, (15) Ratnadhenu dāna, (16) Mahāpūtaghaṭa dāna. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 210). Hindu king Mulavarman of Indonesia of fourth century CE and Krishna Devaraya of 14th century did 16 Gifts Ceremony.

***

Hinayana

The term “Hinayana,” meaning “Lesser Vehicle,” is used to describe the 18 earlier schools of Buddhism, with Theravada as the main surviving branch. This tradition focuses on individual salvation through strict adherence to monastic codes and views the Buddha as a human who attained Nirvana, contrasting with Mahayana’s later development and view of the Buddha as divine.

***

Hiranyakasipu

Hiranyakashipu, a powerful Asura king and brother to the slain Hiranyaksha, sought vengeance against Vishnu by obtaining a near-invincible boon from Brahma. Consumed by pride and hatred, he banned Vishnu worship in his kingdom, but was eventually killed by Vishnu’s Narasimha (man-lion) avatar at twilight on a threshold, bypassing his boon. His son was Prahlada.

***

Homa/ havan

Homa, also known as Havan, is an ancient Vedic fire ritual performed to purify the environment, remove negative energy, and offer prayers. The ceremony typically involves preliminary and concluding rituals, utilizing specific materials and symbolic items, with fire (Agni) acting as a witness and carrier of prayers. There are 400 types of Homas. Asvamedha, Rajasuya, Soma Yaga, Vajapeyam and Maha Rudram  are some of the major Yagas. Ganapati Homam, Sudrasana Homam, Navagraha Homam are common sacrifices.

Huna

Kalhana was the author of Rajatarangini. Here is his report on the cruel Huna king Mihirakula who rolled 100 elephants down the hill and enjoyed their death.

Mihirakula was the Huna king who ruled North India from 515 CE to 530 CE. He was a son of Toramana. We know that his rule extended from Afghanisatan to Madhya Pradesh. But Kalhana says that he killed 30 million people and he attacked Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. He was a king from the race of White Hunas. He decimated Buddhism in Afghanistan, but supported Saivism in Kashmir. Earlier he was defeated by Malawa King Yasovarman or Baladitya, the last Gupta king. Then he conquered Kashmir and Afghanisatan. Kalhana’s report about his expedition to Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu is not corroborated by secondary sources.

To be continued……………………………..

Tags-HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL-௩௨, இந்துமத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி–32 

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Two more Beautiful Temples in Sydney that I Visited(Post No.15,386)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,386

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  2 February 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

During my previous two trips to Sydney, I covered Shiva, Murugan (Skanda/ Kartikeya), Venkateswara, and Nantien Buddhist temples. During this third trip, I decided to cover rest of the temples. So, I went to Ganapathy (Vinayakar) temple and a Shakti temple in the past few weeks. My son told me that there are two more temples in an industrial area one next to another. Who will say we don’t want two birds in one stone. So, we rushed there in car on 31 January 2026 to get two mangoes in one stone.  We were not disappointed.

In a vast industrial area with trucks and cranes, two small temples peeped out. First, we entered the Sydney Durga temple.

Surprise! Surprise!

Wes aw Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar statue next to Sarasvati Devi statue in the temple complex. When we moved a little further, we saw Tamil poet Ilango’s statue, the author of the most famous Tamil epic Silappadikaram.

Then we climbed several steep steps to see a huge hall with Goddess Durga in the main shrine. From the temple posters we came to know that it is run by Sri Lankan Tamils. On either side of the main shrine Lord Ganesh and Lord Skanda/ Murgan occupied two small shrines.

The unique feature of the temple is the eight beautiful Lakshmi statues (Ashta Laksmi) in the corridor. Apart from them, there are Navagrahas and other minor deities. There were four priests looking after the visiting devotees. In total only 25 devotees were inside the huge Mandapa. So, we had good Darshan (viewing) of Gods. It has a divine atmosphere.

There is a canteen outside where one can buy Tamil snacks.

Shirdi Saibaba Temple

Just a few doors away, is the Shirdi Sai Temple. Again, we climbed  a number of steps to see a huge hall with Shirdi Sai baba occupying the Main shrine. A beautiful and melodious divine song was going on air. It created more divine atmosphere. About 15 people with one priest were there. Lord Ganesh, Siva and Hanuman are in smaller shrines. The unique feature of the temple is a Siva Linga where one can do Abisheka. Water pots are placed near it. We did Abishek (bathing of the God) with Mrtyunjaya Mantra from the Yajurveda.  Here also one canteen is operating.

Both the temples must be visited by the devotees. There is good scope for big Puja, ceremonies and Dhyana (meditation).

After visiting Sai Mandir, we came back to Tamil Durga temple and bought hot Idli, Vadai, Sambhar, Chutney and Masala Tea.

***

Here are the addresses of both the Temples:

Sydney Sri Durga Amman Temple

21, Rose Crescent Regents Park, NSW 2143

Phones – (02) 9644 6682, (02) 9746 n9724

www.sydneydurgatemple.org

e mail – sydneydurga@gmail.com

***

Sai Mandir Sydney

25, Rose Crescent Regents Park, NSW 2143

Phone- 1500 524 724

saimandir@gmail.com

—subham—

Tags- Sydney Sri Durga Amman Temple, Sai Mandir Sydney, Tamil statues, Tiru Valluvar, Ilango, Ashta Lakshmi statues, london swaminathan, Australia

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My Visit to Sydney Sri Karphaga Vinayakar Temple (Post.15,372)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,372

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  29 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

We went to Sri Karphaga Vinayakar Temple in Sydney, Australia on 29-1-2026. It is a temple in one large hall with a small tower. When we went there the temple was celebrating its Annual Mango Festival. We could see about 25 devotees enjoying the Puja to the Dwaja Sthamba. About five priests were doing the decorations and the Puja.

