YAGNA VALKYA SMRITHI IS AHEAD OF KERALA OCCUPATION OF NAMBUDRIS ETC THE TONSURE.
As says Apastamba G. S. (XVI. 3.) ‘‘ In the third year after his birth, the chaula or tonsure is performed under the Naksatra of the two Punarvasus. So also say Garga, Narada, and Vaijavapa. But Asvalayanas make a distinction, on the authority of this text of Asvalayana “ The tonsure rite is ordained praiseworthy when performed in the third or fifth year, or before that in an un-even year, or along with Upanayana (investiture with sacred thread).” So also the K^rika The tonsure should be performed before the end of the first year ]ov the second year or the third year, or such is the authority. But some say according to one’^ family custom or along with Upanayana.” THE LOCKS. Now we shall say something about the mode of keeping the head-tuft, Langaksi quoted by Madhava declares ; — “ The persons belonging to Yasistlia Gotra should keep the tuft towards the right part of the hair ; those of Atri and Kasyapa, on both sides ; of Bhrigu, shaven ; of Angiras", five-tufts, for the sake of auspiciousness; others according to the custom of their family.” The word ‘Kamuja’ or tuft means Kesapankti or arrangement of hair or sikha, L e., look of hair. This different arrangement of hair for different gotras depends upon the particular Sakha to which one belongs. For the Taittiriyas, however, the number of tufts is according to the number of their Pravara. In the Grihya Siitras : — “ Having combed the hair in silence, he arranges the locks which are left over, according to the fashion of his ancestral Risi or according to what family he belongs” (cf. Hiranyakesin, 11. 6. 12). In the Prayoga Ratna of the author of Nirnaya Sindhu “ The tuft should be in the middle of the head, but of the Vasisthas towards right, and of Atri and Kasyapa clans, on both sideSi" So also in the Madhaviya. But Apastamba says : — He combs the hair silently, and arranges the locks in the fashion of his ancestral Risis.” (Ap. G. S., VI. 16. According to the number of Pravara and Risi at the time of initiation all these locks except the middle one are cut, from all different directions. “He shaves his hair with the different Mantras, towards the different (four) directions.” (Ap., IV. 10. 6.) The middle lock (called Sikha par excellence) should however be never cut for Sruti prohibits it, and so also the Smpiti “ He is as if naked and uncovered who is totally shaven, this Sikha is his covering.’’ “A person without sikha and without sacred thread cannot perform any sacred rite, for all that he does is unfructuous.” The ISudras.—The above rules do not apply to the Sudras. For says Vasistha. — “ For a iSiidra there is no rule as to the arrangement of hair.” In the Padma Purfina it is said that a 6udra should keep no sikha, nor wear sacred thread, nor utter refined (Sanskpta) speech. This prohibition axDplies only to low caste (asat ; >Sudras and not tp high caste (sat) Sudra, according to some. Others say it is optional for a 8udra to keep sikha. Therefore says Harita : — “ If a woman or a >Stidra, through anger or Vairagya, cut off their sikha, they should perform the Pr^japatya penance. Otherwise they do not get release from their sin.” The keeping of sikha by a Sudra depends upon the custom of the country. The summary , — The conclusion of all the above texts is this. For the Apastambas it is laid down that at the time of Chudakarman they should keep or make sikhits— 'One lock if the Risi be one, two sikhds or locks if the Risis be two and so on. They may keep these locks throughout their life, or cut them all except the middle one, at the time of iipanayana. Thus it is established that the middle lock should never be cut at the time of upanayana, all the other locks may be cut. Of course, the ascetics, the persons engaged in performing any prayaschitta, or a big sattra cut off even the middle lock and become totally shaven. Now we shall give here the Sutras of Apastamba on this subject explained according to the commentary of Sudars4nd.charya, so far as necessary (Ap. G. S., HI. 10. J-to 8.) Sanskrit word of sikha refers to a long tuft, or lock of hair left in the front, on top or on the back of the shaven head of a Hindu male. The injunction