38亿年世界最古老阿鲁纳恰拉圣山｜Arunachala 3.8 billions years oldest holy spot

南印度泰米尔纳德邦蒂鲁文纳默莱（Tiruvannamalai）的阿鲁纳恰拉山（Arunachala虽然只有2682英尺高，却被人们称为“圣山”）是与湿婆神有关的最古老、最神圣的圣地之一。它以其深邃的神秘品质和永恒的灵性光辉，从远古时代就吸引着灵修者。这座山代表了一种相当独特的灵性现象——即人们对山的崇拜。

在印度，每个灵性中心都有着各自特点和传统，其中，蒂鲁文纳默莱的阿鲁纳恰那圣山代表了最直接、最无形、最非仪式化的路径——即自我探索之路，它的入口即静默启蒙。古老的泰米尔谚语说道：“看到奇丹巴拉姆（Chidambaram），生在提鲁瓦鲁（Tiruvarur），死在瓦纳拉西，甚至想到阿鲁纳恰拉圣山，即可保障解脱。”“甚至想到”，因为在直接道路之下，身体上的接触是不必要的。因此，拉玛那·马哈希以蒂鲁文纳默莱和阿鲁纳恰那圣山为家并非偶然。

马哈希称阿鲁纳恰拉圣山为世界的灵性之心。Arun的意思是“红色，像火一样明亮”，并不仅仅指火会散发热量，相反，它的意思是“智慧之火”，既不热也不冷；Achala指“山脉”；因此，Arunachala是“智慧之山”的意思。

以下总结了几条阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的灵性意义：

《往世书》上说，梵天和毗湿奴神所滋生的自大在此地被湿婆神摧毁。

《奥义书》声称五大元素在这里受到启蒙，八个基本方位（dikpalakas）的八个守护天使被赦免了原罪。

《往世书》进一步说，所有圣人都会聚集到阿鲁纳恰拉圣山来完成其苦修。

帕尔瓦蒂——湿婆神的伴侣，在此地获得了湿婆左半身的身份。

由于此山是原初林伽，故湿婆神崇拜源于此地。

无形的至上存在于此地的最早示显形式。

印度教的主要节日（Navaratri, Shivaratri, Aridhra）皆源于此地。

这座山周围大约有96座神龛。

关于阿鲁纳恰拉圣山有超过52部古代经文记载。

所有外国语文学皆存在于阿鲁纳恰拉圣山。

每年有数百万信徒从五大洲涌向这个地方朝圣。

宇航员第一次飞向月球时，他们看到了这个地方在Karthigai Deepam节日期间所散发出的灿烂光芒。

阿鲁纳恰拉圣山被视作圣人、先哲和奉献者的慈悲和知识的化身。

其他湿婆派圣地，比如冈仁波齐、瓦纳拉西和奇丹巴拉姆，都是神圣的，因为它们是湿婆神的居所，而阿鲁纳恰拉圣山却是湿婆神本尊！ 

《梨俱吠陀》（世界上最古老的经文）是阿鲁纳恰拉圣山荣耀的最早记录。阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的伟大也许可以从另一部古印度经文《斯堪达往世书》（Skanda Purana）的这些句子得到最权威的总结：

没有比阿鲁纳恰拉圣山更伟大的圣地，

没有比以阿鲁纳恰拉斯瓦拉（Arunachaleshwara）更伟大的主，

没有比阿鲁纳恰拉圣山转山更强大的苦修，

阿鲁纳恰拉圣山是所有圣地中最为神圣的，

它是世界的心脏，了悟它是神秘、神圣的心脏——湿婆神的中心

《斯堪达往世书》描述了以下关于圣山起源的传说：梵天神和毗湿奴神变得自大，忘记了其真正来源，声称自己凌驾于他人之上。

湿婆神决定解决这个问题，他创造了一个无穷无尽的光柱，并向他们两人提出挑战，要求他们找到光柱的顶部或底部。毗湿奴神化身为野猪，向下挖掘寻找底部；梵天神化身为天鹅，向上飞翔寻找顶部。毗湿奴神没有成功，他回来承认失败了。但是，梵天神遇到了一朵露兜树花飘下，他安排这朵露兜树花作伪证，说他看到了光柱顶部。湿婆神宣布梵天说谎，并命令从今以后世人将不再为梵天神建造寺庙（直到今天仍然如此），湿婆神还禁止在对自己的崇拜中使用露兜树花。在Karthagai Deepam节日期间，主湿婆的光柱由阿鲁纳恰拉圣山顶部的火焰来代表。

