Guru Bhagawan

Alangudi Sthala varalaru, doshams and remedial measures

The Devas, when churning the paarkadal for nectar, were hindered by the poisonous fumes from the snake Vasuki and prayed to Lord Siva for deliverance. Lord Siva consumed the deadly poison (Ala Visham), thus giving rise to the name Alangudi to this sthalam and the Lord came to be called Aabathsagayar. 

Lord Ganesha subdued Gajamuhasuran who gave the Devas a horrid time and he is thus worshipped in this sthalam as 'Kalangaamal kaatha Vinayagar'. Ambal undertook severe penance and married Lord Siva and hence this place is hailed as Thirumana Mangalam. This sthalam is the Parivara sthalam for Madhyarjuna Mahalinga Peruman. This is the fourth amongst the Panchavarunya Sthalas. Vishwamithrar, Thirumal, Brahma, Lakshmi, Garuda, Ashta Thikku Balagas, Ayyanar, Veera Badrar, Mukunda Chakravarthy, Suvasanan, Sundarar have worshipped at this sthala.

Lord Siva as a ferryman(boatman) was helping Sundaramurthy Swamigal cross the river (Vettaru) which was in spate, to reach this sthalam. The boat capsized hitting a rock, when halfway. Lord siva seated on his Rishaba Vahana helped him reach the sthala safely. Sundarar received his Gnanaupadesam after his darshanam of Dakshinamurthy at this sthala. Fame, wealth, siblings are the beneficial aspects of Guru.

The sthlam of Guru Bhagavan is Alangudi, 17 kms from Kumbakonam enroute to Mannargudi. His wives are Tharai, Sangini. The presiding deities are Kasi Aaranyeswarar and his consort Elavarkuzhali. Guru is the Lord of Dhanusu and Meena Rasi and he faces North direction. The Adi Devatha is Brahma and the Prathyathi Devatha is Indran. His colour is yellow and his vahana is elephant. The grain assciated with him is kadalai; the flower - white mullai; fabric - yellow cloth; gem - pushparagam(white topaz); food - rice mixed with bengal gram dhal powder. 

bRhaspati

rAga: aThAna / tAla: tishra tripuTa

bRhaspate tArApate brahmajAte namOstu te

mahAbala vibho gISpate mahnjudhanurmInAdhipate mahendrAdyupAsitakRte mAdhavAdivinutadhImate

shurAcAryavarya vajradhara shubhalakSaNa jagattrayaguro jarAdivarjitAkrodha kacajanakashritajanakalpataro purAriguruguhasammodita putrakAraka dInabandho parAdicatvArivAksvarUpaprakAshaka dayAsindho nirAmayAya nItikartre nirahNkushAya vishvabhartre nirahnjanAya bhuvanabhoktre nirahNshAya makhapradAtre

Translation:

Salutations Brhaspati! Lord of Tara, one who is born of Brahma[1].

Oh omnipresent one, Oh Lord of great strength, Lord of speech[2], Lord of lovely Dhanus and Mina[3], whose form is adored by Indra and the other Gods, and who is the great intellectual honored by divinities like Madhava[4].

Oh most esteemed teacher of the Gods, wielder of the thunderbolt[5], of auspicious markings, teacher of the three worlds[6], one who is not affected by old age and the like, unexcitable, father of Kaca[7], the divine Kalpataru[8] for those who take refuge in Him, who is a delight to Shiva and Guruguha, and the bestower of offspring, kin to the distressed, the manifester of the four phases of speech[9], an ocean of compassion. Who is devoid of all illness, the author of smrti[10], uncontrolled, the Lord of the Universe, the untarnished one, who delights in the worlds and is the bestower of vigor.

Notes:

Also descended from the mind of virat-purusa (see Chandra[7])

An epithet for the Vedic god Indra, Brhaspati or Brahamanaspati is the 'Lord of Prayer'

Constellations Sagittarius and Pisces

Name for Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna

In the Vedas Brhaspati is associated with the god Indra.

ref. to tripura, the three cities of the gods: "here (Earth), heaven above Earth, and the spacious firmament"

The son of Brhaspati who has sent to Shukra, leader of the demons (asuras), to learn the secret for reviving the dead

The wish-yielding tree of Indra's paradise, the kalpavriksa ; as a generous god Brhaspati is compared to the kalpavriksa

"The place where the idea originates... the first impulse... is the 'voice beyond' . The first mental impulse, like the shoot springing from an invisible seed is the 'voice that sees' (pashyanti). The potential sound, which is the vehicle of thought, is the 'intermediary voice' (madhyama). The exteriorized sound in the form of articulate syllables is the 'voice manifest' (vaikhari)."

ref. to Brhaspatismrti, an important early text on legal etiquette

Propitiation of Jupiter (Thursday)

CHARITY: Donate a peepal sapling, saffron, turmeric, sugar, a horse, or yellow flowers to a brahmin (priest) on Thursday morning.