The temple has the main shrine with Karpaka Vinayakar in the centre of the hall .On either side of the main shrine are other deities including Lord Siva, Goddess Meenakshi, Nataraja, Lord Skanda Muruga, Nava Graha etc.

Because of the festival, musicians were playing the Nayanam and Melam (Pipes and drums) that echoed in the hall. We could see a small chariot. The temple has announced that chariots and other idols will be taken along the streets.

Since the temple was located in a Sri Lankan Tamil area we saw several devotees walking towards the temple. Temple distributes free food and Prasad all through the festival days. Other days there is a canteen which sell food in the evening.

It has a good atmosphere and sanctity, and one must visit to get the blessings of Lord Ganesh.

Temple Address

123, The Crescent, Homebush West, New South Wales 2140

Phone 02 9746 9590

www.vinayakar.org.au

***

What is Mango Festival?

Mango Festival is celebrated by all the Sri Lankan temples. The story behind the festival is a popular story. Inter Galactical Space Traveller Narada is famous or notorious for creating quarrels among the celestials which always end with good results. He came with a mango fruit and gave it to Lord Siva in the Kailash with a condition that it can’t be cut when it was to given to any one. Siva’s two sons Lord Ganesh and Lord Skanda Muruga were demanding it. And Siva was in a great dilemma. Siva told them that whoever goes around the world and come back first would get it. Lord Skanda immediately flew on his peacock space rocket and circled the earth in a few minutes. But before that the big tummy boy, Lord Ganesh went round his father and mother Siva and Parvati and said they were the world. Both the parents were happy to hear it. And Siva gave the mango to him. Late comer Lord Skanda Muruga was disappointed. This is the background of the Mango festival which illustrated that father and mother are greater than the earth.

During the festival which runs up to ten days or so, the temple idols are taken around the town. The finale will be the chariot festival, and the chariot is pulled by all the people without any discrimination of rich and poor, of high and low status or man and woman or young and old. This festival celebrated by all the Hindu temples around the world inculcate social unity. Moreover God comes to everyone who could not go to a temple.

–Subham—

Tags- Sydney, Karphaga Vinayakar temple, My visit, Chariot festival, Australia

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Purananuru Wonders 7- Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia Part 47 (Post No.15,366)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,366

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  27 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

310

Yaga, Yajnas and Sanskrit in Sangam Age!

Poems composed by Nettimaiyar on Mudukudmi Peruvazuthi, one of the oldest Pandya kings, show that Sangam Age was full of Vedic rituals. Not only Mudukudumi, but also another Choza king did Rajasuyam, which was done by Yuthisthira in the Mahabharata Period. We have confirmation of Sangam Tamil Age as Vedic Age from Kalidasa as well. Kalidasa referred to only a Pandya king. He was introduced as a person doing lot of Yagas in Raghuvamsam. That Pandya king was associated with Agastya as well. Kalidasa lived before Sangam age or a contemporary of Sangam age kings.

***

311

Purananuru verse 13 has two interesting details.

Like Lord Siva, Choza king also wore an armour made up of Tiger skin. He was compared to Yama (for his enemies).

***

312

Second interesting thing is the similes. The king’s march on an elephant was like a ship in the ocean and moon amidst stars in the night sky. Swords of warriors are compared to the sharks in the sea.

புறநானூறு 13, பாடியவர்: உறையூர் ஏணிச்சேரி முடமோசியார், பாடப்பட்டோன்: சோழன் முடித்தலைக் கோப்பெருநற்கிள்ளி

புலி நிறக் கவசம் (Tiger Armour)

களிறே முந்நீர் வழங்கு நாவாய் போலவும், (Similes)

பன் மீன் நாப்பண் திங்கள் போலவும்,

சுறவு இனத்து அன்ன வாளோர் மொய்ப்ப

***

313

Puranānūru 13, Poet Uraiyur Ēnichēri Mudamōsiyār sang for Chozhan Mudithalai Kōperunarkilli

riding an elephant, appearing like Kootruvan (Yama, God of Death),

wearing on his handsome chest an armor made with

tiger skin ……

moving like a boat plying on the ocean and like the moon

amidst many stars, swarmed by shark-like swordsmen.

****

314

One more point to be noted is the use of Navy in Tamil as Naavaay.

Tamil and Sanskrit have same root and so we find thousands of Tamil words in English.

***

315

Meat Dishes

Puram verse 14 composed by Kapilar has some information about non vegetarian food. Tamils of Sangam age were predominantly non vegetarians. There are more references to roasted meat, barbeque etc. in Sangam poems. Kapilar, thouh a brahmin, never hesitated to sing about the meat dishes

புறநானூறு 14, பாடியவர்: கபிலர், பாடப்பட்டோன்: சேரமான் செல்வக்கடுங்கோ வாழியாதன், திணை: பாடாண், துறை: இயன் மொழி

***

316

Shamudrika Lakshana

வலிய ஆகும் நின் தாள் தோய் தடக்கை

The kings hands were  long . In Sanskrit it is called Aaajaanu Baahu, arms touching the  knee. Lord Raa was praised as Aajaanubaahum aravinda lochanam (lotus like eyes)

புலவு நாற்றத்த பைந்தடி

பூ நாற்றத்த புகை கொளீஇ, ஊன் துவை

கறி சோறு உண்டு வருந்து தொழில் அல்லது, (Meat Dishes)

Puranānūru 14, Poet Kapilar sang to Cheraman Selva Kadunkō Vāzhiyāthan, Thinai: Pādān, Thurai: Iyan Mozhi

With your long hands that reach to your legs,

***

317

King is like Lord Skanda (Murugan )

In battles, your strength is like that of the vast earth.