因为这个世界曾被湿婆神性的炽热光辉所烧焦，于是梵天和毗湿奴神向湿婆祈祷，希望湿婆以一种不那么炽热的形式存在。因此，在梵天和毗湿奴神的恳求下，湿婆神显现为阿鲁纳恰拉——造福世界的圣山。为了仪式性的崇拜目的，他在圣山东侧的阿鲁纳恰拉斯瓦拉神庙圣殿中，以林伽的形式显现为阿鲁纳恰拉斯瓦拉神。

湿婆神宣称：“月亮借由太阳而发光，其他圣地也将借由阿鲁纳恰拉而神圣。这是我为那些希望敬拜我并获得光明的人而采取这种形式的唯一地方，阿鲁纳恰拉圣山即OM本身。每年在Kartigai节日期间，我将以赐予和平的烽火形式出现在这座山顶上。”这不仅指出了阿鲁纳恰拉山自身的神圣性，而且指出了一元论和以阿鲁纳恰拉为中心的自我探究之路的首要地位。我们可以借由室利·薄伽梵的话来领悟这个意义“最终每个人都必须来到阿鲁纳恰拉圣山。”

这尊山之形式的光辉林伽，后来被96位梵（世界造物主）所崇拜，这意味着曾发生过96次世界解体（pralayas），这与印度地质调查局发现的阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的核心年龄为38亿年的地质结果一致，这使其成为地球上最古老的岩层之一，并增强了该圣山的古老传统。因此，阿鲁纳恰拉圣山是世界上最古老的自然圣地。

阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的出现反映了印度宇宙学中的时代（yugas）定义。《阿鲁纳恰那往世书》说：在萨提亚时代（Satya Yuga），此山是一个光柱；在克力塔时代（Krita Yuga），此山由火构成，因此它变成了火山（Aruna是火的意思）；在特塔时代（Tretha Yuga），它是一座宝石山；在迪瓦帕拉时代（Dvapara Yuga），它是一座青铜山；现在到了卡利时代（Kali Yuga），它变成了一座石头山。

拉玛那·马哈希（Ramana Maharshi）非常确定在地球的另一边，即在阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的正反面，有一座对应的圣山。正如室利·拉玛那所指出的，在秘鲁轴心的另一端确实有一座圣山，印加人崇拜这座山，并在那里建立了一个非常神圣的灵性之都——马丘比丘。自1983年以来，它一直是联合国教科文组织确认的世界遗产。虽然它在地理上可能不位于阿鲁纳恰拉圣山的正反面，必须要提的是，这种期望是不合理的，因为地球不是一个精确的球体。

右绕（Pradakshina）是印度教的一种古老的礼拜仪式，人们沿着顺时针方向绕着一个神圣地方或物体（寺庙、神龛、神像等）转动。当一个人站在一个地方或物体的前面时，他也可以转动其身体。Giripradakshina或Girivalam （在泰米尔语中）指以这种方式沿着阿鲁纳恰拉圣山转山（大约9英里/14公里）。经文向我们保证，此山实际上是湿婆神本尊。

流行的说法是，阿鲁纳恰拉圣山转山保证了物质和灵性上的双丰收。为获得最大灵性益处，要求人们怀着虔诚之心，聚精会神于阿鲁纳恰拉圣山（比如，湿婆神）。据说，这样做是为了确保灵修者的一切愿望成真，以便觉悟个人的内心世界和真我，并从世间无尽苦难和生死轮回中获得解脱。

阿鲁纳恰拉圣山转山如此流行，以至于在白天或晚上任何时候，都会见到有人在转山。有许多信徒把他们的转山计划当成一种日常习惯，比如在特定日子里每天或每周转山，有些人连续48天有规律地转山。每到满月和节日期间，都会有成千上万的朝圣者前来朝圣。转山最吉祥的日子是11∕12月的KarthigaiDeepam满月之夜，此时山顶上燃起篝火，数百万人聚集在蒂鲁文纳默莱一睹此奇观。

