Dwarapalakas of Ayyappa – Ayyanar & Karuppasamy

Ayyappa Swamy

Lord Ayyanar and Lord Karuppasamy serves as the Dwarapalakas of Lord Ayyappa, in the Sabarimala Shrine at Kerala. When Lord Dharmashasta decides to incarnate as Lord Ayyappa, two of his divine attendants were also interested to serve him in his Ayyappa Avatar. As per their wishes, Lord Ayyappa made them as guardian deities at his famous Sabarimala Shrine, and still they are safeguarding their divine master, Lord Ayyappa. Whoever visit the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, must also offer their worship to his Guards, since these guards act as the mediator between us and Lord Ayyappa.

Ayyanar and Karuppasamy are considered to be the aspects of Lord Ayyappa. By citing an example, we can easily understand about them. In fact, Lord Ayyappa had wilfully accepted the names of his divine attendants as his name. The first half of Ayyanar is Ayya, and the second half of Karuppasamy is Ppasamy. Hence the great Lord Ayyappa had honoured his attendants by keeping part of their names as his own name, and from this incident, we could know, that how the merciful god Ayyappa showers his grace to his servants and to his devotees.

As per legend, Dharma Shasta had once served as one of the attendants of Lord Shiva. Since Shiva wanted him to act as an independent deity, he has asked Dharma Shasta to perform penance at the present place of Sabarimala Shrine, and this incident was happened during the Treta Yuga.

As per the instructions of Lord Shiva, Lord Dharma Shasta went to the earth and performed severe penance on Lord Shiva, and after some time, Lord Shiva appeared before him, and, since he was very much pleased with the penance of Lord Dharma Shasta, he willfully granted him the boon of becoming an independent deity, and also created Ayyanar and Karuppasamy out of his powers, and asked them to safeguard Lord Dharma Shasta for ever. That’s why, when Shasta took the Ayyappa Avatar, both of them were eagerly accepted the post of “GUARDIAN DEITIES”to serve Lord Ayyappa, sincerely, faithfully and honestly. Apart from serving as Guardian gods to Lord Ayyapapa, they also serve as the Guardian gods to the devotees of Lord Ayyappa, and also act as the “PROTECTIVE DEITIES” to all of their devotees.

“OM SWAMIYE SARANAM AYYAPPA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR