Thiruvathirai / Arudra Darisanam

                                                     


In Hinduism, it is believed that the Lord Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva was born on this day and it is considered as very auspicious.

The dance of Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja represents five things– Creation, Protection, Destruction, Release and Embodiment. It represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. The cosmic dance takes place in every particle and is the source of all energy.

Arudra signifies the golden red flame and Lord Shiva performs the dance in the form of red flaming light. Most of the temples around the world with Lord Nataraja and Shiva celebrate Arudra Darshan.

The most important Thiruvadharai festival takes place at the Chidambaram Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu. The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva is enacted on the day. Chidambaram is considered as one of the five places that represent the Pancha Maha Bhootams (Fire, Air, Water, Land and Sky).

Hindu Rituals Series - Why do we light a lamp?

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily in the pooja room before the Lord . In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day – at dawn and dusk – and in a few it is maintained continuously - Akhanda Deepa. All auspicious functions start with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained till the end of the occasion.




Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness -symbolizes ignorance. The Lord is the "Knowledge Principle" is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is worshiped as the Lord himself.

Knowledge removes ignorance just like light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be accomplished successfully. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth.

Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our vaasanas or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the vaasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.
While lighting the lamp we pray:

Deepajyothi parabrahma
Deepa sarva tamopahaha
Deepena saadhyate saram
Sandhyaa deepo namostute

Meaning: I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.