WAyya Vaikundar, also called Sriman Narayana Vaikundaswamy, is the tenth avatar or incarnation of Vishnu who worked for the upliftment of downtrodden people in the Kingdom of Travancore while in human form in the 19th century. He is central to the Hindu denomination of Ayyavazhi, as per the holy scripture, Akilathirattu.
WThe Ayya Vaikunda Avataram or Vaikunda Jayanthi is a festival celebrated by the followers of Ayyavazhi on the 20th day of the Tamil month of Masi, the date on which the Ayyavazhi followers believe that Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar during an encounter with a deity Goddess Lakshmi, he was beget inside the sea and arose from the sea of Thiruchendur on Kollam Year 1008 at 20th day of Tamil Month Masi. He took the human form as Narayana Pantaram at Tharuvaiyur near seashore to destroy the evil spirit of Kali and transform the Kaliyukam into Dharma Yukam.
WAccording to the Ayyavazhi religion sect of Hinduism, the Ayyavazhi Trinity is the incarnation of God in the current stage of world development. Lord Vaikundar, the Incarnation, is the combination of the Ultimate God, Trimurti and Narayana. In Akilam immediately after the Incarnation of Vaikundar, he was viewed simultaneously as the Ultimate God, Narayana, and as son of Narayana. As per the earlier deed Narayana had to destroy Kaliyan, but due to the boons that kaliyan claimed Narayana has destroy him in form of Pantaram. And as per the promise made by Kaliyan, he would only be destroyed, if he give torture to any Pantaram. To overcome all these, such a unique way of Incarnation was planned.
WHistorical Vaikundar (1833–1851) refers to the life and teachings of Ayya Vaikundar, as known in Akilathirattu Ammanai, being reconstructed from a historical perspective with reference to various historical sources in contrast to the mythological Akilamic views. Though few events referred to in the mythology have yet to be validated historically, many key events mentioned in Akilam were acknowledged by other contemporary sources.
WKatuvai Sothanai, in Tamil means, Trial with Tiger. This is an important event in Ayyavazhi mythology tells us about the happenings that took place when Lord Vaikundar was thrown before a three-days-starving tiger.
WPancha pathi are the five important pilgrim centers of Ayyavazhi. These are also considered as the primary Pathis and as worship centers of Ayyavazhi with primary status. The first pathi is Swamithope pathi itself and is the headquarters of Ayyavazhi. The other Pathis are Muttappathi, Thamaraikulam Pathi, Ambalappathi and Pooppathi.
WLord Vaikundar was the incarnation of Ekam according to Akilathirattu Ammanai, the religious text of Ayyavazhi and the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. As the Ekam is the supreme power in Ayyavazhi, Vaikundar was the supreme power incarnate.
WSwamithoppe Pathi is the primary pathi of the Ayyavazhi, and the sacred venue of the Tavam. Religiously Swamithope is considered primary among the Pancha pathi and the primary centre of the incarnational activities of Vaikundar.
WAccording to Akilathirattu Ammanai, for ten months, Lord Vaikundar revealed to the people all about the past, present, and future in the form of songs. He sang definitively about the future. Some of those who heard him, took his words as meaningless mutterings. Vaikundar, realizing that forbearance and fortitude were the essential virtues needed in his project of transforming the world, becalmed himself and performed the Tavam (Meditation). Having justice in his breath, the thought of mercy in his mind, and renouncing the desires of the body and containing the tendencies of his ego, Vaikundar performed the Tavam concentrating totally on the commands he had received from his father. His appearance was squalid, with holy ashes smeared on him, and the long unkempt hair flowing in the air.
WThe Ayyavazhi includes a corpus of teachings of its initiator Lord Vaikundar in the form of instructions and slogans found in the religious book Akilathirattu.
WThirukkalyana Ekanai was an important part in Akilathirattu Ammanai the religious book of Ayyavazhi, in which Lord Vaikundar unified all the atmans (souls) of this universe into Himself.
WIn the literature of Hinduism, Vinchai are proclamations and instructions to the newly born child Vaikundar, by his father Lord Narayana, also known as Vishnu, one of the three godheads in Akilathirattu Ammanai, the source of Ayyavazhi mythology. Three such Vichais took place during the period of Vaikundar; the first in Thiruchendur, immediately after his incarnation; the venue second and third Vinchais are in Muttapathi (sea), one by one between his incarnational activities.