இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
THE GLORY OF THIRU-NEERU
Dr. Rajan Kanagaratnam Namasivayam
Hereditary Trustee, Kandavanam Thevasthanam, Polikandy East, Jaffna
Life Member, Thiruketheeswaram Temple Restoration Society
What is Thiru-Neeru
The primary religious emblems of a
Saivite are Thiru-Neeru (the Holy Ash), and
Rudraksha seed. The Sanskrit name for
Thiru-Neeru is Vibhoothi, which means, a
priceless treasure with superhuman power.
Everyone of our Saints has sung in praise of
Thiru-Neeru and have also exhorted us to
wear it with devotion. It is simple, because
it is obtainable everywhere and for nothing.
It is a universal symbol for anyone claiming
to be a saivite, as this adorns the person's
forehead and in some cases, body It
purifies our mind and body and it is a
talisman that protects one from all dangers.
The power of Thiru-Neeru
There are many instances in the lives of
the Saiva Saints and Hindu kings where the
power of Thiru-Neeru had been revealed.
A Chera Emperor, a devoted saivite,
was riding in procession on the royal
elephant when he saw a washerman coming
towards the procession, his body covered
in white lime. The emperor, thinking it was
a devotee with holy ash smeared on his
body, immediately got down from the
elephant and saluted the washerman with
folded hands. The shocked washerman
shivered and mumbled, "I, your slave, am a
washerman". The great emperor smiled and
replied, "I, the slave, Chera, your slave".
Such was the emperor's religious fervour.
Saint Thirunaavukkarasar, also known as
'Appar', was filled with desire to know
about the Pathway to
God offered by other religions. Appar
"approached" Jainism and entered a Jain
monastry. During this period he began to
suffer from terrible colic that could not be
cured by anyone, including the Jain priests.
Realising his helplessness, and recognising
the supremacy of Shiva's Grace, he returned
home and sought his sister Thilakavathy's
help. She, full of loving compassion, gave
her brother some holy ash blessed by
the Panchaktchara (Om Namasivaya).
Immediately he was relieved of the killer
pain!
69
"Thiruneetru Pathigam' sung by Saint
Sambandar illustrates the power of Thiru-
Neeru very aptly. Sambandar has given 54
characteristics to Thiru-Neeru, a great many
of which are well known attributes of Shiva
Shakti.
"Mantra, that which becomes, is Neeru;
On the bodies of the heavenly one, is Neeru!
Beautiful, that which turns out to be, is Neeru;
That which is adored, is Neeru!
Tantric power, that which is, is Neeru;
In the religion, that which is contained, is Neeru!
The red-coral-lips- possessing Uma's partner,
He of Thiruvaalavai,
His Neeru is indeed, is all these"
Sambandar demonstrated the medicinal
value of holy ash when he cured the ailing
Pandya King, by applying the Holy Ash on
him and singing it's glories as seen in the
Thiruneetru Pathigam, 'Manthiramaavathu
Neeru'
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
THE
GLORY
OF
THIRU
-
NEERU
Dr.
Rajan
Kanagaratnam
Namasivayam
Hereditary
Trustee
Kandavanam
Thevasthanam
Polikandy
East
Jaffna
Life
Member
Thiruketheeswaram
Temple
Restoration
Society
What
is
Thiru
-
Neeru
The
primary
religious
emblems
of
a
Saivite
are
Thiru
-
Neeru
(
the
Holy
Ash
)
and
Rudraksha
seed
.
The
Sanskrit
name
for
Thiru
-
Neeru
is
Vibhoothi
which
means
a
priceless
treasure
with
superhuman
power
.
Everyone
of
our
Saints
has
sung
in
praise
of
Thiru
-
Neeru
and
have
also
exhorted
us
to
wear
it
with
devotion
.
It
is
simple
because
it
is
obtainable
everywhere
and
for
nothing
.
It
is
a
universal
symbol
for
anyone
claiming
to
be
a
saivite
as
this
adorns
the
person's
forehead
and
in
some
cases
body
It
purifies
our
mind
and
body
and
it
is
a
talisman
that
protects
one
from
all
dangers
.
The
power
of
Thiru
-
Neeru
There
are
many
instances
in
the
lives
of
the
Saiva
Saints
and
Hindu
kings
where
the
power
of
Thiru
-
Neeru
had
been
revealed
.
A
Chera
Emperor
a
devoted
saivite
was
riding
in
procession
on
the
royal
elephant
when
he
saw
a
washerman
coming
towards
the
procession
his
body
covered
in
white
lime
.
The
emperor
thinking
it
was
a
devotee
with
holy
ash
smeared
on
his
body
immediately
got
down
from
the
elephant
and
saluted
the
washerman
with
folded
hands
.
The
shocked
washerman
shivered
and
mumbled
I
your
slave
am
a
washerman
.
The
great
emperor
smiled
and
replied
I
the
slave
Chera
your
slave
.
Such
was
the
emperor's
religious
fervour
.
Saint
Thirunaavukkarasar
also
known
as
'
Appar
'
was
filled
with
desire
to
know
about
the
Pathway
to
God
offered
by
other
religions
.
Appar
approached
Jainism
and
entered
a
Jain
monastry
.
During
this
period
he
began
to
suffer
from
terrible
colic
that
could
not
be
cured
by
anyone
including
the
Jain
priests
.
Realising
his
helplessness
and
recognising
the
supremacy
of
Shiva's
Grace
he
returned
home
and
sought
his
sister
Thilakavathy's
help
.
She
full
of
loving
compassion
gave
her
brother
some
holy
ash
blessed
by
the
Panchaktchara
(
Om
Namasivaya
)
.
Immediately
he
was
relieved
of
the
killer
pain
!
69
Thiruneetru
Pathigam
'
sung
by
Saint
Sambandar
illustrates
the
power
of
Thiru
Neeru
very
aptly
.
Sambandar
has
given
54
characteristics
to
Thiru
-
Neeru
a
great
many
of
which
are
well
known
attributes
of
Shiva
Shakti
.
Mantra
that
which
becomes
is
Neeru
;
On
the
bodies
of
the
heavenly
one
is
Neeru
!
Beautiful
that
which
turns
out
to
be
is
Neeru
;
That
which
is
adored
is
Neeru
!
Tantric
power
that
which
is
is
Neeru
;
In
the
religion
that
which
is
contained
is
Neeru
!
The
red
-
coral
-
lips-
possessing
Uma's
partner
He
of
Thiruvaalavai
His
Neeru
is
indeed
is
all
these
Sambandar
demonstrated
the
medicinal
value
of
holy
ash
when
he
cured
the
ailing
Pandya
King
by
applying
the
Holy
Ash
on
him
and
singing
it's
glories
as
seen
in
the
Thiruneetru
Pathigam
'
Manthiramaavathu
Neeru
'