1978 - Tiruvannamalai
Thiruvannamalai, the Birthplace of The Avatar
Thiruvannamalai is the home of Arunachala, where Paramashiva decided to take the ultimate form which is exalted as nāmasmaraṇamātreṇa yatpātakavināśanam, - that which destroys all sins and grants the eternal state of Shiva by merely remember its name. 1
In the Arunachala Māhātmyam, the compiled praises and songs of Arunachala glorified by Lord Brahma, Gautama Rishi and Paramashiva Himself, the great epic regarding the very happening of Arunachala is extolled.
On being asked to narrate this very history by Sanaka Rishi, his own son, Lord Brahma is filled with the Divine remembrance of Paramashiva so much so, it overflows from him as ānandabāṣpa, the tears of bliss.
śivadarśana-sañjātapulakāṅkita-vigrahaḥ ānandabāṣpavannetraḥ sagadgadamabhāṣata' With hair standing on end and with tears of joy brought forth by the vision of Siva, he (Lord Brahma) spoke in a faltering voice.2
Having invoked Paramashiva in his inner space, Brahma begins to narrate the entire happening of Arunachala. With deep humbleness and gratitude to the one who liberated him, Lord Brahma recalls his own immense egoism when sparking a fight with Lord Vishnu on who was the greater God.
HDH Reveals the Happening of Paramashiva of Lingodbhava
Though misled by his own arrogance in this timeless epic, in the Arunachala Māhātmyam Lord Brahma himself is the one who narrates this story to his son, with not even an ounce of pride left in him or hot vengeance against Shiva, whom he could perceive as his punisher but instead remembers with deepest reverence. Such is the compassion of Paramashiva: to liberate one even beyond the slightest hints of pain.
Paramashiva manifested first to liberate Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu as the tejaḥ stambhaṃ3, the shaft of effulgent light, and subsequently manifested in the form of the sacred Hill, Arunachala to liberate the whole humanity itself. Even as He was present in this form, those who were dearly devoted sweetly lamented “Other than the rain from the sky, who will perform abhishekam, the sacred bath, for you? Other than the stars, who can offer pearl garland for you? Other than the rays of the sun, who can offer deepa, the lit lamp, for you?”4,
Shastra Pramana from Arunachala Mahatmyam5
Adutharunagiriyaanae punakku Vinni ralathupoo… Laatuvaaraarar Thodutha vuduthiralalathu thiru mudikku manimaalai sootuvaaraarar Kaduthi suzhimidatraanae suthirkalandrimanitheebang kaatuvaarar Yeduthirainji poosaiseiya vithankeezhori lingavadivedupaayen
Yii-yel Sri Arunaachaleesherae malaiyaakiya umakku aakaayaththil Nindru peikindra mazhaiyaeyelaamal jalamkonduvanthu abhishekan seikiravarkalaal nakshethira kootankalae Muthumaalaiyarivathallathu vaerae muthumaalai sootukiravarhalaar Soorya giranamae Deepamaavathalaamal deepam konduvanthu vaerae kaatukiravargalaal Aanapatiyinaalae naangal abhisheka muthalaanavaigal seithu poosai Seivatharkkuisaintha malaiyinkzhl oru linga vadivamaai yeluzhuntharula vendumendru kaetukkkondaarkal- yae- ru.
For the sake of His devotees, Paramashiva graciously complied and appeared in the form of a linga at the base of the Hill. In this form only, His devotees worshipped Paramashiva, sang His glory and around Him built incomparable towers and intricately carved walls6 that would stand tall as the glorious Arunachaleshwara Temple even centuries into the future.
Shastra Pramana from Arunachala Mahatmyam7
Annathuvaa yirukkuthuneer kaami bakthi larukipumen rasalam Pukkar, jnanilamu pugazhavangaur shivanuruva mulaithathu kandi iranje yethi, manniya poo mazhai pozhinthu paravasamaai magizhinthaadi mayanaikkuvith, thannikaril kolaramu mandapamu manimathilunj samaipiththaargal.
Yi-yil. Appadiyae yilingamaakiroom bakthiyudan poosiyunkalendrantha malaiyilullae maraivukolamseithaar yentha desamum pugazhumpadi avvidathil oruilingaa thondritru athai kanduvanagi thothiranseithu putpavarusham pozhinthu, paravasamaai santhoosham adainthu aanathakoothaadi mayanenkira devadakshinai koopitu opillaatha gopurangalum mandapankalum azhakulla mathilunj seivithaargal- yae-ru.
