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Lord Ayyappa

© harsh nevatia

The union of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, incarnated as Mohini the enchantress, resulted in the birth of Lord Ayyappa or Hariharputhra. Shiva and Vishnu left the baby on the banks of the river Pampa and returned to their heavenly abode. Rajashekara, the childless King of Pandalam, spotted the baby lying helpless while he was out on a hunt. He and the queen accepted the baby as a gift from the Heavens. Since the baby was wearing a golden bell around his neck they decided to call him Manikantan.

The divine boy was brought up in a manner befitting a prince. In a short period of time the boy mastered all lessons. His teacher was extremely happy at the achievements of his disciple and at the same time realized the boy’s divine power. At the time of accepting his fees the teacher refused to accept any material benefits. He requested Manikantan to bless his son who was both blind and deaf. The dutiful disciple with his miraculous touch restored the boy’s sight and speech.

Subsequent to the arrival of Manikantan, the queen was blessed with a child of her own. Both boys grew up as loving brothers. The time came to decide who would be the heir to the throne. While the King decided to pass the throne to Manikantan, the queen was slightly inclined to her own biological son. The general of army was also on her side. They decided to discreetly thwart King’s decision by tricking him. They approached the royal physician and enticed him with rewards so that he became an accomplice to the subterfuge. The queen pretended to have severe stomach ache. The physician approached the King and falsely convinced him of the seriousness of the queen’s condition and held that drinking of leopard's milk was the only remedy.

The King stood aghast at this incomprehensible remedy prescribed. "How could a leopard be approached for milk?" he asked, "And who would undertake such a dangerous mission?" Upon hearing this Manikantan agreed to undertake this mission to save his mother. The King did not, at first, relent to this request from his beloved son. However, after a series of talks Manikantan could convince his father and departed for the forest.

However before he could get the leopard's milk he had to perform the task for which his birth was ordained. Mahisasura was a terrible demon killed by the goddess Durga. Mahishasura’s cousin, the daughter of Karamba, decided to take revenge. Mahishi as she was known, first undertook severe penance and propitiated Lord Brahma and received a boon to the effect that she would not be killed by anyone born from a man-woman relation. If at all a child was born out of any other relation, he must live in a royal family for a minimum period of twelve years in an earthly kingdom before he could kill her. Then she attempted to seduce Indra, the King of the Demi-Gods. Lords Vishnu and Brahma created Datta, a male demon to divert the attention of Mahishi from Indra. The trick worked temporarily. On his way to get leopard's milk, Manikantan (born from Vishnu and Shiva) encountered Mahishi. After a long tough fight, Manikantan killed Mahishi near the river called Azhutha.