You are like Murukan in battles.

***

318

Puram Verse 15 composed by Nettimaiyar praised the Pandya king Mudukudumi Peruvazuthi

புறநானூறு 15, பாடியவர்: நெட்டிமையார், பாடப்பட்டோன்: பாண்டியன் பல்யாகசாலை முதுகுடுமிப் பெருவழுதி, திணை: பாடாண், துறை: இயன் மொழி

***

319

Donkeys

Ploughing the land of enemies using Donkeys. This is in Karavela inscription as well. The victorious kings destroyed the palaces of their enemies and ploughed them with ploughs pulled by donkeys.

கடுந்தேர் குழித்த ஞெள்ளல் ஆங்கண்,

வெள்வாய்க் கழுதைப் புல் இனப் பூட்டிப்

பாழ் செய்தனை,

***

320

Four Vedas

Half baked people argue on the words Tri Veda and Chatur Veda. Those fools argued three Vedas mean earlier period and four Vedas mean later period. Since those people are not practising Vedic Brahmins they bluffed and bluffed. The word Tri Veda is used in the context of Vedic rituals where only three Vedas Rik, Yajus and Sama are used. The fourth Veda—Atharvana has Rig Vedic hymns in addition to secular matter. Here the poet mentioned Four Vedas.

Pure Tamil word for Yaga /Yajna is Velvi. But at the same time poet used also Yupam (Vedic post made up of wood)- a Sanskrit.

Sanskrit words

Veda, Yupam are Sanskrit words.

புரையில்

நற்பனுவல் நால் வேதத்து,

அருஞ் சீர்த்திப் பெரும் கண்ணுறை

நெய்ம்மலி ஆவுதி பொங்கப் பன் மாண்

வீயாச் சிறப்பின் வேள்வி முற்றி,  20

யூபம் நட்ட வியன் களம் பல கொல்?

***

321

Puranānūru 15, Poet Nettimaiyār sang to Pandiyan Palyākasālai Muthukudumi Peruvazhuthi, Thinai: Pādān, Thurai: Iyan Mozhi

On the streets of your enemy countries dug up by your

fast chariots, you yoked dull coloured donkeys with

white mouths, and plowed their protected vast spaces.

***

to fight against your army with shining weapons, or

the number of huge fields where you have planted columns

after performing faultless rituals prescribed by the four good

Vedas, with precious sacrificial elements and abundant ghee?

***

322

Rajasuya Yajna performed by Choza King Perunarkilli

புறநானூறு 16, பாடியவர்: பாண்டரங்கண்ணனார், பாடப்பட்டோன்: சோழன் இராசசூயம் வேட்ட பெருநற்கிள்ளி,

செல் சுடர் ஞாயிற்றுச் செக்கரின் தோன்றப்,

Puranānūru 16, Poet Pāndarankannanār sang to Chozhan Rāsasooyam Vētta Perunarkilli

***

323

In Sanskrit literature Lod Skanda is portrayed as the Chief of the Army – Senapati

Tamils also compared kings to Lord Murukan

is donned with dried sandal paste, O Lord who is as fierce as Murukan!

***

324

Tamil armies set fire to the enemy towns and plundered the towns unlike Ramayana and Mahabharata wars.

You lit bright flames in their protected lands, devastating

huge, lovely fields that knew nothing of forest but sugarcane,

tangled vallai vines, white waterlilies, cool pakandrai and

fruiting bittermelon vines.  O Lord!  Your elephants unite

and fight as one, in fierce, fine battles!

***

325

Puram Verse 17 explodes the myths of English educated idiots. Those who studied history books written by the British thought that British united India.  In fact, there were more wars and killings in Europe than in ancient India. In spite of the local wars, people considered the whole country as one holy land. People were travelling from Himalayas to Kanyakumari without Visa. Tamils have sung Himalayas and Kumari in the same poem many times. This shows the one nation concept that existed 2000  years ago. In Sanskrit also the Bharata Kanda concept is recited every day by priests and Brahmis in their daily rituals. The wonder of wonders is that they repeat every day (in Sankalpa) the historical period and geographical location where they perform their ritusls.

—subham—

Tags- Purananuru Wonders 7, Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia Part 47 ,Yaga, Yajnas and Sanskrit in Sangam Age!, Shamudrika Lakshana

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by Tamil and Vedas on January 27, 2026  •  Permalink
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My Visit to Sydney Shakti Temple and Lisgar Gardens (Post No.15,356)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,356

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  24 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

 My Visit to Sydney Shakti Temple and Lisgar Gardens (Post No.15,356)

During my last two visits to Australia, I covered Sydney Murugan Temple, Venkateswara temple and Nantien (Wollongong) Buddhist temple. This is my third visit and so I decided to explore new temples in New South Wales state in Australia. We went to Sydney Shakti temple, also called Durga Temple, yesterday. It is a small temple started by Hindus from Fiji Island country in the 1990s. The present temple building was constructed in 2010. Since it is in a residential area, the opening times are restricted by the local council. It is opened two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

In spite of restricted hours, devotees visit the temple in good numbers. I saw a constant flow of devotees entering and leaving the temple. On either side of the tall and attractive main deity Shakti, it has Lord Ganesh and Lord Skanda (Murugan in Tamil). It is a small hall which can accommodate 150 people. All the Hindu festivals are celebrated here. During weekends and festival days the opening hours are extended. It is better to consult the temple website for precise information.

