Part of the series on Ayyavazhi

History of Ayyavazhi

Ayyavazhi theology Ekam-The Ultimate Oneness Nathan-The Creator Thirumal-The Maintainer Sivan-The Destroyer Vaikundar-The Incarnation The Trinity This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Ayyavazhi Paradevathai ... This is the term used in Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy book of Ayyavazhi to represent The Ultimate Oneness, and in Thiruvasakam - 2 it was stated that it was from this Ekam all this objects including the seperate Godheads, Devas, Asuras etc of the Universe formed. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Thirumal Thirumal is One among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is a Tamil name for Sriman Narayana. ... Thirumal is denoted as The maintainer in Ayyavazhi mythology, and is one among the Three God Heads. ... Sivan In Ayyavazhi mythology Sivan is one among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is the Tamil name for Siva. ... Ayya Vaikundar, who arose from the sea at Thiruchendur on 20th of the Tamil Month of Masi was considered as an unique Avatar. ... Ayya Vaikundar was the Manu avathar (to born as a human being) of Lord Narayana according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy script of Ayyavazhi religion. ... The Ayyavazhi Trinity is the Incarnation of God in this Kali Yukam. ...

Akilattirattu Ammanai: Vinchai to Vaikundar Thirukkalyana Ekanai Dharma Yukam This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... This Vinchai is the Proclamations and Instructions given to the newly born child, Lord Vaikundar by his Father Lord Narayana, one of the Three God Heads in Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ... This was an important part in Akilattirattu Ammanai the religious book of Ayyavazhi, in which Ayya Vaikundar unified all the atmans (souls) of this universe into Himself. ... The Dharma Yukam or Satya Yuga is the eighth or final yukam (aeon or age), according to Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

Worship centers of Ayyavazhi: Thalaimaippathi Pathis Nizhal Thangals The worship centers of Ayyavazhi includes Pathis and Nizhal Thangals. ... Swamithoppe pathi Swamithoppe Palliyarai Swamithoppe Pathi (also called Swamithoppu-pathi, Manavaippathi, or Thalaimaippathi (Thalaimai (chief) + pathi)) is the primary pathi of the Ayyavazhi path of Hinduism, the head of all worship centers of Ayyavazhi, and the place where Ayya Vaikundar is said to have performed the Tavam. ... A Pathi (from a Tamil word meaning The place where god is) was an important centre of congregational worship for Ayyavazhi, a religion in South India, having relatively large structures like that of a temple. ... The Temples, called Nizhal Tangals are simple buildings built by the people to worship God without distinction of colour,race or caste. ...

Ayyavazhi Publications Ayyavazhi movements There are a good number of publications in Ayyavazhi. ... There are a good number of religious organisations in Ayyavazhi religion across South India. ...

Ayyavazhi religious practices Main teachings Forms of worship and the features attendant on them can be said to be manifestations and indicators of the type of religiosity present in a religious universe. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ...

Related faiths: Advaita Smartism Advaita Vedanta is probably the best known of all Vedanta schools of Hinduism, the others being Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita. ... See also the Smartha page Smartism is a denomination of the religion of Hinduism and is closely affiliated with the Advaita tradition. ...

Ayyavazhi theology is the theology of the growing south Indian religious faith and offshoot of Hinduism known as Ayyavazhi. Several fundamental beliefs distinguish the Ayyavazhi tradition from mainstream Hinduism. Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ...

Ayya Vaikundar as the incarnation of Mayon

Several episodes narrated in Akilattirattu, the holy text of Ayyavazhi, describe Ayya Vaikundar's appearance as an avatar of Mayon (a Tamil name for Vishnu). Starting with the 'birth' at the sea as the 'son' of Mayon, the performance of the 'grand' Tavam , the symbolic shamanic actions of incinerating the demons, seizing the esoteric powers, and unifying the deities into himself - all these episodes highlight the important message that Ayya Vaikundar came as the avatar of Mayon. The people of Ayyavazhi believed and worshipped him as a deity, as an incarnation of Mayon. (see:Ayyavazhi Trinity) This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In Hinduism, an avatar is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Tavam is a Tamil word which denotes Austerity. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Ayyavazhi Trinity is the Incarnation of God in this Kali Yukam. ...

Ayya Vaikundar as the supreme deity

In Ayyavazhi, Ayya Vaikundar is considered the supreme deity and an incarnation of Mayon. Due to this belief, the followers of Ayyavazhi seem to have taken him to be the centre of all divinities. He was the incarnation not merely of Thirumal, but of Sivan and Brahma as well. This had been demonstrated for the people by symbolic marriages he performed in front of them in which all surrounding popular deities were surrendered and unified into himself, had done away with the refractory evil spirits, and had come to be the supreme deity of the present age. (see:Ayyavazhi Trinity) Thirumal Thirumal is One among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is a Tamil name for Sriman Narayana. ... Sivan In Ayyavazhi mythology Sivan is one among the Three Great Godheads or Trimurti in Ayyavazhi mythology and is the Tamil name for Siva. ... Brahma, the Creator, is depicted with four heads, each reciting one of the four Vedas. ... The Ayyavazhi Trinity is the Incarnation of God in this Kali Yukam. ...

Belief in the return of Ayya Vaikundar

After the end of the earthly life of Ayya Vaikundar, a belief in his return have been spread among the followers of Ayyavazhi. A verse that occurs in Pathiram of Arul Nool states as "breaking the earth, I will come to give you counsel". Another that occurs in Thinkalppatham of Arul Nool: "From out of the earthen cell, I will come out". Both of these verses point to the existence of this belief among the people of Ayyavazhi. Arulnool considered to be the supplementary to akilathirattu, is a collection of a few short litratures composed by different Arulalarkal whose names are unknown. ...