comes from Manu Smriti (2.27) "By oblations to fire… by the tonsure of his head with a lock of hair left on it, by the wearing of the sacrificial thread are the birth characteristics of the three classes" The position of the tuft varied according to the caste, profession, social standing etc. of the wearer. The side knot was kept by Ksharitya class such as Raja Raja Chola. Purva sikha (Mun kudumi in Tamil) is a style where the hair is grown long in the front and knotted to the forehead. This hairstyle was practiced by three sects predominantly Chozhiyas, comes under the class of Munkudimi Marayavars Dikshitars (who worship in Chidambaram temple), comes under class of Adi Marayavars Namboothiris (of Kerala). In yester years, Nairs of Kerala also sported this style. Based on the Deivathin Kural Part 5 (of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati, Kanchi Paramcharya) One can classify the advaitic brahmins (Smarthas) in tamilnadu as follows Adi Marayavars : They are the most orthodox. They claim to have descended directly from Kailash and sport purvasikha. They manage five temples in Tamilnadu 1)Chidambaram - Dikshitar 2)Thiruvanaikoil (Trichy) - Pandithar 3)Avadaiyarkoil - Nambiyar 4)Woraiyur 5)Tiruvarur Uchikudimi Marayavars : They have urvat sikha Munkudimi Marayavars: They have Purvasikha Chozhiyas believe themselves to be the kin of Chanakya, the legendary minister of Chandragupta Maurya. Adi Shankara’s forefathers are also said to have been chozhiyas. In addition, there are currently Sama veda chozhiyas, who are settled in the banks of Cauvery. Some of them had adopted Srivaishnavism (famous among those are Periyavachan Pillai, Vyakhyana Charavarti) while others continue to be smarthas. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The assertion that "Pancha Shika," or "five tufts," is the location of the cerebral nucleus is a symbolic concept from spiritual and yogic traditions, not a neuroscientific fact. In Hindu culture, the term is connected to the spiritual practice of keeping hair in certain ways to influence energy, and it does not correspond to a specific, anatomically recognized cerebral nucleus. DEVI BHAGAVATHAM Spiritual and yogic meaning In yogic philosophy and practices, "Pancha Shikha" refers to a spiritual discipline rather than a physical part of the brain. Signifies spiritual channels: The concept is related to the adhipati marma, a sensitive point on the crown of the head located under the tuft of hair known as the shikha. The adhipati marma is considered a nexus of all the body's nerves and a major point for receiving cosmic energy. Represents five sacred points: The "five tufts" are often interpreted symbolically to represent the four cardinal directions and the central point on the crown, where the highest chakra (Sahasrara) is located. Aids higher consciousness: Tying the hair into a shikha is believed to apply pressure to the topmost region of the head, helping to keep one's consciousness focused on the higher centers of the brain. This is thought to aid in achieving higher states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. Neuroscientific perspective >From a modern neuroscientific standpoint, there is no anatomical structure called "Pancha Shikha." Cerebral nuclei: The term "cerebral nuclei" refers to the basal ganglia, a group of subcortical nuclei located deep within the cerebral hemispheres. These are complex structures involved in motor control and learning. The main components include the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus. Absence of connection: These anatomical brain structures are not in any way connected to the spiritual concept of five hair tufts or the shikha. There is no scientific evidence to support a direct link between these traditional practices and the physical location of the brain's basal ganglia. