Commonly Faced doubts with clarifications
in
Ayyappa Swamy Deeksha
Om Sri Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa
D) My Child affected with Chicken Pox? Can I continue the deeksha?
C) Yes. You can continue the deeksha. Take the name of lord and be rest assured that he will take care.
D) My relative expired? Can I continue the deeksha?
C) If there is a direct blood relation like father,mother,brother,sister,grand mother,grand father etc, you cannot continue the deeksha.
D) I work in Call Center with night Shift? Can I take swamy deeksha?
C) Absolutely! Anyone irrespective of their caste,creed,religion,status etc can take swamy deeksha.
D) Is it a must that I put a peetam. I dont know the method of doing puja, but I am interested in taking swamy deeksha?
C) It is not a mandatory to put a peetam. If you cant afford to put a peetam, you can be associated with your guruswamy or any other senior swamy who is putting a peetam and continue your deeksha with him.
D) Is it good to do the deeksha in single or do in a group. Some of my friends/relatives do their deeksha in group?
C) It depends on for what purpose you are taking the deeksha. Is it is for any fulfilment of desire or is it for your personal growth etc. Both are having its own advantages. At initial stages it is better to do the deeksha in a group as we dont know the procedures. And in the beginning stages, it is better to be in group as a part of satsang. Positive vibrations, positive thoughts, multiple minds focused on one single goal to have the darshan of ayyappa by going together as a part of yatra. So being a part of group, we can learn much as well gives flexibility to enhance our personality and various other dimensions of life. As we go on higher stages such as 7th time or 8th time onwards, can do the deeksha in single where our goal is for our personal inner growth. Doing deeksha in single gives better scope for self analysis, inner purification, inner growth, self transformation etc.
D) I have seen people arranging a costly swamy puja? I cannot afford that much? Is it necessary to spend that lavish to perform swamy puja?
C) Yat bhavam that bhavati. As is the idea such is the result. There is no rule that you should spend this much or that much in doing a swamy puja. It is only out of sheer love and devotion towards the lord that people spend that much. If swamy puja is performed at home, it is good for that family. So depending upon your capability only you could perform the puja, no rule that only this much needs to be spent or that much needs to be spent. Even if you can call a few swamy's (atleast 5), that is much enough if your heart is filled with love and devotion towards swamy. Size of the puja is not the criteria, but if you have the capability and with love and devotion towards swamy you are spending then its upto you.
D) It becomes very late in Swamy puja to offer the bhiksha (food)? why is it so? Do they not maintain the timing for bhiksha (food) in their deeksha? Is it correct on their part to make such delay?
C) Yes, the swamy's need to maintain the timings for the intake of bhiksha (food) and also offering the bhiksha (food) to other swamy's. No swamy has the right to disturb the schedule of any other swamy as well the progress of their deeksha, rather they need to follow the rules of deeksha and offer bhiksha at the right time helping other swamy's as well themselves.The good time for the afternoon bhiksha is between 12:00 pm noon to 2:00 pm and the night time bhiksha(alpahaaram) is between 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Whenever some swamy is arranging for puja at his home, he needs to take care about this aspect. The swamy's out of their sheer love and devotion towards the lord extend a little bit timing in bhajans which will make it a little bit late, but it should not be too late where the hunger totally subsides and it is beyond the acceptable timings.Sometimes it is a testing sort of thing whether the swamy's are able to overcome the thought of hunger while they are participating in swamy puja. Depending on the practical situation also, the swamy's should consider,because various people might need to travel back different distances to their respective places. Also the swamy's need to attend their next puja schedule.
D) My wife is pregnant and due for delivery? Can I take Swamy deeksha?
C) If your wife is fifth month or above, for various reasons it is better not to take Swamy deeksha this year and can take next year or can take it after the delivery.
D) I cannot cook myself ? Is it ok if my wife cooks for me?
C) Swamy's should eat that food which is satwik in nature, because the food we eat reflects our thoughts. So it is always preferable that we cook ourselves as we are in a focused way of thought process namely deeksha. So we will be always in the promixity of lord in various forms such as puja, bhajan,saranu ghosha etc. If we cannot cook ourselves, it is always better if some other swamy cooks, because he is also in the same boat in which we are travelling. It is also permissible if a mother cooks for her child, because mother is the first god for a child, guide and well wisher and there is no better person on this whole earth who can be purer in thought , action other than a mother.It is also acceptable if your wife cooks, if she is able to maintain that thought process and also follow the cleanliness etc in the mind, body and kitchen. Because your wife is a better half of you and she is also willing to participate by serving you and supporting you and she is also able to maintain that thought process towards swamy and able to see you as a swamy not as a husband, it is acceptable.
D) I am a married person. Is it necessary to take permission from my wife to take swamy deeksha?
C) Yes. It is absolutely necessary for a married person to get permission from his wife whole heartedly to go ahead in taking swamy deeksha. You donot have any right to trouble your wife, so it is necessary to take her permission before taking deeksha. It is always better to explain her the facts and convince her to permit to take the deeksha. If a person is not married or he is a child, he needs to take permission from his parents.
D) I frequently travel. If I take deeksha, how should I manage my puja schedules.
C) If it is possible to return back to Sannidanam by the Puja time, it is good. If you cannot make it for the time, someone in the home/sannidanam can light the diya/deepam after taking bath on your behalf and you can take the name of lord by chanting the Saranams from whereever you are by submitting your inability to the lord that you are in travel and cannot make it to the sannidanam and if possible can visit any near by temple or if any swamy is approachable, you can join him in his puja.
D) I frequently travel. If I take deeksha, how should I manage my bhiksha.