Shiva linga, goddess Meenakshi are also worshipped in the main hall. Devotees come with plates filled with flowers and fruits and do the Archana through the priest there. Outside the main hall there is a shrine with Navagrahas (Nine Planets). In the outer prakara/corridor Hanuman statue is also installed. One big hall is there for Ayyappa Puja.

The temple wall is decorated with different forms of goddesss such as Bhuvaneswari, Visalakshi, Mariamman. One needs just half hour to complete the Darshan / viewing.

Following are the contact details:

Sydney Shakti Temple

271, Old Windsor Road, Old Toongbbie, NSW 2146.

Telephone- o2 9636 1171

Website – www.sydneyshakti.org

Photography is not allowed inside the temple.

***

My Visit to Lisgar Gardens

In the heart of busy shopping area in Hornsby Shire council in Sydney we have a beautiful gardens spreading over 6.5 acres.  It is very near the Westfield shopping mall. It is a woody area bought and developed by Max Cotton about 150 years ago. It is famous for two things:

70 Varieties of Camellia Plants

Water Lizards known as Eastern Dragons

Max Cotton loved camellia flowers and so he planted 70 different varieties of the plants. Now there are 300 such plants.

The day before the temple visit, we went to Lisgar Gardens. Though we saw only few flowers, the woody area with creeks, streams and small waterfalls allowed us to breath fresh air.  We could smell the fragrance of the flowers. We also saw the water lizards. The eastern water dragons grow up to 90 CMS. The Hornby Shire council bought these gardens and opened it for public. It looks like a forest and one has to go down and down. Those who are adventurous can take the loop walks and go deeper into the bushes.

The garden is closed at 5 pm and signposted to guide the visitors. A surprising thing in Australia is there are well maintained gardens and woody areas very near the cities. Public are not even allowed to cut native trees even inside their houses.

–subham—

Tags- My visit, London swaminathan, Sydney Shakti temple, Lisgar Gardens, Water Dragons, Lizards, Camellia flowers

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by Tamil and Vedas on January 23, 2026  •  Permalink
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Three Beautiful Temples that I Visited in Bangkok, Thailand! (Post No.15,349)

Teenage Girls taking video film by dancing in front of the Bangkok Hindu Temple

Bangkok Buddha Temple pictures

Goddess Mother Earcth in Buddhist temple

Description of the Buddhist temple with lot of golden coloured Buddha Statues

Goddess Mother Earth worshipped in Road Junctions.

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,349

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  21 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

Three Beautiful Temples that I Visited in Bangkok, Thailand! (Post No.15,349)

I visited three beautiful temples in Bangkok, capital city of Thailand, on 6th and 7th of January, 2026. They are

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Buddha Temple and

Mother Earth Temple

***

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is a Hindu temple on Silon Road in the heart of Bangkok city. It is about 220 years old started by the Tamil Immigrants. Vaithi Padaiyachi constructed it in a shed and slowly extended it. His son expanded it and now it looks very modern with all Hindu Gods including Brahma. The main shrine accommodates Maha Mariamman, a form of Goddess Shakti. Village God Kaththavarayan, popular gods Siva, Vishnu, Uma, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Ganesh , Muruga/Skanda and Buddha are all worshipped there.

Sri Kannappa Kurukkal of Mariamman Temple in Bangkok.

Thai Students worshipping Goddess Mari Amman/ Shakti

Two Surprises

When I entered the temple I saw a lot of Thai students in school uniform, mostly girls, worshipping with utmost devotion. Probably they are on their way to examinations. I find more Thail devotees than Tamils in the temple. They came with plates full of fruits and garlands to offer to different Gods.

Another surprise was teenage girls were taking video film with song and dance in front of the temple. They had Kunkum/tilak on their forehead establishing their identity. Probably they wanted to do a presentation about the temple or Hinduism.

Sri Kannappa Kurukkal of Vedaranyam is the chief priest there. I got his telephone number from Vellore Sri Kalyana Sundara Sivacharya, who took me around the temple and did the temple honours to me. He told me that Vedic students from Madurai, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli are appointed as priest there. They are all young.

***

Mother Earth Temple

On my way to the Grand Palace, I saw youngsters, mostly Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese gathering in front of the Goddess Mother Earth in a road junction and lighting incense sticks. I saw the same Goddess in two more places.

All the names of Mother Goddess are from Vedic Sanskrit, only the spellings are corrupted. It was an echo of Atharva Veda where we have the oldest hymn on Mother Earth in the name of Bhumi/ Prithvi Suktas. Bhumi, Prithvi, Dharani, Ma/mother, Vaudhara and Vasundhara are used in the description of Goddess Mother earth.

But Buddhists added a new story for the worship of Mother Earth through out South- East Asian countries.

When Buddha was meditating under the Bodhi tree, Maran, the evil demon, tried to distract him and foil his attempt to attain enlightenment. But Buddha summoned Mother Earth through his Bhumi Sparsa Mudra (a hand gesture) where the fingers touch or point towards Bhumi/Earth.

Immediately Mother Earth came and twisted her long hair where from the water flew and washed away the evil Maran. These Mother Earth statues are in specially erected Mandapas, or in the gardens and in the Buddhist temples. She is on the left hand and holding Kalasha.Devotees go there to offer flowers, light up incense sticks and worship.

My Comments

Hindus are the first race in the world  to describe the land, country and earth as Mother.