Kali or Kalimayai

Belief in Kali Yuga was one of the central beliefs that permeated the religious ethos of the people of Ayyavazhi. Though the belief in kali was in vogue in the sanskritic Hindu religious tradition as well, it seems to have operated in a different way in Ayyavazhi because of the reinterpretation . Taking the basic premise of this extant belief, i.e., the present age is a Kali Yukam, an age filled with the evil force of kali (not the Hindu deity), Ayyavazhi had assigned a new meaning to it. As per the interpretation of Ayyavazhi, Kali entered into this world due to the birth as Kalineesan of the last fragment of the primordial Kroni, a mythical being. This Kalineesan got settled on earth as the king of Thiruvithankur and became the visible representation of the evil force of Kali. He oppressed the people because of this Kalimayai and reigned over the age of Kali. Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of Bharat (India). ... This is the seventh of the Eight Yukams according to Ayyavazhi Mythology ... Kalineesan is one who was caught by Kalimayai , (not the Hindu deity) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ... Kroni was a mythical figure found in Ayyavazhi mythology. ... Kalimayai is the illusion caused by Kali, the evil spirit of Kali Yukam, according to Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

People, groaning under the oppressive measures of this Kalineesan, believed in Ayya Vaikundar to be the God-incarnate who had come to destroy the Kali (not the Hindu deity) and put an end to the Kali Yukam.

Belief in fate and curse

Belief in 'fate' seems to have informed the day-to-day living of the people of Ayyavazhi. An oft-repeated refrain in Akilattirattu is that: 'such and such thing happened according to the Oolivithi - fate accruing from the past'. This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ...

Belief in Sabam – curse – an associate of fate, seems to have been embedded in the ethos of Ayyavazhi. A fitting example would be the reason given in Akilattirattu for the oppression the chanars underwent in history. Akilattirattu attributes it to a curse incurred by the ancestors of Canars from one of the kings of Thiruvithankur while in his deathbed." An alternative name given to The Santror in Akilattirattu Ammanai the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

Belief in final judgement

One of the constant refrains found in Akilattirattu is that Ayya Vaikundar had come to judge the Kalineesan and all those living under the illusion of kali. It portrays Ayya Vaikundar to be interrogating the Kalineesan on the day of his judgement." This episode points to the familiarity of the belief in judgement among the followers of Ayyavazhi. A verse from Arul Nool reads as, "when I interrogate you during the judgement, be prepared to respond", points to the existence of this belief. The subsection entitled Natutheervai Ula (literally meaning 'The Journey to Final Judgement') found in Arul Nool, giving a number of signs to discern the time of the Judgement, confirms the existence of this belief.

Belief in attaining Vaikundam

Another belief of Ayyavazhi was that Ayya Vaikundar did not end his life here on earth but only attained vaikundam the heaven for the worshippers of Ayya Vaikundar. Akilattirattu says not only Ayya Vaikundar attain Vaikundam, but in every one's possibility of attaining the same. The people buried, and even now bury, their dead in a sitting posture facing the northern direction, being a symbolic gesture of performing Tavam. Their belief was that the deceased person had only embarked upon a penance and that s/he was to reach the Vaikundam. Vaikunta is the abode of Lord Vishnu, one of the Trimurti Hindu Gods. ...

Belief in the dawn of Dharma Yukam

A belief in the dawn of Dharma Yukam - a futuristic aeon characterised by the ideal of Dharmam (explained below), seems to have informed the tradition of Ayyavazhi from its earlier days. Akilattirattu begins its narration by stating that the account contained in it is the "story of God coming into this Kali Yukam to transform it into Dharma Yukam and rule over it'. The concept of Dharma Yukam becomes one of the root typologies around which the writing of Akilattirattu revolves. The Dharma Yukam or Satya Yuga is the eighth or final yukam (aeon or age), according to Ayyavazhi mythology. ...

This belief seems to have got echoed as a 'Slogan for a New World'. People that gathered around Ayya Vaikundar were familiarized with the slogan that ' Ayya Vaikundar was going to end things that were old and create things anew'. Akilattirattu says that 'he was going to make the old Sasthrankal and traditions go awry'. It continues to say that with the advent of Ayya Vaikundaras avatar of Narayana, 'the old Puranas, Agamas and Vedas had lost their substance'. In the place of all that had been decadent, it was proclaimed, that 'a new age, new earth, new humanity, new thought, etc., had been unfolding'. The Puranas (Sanskrit purāṇá ancient, since they focus on ancient history of the universe) are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss varied topics like devotion to God in his various aspects, traditional sciences like Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, concepts like dharma, karma, reincarnation and many others. ... Genera Many: see text Agamas or Agamids are the Agamidae family of lizards, containing more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia and a few in Southern Europe. ... The Vedas (also referred to as Vedam) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures form part of the core of the Brahminical and Vedic traditions within Hinduism and are the inspirational, metaphysical and mythological foundation for later Vedanta, Yoga, Tantra and even Bhakti forms of Hinduism. ...

As part of the process of unfolding of the New World, people were enjoined to serve as catalysts for the destruction of kali. They were instructed to do so by transforming themselves so as to acquire a new character and be a 'people of Dharma Yukam'. Indicators as to the new identity of the people of Dharma Yukam were proposed. Akilattirattu speaks of these indicators summarily in the following words:

"0 great sage, listen to the identity of my people, no rituals and pucaikal,they would not erect temples and have pucai with priests,would not worship cows or idols of clay,would not kill goats, bulls, and roosters as sacrifice, they are those who treat the ones coming in my name, with love".

See also

• List of Ayyavazhi-related articles