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx *Pancha Shika or the five tufts on the top of the head-[That is the Place of the Cerebral Nucleus (Sahasrara) representing intellect, memory, farsightedness, duty and knowledge-another explanation is that a Brahmana by birth attains the status of a Dwija or twice-born once the Five Duties are taken up viz. Gayatri Dhyana and Japa-Yagnopaveeta-Pancha Shikha- Yagnya- and Veda Pathana and most significantly the practice of Brahmacharya or Celibacy]; DEVI BHAGAVATHAM Praanataarti vinaashani/ Prithujanghaa Prithubhujaa Prithupaada Prithyodari Pravaala Shobhaa Pingakshi Peetavasa Prachaayala/ Prasavaa Pushtidaa Punyaa Pratishtha Pranavaagatih, Pancha varnaa Panchavaani Panchika Pinjarasthitaa/ Paraamayaa Paraajyoti Parapreethi Paraagati, Paraakshastha Pareshani Paavani Paavakadyutih/ Punyabhadra paricchedya Pushpahaasa Prithudari, Peetangi Peetavaasanaa peethashayya Pishaachini/ Peetakriya Pishcachaghni Paataalaakshi Patukriyaa, Pancha bhaksha priyaakaaraa Putanaa praanaghaatini/ Punnagavana madhyastha Punya Tirtha nishevitaa, Panchaagni ( Panchangi)cha Paraashaktih Paramaahlaada kaarini/ Pushpa kandasthitaa Pushaa Poshitaakhila vishtapaa, Paana priyaa *Pancha Shikha* Pannagopari shaayini/ Pancha mantratmikaa Prithivi Pathika Pitru dohini, Puraana nyaaya meemamsa Paatali Pushpa gandhini/ Punyapraja Paraadaatri paramaargyaika gochraa, Pravaalaa shobhaa Purnasaa Pranavaa Pallavodari/ Phalini Phalaa Phalguh Phut Phalakaakritihkaari, Phanindra bhoga –shayanaa Phani mandala manditaa/ Balabalaa Bahumataa Baalatapa nibhamshukaa, Balbhadra priya Vandyaa Yadava buddhi samyuktaa/ Bandidevi Bilavati Badishaaghni Balipriyaa, Baandhavi Bodhitaa Buddhirbandhuka Kusumapriyaa/ Bala Bhanu Prabhaakaaraa Braahmi Brahmana devata, Brihaspati stutaa Vrindaa Vridavana Viharini/ Baalaakini Bilaahaaraa Bilavaasaa Bahudakaa, Bahu netraa Bahupadaa Bahukarnaavitamsikaa/ Bahubaahu yutaa Beeja rupini Bahurupini, Bindunaada kalaateetaa Bindunaada Swarupini/ Baddha godhaangulitranaa Badaryaashrama vaasini, Bridaarakaa Brihadskandhaa Brihati Baana paatini/ Vrindaadhyakshaa Bahunutaa Vanitaa Bahu vikrama, Baddha Padmaasanaashina Bilvapatra talassthita/Bidhidruma nijaavaasa Badisthaa Bindu darpanaa, Baalaa Baanaasanasanavati Bada -baanala vegini/ Brahmaanda bahirantahsthaa Brahma kankini sutrini, Bhavaani Bheeshanavati Bhavini Bhayahaarini/ Bhadrakaali Bhujangaakshi Bhaarati Bharatataashayaa, Bhairavi Bheeshanaakaaraa Bhutidaa Bhutimaalini/ Bhaamini Bhoganirataa Bhadradaa Bhurivikramaa, Bhutavaasaa Bhrugulataa Bhargavi Bhusuraarchitaa/ Bhaagirathi Bhogavati Bhavnasthaa Bhishagvaraa, Bhaamini Bhogini Bhaashaa Bhavani Bhuridakshinaa/ (92-120) DEVI MAHATMIUM Thus, there are no pramana that Chidambaram purva shila is from kerala; rather the migrators from TN to Kerala were purva sikhas who continued in kerala. K Rajaram IRS 281025 On Tue, 28 Oct 2025 at 09:01, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: > *SAKTHI BALA NARAMUKHA VINAYAYAKA TEMPLE, SOUTH CAR STREET > -CHIDAMBARAM-TAMILNADU* > > > > Introduction > > Sri Sakthi Bala Naramukha Vinayagar temple located on South Car Street, > Chidambaram in the Cuddalore District of Tamilnadu. This is a > unique temple featuring a rare form of *Ganesha with a human face*, > representing the deity before his head was replaced with an elephant's. This > is separate from the main Thillai Nataraja Temple. > > There are three temples in Tamil Nadu for the human face Vinayaga as > Nara Mukha Vinayagar before the episode of Lord cuts the head of Mukha > Vinayagar. Second one is the Vinayagar temple is at Sethalapathy (one of > the 276 Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Temples with moolavar as Muktheeswarar), > near Koothanur in Thiruvarur District as Adhi Vinayagar Temple. The third > one is in Trichy. > > Key information > > Temple name: Sri Sakthi Bala Naramuga Vinayagar Temple. > > Location: South Car Street, Chidambaram. > > Deity: Ganesha with a human face (Naramukha Vinayagar). > > Significance: *It is one of only three temples in Tamil Nadu that feature > a human-faced Ganesha deity*. The deity is also believed to bless > devotees praying for a child. > > Unique feature: The deity at this temple is unique because it has a human > face, a form also known as Adhi Vinayaka, representing Ganesha's original > appearance before his elephant head. > > History > > This temple is centuries-old. It is a chozha period temple > > About the temple > > This small temple faces north. The Southside Rajagopuram of Sri Natarajar > temple is just opposite this temple. This roadside temple has sanctum > sanctorum with a front mandapa. The sanctum sanctorum is in rectangular > shape with a vimana and 3 Kalasas. The mandapa pillars are round in shape > with capitals are of Chozha period style. The mandapa front arch has the > stucco image of Nara Mukha Vinayaka. > > Deity > > Moolavar : Sri Sakthi Bala Nara Mukha Vinayagar > > pujas and rituals: > > As in other Ganesha temples > > Some devotees believe the temple can assist with child blessings and other > personal matters, so it may have specific poojas for these requests. > > Temple timings > > Morning: 6 a.m.