Ardhanareeswara Sahasranamam

Formulated By Dr. M. Srinivasan

Sahasranamam

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author with all humility prostrates at the Lotus feet of

Ardhanareeswara for the Elysian guidance for compiling

this Tamil “Aayiram Potrigal”.

The constant support and patience of my wife Rajeswari.

Her help in editing and proof reading is Appreciated.

I also record the support of

my Daughter and Son in Law, Girija and Rajamani, &

my Son & Daughter in Law, Ganesh and Bharathi

in this endeavor.

I have no words to thank

Sri. S. Srinivasan, Chairman and MD SRA Systems,

without whose support this blog would not have been possible.

I can not forget people like Sri Kamakshisundaram,
Sri Ezhil karthik and others at SRA Systems

who have given support for bringing out this as well

as the other blogs.

Dr. M. Srinivasan

+91-99406 95270

srieswari@yahoo.com

Preface

The author is pleased to present in this blog, The Ardhanareeswara Sahasranaamam in Tamil as 1008 Potris. Most Asthikas might have seen this author’s work on Ardhanareeswara Trisati as two independent versions – one in Sanskrit and another in Tamil under http://ardhanareeswaratrisati.blogspot.com.

The purpose of two separate versions was to make sure that those who do not know Sanskrit, rather those who prefer Tamil version of the Archana to the Supreme, have a powerful 300 potris.

The author has given a detailed note of Devi Puja and Mahameru Puja in the cited blogspot.

The Asthikas, who have used the Tamil version, gave the feed back that they not only found the Tamil version helpful but also is as powerful. That is but natural since the 300 Potris have covered The Lord Siva and The Loka Nayaki of those Temples involved in many Tiruvilayadals of “the Supreme Lord and the Mother” and are Temples that have been visited by Appar, Manikkavasagar, Sambandar and Sundarar

The present 1008 Potris of Ardhanareeswara is the result of the encouragements the author received. The 1000 Namaas used for the Lord and the mother have been derived from over 3000 of the very ancient- more than 800 years old- Siva Temples.

In some temples Siva’s names remain in Sanskrit while Devi’s have been used in Tamil, while there are Temples where Siva’s are in Tamil and Devi’s are in Sanskrit. However as far as possible “sha and ksha” have not been used and “Cha” has been used to have strong Tamil orientation – as in “Chankari”.

Names of Moolavar and Devi of most Temples have been used in a judicious manner,

1. To avoid duplication of the names; and

2. To make the reading of the Potris, poetic and eliminate monotony.

Since it is in essence 2000 Potris, if one ventures to count the names of Siva and Devi individually, it takes anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes for completing the puja initially.

An independent Sanskrit Version of Ardanareeswara Sahasranaamam will come in a separate blog in a few weeks’ time. While the objective is the same, the Naamaavali contents of Tamil and Sanskrit are very different.

Both these Archana are at the highest level and hence is to be done with due anushtanam after SriMahameru, Srichakra or Siva Abhishekam, as per individual preference.

The Tamil invocation song at the beginning covers another 16 Padal Petra sthalangal.

The present 1008 Potris as well as the Sanskrit Version, soon to be released are both very powerful and were composed under the Ordainment of “The Ardhanareeswara [ri]”.The author wishes all asthikas prosperity, happiness and success in their ventures.

“We get what we deserve as per our Karma. But total surrender to The Supreme and doing the puja with sincere devotion will ensure that we are cleansed of the past sins”.

The author wishes to cite the following references for detailed readings on Siva and the Sahasranamas.

