Arudhra darshanam

garry420

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Arudhra darshanam is celebrated in late december or early january. Shiva, like all of us, is eternal and never born. Yet, everyone likes to have a birthday. But, like all of us, Shiva has taken so many forms and had so many gross bodies that a single nakshatram had to be determined. Unlike all of us, He was always untouched by maayaa and paasa but took these forms only to please the devotees. It was decided that the thiruvaadhirai nakshaththram in the month of Maarkazi (Maargasira), occuring in Dec-Jan. is an appropriate date. Why ? Because Shiva graced Adhi sesha on that day. Lord Vishnu was lying on the serpent Adhisesha. A. felt that Vishnu was brooding over something and asked him the reason. Vishnu replied that He was enjoying the Dance of Lord Shiva. If Vishnu itself enjoys something, it should be great. Therefore, A. asked how he could also see Shiva dance. Vishnu asked him to go to Chidambaram and do tapas. A. went to Chidambaram and did tapas. Pleased with their prayer the God appeared on the Thiruvaadhirai day and danced in Chidambaram. The Nataraaja image of the Lord is prayed with great devotion this day and celebrated as Arudhra darshanam. Stotra-s special to Lord Nataraja are recited on this day. In this festival abhisheeka of Lord Nataraaja takes place early in the morning and then He is taken around the town.

Though celebrated all over India, it is especially famous in the South India. It is a huge festival in places like Rameswaram, Arunachala and Chidambaram, though Arunachala (thiruvannamalai) is more famous for the thirukartikkai festival. Regarding your question of saiva sects, the main ones are the virashaivism, saiva siddhanta and kashmir shaivism, mostly restricted to Karnataka/Andhra, Tamilnadu and Kashmir, respectively. Please note, though, the philosophies of these sects are different, ranging from qualified non-dualism to non-vedantic non-dualism.

Whatever may be the philosophy one adheres to, seeing the abhiseka either on arudhra darshanam or on shivaratri makes all the emotions drawn towards the Lotus feet of Lord Shiva. If all the feelings at all times are towards the three-eyed eternal one, then one thinks of Him and submits him/herself to the Thief who steals our hearts, is there any doubt of being liberated from the bondage ? For the foot that kicked Yama in the chest, isn't liberating a devotee's bondage child's play ?
 
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