The Story of Annai Mandhira Paavai
Hindu Puranas are replete with stories of how the ancient rishis were bedevilled by Asuric forces that constantly disturbed their tapas or caused other hindrances to their Yaagas. These stories also recount how various Avataars of God came to the rescue of these rishis by defeating the Asuric forces.
Similar to the rishis, the Siddhas are also known to meditate as groups or as individuals for world peace and prosperity of all life forms. They attain higher spiritual knowledge and discover cures for various diseases by their prayers and blessings of the Almighty. The Siddhas have facilitated better living by presenting these discoveries in the form of hymns and verses. The Siddhas also faced hindrances due to evil chants while meditating for world prosperity. The evil forces disturbed the Siddhars while they were meditating and tried to prevent and disturb them from gaining higher spiritual knowledge and discover cures for various diseases.
Greatly troubled by these evil forces, the Siddhas wished to create a Sakthi (force) that would support and protect them from all the hindrances while they were meditating.
The birth of Annai Mandhira Paavai
The Siddhas asked about this to Agasthiyar who in turn suggested them to meet Theraiyar for the same. Siddhar Theraiyar accepted their suggestion and promised to help them. Siddhar Theraiyar along with his group of other Siddhas meditated upon Divine Mother Aadhi Parasakthi along with the blessings of Lord Siva and turned certain cosmic vibrations to create a yantra with an associated Beeja mantra (Seed chant).
The centre of this BEEJA SAKTHI YANTRA began vibrating as a powerful force. The Siddhas gave form to this power and thus was Annai Mandhira Paavai born or revealed. Thus, it may be said that the Mother is verily an embodiment of the mantra sakthi of the Siddhas. The Siddhas would then place Her statue in areas where they meditated. In some places, the Siddhas prayed upon the formless Yantra and in other places they achieved the same effect by just reciting the Mandhira Paavai Mantra.
From then on, the Siddhas could meditate undisturbed anywhere they wished, thanks to the Divine protection of Annai Mandhira Paavai.
18 Siddhas
