Lord Siva >>> Ash

[drsundaram]

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I have read :
Lord Siva’s body is always associated with ash and Siva devotees wear ash tilak on forehead and hands. There is an interesting story in the Siva Purana which narrates how Lord Siva came to be associated with Ash. There once lived a sage whose lineage was traced to the famous Saint Bhrigu. This sage performed intense austerities and became very powerful. He used to consume only fruits and later only green leaves and thus got the name – Parnada.

Sage Parnada continued his intense tapas and controlled all the animals and plants in the forest he lived. Once while cutting some grass to repair his hermitage, the sage cut his middle finger. But to his surprise instead of blood he saw sap of tree oozing through the cut.

Now Parnada thought that he had become so pious that instead of blood, sap is oozing through his body. Pride filled his mind and he started shouting in joy that he is the most pious man in the world now.

Lord Siva who witnessed this event took the guise of an old man and reached the spot. When the old man asked for the reason for his uncontrollable delight, Parnada said that he has become the most pious man in the world as his blood as become quite similar to the sap of fruits and trees.

Then the old man asked what is there to be elated in this. It is just a sap. But when trees and plants are burned they turn into ash. Only ash remains that is surely the higher stage.

To demonstrate it the old man sliced his finger and suddenly ash came out of it. Sage Parnada soon realized that it was Siva standing before him and prayed to him for forgiveness for his ignorance.

It is said that ever since then Siva wears ash to remind his devotees about the ultimate reality and foolishness of getting enamored in physical beauty.
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[SuryaKasyapa]

I have read :
Lord Siva’s body is always associated with ash and Siva devotees wear ash tilak on forehead and hands..........................

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While reading about the presence of Naga Sanyasins ,in Kumbha Meal, I read that the Naga Sanyasins , who live most of the time in the interior forsts and mountains , and wear only ash on their naked body. This is the one with which they get protected from cold weather also.

Hence I feel that there is some relevance in Lord Siva adorning with ash, as a protection , as He is believed to be living in Himalayas...

Any rational-sceintific -explanations? in addition faith and belief.


a small interlude: "AAduvathu Sivam, AAdi mudintahthu Savam"


Greetings

 

[vikrama]

Smearing ash on the forehead is a typical TB custom. Outside Tamilnadu, I understand that only Maharashtrians have this. Does this not strengthen the theory that most of the smarthas came from Maharashtra?

There are more points to consider.
1. The importance given to Ganapati is great in both these regions.
2. The smarthas remember the river Narmadha during their Sandhyavandhanams, thrice daily.
3. Prof. Neelakanta Sastri says that the skull of some brahmin groups of Tamilnadu resemble that of Chitpavans of Maharashtra.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

Ash and Lord Shiva

Smearing ash on the forehead is a typical TB custom. Outside Tamilnadu, I understand that only Maharashtrians have this. Does this not strengthen the theory that most of the smarthas came from Maharashtra?

There are more points to consider.
1. The importance given to Ganapati is great in both these regions.
2. The smarthas remember the river Narmadha during their Sandhyavandhanams, thrice daily.
3. Prof. Neelakanta Sastri says that the skull of some brahmin groups of Tamilnadu resemble that of Chitpavans of Maharashtra.

Not necessarily. Most of Maharashtrians are supposed to be from North. Other than the brahmins, the kshatriyas are Jats from north. This is for historians to deliberate. The skull could be of Maharashtrians themselves as good number of them could have migrated to the south on the onslaught of invading Moghuls. Other similarities could be the result of Maratha rule which is more prevalent mostly in the erstwhile Thanjavur district. The "Snake" panchangam is still published in the name of Raajah Sarafojee. The readers, at least some of you, could have read "Chandilyan's" novels based on historical events.

But that is beside the point. Applying vibhuti on forehead and other parts could have philosophical relevance, but it could also be psychological in that it can drive away fear and at the same time assure the onlooker that he need not fear him. In India at least any man and for that matter any woman too, looks barren and bereft if he or she does not have Vibhuti/Kumkum or Naamam on forehead.
The vibhuti abishekam to Lord Murugan is always awe inspiring and pervading bhakti.

The Narmada is border for those in the south of Vindhya. Thus Sandhyavandanam could be of much older origin and the sacred names Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati came to be known in the south much later? Well, these are all very confusing. :boom: