Story of Ayyappa, Tigress' milk & the Sabarimala Temple
After Ayyappa was born, how did he finally manage to fulfill his prophecy? And how did the Sabarimala Temple eventually came to be built in his honour? Know all this and more in today's post
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In order that he fulfill the prophecy of killing Mahishi correctly, Shiva-Mohini leave the new born child on the banks of the river Pampa. The childless king of the region Rajashekara happened to pass from the area when he found the child. An old sage appeared at that instant and advised the king to take the child home, and whose divinity would be revealed to allat the age of twelve. The king was very happy to finally have a child and told the queen all about the incident. He loved the child deeply, and had made him his heir.
After the child was born, Shiva-Mohini left him on the banks of the river Pampa. The childless king of the region Rajashekara found the child & adopted him. He loved the child deeply, and made him his heir.
Soon after, the queen too gave birth to a son. As was obvious, the queen started to get jealous of the adopted son. She wanted her biological son to get the throne.
At the ill advise of a minister, she feigned a severe illness, the medicine for which was supposedly tigress' milk. She requested Ayyappa to get it for her. Her plan was that either Ayyappa would get killed in the process or atleast come back unsuccessful and she could use that as an excuse to show him to be incompetent to lead.
However, it all failed when Ayyappa did bring back milk of a tigress. Not just that, he also killed Mahishi in the process and fulfilled his destiny. The queen realised that he was no ordinary being and asked for forgiveness, but Ayyappa having completed the aim he was born for, gave up the throne and retired to the forests. The king built a temple in his honour, today known as the Sabarimala Temple.