Sastha Preethi or making Sastha
pleased
By
Sri Aravind Subramanyam
By
Sri Aravind Subramanyam
Theory Text & Practice Of Sastha Preethi In South
India
Sabarimalai Yatra, Ayyappa Pooja and Sasthapreethi are
the three, most well known events that please the Kaliyuga Varadha Swami Shree
Dharma Sastha. For a Ayyappa devotee the chanting of the celebrated three words
is everything - " Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa" – Oh Lord Ayyappa, I
come to Thee for refuge. The high and low meet on equal terms in the presence
of the Lord who is known as Dharmasastha – one who teaches and upholds dharma.
Sasthapreethi is a time tested mode of worshipping Lord
Dharmasastha in a very religious way by various samoohams and organizations in
and around Kerala, and now in all parts of the country and abroad. The
religious pooja is given more importance followed by Annadhanam.
One should not confuse Sastha Preethi with Ayyappa puja
or Sabarimalai Yatra; Sastha Preethi in a unique and different form of worship
which has its own methods and procedures.
Origin :
The spreading of Sastha Preethi as a cult (other than
Kallidaikurichi) dates back to three centuries.
Over 300 years ago a handful of enterprising men, started
from a village called Kallidaikurichi,(Tirunelveli district). Their aim was to
establish some business and improve their material prospects.
The Karandhaiyar palayam Samooham (of Kallidaikurichi)
situated on the banks of river Thamirabarani, was the origin of a concept
called Sastha Preethi. Consisting of 18 Agraharams, Kallidaikurichi was in the
western ghat region, it was the border of Chera and Pandya Kingdoms in yester
years. Sastha was the beloved deity on both sides of hills. Kallidakuruchi had
a temple for Sastha.
Lord ‘Manikandan’ (during his human incarnation) had come
to this village and had called at the house of an old couple for some food. The
Lord felt very happy with their hospitality and became "Kambankudi
Daasan". People started celebrating the Lord and thus began the glorious
Sastha Preethi through the Kambankudi family who hailed from Kallidakuruchi.
When the people of Karanthaiyar palaya samooham, moved
out from Kallidaikurichi towards Kerala in search of a new life, Lord Sastha
promised that He would accompany them.
Passing through hills and forests they underwent many
hardships, but could overcome everything by the grace of Lord Dharma Sastha.
They understood that the divine blessing of Lord Hariharaputra was following
them. First they settled in a place between the present Mavelikkara and
Kayamkulam. But they were not happy and were suffering with a sense of
insecurity there… From there few groups settled at Kochi, Few at Paravoor and
another pocket at Trivandrum.
Vanji paattu
Those days the geographical setup and main transport was
water way. When the first Brahmin settlement went to Kochi, Vanchi Pattu (the
boatmans song) was developed on the rivers and backwaters, sung by boatman on
voyages to keep up their spirit. So selected few Sastha Preethis have Vanji
Paattu as a part of their ritual. Singing on a typical folk tune, the glory of
their Saviour - Lord Sastha is praised.
From Kallidaikurichi, Kochi and Paravoor, the concept of
Sastha Preethi got widespread among the Brahmins who settled in and around
Kerala. Sastha is praised as “Paradesi Kavalan” - one who protects a
person of a foreign land in short Helper to the helpless. This system
further spread to Palakkad, Trichur , Ernakulam districts of Kerala and
Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Nagarcoil districts of Tamilnadu.
The meaning of the name Sastha Preethi is ‘appeasing Lord
Dharma Sastha’ by pooja, songs and mainly by offering sumptuous feast to His
devotees.
Though there is no standard written text for the
procedure and methods, it is a customary practice that is being followed in all
the places.
There may be slight variations on the pooja and
procedures followed at various places of Sastha Preethi by different persons,
but the underlying principle is same.
Generally the pooja on Sasthapreethi day comprises of
Mahaganapathi Homam, Mahanyasa Japam, Rudrabhishekam, Rudra Kramaarchana,
Sastha Avahanam, Pooja, Sastha Sahasranamarchana, Deeparadhana,
Chaturvedaparayanam and singing of traditional Sastha Paattu songs.
Choosing the Day and Pooja practices:
Generally traditional samoohams have a fixed date for
their Sastha Preethi. A convenient day is always chosen well in advance. It is
a traditional practice that it’s always a Saturday. But the other aspects of the
day are scrutinized so that it doesn’t hinder the feast and oil bath. (For
example days like Ekadasi, Amavasai are excluded). The persons who are invited
as representatives of the Lord - should compulsorily take an oil bath on the
day of the event.
Regarding the pooja methods - Vaidheeka or Thanthreeka or
Mishra pooja is used for Sastha Preethi according to the location. The priest
invokes Lord Ganapathi, Ambal and Dharma Sastha and His attendants (Parivara
Devathas) on tall brass lamps decorated tastefully.
The positioning of the Lamps varies from place to place.
Sastha lamp always occupies the centre. All other lamps have fixed places with
respect to the main lamp.
Kallidaikurichi and Paroor have Guru and Ganapathy on
either Side of Sastha; Whereas Kochi has Ganapathi and Chellapillai on the
either side. In few places all other Parivarams like Karuppan, Kaduthan etc are
placed on the left side of the Lord and Yakshi or Devi swaroopams are seated on
the right side. But a separate South facing lamp is compulsorily placed for
Boothanatha Swami who controls all the parivaras.
Other than the traditional samoohams and in neo-Sastha
Preethis, there is a common placement of Ganapathi and Devi on either side of
Sastha.
It is also a practice that Sastha Lamp is lit with ghee
and all others are lit with sesame oil.