1. Mahabharata 13.17.30-150 (Anuśāsanaparvan Version)
2. Linga Purana (version 1, LP 1.65.54-168) is close to the Mahabharata Anushasanaparvan version.
3. Linga Purana (version 2, LP 1.98.27-159) has some passages in common with LP version 1, but also with other sources
4. Shivapurana 4.35.1-131.
5. Mahabharata (Śāntiparvan version). The critical edition of the Mahabharata does not include this version, relegating it to Appendix 28 to Śāntiparvan. It does appear in the text of the Gita Press edition as 12.284.68-180.
6. Vayu Purana (1.30.179-284) is almost the same as the Mahabharata Śāntiparvan version.
7. Brahmanda Purana (38.1.1-100) is almost the same as the Vayu Purana version.
8. Mahābhāgavata Upapurana (67.1-125) appears to be of comparatively recent origin.
9. Apte, Vaman Shivram (1965), The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary (Fourth revised and enlarged ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, ISBN 81-208-0567-4
10. Arya, Ravi Prakash & K. L. Joshi. Ṛgveda Saṃhitā: Sanskrit Text, English Translation. Parimal Publications, Delhi, 2001, ISBN 81-7110-138-7 (Set of four volumes). Parimal Sanskrit Series No. 45; 2003 reprint: 81-7020-070-9.
11. Chakravarti, Mahadev (1994), The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages (Second Revised ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-0053-2
12. Chidbhavananda, Swami (1997). Siva Sahasranama Stotram: With Navavali, Introduction, and English Rendering.. Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam. ISBN 81-208-0567-4. (Third edition). The version provided by Chidbhavananda is from chapter 17 of the Anuśāsana Parva of the Mahābharata.
13. Courtright, Paul B. (1985). Gaṇeśa: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN ISBN 0-19-505742-2.
14. Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43878-0.
15. Flood, Gavin (Editor) (2003). The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. ISBN 1-4051-3251-5.
16. Goldberg, Ellen (2002). The Lord Who is Half Woman: Ardhanārīśvara in Indian and Feminist Perspective. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-5326-X.
17. Griffith, T. H. (1973), The Hymns of the Ṛgveda (New Revised ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-0046-X
18. Gupta, Shakti M. (1988). Karttikeya: The Son of Shiva. Bombay: Somaiya Publications Pvt. Ltd.. ISBN 81-7039-186-5.
19. Hopkins, E. Washburn (1969). Epic Mythology. New York: Biblo and Tannen. Originally published in 1915.
20. Jansen, Eva Rudy (1993). The Book of Hindu Imagery. Havelte, Holland: Binkey Kok Publications BV. ISBN 90-74597-07-6.
21. Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3797-0.
22. Kramrisch, Stella (1981). The Presence of Śiva. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01930-4.
23. Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1996). A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. ISBN 81-215-0715-4.
24. Mate, M. S. (1988). Temples and Legends of Maharashtra. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
25. Michaels, Axel (2004). Hinduism: Past and Present. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08953-1.
26. Sarup, Lakshman (1920-1927). The Nighaṇṭu and The Nirukta. Reprint: Motilal Banarsidass, 2002, ISBN 81-208-1381-2.
27. Sharma, Ram Karan (1988), Elements of Poetry in the Mahābhārata (Second ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-0544-5
28. Sharma, Ram Karan (1996), Śivasahasranāmāṣṭakam: Eight Collections of Hymns Containing One Thousand and Eight Names of Śiva, Delhi: Nag Publishers, ISBN 81-7081-350-6 This work compares eight versions of the Śivasahasranāmāstotra with comparative analysis and Śivasahasranāmākoṣa (A Dictionary of Names). The text of the eight versions is given in Sanskrit.
29. Sivaramamurti, C. (1976). Śatarudrīya: Vibhūti of Śiva's Iconography. Delhi: Abhinav Publications.
30. Stutley, Margaret (1985). The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography. First Indian Edition: Munshiram Manoharlal, 2003, ISBN 81-215-1087-2.
31. Tattwananda, Swami (1984). Vaisnava Sects, Saiva Sects, Mother Worship. Calcutta: Firma KLM Private Ltd.. First revised edition.
32. Zimmer, Heinrich (1946). Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01778-6. First Princeton-Bollingen printing, 1972.
33. Hanuman Chalisa. Chennai, India: Sri Ramakrishna Math. 1985. ISBN 81-7120-086-9.