Tirumoolar
Thirumoolar, also known as Thirumoolar Nayanar, is one of the sixty-three Nayanmars and one of the eighteen Siddhas. The Thirumantaram written by Thirumoolar is considered a blessing to Tamil and the first book of Tamil Saiva philosophy. “One clan, one God…” he beautifully explained in the Thirumantaram many centuries ago. Thirumoolar is considered the first Siddha in the Siddha tradition. His real name is Sundaranathan. It is stated in the book Bogar Ezhayiram that he was born in the Agrikulam in the month of Purattasi in the Avittam star of the Aquarius sign. It is said that he lived 5000 years ago BC and that he received teachings from Lord Shiva and Nandeesar.
Thirumurai is the 10th of the twelve Thirumurai. It consists of three thousand verses. It is a well-known fact that yogis live for many years. Thirumurai is a yogi. Therefore, he tells the world the trick he has learned. The body is different, the life is different. Thirumurai tells us that only if these two are together can we achieve the four certainties of virtue, wealth, pleasure and home. Thirumurai is divided into nine parts. Each part is called a tantra. These messages are relevant to understanding the situation of Saivism in Tamil Nadu during Thirumurai’s time.
Thirumanthiram encompasses the fields of spirituality, medicine, science, philosophy, and psychology. Thirumanthiram has nine subdivisions. Each is called a Tantra. It has 232 chapters and 3100 verses.Tirumoolar Ashram
Tirumoolar Ashram is situated only about 5 kms away from this holy tiruvannamalai mountain and Arunachala Temple and within this effective 30 mile energy radius. The Ashram has many temples including Aruna Banalingam, Karuna Banalingam, Five feet tall Nataraja Murthy with Sivakami Ambal, Sundareshwara Lingam with Meenakshi along with Ganesha and Lord Murugan were Installed and Kumabishekam ceremonies. Darshan of 5 feet tall Nataraja in this Ashram is an unique experience not available anywhere else in the vicinity of Arunachala Kshetra. Tirumoolar Ashram is also place to meditate and experience the Shiva within.
In order to bring out the hidden treasures of Tirumoolar’s Tirumandiram such as the Vasi Yogam and Shiva Yogam and other secret yogic techniques and impart them to interested seekers of Siva Gnanam, Swami Vijayananda (Flordia USA) and Bangalore Balaraman (late) have built the Tirumoolar Ashram.
For the benefit of sincere spiritual seekers the following activities and further expansion have been planned:
1 – Online classes through internet and social media
2- Lodging and Boarding facilities for devotees attending monthly Siva Gnana / Siva Yoga Sidhi Trainning camps
3 – Summer camps for School students to learn:
a) The basic tenets and glory of Hinduism; b) To do simple Pujas; c) Yoga and
4 – Classes for Adults in Saiva Sidhantam, Thevaram, Tiruvasagam and Tiruvasagam Mutrodhal and Satha Rudriyam Keeping in view the interest of spiritual seekers and to provide an opportunity to be a part of this noble mission whats app groups have been formed. We would like to appraise you of these developments by including you in this group and seek your consent to do so. May the Blessing of Lord Shiva be with us all.
Swami Vijayananda Saraswati
Founder of Adi Shankara Advaita Ashram (Florida) and Thiruvannamalai Tirumoolar Ashram (India). His initial training in Yoga and Meditation was in 1976 with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rishikesh, Himalayas.
In the late 1970s, Swami Vijayananda Ji was the Director of Administration for MICI (Maharishi Institute of Creative Intelligence) for all of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Meditation centers in India. Swami Ji has helped to start 5 schools, three in rural Indian villages.
Swami Vijayananda Ji has been teaching free Yoga and Meditation classes for the last 40 years throughout the US and abroad and has conducted many pujas and homams in temples and the community.
He has conducted workshops at Vishwa Hindu Parishad camps and Bal Vihar. He has organized many annual Bhagavad Geetha chanting competitions for children. In July of 2016 and again in July 2017 he completed Kailash Manasarovar Yatra including parikrama (walking around the Kailash Mountain). In Feb 2018 Swami Vijayananda Ji was ordained into the Sannyasa Order by Swami Jyotirmayananda, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda Ji Maharaj of Divine Life Society Rishikesh. Swami Ji teaches weekly classes online and live streams pujas and homams. Swami Ji is working as a Physicist, dedicated to excellence in radiation oncology.
Swamini Divyananda Saraswati
Hindu religious training since 1985 under Sri Swami Vijayananda Saraswati. Residential education programs and co-founder of Adi Shankara Advaita Ashram (Florida) and Thiruvannamalai Tirumoolar Ashram (India).
Teacher at Bal Vihar from 2001 – 2012 at South Florida Hindu Temple. Student of Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda (Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, Florida. Direct Disciple of Sri Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh) Sannyasa Ordination Shivaratri 2009. Graduate of Sacred Journey Interfaith Seminary with Ordination as Interfaith Minister 2016. Practicing as a volunteer community and hospital based chaplain since 2016. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) with Vitas Hospice. Recipient of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Dharma Seva Award 2016. Masters of Hindu Philosophy with concentration in Chaplaincy, Hindu University of America, 2017. Director of the School of Divinity International Hindu University. Registered Nurse (Retired) Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA).
Annamalaiyar
A place of fire among the Panchabhootha temples. Among the six Adalat temples, Thiruvannamalai is considered the Manipuraka temple. Here the mountain is the form of God. Sonachalam, Arunachala, Annamalai all refer to this temple. Once Brahma and Mahavishnu had an argument about who was the greatest of the two. To remove their ignorance, Lord Shiva took the form of a Jothi and stood tall in front of them. Lord Shiva, who took the avatar of Varaha, went to the bottom of the earth. Brahma took the form of a swan and flew high. Neither of them could see the top of the Jothi. Understanding that Lord Shiva was the Supreme God, both of them worshipped him. Lord Shiva also changed from the form of a Jothi and appeared to them as a mountain. That is this temple, Annamalai. Then, he appeared to them as Lingodbhava to enable them to worship him. (Shivalingam means a symbol that represents God.) This is the place where the Linga Utbhavam (the emergence of the Shivalingam) took place. Thirugnanasambandar mentions this story of searching for the head of the goddess in the ninth song of the Padikas. In Tamil, Annamalai means approaching. Anna means not being able to approach at all. The name Annamalai came from the mountain of Lord Shiva, which appeared in a form that Brahma and Vishnu could not measure, and thus it was named.
In the Old English language, Arunam means red. Asalam means mountain. Since the mountain appeared in the form of red fire, it was named Arunachalam. Annamalai has been transformed into Agni Mountain in the Krita Yuga, Manicka Mountain in the Treta Yuga, Golden Mountain in the Dwapara Yuga, and Stone Mountain in the Kali Yuga. Umayammai, Lord Shiva, performed penance here and received a portion of the Thirumeni. Surya, Pratatharaja, Ashtavasukkal, Brahma, Chandra, Thirumal, Pulakathipan etc. have worshipped this place and it has become blessed.
Two Vidyaadharars were cursed by a sage to become a cat and a horse. Vachirangathan Pandyan rode on a horse and chased the cat around Thiruvannamalai and both of them got rid of this curse and became Vidyaadharars. Vachirangathan Pandyan has been performing many rituals here every day.