Proper, procedural, detailed pujas are done to the Lord
according to the Kalpam. Upacharas, Avarana Puja and other poojas are done
which is followed by Kramarchana or by Sahasranama Archana. ( Pancha / Ashta /
Nava Avarana puja is done to Sastha as per the school of thought. Texts like
“Dharma Sasthru Pooja Kalpam” of Bala Dhandayudhapani Swamigal, “Maha Sasthru
Pooja Kalpadhrumam” – attributed to Adhishankara, Dhakshinamnaya Pooja etc are
used. We follow a method of Navavarana puja to Sastha which is in line with
Srividya Navavaranam)
Shanka pooja plays an important role in Sastha Preethi.
The people who get into trance are invoked with the Lord’s grace through this
Shanka theertham.
The specific neivedhyams like Chathachayam Payasam,
Ellurundai, Neiyappam are compulsory for a Sastha Preethi. And in general the
entire Payasam in which vessel it’s made - is brought in front of the Lord.
Varavu Paattu
After the detailed puja, neivedyam and deeparadhana
followed by mantrapushpam a detailed Veda Parayanam is made. After appeasing
the Lord with Vedha gosham, the traditional Sastha paattu (Varavu Paattu –
inviting Songs) songs are sung.
All these Varavu songs are written by a poet named
Manidasa who lived around some 150-200 years ago.Tamil poet-saint
Arunagirinathar is considered as the Gurunathar of all devotees of Lord Muruga.
Likewise Manidasar, a descendant of the Kallidaikurichi (Kambangudi) family
lineage, is considered as the universal Gurunather of all devotees of Lord
Sastha. Manidasar has sung several hundred songs in praise of Lord
Hariharaputra – which are sung during the Sastha Preethi.
For each and every event of the pooja he has rendered
songs and poems called Viruttams.
He has also sung five group songs, each group consisting
of five vrittams. These are known as “Kulaththur Panchagam, Aryankavu
Panchagam, Achchanaar Panchagam, Muththayyan Panchagam and Sabari Panchagam.
Several songs of Manidasar register the glories and
history of Lord Sastha. His songs are rich with emotive beauty with meaningful
words and with a perfect symphony.
There are very few well versed singers in Kerala and in
Tamilnadu. These singing follow a tradition and starts from Ganapathi.
Manidasar’s songs are there in Chaste Tamil in praise of Lord Dharma Sastha
inviting Him. Songs invoking Ganapathi, Shastha, Chellapillai, Yakshi, Sangili
Bhoothathan and other Parivara Devathas are sung.
(Though not compiled into a perfect text format, hundreds
of songs of Manidasar are sung in various parts of South India during the
occasion of Sastha Preethi. We on behalf of Shri Maha Sasthru Seva Sangam, have
tried to compile few songs of Manidasar and have released a book titled
“Sampradhaya Sastham Paattu in the year 2009)
Sthanikas and their Trance:
While singing, the traditional upasakas or Sthanakaras of
the respective deities gets into a trance and gets the supreme power invoked
within them. In General Sastha, Chellapillai, Yakshi and Boothathan are the deities
who are invited. Very rarely a place is given to Karuppan or Maadan.
Before the singing starts, eleven or more plantain leaves
(Nuni elai) are bundled and decorated with sandal paste, kumkum and
flowers and kept in the sannidhanam of the Lord during the pooja . All the
ayudhams of Lord Sastha and the Parivaras are also placed near the main lamp.
A wooden plank is decorated with Kolam and placed before
the Lord. In few places the peeta puja of the respective deities is done to the
wooden plank. These Sthanikas (or Komarams as addressed by local people) who
get into trance sit on this wooden plank.
It’s a customary practice that the moolamantram of Sastha
is enchanted on Punugu (Civet) and handed over to the Sthanikar of Sastha. Once
he gets into trance, he in turn hands over similar enchanted Vibhuti to
Chellapillai and Boothathan, Kunkumam to Yakshi and Manjal (Turmeric) to
Karuppan. Similarly the person with the trance of Lord Sastha accepts all the
ayudhams from the priest and gives the respective ayudhams to the respective
deities (in trance).
These Sthanikas are offered respect by the devotees and
upacharas are done to them. They are seated on the wooden plank and abhishekam
is done to them. They are decorated with garland, sandal paste and kumkum.
They bless the devotees with prasadam and convey the
deity's satisfaction in the conduct of the Sasthapreethi.
The plantain leaves are handed over by the representative
of Lord Sastha along with vibhuthi prasadam to the person organizing the pooja.
Only after this ritual, prasadam, the food is served to the public.
The Lord conveys his message for the days and confirms
his satisfaction about the Sastha Preethi conducted. People prostrate before
him, get blessed and receive Vibhoothi as prasadam.
Once the sthanikas come out of their trance, they offer
back the respective ayudhams to the priest and prostrate before the Lord and
accept the shanka theertham.
The Lord accepts any form of worship with devotion and
dedication and to those who cast their ego and with absolute surrender and
purity prayerfully calls out to Him. He is always there, ever ready to take
them under His benign shelter and bestow upon them health, wealth, happiness
and prosperity. This is very well seen during the Sastha Preethi festival. This
is an occasion where one directly gets the grace of the Lord.
3 comments:
Excellent.. Good to know the history.. Kallidaikurichi Kambankudi Shastha is our Kuladeivam and have been searching for details.
Excellent. KallidaiKurichi KambanKudi Shastha is our KulaDeivam. Was searching for history and origin. Very well explained. Kudos to you..
Swamy Saranam. Today I have attended Sastha Preethi @ Mylapore. Yes, we can feel the divine blessings. Saranam Ayyappa
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