Category: Spirituality

After presenting his worries, fears and apprehensions in the earlier verses, Sri Adi Sankara now directly appeals to Lord Subramanya that he depends on Him solely for mitigation of his problems & none else ( Verse 24). Sri Sankara then brings out the miraculous healing powers of the Sacred Ash (Vibhuti) presented as “Prasadam” in a leaf to the devotees (Verse 25). It is the firm belief of the devotees that applying the Sacred Ash (received in the leaf) over the affected areas of the body will result in significant mitigation.

A small write up about this leaf is presented at the end of this blog .

Verse 24

अहं सर्वदा दुःखभारावसन्नो

भवान्दीनबन्धुस्त्वदन्यं न याचे ।

भवद्भक्तिरोधं सदा क्ऌप्तबाधं

ममाधिं द्रुतं नाशयोमासुत त्वम् ॥२४॥

Aham Sarvadaa Duhkha-Bhaara-Avasanno

Bhavaan-Diina-Bandhus-Tvad-Anyam Na Yaace |

Bhavad-Bhakti-Rodham Sadaa Klpta-Baadham

Mama-[A]adhim Drutam Naashayo[a-U]maa-Suta Tvam ||

துயரச்சுமை தூக்கி கடுந்துன்பம் ஆளாகி துவண்டிடும் யான்

துதித்திலேன் உனையன்றி வேரெவரையும் எளியோர் பங்கனே

பக்திமிகு உன் துதிதனை தடுக்கும் என் மனம் உறை மாசினை

அறுத்தாட்கொள்வாய் விரைவினிலே உமை மைந்தா சண்முகனே!

Verse 25

अपस्मारकुष्टक्षयार्शः प्रमेह_

ज्वरोन्मादगुल्मादिरोगा महान्तः ।

पिशाचाश्च सर्वे भवत्पत्रभूतिं

विलोक्य क्षणात्तारकारे द्रवन्ते ॥२५॥

Apasmaara-Kusstta-Kssaya-Arshah Prameha_

Jvaro[a-U]nmaada-Gulma-Adi-Rogaa Mahaantah |

Pishaacaash-Ca Sarve Bhavat-Patra-Bhuutim

Vilokya Kssannaat-Taaraka-Are Dravante ||

வலிப்பு குஷ்டம் சயம் கபம் மூலம் குன்மம் ஜூரம் பிளவை எனும்

எல்லாப்பிணியுடன் வல்ல பூதபிசாசுகளும், இயலாமல்

எனைவிட்டு ஓடுவர் நில்லாது, அருளும் தாரகவதையோன்

எனைஆளும் முருகன் உன் இலைமடிதிருநீறு அணிந்தால்

पत्रभूतिं Patra-Bhuutim இலைமடிதிருநீறு Sacred Ash in leaf

Patra Vibhuti (Sacred Ash in a leaf)

‘Patra’ means leaf in Sanskrit. In Tiruchendur temple the Sacred Ash (vibhuti ) is kept on a leaf from the “Paneer Tree” ( Guettarda speciosa, colloquially called beach gardenia, or zebra wood, is a species of shrub in the family Rubiaceae) and offered as “prasadam” to the devotees.

The large oval-shaped leaves are 15–23 cm (6–9 in) long by 10–18 cm (4–7 in) wide. Dark green and smooth above with prominent paler veins, they are finely hairy underneath.

Here is the Original article in Tamil by Chitra Murthy translated by Malathi Jayaraman on this leaf. (http://tiruchendur.org/patra.bhuti.htm)

“ Now let us delineate on the miraculous healing power of patra bhuti.

The fragrance of this vibhuti is unique. We wonder whether the paneer leaf enhances the fragrance of Tiruchendur vibhuti. No matter what contributes, it is a fact that Tiruchendur vibhuti has the fragrance of divine grace.

After His victory over demon Surapadman and his army, Lord Murugan settled on the coast of Tiruchendur, shining and guiding like a lighthouse. The scriptures stand as paneer trees bearing testimony to His glory. So it is believed that the leaves of those trees have Vedic magical powers. Vibhuti contained in those leaves has miraculous healing power. The veins running across the leaves remind us of Lord Murugan’s twelve hands.

Sage Viswamitra suffered from severe dyspepsia, which he got for killing Tarakai through Lord Rama. Rama appeared in his dream and asked him to smear Chenthilandavan’s patra bhuti as atonement.

There was a remarkable incident in the life of Sri Adi Sankara which revealed the glory of patra bhuti. Abhinav Gupthar, who lost in the argument with Adi Sanakara cast a black magic spell on Adi Sankara which caused a chronic disease. Adi Sankara was staying in Gokarna in north Karnataka at that time. Lord Siva of Gokarna appeared in his dream and instructed him to go to Tiruchendur, the holy abode of HIs son Lord Muruga and get rid of his disease. On getting up he saw vibhuti, kept near him.As ordained by Kokarneswar he set off for Chendur. On reaching Chendur he took a dip in the sea and proceeded towards the shrine of Chenthilandavan. When he was praying fervently to Lord Muruga he saw the serpent, Adiseshan crawling towards the sanctum. At the same time he was blessed with the holy vision and words gushed out extemporaneously in bhujanga metre. In Sanskrit ‘bhujanga’ means snake. Bhujanga metre suggests a snake gliding along. He smeared his body with the patra bhuti prasadam and was soon cured of his disease.“