It is said that Lord Ayyappan was born as progeny of the union of Vishnu and Shiva.

The asura Bhasmasura obtained a boon from Lord Shiva. Accordingly, whoever Bhasmasura touched on the head with his hand would be turned into ashes. To test the efficacy of this boon, Bhasmasura tried to touch the head of Shiva himself. The frightened Shiva sought help from Vishnu. In order to distract Bhasmasura, Vishnu appeared as the seductress Mohini in front of Bhasmasura. Bhasmasura lost control of his senses and asked Mohini to be his consort. Mohini agreed to his request on condition that he should promise her by touching his forehead that he would not take another wife. Bhasmasura readily agreed to this condition and promised her by touching on his forehead. Immediately, the boon given to him by Shiva became effective and Bhasmasura was reduced to a heap of ashes. In the meanwhile, Shiva was himself enticed by the charm and beauty of Mohini and as a result of their union, Ayyappan was born on the auspicious day of Makara Sankranthi, when the star Uttrarn was on the ascendence.

The beginning

Lord Ayyappan had had His human sojourn as the son of the Raja (King) of Pandalam. At that time, Raja Rajasekhara ruled the kingdom of Pandalam. During one of his hunting expeditions, the Raja was puzzled to hear the wails of a child on the banks of the river Pamba. He moved in the direction of the voice to find a resplendent infant there. The beautiful baby with radiant face wore a bead (‘mani’) around his neck. Manikantan was born of Hari and Hara. The King, though pious, charitable, just, and God-fearing had no children. He accepted the child as God’s gracious response to his fervent prayer for an heir to his throne. Manikantan was given proper education and training and he grew into a boy well versed in academic lore and martial arts of the time. Meanwhile the Rani (Queen) gave birth to a son. The King regarded Manikantan as his elder son. He decided to crown him as the Yuvaraja. The King’s corrupt Minister had had a deep dislike for Manikantan. The Minister made the innocent Queen believe that adverse consequences would befall her if Manikantan was crowned Yuvaraja and that the kingdom actually belonged to her son.

They conspired between them to get rid of Manikantan. They bribed the royal physician into becoming an accomplice of theirs. The Rani pretended to be afflicted with severe pain in the stomach, and the physician prescribed the milk of a tiger as the only cure for the ache. The King was in an agonizing fix. He knew that none could be deputed for a mission that was so potently suicidal. However, the youthful and valiant Manikantan stepped forth and volunteered to fetch the milk. Despite the worried protestations of his foster-father, he set out for the forests.

Days later Manikantan entered the palace precincts riding a fierce tiger and followed by a pack of its cubs. The schemers were frightened into confessing their plot. They were convinced of His divine origins, and prayed to Him to be with them for their own salvation and for the safety of the kingdom.

Filled with emotions of happiness, grief, fear, wonder and ‘bhakthi’ (devotion to God) and self-surrender, the king stood praying for the mercy and blessings of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine powers of the Lord and repeatedly requested Him to forgive him for behaving as if He were his son only. The Lord lovingly embraced the King who prayed to bless him by freeing from egos and the worldly life of birth and rebirth and grant ‘moksha’ (salvation).

Manikantan then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of ‘moksha’. The Lord told the King that he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pamba and install His deity there. Ayyappan also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage shall be undertaken, emphasizing the importance of ‘vrutham’ and what the devotees can attain by His ‘darshan’.

The Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in ‘bhakti’ shall happen to be devoted to Him as well. Manikantan then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished.

The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Him. Accordingly, a sanctum was built to install an idol made of panchaloha (an alloy of five metals), climbing 18 steps to reach the sanctum. These 18 steps to represent 5 indriyas, 8 ragas, 3 gunas, vidya and avidya. On the day of consecration and installation of the idol, amidst the sound of saranam chanting and conches, pipes and drums, Ayyappan was transformed into a stroke of lightning and got absorbed in the idol of Dharma Shasta. This was his birthday, the auspicious day of Makara Sankrathi.

There are various lores connected with Lord Ayyappan. These relate to discovery of the child at Pampa, Manikantan’s youthful days in the Pandalam palace, bestowing the power of hearing and speaking upon the deaf and dumb son of His teacher as Guru-dakshina, His friendship with Vavar (a Muslim), bringing the tiger’s milk, accomplishing His divinely destined mission of annihilation of the demoness Mahishi, eliminating the forest-thug Udayanan and blessing His foster-father with immortality.

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