Since we have no reference to Mother Earth with reference to Buddha in ancient Pali scriptures, it is actually a corrupted story of Mother Ganga and Bhumi Sukta of Atharva Veda; the proof lies in the pure Sanskrit words describing the earth.

Earth in Sanskrit words

Vasundharā -Wathondare (ဝသုန္ဓရေ) or Wathondara

Sri Dharaṇī=Preah Thoroni

Anangu in Tamil Nanga in Sanskrit= Nang Thorani (นางธรณี))

Kanishta Nanga= Neang Konghing (នាងគង្ហីង)

Evil Mara= Another name of Kaama/ Desire/ Manmatha

Atharva veda says

” Mata Bhumi putroham prithivyah ”  (माता भूमि पुत्रोहं पृथिव्या🙂 Meaning “Earth is my mother I am her son”. 

There are scores of other verses that glorify Mother Earth. The hymn of these verses is known as “Prithivi Sukta ” in AtharvaVeda .In these verses, prithi is described as vasudhara or vasudha (Possessor of wealth).

***

Buddha Temple with huge Golden coloured Buddha

In the heart of Bangkok city, there is a beautiful Buddha temple with serene atmosphere.

Buddhist Temple,Wat Thepthidaram, Samran Road, Bangkok

Rama III commissioned it in honour of his elder daughter Krommameaun Apson Suda Thep

52 cast figures of female monks made from tin, in meditative pose.

It is a monastic living quarters , with village atmosphere.

Great poet Sunthorn Phu resided here.

The huge temple has a big Buddha in golden colour. On the both sides the corridors have more golden Buddhas. When I went there on 7-1-2026, about fifty Buddhist monks, young and old were reciting the Pali scriptures; it sounded like the Vedic recitation in Hindu Veda Patasalas/schools. But only five devotees were there.  Whoever enters the building will go into meditation. The complex has Mother Earth Statue as well. The walls have the paintings depicting Buddha Charita.

***

Sanskrit Everywhere

When one travels in car one can notice Sanskrit words everywhere. Indra, Sri, Nagara are very common. If one studies the names of Thai people, one would find them of Sanskrit origin. Description of Mother Earth has nothing but Sanskrit. Moreover, we find Indra Festival as water festival, Makara Sankranti and Tamil New Year day corresponding with Thai New Year day, Brahmin Priests officiating Royal Thai ceremonies, recitation of Tamil Tiruvempavai of Manikkavasagar etc in Thailand. Hindu Gods including Brahma are worshipped in different temples. Ayodhya (corrupted as Ayuthaya) was the ancient capital and Kings are named Rama. Statues of Airavata Elephant with four heads are in road junctions. All these points to Hindu origin rather than Buddhist origin of Mother Earth.

Atharvana Veda has the oldest song on Mother Earth with a long and beautiful description.

Evil Mara attacking Buddha with temptations of Desire

Mother Earth in Politics and  Water Board of Thailand

— Subham—

Tags – Bangkok, Temples, Mother Earth, Brahma, Hindu Gods, Maha Mariamman Temple,  Buddha Temple, Airavata, Sanskriit everywhere, London swaminathan visit, Thai students

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by Tamil and Vedas on January 21, 2026  •  Permalink
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My visit to Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Post No.15,346)

Lodon Swaminathan in Bangkok Palace

Five headed Snake

Lodon swaminathan

Apsaras and Mythical Birds

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,346

Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia –  19 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

My visit to Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Post No.15,346)

On 6th of January this year (2026), I went to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The main attraction in the palace is the Emerald Buddha. Though it is called emerald Buddha, it is made up of semi -precious Jade stone. The height of the image is 66 CMS including the wooden base. Now the pamphlet published by the palace says it is of 15th century Thai workmanship. But the old story is that it was made in India and was taken to many countries including Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia. The interesting story about the image is the King of Thailand changes its attire thrice a year on a particular day. Buddha wears three different gem studded golden attires in Rainy, Summer and Winter seasons.

The Hall that houses the image is visited by millions of people every year. It is the holiest Buddha image in the country; apart from this one, there are two more gold plated large Buddha images of 3 metres height.

The grand palace was constructed in 1782 by one of the kings of Chakri dynasty. The Kings took the title of Rama and there have been ten Ramas so far. Now the present ruler is called Rama X. Each king added some new constructions or statues. It is on the banks of Chao Praya River like the previous capitals.

***

The entrance fee is 500 Baht. But one must be decently dressed to go into the palace. Many westerners with exposed body parts and not decently dressed are stopped at the entrance and are asked to change the dress or fully cover the exposed parts. This is a good rule, also followed in the Mysuru palace in Karnataka, where even shoes are not permitted. They must walk bare footed inside the palace.

***

The Bangkok palace is divided into many parts and all the buildings are shining in golden colour. Only statues are gold plated but the buildings used specially made golden mosaics from Italy.

***

New statues excavated

In 2021 new statues were discovered when the road construction workers were digging the earth near the palace. Subsequent archaeological excavations revealed more sculptures. Historians say they came from China. Now they are placed in the courtyards of the temple of emerald buddha.

***

Another interesting coincidence is the Tamil new year day and the Thai new year day is celebrated on the same day in April every year. This establishes the Hindu cultural connections.

One can see lot of images of Garuda, vahana of Vishnu, nagas/snakes, concrete replica of Angkor wat temple of Cambodia; there are golden coloured images of Asura Pakshi, Apsaras, Kinnara and Gandharva etc.

Annual royal ploughing ceremony is held with the help of Brahmin priests.

178 episodes of Ramayana !