FASTING: On Thursday, especially during Jupiter transits and major or minor Jupiter periods.

MANTRA: To be chanted on Thursday, one hour before sunset, especially during major or minor Jupiter periods: Gurva-astottara-shata-nama-vali

(The 108 names of Guru)

Aum gurave namah

Aum gunakaraya namah

Aum goptre namah

Aum gocaraya namah

Aum gopatipriyaya namah

Aum gunive namah

Aum gunavatam shrepthaya namah

Aum gurunam gurave namah

Aum avyayaya namah

Aum jetre namah

Aum jayantaya namah

Aum jayadaya namah

Aum jivaya namah

Aum anantaya namah

Aum jayavahaya namah

Aum amgirasaya namah

Aum adhvaramaktaya namah

Aum viviktaya namah

Aum adhvarakritparaya namah

Aum vacaspataye namah

Aum vashine namah

Aum vashyaya namah

Aum varishthaya namah

Aum vagvacaksanaya namah

Aum citta-shuddhi-karaya namah

Aum shrimate namah

Aum caitraya namah

Aum citrashikhandijaya namah

Aum brihad-rathaya namah

Aum brihad-bhanave namah

Aum brihas-pataye namah

Aum abhishtadaya namah

Aum suracaryaya namah

Aum suraradhyaya namah

Aum surakaryakritodyamaya namah

Aum girvanaposhakaya namah

Aum dhanyaya namah

Aum gishpataye namah

Aum girishaya namah

Aum anaghaya namah

Aum dhivaraya namah

Aum dhishanaya namah

Aum divya-bhushanaya namah

Aum deva-pujitaya namah

Aum dhanurddharaya namah

Aum daitya-hantre namah

Aum dayasaraya namah

Aum dayakaraya namah

Aum dariddya-nashanaya namah

Aum dhanyaya namah

Aum daksinayanasambhavaya namah

Aum dhanurminadhipaya namah

Aum devaya namah

Aum dhanurbana-dharaya namah

Aum haraye namah

Aum angarovarshasamjataya namah

Aum angirah kulasambhavaya namah

Aum sindhu-desha-adhipaya namah

Aum dhimate namah

Aum svarnakayaya namah

Aum catur-bhujaya namah

Aum heman-gadaya namah

Aum hemavapushe namah

Aum hemabhushanabhushitaya namah

Aum pushyanathaya namah

Aum pushyaragamanimandanamandi kasha-pushpa-samanabhaya namah

Aum indradyamarasamghapaya namah

Aum asamanabalaya namah

Aum satva-guna-sampadvibhavasave bhusurabhishtadaya namah

Aum bhuriyashase namah

Aum punya-vivardhanaya namah

Aum dharma-rupaya namah

Aum dhana-adhyaksaya namah

Aum dhanadaya namah

Aum dharma-palanaya namah

Aum sarva-veda-artha-tattva-jnaya namah

Aum sarva-padvinivarakaya namah

Aum sarva-papa-prashamanaya namah

Aum svramatanugatamaraya namah rigveda-paragaya namah

Aum riksarashimargapracaravate sada-anandaya namah

Aum satya-samdhaya namah

Aum satya-samkalpa-manasaya namah

Aum sarva-gamajnaya namah

Aum sarva-jnaya namah

Aum sarva-vedanta-vide namah

Aum brahma-putraya namah

Aum brahmaneshaya namah

Aum brahma-vidya-avisharadaya namah

Aum samana-adhi-kanirbhuktaya namah

Aum sarva-loka-vashamvadaya namah

Aum sasura-asura-gandharva-vanditaya satya-bhashanaya namah

Aum brihaspataye namah

Aum suracaryaya namah

Aum dayavate namah

Aum shubha-laksanaya namah

Aum loka-traya-gurave namah

Aum shrimate namah

Aum sarva-gaya namah

Aum sarvato vibhave namah

Aum sarveshaya namah

Aum sarvadatushtaya namah

Aum sarva-daya namah

Aum sarva-pujitaya namah

Guru seed mantra: Aum gram grim graum sah gurave namah.

RESULT: The planetary diety Brihaspati is propitiated increasing satisfaction and facilitating marriage and childbirth.