Sairam friends,

Dakshinamurthy – Guru Bhagavan

Dakshinamurthy or Jnana Dakshinamurti (Tamil: தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி, Telugu: దక్షిణామూర్తి, Sanskrit: दक्षिणामूर्ति ((Dakṣiṇāmūrti)) is an aspect of Shiva as a guru (teacher) of all types of knowledge and bestower of jnana.( I have provided list of Sacred Dakshinamurthy Temples in India below this article based on information from wikipedia.)

Photo courtesy – Dakshinamurthy – Ultimate Guru

This aspect of Shiva is his personification as the supreme or the ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge.This form represents Shiva in his aspect as a teacher of yoga, music, and wisdom, and giving exposition on the shastras. He is worshipped as the god of wisdom, complete and rewarding meditation.

A devotee from Madhya pradesh, India requested me to write about Dakshinamurthy Temples in India. Though it might be too far for him, The Alangudi Guru Bhagavan Temple in Thiruvarur district of Tamilnadu came to my mind and wish to take this opportunity to compile some good information about Arulmigu Abathsahayeswarar Thirukovil.

I wrote below article in StarSai.com few days back

Sri Dakshinamurthy – Lord Shiva as the Universal Teacher – Sai, Save Elephants

I had read the Elephants are vehicle of Guru Bhagavan – Dakshinamurthy. So kindly spread a word to all your friends and relatives not to buy statues or any items made of Ivory – see www.elephantguru.com

Now I shall write some information provided in official website of Abathsahayeswarar Alanguru Guru Bhagavan Temple

Greatness and Tri Glories of Alangudi Guru Bhagavan Temple

Alangudi is the divine place, where Lord Guru can be propitiated in the form of Sri Dakshinamurthy. This sacred shrine of Jupiter is renowned for its tri-glories, i.e. Moorthy (The Presiding Deity), sthalam (Place of divinity) and theertham (The Holy Water). Lakhs of people throng his place, particularly on the day of Jupiter’s transit to the next sign., to solicit Jupiter’s protection from afflictions. He is Deva guru. He is also known as Brihaspathi, due to his excellence in education and fine arts, possessing supreme intelligence.

Brihaspathi

Brihaspathi is the guru of the Devas (gods) and the arch-nemesis of Shukracharya, the guru of the Danavas (demons). He is also known as Ganapati (leader of the group [of planets]), and Guru (teacher), the god of wisdom and eloquence, to whom various works are ascribed, such as the Barhaspatya sutras.

Alangudi – Holy Abode of Jupiter

Alangudi is the holy abode of Jupiter and a divine place where one could propitiate Jupiter. Lord Shiva is manifested here in the form of Lord Guru. Sri Dakshinamurthy is to be worshipped as he is worshipped, as Guru Bhagawan here.

Alangudi Temple History

274 Sthalams of erstwhile Chola Country have been sung in Devaram and Alangudi is one among the 127 Sthalams, situated on the southern banks of Cauvery river. Sage Sukha, Rishi Viswamithra, Sage Agastya, Adisankara and several other hoy men have worshipped at this shrine.

The Lord of this Sthalam is Swayumbhu (Natural origination of the idiol). Hence, the period of this temple could not be fixed accurately. The temple is existing from ancient times.

The Goddess in this Temple is known as Elavarkuzhali Ammai

Alangudi Abathsahayeswarar Temple Construction:

This temple was believed to be constructed by an ardent of Lord Shiva. ‘Amuthokar’, the minister of the King Masukuntha Chakravarti. He was beheaded by the Chakravarti, as he refused to give half of his Punya, (merit) to the King. On his death, the sthalam reverberated with the sound ‘Amuthokar’. The King got frightened at this constant diabolic echo, realizes his mistake and worshiped the Lord Abadsahayeswarar with ardent devotion. Then, he was relieved from all Doshas .

I presented the above information from official website of the Alangudi Guru Bhagavan temple.  I will be happy if any devotee writes their experience with Guru Bhagavan and devotion on Dakshinamurthy. It will inspire other devotees too.

You can comment to this article or write me from mail id in www.starsai.com

Everyone of us follow Guru we like but its also important to worship Lord Dakshinamurthy being a Hindu

Address:

Arulmigu Abathsagayeswarar Temple,
Alangudi-– 612 801,
Valangaiman Taluk, Thiruvarur Dt, Tamilnadu, India

The name “Dakshinamurthy” also symbolizes the Lord who faces south and a form of Lord Shiva. Hence there are other Temples which you can visit as below

More Dakshinamurthy Temples in India

1. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India

The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine

2.In the Sivanandeswarar temple in Thirupanthurai, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, He is depicted in the Ardhanari form.

3.In Thirupulivanam, we can find Dakshinamurthy in the form of Ardhanariswara. This temple is on the Uthiramerur-Kanchipuram road, 5 km from Uthiramerur, near Chennai.

4.In March 2007, a big temple of Lord Dakshinamurty (the first in Maharashtra) was created in the Shrutisagar Ashram, about 30 km from Pune

5.Dakshinamurthy at Sukapuram, Edapal Taluk in Malappuram District , Kerala

6.In Suchindram Thanumalaya temple (5km from Nagercoil, Kanyakumari Dist.), contrary to tradition, Dakshinamurthy is worshipped instead of Ganesh/Vinayaka. Ganesha statue comes last in the worship line.

7. Oldest DakshinamurtyTemple in Poonthottam village – Thiruvarur

The oldest dakshinamurty temple is situated in ‘poonthottam village’ in Thiruvarur, Tamilnadu. It’s estimated that this temple is nearly 1000 years old and the idol of the lord was fixed on the day of mahakumbamela that that took place 1000 years ago

8.   Dakshinamurthy temple at Vellave near Talipramba (Kannur District, Kerala), This is a swayambhoo temple (self evolved ) of Dakshinamurthi. This temple is situated 4 Km away from the famous Rajarajeshwara Temple, Taliparamba

May Guru Bhagavan bless us with Good health, peace, good thoughts and good deeds all our life.

Aum Dakshinamurthy Namaha

Venkat

Always in the holy feet of Shirdi Sai Baba