–12 p.m. Evening: 5 p.m.–10 p.m. > > Festival > > Ganesh Chaturthi: As the temple is dedicated to a unique human-faced > form of Lord Ganesha, it is very likely that this festival, celebrating his > birth, is observed. > > Location > > Vinayagar temple on South Car Street opposite Sri Natarajar Temple’s South > Rajagopuram. > > Interesting Addition > > All about Chidambaram > > The temple of Lord Nataraja in the Holy city of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu > has a variety of special features and architectural marvels: > > In Chidambaram, it was GovindarAja PerumAL sannidhi that was the foremost > (’Adi sannidhi’). NatarAja sannidhi came later. This conversion occurred > during the rule of a king who was a Siva bhakta. > > All the four Raja gopurams of this temple are equal in height > > The ‘South Car Street’ houses a Ganapathi Temple. The speciality of this > temple is that the Ganesha does not have an elephant face! The Ganesha has > a human face! This is a very rare idol of Ganesha, known as ‘Nara Mukha > Ganapathy’. > > The entrance of the main deity of Nataraja has five steps which denote the > ‘pancha bhUta’ or the 5 elements. > > The Gold cladded Nine kalasas in the Gopuram indicate the nine openings of > the human body. (In Srimad Bhagavatam, the human body is referred as > ‘navadwaarapuri’ for the same reason.) > > In the Nataraja temple Utsav, there is a custom of the Lord taking on the > act of a beggar (‘BhikshAndAn’). He comes to the gates as a ‘BhikshAndAn’ > on one of the Utsav evenings. > > This is the only exclusive Nataraja temple in the whole of Tamil Nadu > > Sri Maha Periyava of Kanchi ordained the construction of a similar temple > in Satara near Kohlapur in Maharashtra. > > Side note: > > There are lots of ‘pramAna’ (proof) in the view that *Chidambaram > NatarAja has come from Kerala desa*. The Dikshitars of Chidambaram keep > ‘poorva shika’ (the tuft worn on the forehead). This is a Kerala tradition. > > ParasurAma established this Kshetra (Holy place on the west coast) and > shifted some Brahmins, from what is now known as Tamizh Nadu, to this region*. > Here, it rains almost all through the year*. It is not very easy to live > under such a condition. The difference in climatic conditions was not found > suitable for their living. ParasurAma, however, made them wear ‘poorva > shika’. *Abasthamba rishi says, ‘One should never change his ’shika’ > (tuft), ‘pundram’ (religious mark on the forehead) and ’sutram’*. This is > smriti ‘vAkya’ (the words of the Smriti). Dharma forbids a person belonging > to one class of sutra taking up the performance of another sutra. > > Amongst these Brahmins who were shifted to the west coast by ParasurAma, > some returned to Tamizh Nadu region while some stayed back. *These people > with ‘poorva shika’ are called ’sozhiyAL*’. Some parts of Tamizh Nadu are > filled with these Brahmins. > > Since NatarAja has come from Kerala, the NatarAja Dishitars keep ‘poorva > shika’. The words, ‘*Ponnambalam’, ‘Chitrambalam’ are words from the > region of Kerala. ‘Ambalam’ is a word from this region. *The dish ‘KaLi’ > is from this region. This dish is prepared for ‘ThiruvAdirai’ festival. *Lots > of Kerala ’sampradaya’ (tradition) can be found here.* > > > > *Compiled and Posted by R. Gopalakrishnan on 28-10-2025.* > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Thatha_Patty" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/199795361.813784.1761622291934%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/199795361.813784.1761622291934%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZopczE8gOt1NzF5xLa_NaazFG%2Bdbibm9CQSfG_9fEB59AQ%40mail.gmail.com.