The cloisters that include the temple buildings have walls that are painted with 178 episodes of Ramakien story as composed by Rama I and follows prince Rama’s story in clockwise progression from the north door of the cloister opposite the Phra vihara chapel. Its scenes depict gods and humans, monkeys and demons, life inside and outside the palace and cities while four legged animals, birds and mythical animals of the Himavanta forest abound in jungles, plains and oceans.

Ramayana Paintings in the Grand Palace

***

MY OLD ARTICLES ON THAILAND

Sanskrit in Thailand (Post No.12,265)

Sanskrit in Thailand –2 (Post No.12,270)

in Thailand | Tamil and Vedas

tamilandvedas.com

https://tamilandvedas.com › tag › in-thailand

7 May 2018 — Thailand has got lot of Hindu sculptures from Ganesh to Kubera. Vedic gods Indra, Yama, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma are also found in different …

§ 

Thailand | Tamil and Vedas

https://tamilandvedas.com › tag › thailand

Thailand and Laos have different stories associated with it. In Thailand there lived a wise man who can speak with birds. His name was Dharmabarn (Dharma …

RAMA IS GREEN, LAKSHMANA IS GOLDEN & HANUMAN …

tamilandvedas.com

https://tamilandvedas.com › 2018/05/06 › rama-is-gre…

6 May 2018 — Tamil and Vedas. A blog exploring themes in Tamil and vedic literature. RAMA IS GREEN, LAKSHMANA IS GOLDEN & …

Sanskrit in Thailand – Part 3 (Post No.12,281)July 16, 2023

–subham—

Tags- Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand, King Rama X, Ramayana Paintings, London Swaminathan visit

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by Tamil and Vedas on January 19, 2026  •  Permalink
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Interesting Titbits from Tamil Vaishnavite Alvar Poems (Post No.15,331)

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,331

Date uploaded in London –  1 January 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

Twelve Vaishnavite Tamil saints are called Alvars (aalvaar). Most of them lived 1200 years ago, a few of them even earlier.  4000 poems on Lord Vishnu and his Ten Avatars sung by them are compiled in the book called Divya Prabandham. Here is some interesting information about secular subjects and religious matters. (Translation of poems by Kausalya Hart are taken from Project Maduri)

Solar Eclipse in Mahabharata

(original poem is in Tamil)

335. If you want to see the young son of Devaki,
Kaṇṇan, the lord who hid the light of the sun with his discus
for thirty nalihais, made enemy kings wait and conquered them,
go to the people who saw him drive the chariot for Arjuna
when Arjuna fought and killed Jayathratha in the Bharatha war.

This episode is actually about solar eclipse happened 3000 years ago. The battle was fought on alternate days.

****

Space Travel

70. You listened to the words of the strong cowherds,
fought and controlled seven strong bulls
and married the dark-haired Nappinnai, lovely as a peacock.
You went on a bright shining chariot,
searched for the lost children,
found them and brought them back to their mother.
O dear one, shake your head and crawl for me once.
You are a bull and you fight for the cowherds. Crawl, crawl.

This poem says that they went in a space shuttle and returned in a moment


403. The Thiruppadi of the lord
who brought the four children of his guru
back to life quickly
when they could not be alive as soon as they were born
is Srirangam where good Vediyars
skilled the Vedas live,
making sacrifices with fire
and receiving guests happily.

Tamil Word in the poem is IRAIP POZUTHU which means a moment

Periyalvar and Nammalvar sang about this space travel.

Commentators added Muhurta and the meaning of Muhurta in ancient days was different from today. Now it means 48 minutes. But in Rig Veda it meant a moment

Sanskrit dictionary  (From Wisdomlib.org)

Muhūrta (मुहूर्त).—[hurch-kta dhātoḥ pūrvaṃ muṭ ca Tv.]

1) A moment, any short portion of time, an instant; नवाम्बुदानीकमुहूर्त- लाञ्छने (navāmbudānīkamuhūrta- lāñchane) R.3.53; संध्याभ्ररेखेव मुहूर्तरागाः (saṃdhyābhrarekheva muhūrtarāgāḥ) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.194; Meghadūta 19; Kumārasambhava 7.5.

2) A period, time (auspicious or otherwise).

3) A period of 48 minutes.

-rtaḥ An astrologer.

Derivable forms: muhūrtaḥ (मुहूर्तः), muhūrtam (मुहूर्तम्).

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Muhūrta (मुहूर्त).—i. e. muhur + ta, I. m. and n. 1. A moment, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 50, 6; some time, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] 40, 4 (paraṃ muhūrtāt, After some time, not yet). 2. The thirtieth part of a day and night, or forty-eight minutes. Ii. m. An astrologer.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Muhūrta (मुहूर्त).—[masculine] [neuter] moment, instant; hour ( = 1/30 day); [instrumental] & [ablative] in a moment, after a little while, immediately, directly.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Muhūrta (मुहूर्त) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—jy. See Muhūrta (मुहूर्त):—[from muh] a m. n. a moment, instant, any short space of time, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. ([in the beginning of a compound], in a moment; tena ind. after an instant, presently)

***

Numbers in Periyalvar Poems


Who is God? What is God? What is the nature of God?

752. You are five things—taste, light, touch, sound and smell in earth.
You are four things—taste, light, feeling of touch, and sound in water.
You are three things—taste, light and heat in fire.
You are two things—the touch and the sound of the wind.
You are the unique ancient one.
You are many things on the earth.
You are the dark-colored one.
Who has the power to know who you are?

This is pure science. This deals with Big Bang to Evolution of earth and living beings.

