At Sri Seshadri Swamigal Ashram at Tiruvannamalai great importance is placed on connecting and meditating on the Rishis and Mahans throughout the ages.
In this regard that Ashram recently built the, “Thiyana Peedam” for meditation, and the hall is filled with the statues of great spiritual forces from Bharat since Vedic times.
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| Thiyana Peedam Meditation Hall |
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| Garden in front of Hall |
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| Some of the Saint Statues in Hall |
Away from the Peedam and located at the back of the Samadhi shrine of Mahan Seshadri, are statues of Sri Seshadri Swamigal and also of the great Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.
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| Mahan Sri Seshadri Swamigal |
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| Sri Shirdi Sai Baba |
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| Homa Pit in the Samadhi Hall |
In an area behind the Samadhi Hall of Sri Seshadri Swamigal, there is a beautiful open air meditation centre with a statue of Lord Dakshinamurti and Arunachala in the foreground.
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| Lord Dakshinamurti |
To find out more about the connection of Tiruvannamalai and the Vedic sciences throughout the ages, read the following which was abridged from a narrative by V.Suryanarayan.
Vedic Science on Homas
“Thiruvannamalai is the most sacred place on earth as it is the abode of the “God of God” namely Arunachaleswarar and his consort Apeeta Kuchamba. He is the almighty protector of the Universe as its Creator and hence he is the Protector of all without any distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. The Lord has settled himself here in the form of the “malai” or hill in response to prayers of Brahma and Vishnu and settled in the form of the jyothir-linga in the temple. In days of immemorial antiquity, he was so fiery that people found it difficult to go round the hill even from a distance. As a result of prayers from Sanaka Maharishi (and other Brahmamanasa putras) besides the Sapta Rishis, Arunachaleswarar assured that he would cool down and make himself more easily approachable for pradakshina (circumambulation) if devotees indulged in prayers, tapas, homa, yagna and yagas. All round the hill in several Ashrams such things have been going on ever since the early days.
Many have experienced the dramatic drop in Thiruvannamalai town temperature over the last three decades. This incredible change in climatic condition is entirely attributable to a number of Vedic functions. A homa or yagna involves a fiery phenomenon engendering the harmonious conglomeration of dissemination of cosmic rays and such nuclear irradiation is absolutely beneficial to all mankind. The impact of such a homa or yagna are indescribable and borders on the miraculous.
All Vedic systems and exercise are based on a complicated structure of science, rhythm and rhyme, rule and regulation, procedural details and purity of rendering, all under the guidance of a Rishi or Muni, Master or a Guru or a Master of Masters. Veda is a term of compendious connotation. “Vid” means knowledge or enlightenment. What gives us Knowledge is the Veda. It is a treasure house of knowledge. It tells us more about the Creator and how to reach him – in order to make our life sublime. “Nahi jnanena Sadrusham” suggesting that there is nothing equal to jnana is a Vedic proclamation –nothing equal to wisdom or enlightenment.
The whole Universe came into being through nada (Aum) as manifestation of mantra; priests vibrate the mantras for the well being of all. Proscribed methods of chanting Vedic mantras produce the required vibrations of cosmic rays essential to the purpose of puja rituals. A properly conducted kumbha-abhishekam will mean an emergence of electrons from the consecrated idol to be absorbed by the devotee who seeks the blessings of Rishis and Mahans.
Arunachaleswarar is the repository of knowledge and enlightenment. Apeeta Kuchamba as his consort as Parashakti is the guru of all gurus called guru-mandala rupini in Lalita Sahasranama. The inseparable Shiva-Shakti principle is worshipped by a the Rishis and Mahans everyday and we worship them in turn to reach the Ultimate Manifestations of Reality. The Sapta Rishis who come after Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanathkumara and Sanatsujatha, constitute our first common ancestors-moolapurushas.
Each Rishi has his immense abhimaanam or affection to all the descendants of that Rishi. The Rishis have done immense tapas for the well-being of the world. A Rishi is one who discovered mantra and so all mantras were perceived by Rishis; who become custodians of the mantra. The mantra-adhi-devatas will be fully pleased if the Rishi’s name is pronounced. That is why each Vedic mantra is named after the relevant Rishi who discovered it through tapas and who had the earliest darshan of the deity. The Rishis have power of creation, protection and destruction and are greatly interested in the happiness of all living beings. Sadgurus, Saints, Seers and Mahans have followed the footsteps of the Rishis, and have attained the highest astral state. There is perfect harmony amongst them and they are all personifications of kindness with a vision equal and common to all.
All gods revere the Rishis and Mahans. The Rishis and Mahans carry the attributes of Parabrahman. That is why it is stated that if the gods are angry with any devotee for any pardonable mistake, the Rishi or Mahan as the guru protects him. But if the Guru himself is angry with him, no god will protect him!"