另一个转山的吉祥夜是大湿婆之夜，时间在2∕3月之间。传说，这是湿婆神化身为阿鲁纳恰拉圣山之夜。

在非常罕见的情况下，你可能会看到奉献者在阿鲁纳恰拉圣山路上打滚，而非步行转山，这称为滚山（Anga Pradakshina）。转山环线传统上是从城里的大阿鲁纳恰拉斯瓦那神庙开始。拉玛那·马哈希的信徒通常从室利·拉玛那修道院开始。你可以从任何其他地方开始转山，只要你在同一个地方结束即可。沿途有路标标明环线所经过的距离，该距离指从阿鲁纳恰拉斯瓦那神庙开始。转山可以在白天或晚上任何时间开始，通常在早上或晚上开始，以避免炎热的太阳。

圣贤们建议信徒们在转山期间要么保持沉默，要么唱诵。你也应该从八尊阿什塔林伽（Ashta Lingam）所代表的八方的每个方向向圣山鞠躬。

“转山第一步消除心智罪孽，第二步消除言语罪孽，第三步消除身体罪孽”（《斯坎达往世书》第9章28句）

“转山是‘一切在我之中’。阿鲁纳恰拉转山的真正意义据说和环绕世界一样有效，这意味着整个世界都浓缩于这座山中”（《与室利·拉玛那·马哈希讲谈》，第212讲）

湿婆神说：“虽然我的外表像一座光秃、炽热的山，在这片土地上却是一种维护世界的恩典，我也作为悉陀居住于此。在我之内有许多辉煌的洞穴，充满了各种各样的乐趣。了悟这点，行为自然地把个人束缚于世界，壮丽的阿鲁纳恰拉圣山是个人（从如此束缚解脱）的庇护，只要看到圣山，人们即可成为圣山本身，不付诸巨大努力就无法获得的东西——吠檀多的真意（即自我觉悟）——即可获得，只要看见（这座山）的任何部分，或者甚至在远方心念着它。我，主，使那些居住在该地（阿鲁纳恰那圣山）3个yojanas（古印度记程单位，1个yojanas指套一次牛所行路程，约30里左右,3个yojanas即90里左右）半径内的人，将获得（与至上）的合一，即便无启蒙，也能解除束缚。”

不孕不育夫妇如果怀着虔诚之心转山的话，将被赐予生育孩子。

在泰米尔的Ippasi、Karthigai、Margazhi月份里转山尤为神圣。

在下述日子转山尤为神圣：Chitirai的第一天，Masi月的湿婆之夜日，每月的Karigai日，满月日。

周日圣浴后转山并布施，将极大促进个人走向最终解脱。

周一（圣浴后）着湿衣服转山甚为吉祥。

周二转山使人们免于贫困，免除生死轮回。你将得到关于个人目标、逆境、激情、财富和其他问题的答案。

周三转山使学者精通四部《吠陀经》、六部经文（Sastras）和六十四门艺术。

周四转山有效提升个人至天神平等地位，并受到圣人赞扬，对婚姻、人际关系、爱情、成长、孩子、财务和道德都有好处。

周五转山使人们得到毗湿奴神的恩典。

周六转山将会得到九大行星之神（Navagrahas）的恩典。

The mountain Arunachala (termed the “Holy Hill” by many,since it is only 2682 feet high) in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu state, South India, is one of the oldest and most sacred holy places associated with Lord Shiva in India. It has been attracting seekers of truth from time immemorial due to its deep mystical quality and timeless spiritual resplendence. This mountain represents a fairly unique phenomenon in spirituality; that of people worshipping a mountain.

Each of the spiritual centers of India has its own characterand line of tradition. Among them all it is Tiruvannamalai (Arunachala)that represents the most direct, the most formless and the least ritualistic of paths, the path of Self-enquiry, whose gateway is silent initiation. This is expressed in the old Tamil saying: “To see Chidambaram, to be born at Tiruvarur, to die at Banaras or even to think of Arunachala is to be assured of Liberation.” “Even to think of” because in the case of the direct path physical contact is not necessary. Hence, it was no accident that the Maharshi madeTiruvannamalai and its sacred Arunachala Mountain his home.

The Maharshi called Arunachala the spiritual Heart of the world. Aruna, which means ‘red, bright like fire’, does not signify the merefire that gives off heat. Rather, it means Jnanagni, the Fire of Wisdom,which is neither hot nor cold. Achala signifies hill. Thus, Arunachala means‘Hill of Wisdom’.