***

753. You are the six actions—
learning, teaching, performing sacrifices,
making others perform sacrifices, giving and receiving.
You are worshipped by the fifteen sacrifices.
You are the beautiful two—wisdom and renunciation,
and the three devotions, devotion for god,
the devotion that gives knowledge to know god,
and the highest devotion that gives moksha.
You are the seven and six and eight.
You are many wisdoms,
the true and the false.
You are taste, light, touch, sound and smell.
You, Māyan, are everything on earth
yet who can see you?

Number 24

754. You are the chief of the twenty-four philosophies,
the five elements water, land, fire, wind and the sky,
the five sense organs, body, mouth, eyes, nose and ears,
the five organs of action, mouth, legs, hands, the unclean organs,
the five senses, taste, sight, hearing, smell and touch
and the four organs of knowledge,
mind, ego, knowledge, and ignorance.
You who stay in the sky are all these and more.
O Māyan, who can see you?

Number 33+5+16

755. You are the thirty-three Sanskrit sounds.
You are the five consonants,
and the sixteen vowels.
You are the lord of the five special sounds in Tamil
and the mantra with twelve sounds,
“Om namo bhagavate Vāsudevāya.”
You are the three faultless lights—the sun, the moon and the stars.
You have entered my heart—why, O my lord?

****

766. You are the four Vedas, the Six Angas (ancillary subjects)
and their meaning.
You, the precious one
rest on the wide ocean on many-headed Adishesha.
Aren’t you the one with a white conch and the Sarngam bow?

****

You are Three in One- Echo of Kalidasa

World famous Indian poet Kalidasa wrote that all the Three Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are one entity. They are seen in different angles. This is echoed by Saivite and Vaishnavite Poets in many hymns.

768. You are unique,
but you, limitless, are also the three gods,
Shiva, Vishnu and Nānmuhan, and the four gods.
You who rest on Adishesha on the wide ocean
are the source of good karma,
and give joy and goodness to all.
No one can comprehend your form.
How can you, the ancient god,
come to the world in human form?

****

Numbers 7 8 9 10

865. O heart, if you want to remove the eight bad thoughts
and live without fault and reach moksha and rule the world,
you must think and worship the feet of the god, our father,
who is wisdom, the sun, and the world,
who took the form of a single-tusked boar and split open the earth.

828. The ancient lord is eight and eight and eight,
he is seven and seven and seven,
and he is eight and three and one.
Devotees worshiping with the eight letter mantra,
“Om namo Nārāyaṇāya,” will go to heaven and rule there.

829. If people love him tirelessly
and think of him always in their minds,
reciting the eight-letter mantra with love
and worshiping the beautiful ankleted feet
of the god who rests on the snake bed on the ocean,
they will go to heaven and rule there.

830. He is the ten directions,
the soul of the ten guardians of the directions,
the nine notes of music, the nine rasas of dance
and he, the ancient and the most powerful one,
came to this world in ten avatharams.
Only if devotees worship him with devotion
will they reach moksha.

***

Asuras Destroyed by Vishnu

858. You destroyed the angry king of Kasi,
Vakkaran, Pavuṇḍran, the furious Maliman,
Sumali, Kesi and Thenugan.
I will not give my love and affection to anyone,
only to your anklet-adorned feet.

***

810. You, a hero, bent your bow,
killed the Asurans Vakkaran, Karan and Muran
and sent their heads to Yama.
You, a cowherd, stay in flourishing Kuḍandai
with ponds and blooming groves
and rich fields protected by many fences.

—subham—

Tags- Interesting Titbits, Tamil Vaishnavite Alvar Poems, Space travel, Numbers, three gods

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by Tamil and Vedas on January 1, 2026  •  Permalink
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Hinduism through 500 Pictures in Tamil and English-36; படங்கள் மூலம் இந்து மதம் கற்போம்-36 (Post.15,321)

Kalki Avatar by London Swaminathan

Narasimha Avatar sculptures, images

Trivikrama, Vamana Avatar sculptures, images

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,321

Date uploaded in London –  29 December 2025

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

Avatars

Avataara means a descent. The incarnation of a deity, especially of Vishnu. The origin of avatara is in the Rig Veda. Three steps of Vishnu, Varaha Avatara in the story of Emusha are in the Vedas. Flood story of Matsya Avatara is in all cultures around the world.

Boar incarnation is in Taitriya Samhita and Satapata Brahmana of Yajur Veda.

Kurma/ Tortoise Avatara is in Satapatha Brahmana as Prajapati assuming a form of Tortoise.

Matsya/Fish Incarnation

Fish Avatara is also in the same Brahmana book in the story of deluge. Manu found a small fish which grew to a large size which he left in the ocean. It directed him to construct a ship, Manu fastened the vessel to the horn of the huge fish. All boarded the ship and the fish/ Matsya Avatar saved them. Mahabharata repeated the story with some variations.

Kurma/Tortoise Avatara and the Churning of the Milky Ocean

The germ of this Avatara is Satapata Brahmana book. Later additions in the Puranas show Vishnu assuming the tortoise form. In the Satya Yuga, he placed himself at the bottom of the ocean of milk and made his back the base or pivot of the Mandara Mountain. The gods and demons twisted the great serpent Vasuki round the mountain and dividing into two parties, each took an end of the snake  as a rope and thus churned the ocean until they recovered the desired objects.

These were

Amrita- elixir of life;

Dhanvantari- Father of Medicine holding the cup of Amrita;

Lakshmi- Goddess of Fortune and Walth;

Suraa- Goddess of Wine;

Chandra- the Moon;

Rambha- Apsaras beauty;

Uchchaisrvas- Divine Horse;

Kaustuba- a celebrated jewel;

Parijata- paarijaata- a Celestial Tree;

Surabhi- Divine cow of Plenty;

Airavata- Elephant;

Sankha/ Conch- Conch of Victory;

Dhanus- a famous bow;

Visha/Poison.

