Girivalam-Thiruvannamalai (Contd)

Add as a preferred source on Google

Method Of Circumambulation ( Girivalam)

Continued From The First Page

One is to take a bath before doing the Pradakshina or Girivalam, wear clean clothes and wear the Rudraksha. The Pradakshina is supposed to be done with a meditative mood slowly with heart filled devotion and love for the Lord in order to imbibe the silence and the stillness of Arunachala in one's being. It is auspicious to do Giripradakshina on the day of the commencement of the Uttarayana season which is the Makara Sankaranti to attain one's goal in life.

The benefits of the Pradakshina is reaped if one could do it by foot. It is not recommended to circumambulate in any mode of conveyance. Thousands of invisible Siddhapurushas, Devatas and Manus are said to accompany a devotee who circumambulates the Hill with reverence meditating on Shiva. The palms are to be joined prayerfully at every specific direction. It is also good to do the circumambulation chanting the Lord's name, singing or dancing His praise. It is good to offer alms to the needy while doing the Pradakshina with utmost humility and love. The Lord is said to asunder the cord of the birth and death cycle bestowing His own state to a devotee who does the Girivalam accordingly.

Lets thus circumambulate Annamalai Hill in reverence to attain the Lord's grace to have our thoughts transfixed to the Hill, to be motionless within in order to realise the silence of Arunachala in one's being.