The following summarizes some of the points that establish the spiritual significance of Arunachala:

The Puranas say that the primal gods Brahma and Vishnu had their ego sense destroyed by Shiva in this place.

The Upanishads claim that the five elements were enlightened at this place and the eight guardian angels of the eight cardinal points(dikpalakas) were absolved of their original sins.

The Puranas further say that all sages converge to Arunachalafor consummation of their penance.

Parvathi, consort of Shiva, took over the left half of Shiva at this place

Since this Hill was the original lingam, the worship of Shiva originated from this place.

The formless Supreme Being first assumed form at this place.

All the major Hindu Festivals (Navaratri, Shivaratri,Aridhra) originated from this place.

There are about 96 shrines around the Hill.

There are more than 52 ancient texts on Arunachala.

In all major foreign languages, literature exists on Arunachala.

Annually, over a million devotees throng this place from allfive continents.

While on their first flight to the moon, the astronauts saw abrilliant glow emanating from this place during Karthigai Deepam festival.

Arunachala is considered to be the very embodiment of compassion and knowledge among saints, sages, and devotees.

Other Saivite holy places such as Kailas, Kasi and Chidambaram are said to be sacred because they are the abodes of Lord Shiva,whereas Arunachala is Lord Shiva himself.

The first record of the glory of Arunachala is in the Rig Veda, which is regarded as the most ancient scripture in the world. The greatness of Arunachala can perhaps best be summarized most authoritatively by these passages from another ancient Hindu scripture, the Skanda Purana:

There is no greater holy spot than Aruna,

There is no greater Lord than Arunachaleshwara

There is no greater penance than circumbulation of Arunachala

That is the holy place. Of all, Arunachala is the most sacred.

It is the heart of the world.Know it to be the secret and sacred Heart-centre of Shiva.

The Skanda Purana describes the following legend of the origin of the Holy Hill as Lords Brahma and Vishnu becoming egoistic, and,forgetting their true source, claiming supremacy over the other.

Lord Shiva decided to settle the matter. He created an endless column of light and challenged them both to find the top or bottom of it. Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar and dug down to find the bottom, Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and flew up to find the top. Lord Vishnu failed in his search and returned. But Lord Brahma, encountering a screw pine flower floating down, arranged for the flower to bear false witness that he had seen the top. Lord Shiva declared him a liar and pronounced that there would hence forth never be a temple for Lord Brahma (which is true to this day). He also forbade the use of the screw pine flower in his worship (which also remains true). Lord Shiva’s column of light is represented by the flame at the top of Arunachala during Karthagai Deepam.

Because the world was being scorched by the blazing effulgence of the divine form of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu prayed to Him to abide in a less brilliant form. Entreated by Brahma and Vishnu thus, Lord Shiva manifested as Arunachala the Holy Hill for the welfare of the world. For the purpose of ritualistic worship, He manifested as the deity Arunachaleshwara in the form of a lingam in the sanctum sanctorum of the Arunachaleshwara Temple,on the eastern side of the Holy Hill.

Shiva declaring:“As the moon derives its light from the sun, so other holy places shall derive their sanctity from Arunachala. This is the only place where I have taken this form for the benefit of those who wish to worship me and obtain illumination. Arunachala is OM itself. I will appear on the summit of this hill every year at Kartigai in the form of a peace-giving beacon.” This refers not only to the sanctity of Arunachala itself but also to the pre-eminence of the doctrine of Advaita and the path of Self-enquiry of which Arunachala is the center. One can understand this meaning in Sri Bhagavan’s saying, “In the end everyone must come to Arunachala.”

This effulgent lingam in the form of a Hill was then worshipped by the 96 Brahmas (creators of the world). The implication is that 96 dissolutions or pralayas (dissolutions of the world) have taken place. This coincides with the geological finding by the Geological Survey of India of the core age of Arunachala as 3.8 billion years old, qualifying it as one of the oldest rock formations on earth and reinforcing the ancient tradition that holds the Hill to be sacred. Hence, the Holy Hill of Arunachala is the oldest natural shrine in the world.

Aruanchala’s appearance reflects the age, as defined by the concept of yugas in Hindu cosmology. The Arunachala Puranas say that in Satya Yuga, the Hill was a column of light. In Krita Yuga, the Hill was made of Fire,hence it became the Fire Mountain (“Aruna” means fire). In Tretha Yuga, it was a Mountain of precious gems. In Dvapara Yuga, it was a bronze mountain, and now in Kali Yuga it has become a stone hill.