C) If you are out of station, check for some temple where annadan is performed or any swamy puja is happening or if possible if you could manage with fruits and milk or if some house holder invites you for bhiksha as a swamy, then you can definetly without hesitation partake the food as there is no one purer than them, they are seeing lord ayyappa in you and with pure heart have invited you and offering you food.
D) During Deeksha my father/ my mother cermony occurs.What should I do.
C) It is the moral duty of the son to pay respect to his mother/ father and also his forefathers. Even there is a namah in the astotaram of Ayyappa namely "Tarpana Priyayah Namah". So without any doubt one can perform the ceremony, even Lord Ayyappa will bless you and appreciate you.
D) I have a small room where I stay with my wife. what should I do during those 3 days of my wife's periods.
C) Swamy's should not see or talk to any woman during those 3 days period. If every possiblity is there, better to let them be away during those days such as stay at their parents/ friends/ neighbours/ relatives etc house. Under very unavoidable situations where there is no possiblity for your wife to go to other place. It is better at the beginning itself to plan the sannidanam at a different place so as not to trouble your wife. Even under circumstances such as not able to have a sannidanam at different place nor able to send your wife to other place, then let her not see you by having some sort of partition during those days where you dont see her nor talk to her.
D) Swamy my mala dolar got missed what does this represent is it good or bad sign to me.
C) Deekshadari's should take care about their mala. Always ensure that the beads in the mala are good enough in all aspects before you have your mala and start your deeksha. Also during deeksha, they should take care about their mala. Now, in case of unfortunate event of dollar missing, dont think that it is a bad sign, put back the dollar to the mala, offer your apologies and inability at the lotus feet of the mericiful lord and continue the deeksha and be careful next time. As been discussing always, visiting the lord, seeking his blessings and moving towards the goal of realization- becoming a better person (individually, for the family, for the society and for the universe) - before these bigger things, losing a dollar is comparatively small. so, you can attach and continue the deeksha. But that doesnt mean, I will be careless and behave as I like. The intent is more important, if it was accidental or unkowingly it happened, then it is ok. but if it is done with carelessness or recklessness, then it will not be spared. You will have to undergo the consequences. It is like putting your hand in the fire. So, deekshadari's should take care about their deeksha in all aspects. Exemptions are always given only for genuine cases where the event happened unkowingly and unintentionally. And the deekshadari is really and genuinely concerned. The lord is merciful, but that doesnt mean that we can behave as we like, a good teacher will also punish when they have to impart discipline.
D) my stay is in pg , so is it possible to wear mala and live in pg ?
C) Yes, anyone can take mala. But there are certain rules and conditions to it. We cannot deviate them as it will lose the whole purpose and sanctity of why we are taking mala and doing the deeksha. It is always better to be in the promixity of the lord and other deekshadaris to help you reach your goal. Check for yourself, if your stay in PG allows you all those conditions and possible. If not, do your deeksha along with some other deekshadari at their place or at any temple etc where it supports doing deeksha in a peaceful and right way.
D) During deeksha, I am getting sexual thoughts and negative thoughts, how should I control them
C) The whole purpose of wearing mala and doing deeksha is to reach the ultimate goal of tatwamasi. And there are so many steps in between before we finally reach that goal. So, we need to have patience and be connected with the Lord and continue our sabari yatra every year and overcome each of our vice or climbing the next step in our journey to reach that goal. The path itself is so easy that we are exhibiting our inability and seeking the help of the lord by saying the saranu. Hey Lord, I accept my inability, please help me reaching to the goal. Now, coming to the question of how to overcome the thoughts. Mind is the most powerful one, and it is compared to a drunken monkey, it cant stay stable even for a second and always keep wandering. If you allow it to move, it will make the chain of thoughts and distract you. So, you need to change the focus from some negative thought or sexual thought and give the mind another focus point. What could be a better focus point rather the lord. So, dont let mind to be idle. Do some action. Best way is to engage in the work of lord. Participate in bhajan, sing lord songs, do service at a puja or any other temple. Read anything good like ramayana, bharatam, geeta, bhagavatam etc. Do some parayan. According to your capability, do service. Give your mind some focus point to avoid uncessary thoughts and not get distracted. Always remember, you cannot avoid your mind, that is the tool to achieve your goals. So, take care about the promixity, it is one of the main reasons, which allows your mind to be focused. What your input to your mind, it will output those kind of thoughts only. you cant expect to have bad input and get good output. If you are getting bad output means, you need to change your input to good. if you are not able to do it yourself, be in a group which is positive and vibrant and always participate in some sort of service. That way your mind will be focused on the work form of service you are doing.
D) I am a chef in a veg and n.veg restuarant. can i wear ayyappa mala and do my work in kitchen
D) I'm a mbbs student, i get to see many dead bodies during the college time and sometime I need to prick my finger for blood.. can i wear ayyappa mala
C) yes, you can wear swamy mala and take deeksha. As it is part of your livelihood or part your learning process for your degree. Your mind is not deviated because of that and you will be at your normal. If it is for others they will surely get deviated and is not suggested for them. It is just like this, there are certain rules, when one has to take bath in a river, but it is not applicable to one who resides beside the river. Because, he has to take bath daily in the river and get water for this daily activities. So, being in the proximity of the dead body or touching then non-veg is not suggested for others. But if that is your livelihood, how can you avoid it. or if that is your purpose of degree how can you avoid it. This specific rule doesnt apply to you and you can continue your deeksha following all other rules and seek the blessings of the lord. Just pray to the lotus feet of the lord and proceed ahead. May the blessings of lord be showered upon you.
As and when I get updates on other aspects, I will update this page. And if anybody know anyother info, they can help to update this page.
These are the common doubts which people intending to take swamy deeksha or after taking the deeksha may face. Here I am just posting whatever I know, For further clarification, please contact your guruswamy or any guruswamy who is accessible to you.