Lord Siva devoured the poison to save Devas and demons, but his wife Parvati prevented it going down his gullet. When it was stopped at his neck/throat, that became blue in colour. So Siva was called Neelakanta (Blue throated). This name is in the Vedas and 2300 year old Sangam Tamil literature.

All these avataras were sung by Tamil saints. And many of them are in Tamil Sangam books. That shows all the Hindus from Himalayas to Kanyakumari were very familiar with Hindu Puranas.

***

Narasimha – man lion –avatara is more popular than Varaha avatara. in Tamil he is known as Singa Perumal.

The story of this incarnation of Vishnu is as follows:

Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu were two demon brothers, hostile to Vishnu. Hiranyaksha was killed by Varaha avatar. Hiranyakasipu, then became the king of the demons and vowed eternal war with Vishu. His young son, Prahlada, was however became a devotee of Vishnu. Hiranyakasipu tried all means to change his mind, but in vain. Exasperated with this he asked the young boy, if his god Vishnu was all pervasive, could be found in the pillar in front of him; and then hacked it with his sword. The pillar cleft in twine and oust burst from it to the astonishment of Hiranyakasipu, the angry god in the shape of a Man-Lion. He tore to pieces the impious demon king. He was called Ugra Narasimha.

His anger subsided after Prahlada’s prayer; then he became Lakshmi Narasimha.

Yoga Narasimha is another form in which the god is seen squatting in a meditative mood. Simhachalam, Ahobilam , Namakkal, Narasimham near Madurai, Singa Perumal kovil are some of the places sacred to Narasimha. The usual Vaishnava symbols Sankha and Chakra are seen in his upper arms. The monolithic Ugra Narasimha found in the ruins of Vijayanagara was established by Krishna Deva Raya in 1528 CE. Statues of Narasimha are found on mountain tops, caves and deep forests. He has four hands.

***

VAMANA / TRIVIKRAMA AVATAR

Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu, is worshipped as Trivikrama – in Tamil Ulgalantha Perumal. Trivikrama means ‘god who took three strides’. Tamil name means ‘the lord who measured the universe’ (with three strides).

The story is a powerful demon king named Bali, the great grandson of Hiranyakasipu conquered the three worlds and ruled them, in spite of his birth, in charity and with justice. Indra, the chief of devas, was thus superseded. Devas got alarmed and requested Vishnu to restore Indra to his legitimate position.

Vishnu could not go to war against Bali, as he was a virtuous king. So, he went in the guise of a dwarf Brahmana, as a Brahmachari, Vedic student. He begged of Bali for three feet of land on which he could sit and meditate on God undisturbed. The generous Bali granted the request. Then the dwarf grows to a height transcending the world, take in at one step the whole earth, covering the sky with the next, and demanding of Bali to show him room for the third. True to his promise, Bali offered his own head, on which the placed his foot and sent him down to lower regions. Because he was just, he was allowed to return to his kingdom every year. That day is celebrated even today.

At Tirukkovilur in Tamil Nadu is a celebrated shrine of Trivikrama. Another one is in the Ulagalanda Perumal temple at Kanchi. Mahabalipuram has one figure with eight hands. Brahma is also shown touching the finger of the god.

In the Ramaswami temple in Kumbakonam is a sculptured pillar on which the story of Vamana avatar is well represented.

Representations of Vamana figures with water pot and an umbrella are found in the demarcation stones of fields granted in charity.

A festival in honour of Bali is observed by the people of Mysore on the first day after Deepavali Amavasya.

In Kerala, people connect Bali with their harvest festival, the Onam, in which they worship a clay figure of this high-minded emperor. It is supposed that the king is permitted by Vishnu to visit every year the fair earth over which he ruled once and to satisfy himself that the people are quite happy and glad as in his time.

***

Rama and Krsina Avatar sculptures, images

Vishnu Avatar images, on Snake bed

KALKI AVATAR

Kalki avatar is only a prospective incarnation in which the god is expected to appear as a powerful hero riding on a white horse- back, a sword in hand, to suppress the growing wickedness of the Mlechchas (anti Hindu elements).

***

BUDDHA

The Buddha avatar is a later addition by Jayadeva of Orissa and so Hindus don’t worship him. No deity of Buddha is found in any old Hindu temple.

Apart from these avataras , lord Vishnu is depicted in various forms in ancient Hindu temples.

***

RAMA and KRISHNA

Most popular avataras Rama and Krishna are worshipped throughout India. All their leelas or their victories over demons are shown in paintings and sculptures. Since all these are in epics and Puranas, most of the people know the stories behind them.

In Sangam Tamil literature even the Yamnua River and Gopikas episode is sung by a poet. Untold stories of Rama are found in Sangam Tamil books.

Over 20 Avataras are mentioned in the Puranas. But only ten are called Dasaavataaraas (Dasa= Ten)

****

PARASURAMA

Three Ramas were sung by the saints: Dasaratha Rama, husband of Sita; Balaraman- brother of Krishna and Parasuraman- Rama with axe on his shoulder. He was born as the son of Jamadagni in Treta Yuga. He fought with arrogant Kshatriyas and finished their domination. But he bowed to Rama, a Kshatriya, and gave all his strength to him.

—Subham—

Tags- Avatara, incarnations, Ten, Dasa, Hinduism through 500 Pictures in Tamil and English-36; படங்கள் மூலம் இந்து மதம் கற்போம்-36 

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