Therefore, the kshetra8 of Thiruvannamalai is the very place on Earth which Paramashiva declared as his home thousands of years ago in the three Divine forms- the sacred hill, Arunachala, the linga Arunachaleshwara and in the form of the Incarnation of Paramashiva who lands time and again in the human body. In a fourth form, which was not declared by Paramashiva and yet still seamlessly manifested, He lives as śivah sarva guhā śayah9, - as Shiva the one who resides in the hearts of all. This is true especially among the townspeople of Thiruvannamalai for whom Arunachala is antaryāmi, their most Supreme Lord and their most intimate partner, making it possible for Paramashiva to appear again and again as one among them.
Adhering to his most compassionate boon for humanity, Paramashiva takes the form of Arunagiri Yogishwara on Planet Earth and guides Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma in creating the enlightened civilization of Thiruvannamalai.10
For thousands of years until now and continuing to do so, this place acts not just as a beacon for the human beings who seek the most supreme truth but as the cosmic beacon of light which allows for otherworldly beings to descend and ascend the 14 planes of existence and ultimately unite with Paramashiva Himself in the primordial form. 11
The embodiment of Paramashiva, in the form of Arunagiri Yogishwara, never ceased to exist even until today as he resides within the sacred Arunachala Hill itself, with all the many crores of beings who have attained the state of Maha Kailasa and sought to spend the rest of eternity living with him. 12
Just as blissfully as they lived in the ethereal plane, the human beings lived in the physical plane in Thiruvannamalai. It served humanity as the source of the siddha tradition, the ancient science of enlightenment and the most sacred guru-shishya parampara that produced a continuous stream of enlightened beings, who protected this sacred knowledge for thousands of years. However, over the course of a 5,000 year genocide against Hindus, this very tradition became vulnerable to being entirely annihilated from Planet Earth. There were millions of sadhus and sanyasis who relinquished all worldly desires and manifested the state of Paramashiva, who were massacred by anti-hindu forces. The aghoris, yogis and yoginis who relinquished their individual consciousness itself to manifest the powers of Paramashiva were witch hunted and murdered until their lineage was nearly stamped out.
As the pivotal role of the priest in the temple was delegitimized, and they were forced to conform to a profession outside of the tradition, the thousands of priests ,who were once celebrated for their most esteemed role serving Paramashiva Himself, were all suffering in poverty. The hundreds of thousands of women who avowed their chastity to Paramashiva were raped by chieftains of the invading forces, and subjected to bear their children, raise their sons who would continue to enslave the whole Hindu civilization first physically and then psychologically.
As a result of this, the richest, most powerful civilization that once existed on Planet Earth was entirely enslaved. With the loss of the values, tradition and lifestyle from Sanatana Hindu Dharma and its related traditions, and the monstrous upsurge of modern day industrialization which rampantly destroyed natural resources and became rooted in corrupt ideas by people who were greedy for power, it was not just Hindus who suffered but the whole humanity itself. (a complete description of the destruction happened at this time is in another section: “Why the Avatar Happened on Planet Earth”)
As Paramashiva promises to His beloved friend and disciple in the Bhagavad Gita when He incarnated on Planet Earth as Bhagavan Sri Krishna - yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjun, at that time I manifest myself on earth. 13
Paramashiva decided it was time to come down and protect those who love him. It was thus how Paramashiva, the one who is Nishkala, who is formless, began the preparations for His 1008th descent onto Planet Earth and assumes the form as Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism, Jagatguru Mahasannidhanam, His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam.
इत्येवं निष्कळं प्रोक्तं परं भावमिति स्मृतम्। सृष्टिस्थं लोकरक्षार्थं लोकस्योत्पत्तिकारणम्।। साधकानां हितार्थं तु स्वेच्छया गृह्णते तनुः। ityevaṃ niṣkal̤aṃ proktaṃ paraṃ bhāvamiti smṛtam. sṛṣṭisthaṃ lokarakṣārthaṃ lokasyotpattikāraṇam. sādhakānāṃ hitārthaṃ tu svecchayā gṛhṇate tanuḥ.
In this way (Shiva) who is Nishkala - without any body and parts, who is the Ultimate Supreme Being, who is established in the Creation, who is the Cause of the creation of the Universe, assumes a body out of His Free Will for the protection of the Universe, and for the welfare of the Spiritual seekers and Devotees.14
Thiruvannamalai Temples, People and Places as The Avatar had Seen Them