Ramana Maharshi was quite certain about the existence of acorresponding holy hill exactly on the side opposite Arunachala, on the other side of the globe. As indicated by Sri Ramana, there is indeed a sacred mountain at the other end of the axis in Peru. The Inca Indians worshipped this mountain and established a very sacred spiritual city there called Machu Picchu. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. While it may not be geographically exactly opposite Arunachala, it is worth adding that such expectation would be unreasonable, since the earth is not a precise sphere.

Pradakshina is an ancient worship practice in Hinduism, where one walks clockwise in reverence around a sacred place or object (temple,shrine, statue of a deity, etc.). One can also turn one’s body around while standing in one place in front of the place or object. Giripradakshina or Girivalam (in Tamil) refers to walking around Arunachala in such manner(approximately 9 miles/14 kilometres). The scriptures assure us that it is actually Lord Shiva Himself, manifesting as this Hill, that one walks around when one does Giripradakshina.

Popular legend says that that the act of doing Giripradakshina assures both material and spiritual boons. Maximum spiritual benefit dictates that one should go around Arunachala with a heart filled with devotion and thought entirely focused on Arunachala (i.e., Lord Shiva). Doing so is said to assure consummation of the all-consuming desire of seekers to realize one’s innermost being and true Self and attain Liberation from endless suffering in the world and the cycle of birth and death.

Such is the popularity of Giripradakshina that at any time of the day or night, it is very likely that at least one person will be doing it.There are a number of devotees who make their schedule of Girpradakshina aregular habit, such as daily or weekly on particular days. Some do it on a regular cycle of forty-eight consecutive days. Lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of pilgrims do it during every full moon and festival days. The most auspicious time for Giripradakshina is on the night of the Karthigai Deepam full moonnight in November or December, when a fire is lit on the summit, and over amillion people converge on Tiruvannamali for this spectacle.

Another very auspicious night to perform Girivalam is Maha Shivarathri (the Great Night of Shiva), which falls between February and March.In legend, it is said that it is the night Lord Shiva assumed the form of the Holy Hill of Arunachala.

On very rare occasions, you may see devotees rolling their bodies on the road around Arunachala instead of walking around it. This is called Anga Pradakshina.

The Giripradakshina circuit is traditionally started from the big Arunachaleshwara Temple in town. The devotees of Ramana Maharshi usually start from Sri Ramanasramam. You can start Giripradakshina from any other place, as long as you end at the same place. There are signs along the way that mark the distance covered on the circuit; this distance is taken from Arunachaleshwara Temple. Giripradakshina can be started at any time of day or night. Usually it is started in the early morning or in the evening to avoid the hot sun.

Sages advise devotees to either maintain silence or sing hymns during Giripradakshina. One should also bow to the Hill from each of the eight cardinal directions as represented by the eight Ashta Lingams.

The following lines convey the Importance of Giripradakshina:

The sins committed by the mind are destroyed by the first step (of Pradaksina), the sins committed in speech by the second and the sins perpetrated by the body by the third step(Skanda Purana Ch.9 v.28)

Pradakshina is ‘All is within me.’ The true significance of the act of going round Arunachala is said to be as effective as circuit round the world. That means that the whole world is condensed into this Hill. (Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Talk 212).

Lord Siva says: Though in fact fiery, my lack-lustre appearance as a hill on this spot is an act of grace for the maintenance of the world. I also abide here as the Siddha. Within me there are many glorious caves filled with all kinds of enjoyments. Know this. Action naturally binds the entire world. One’s refuge (from such bondage)is this glorious Arunachala by seeing which one becomes itself. What cannot be acquired without great pains – the true import of Vedanta (viz. Self-realization)– can be attained by any one who looks at (this hill) from where it is visibleor even mentally thinks of it from a far. I, the Lord, ordain that those who reside within a radius of three yojanas of this place (Arunachala) shall attain union (with the Supreme) which removes bondage even in the absence of initiation.”

Barren couples will be blessed with offspring if they go around the Hill with devotion in their heart.

It is especially sacred to go round the mountain in the Tamil months of Ippasi, Karthigai, And Margazhi.

On the following days it is especially holy to go around the Hill: the first day of Chitirai; Shivaratri Day in the month of Masi; monthly Karigai days; and on Full Moon Days.

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