BLISS – Bogar

The unique amongst the eighteen siddhars – Boganathar or Bogar, is believed to be still practicing eternal penance, beneath the earth’s surface in Palani. How did he acquire his powers? What did he consider as his mission on earth? How did his Murugan idol in palani sustained through centuries? Let us dive into a pool of facts and philosophies…

Characteristic

“Bogar” means the seeker of happiness through spiritual and materialistic wealth. He had possessed unparallel wisdom in the fields of medicine, astrology, spirituality and yoga.

Bogar-7000, also known as Bogar saptakanda is the masterpiece by Siddhar Bogar, that deals with all aspects of Siddha Medicine, including metals and minerals (alchemy).

Early age

There are two major versions that Bogar belonged to a family of Goldsmiths and in another, Laundry services. It is a popular belief that he was raised in the land of China. Some theory claims that his parents were originally from Tamilnadu and he later moved to China, in pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. He might have been a Buddhist by birth and known by the name of “Bo-Yang”.   

Kalangi Nathar

Kalangi Nathar was the guru of Bogar and he was associated with Kaanja Malai in South India and later migrated to live in China. He spread the knowledge of yoga and acupuncture to the Chinese people. Kalangi Nathar decided to go into Samadhi for a very long time (about thousands of years) and called Bogar to come to China to continue his mission. Kalangi Nathar taught Bogar, all aspects of siddha sciences including the preparation and use of kaya kalpa, an herbal formula to promote longevity. Bogar’s body became radiant with luster after consumption of the herb.

Alchemy and Herbs

After stabilizing his mission in China, Bogar travels south. He came across a siddhar performing severe penance like Sage Valmiki (inside an ant hill), who gave him a talking idol and instructed him to consume a miraculous fruit grown on a tree. The fruit transformed Bogar back to youth and the talking idol shared the secret knowledge of various herbs along with their remedial and magical powers. Upon sharing all wisdom, the talking idol went underground and Bogar continued his journey.

On his way, he encounters a group of Brahmins, who kidded his appearance. At that instance, he recited the four vedas to a cat nearby and the cat participated in the brahmins’ puja recital. Having realized their mistake, they apologized and received Bogar respectfully. He blessed them by converting their possession of normal metal vessels to gold, using alchemy.

Bogar’s Disciples

It was a common practice for siddhars to perform penance in secluded areas of forests and hills, away from human settlements. With the blessings of Dakshinamurthy (Chief Guru), Bogar took a mission to share his wisdom (siddhis) with all human beings.

He had about 63 disciples including – Pulipani, Idaikaarar, Karuvoorar and Sattaimani. His disciples travelled far and wide, to accomplish Bogar’s mission. However, the commoners did not realize their noble cause and often ridiculed the siddhars for their outward appearance.

Sanjeevani mantra

Bogar went in pursuit of the ultimate secret of Sanjeevani mantra and intended to relieve the human kind from their sufferings of disease and death.

A group of nine siddhars showed him the location of the cave (atop a hill) containing the sanjeevani grass and also taught him the divine mantra. Bogar was overjoyed and jumped around the hill, shaking the peace of the secluded place. There were several siddhars on the hill practicing penance for thousands of years which were rendered useless, because of Bogar’s noise. He was cursed by the siddhars that he could never use the sanjeevani mantra for reviving the dead and diseased.

Then, a divine bird pacified Bogar that his intentions (to use sanjeevani mantra) would render the human race immortal and collapse the balance of life on earth. Alternatively, he can use his knowledge (about herbs) to help humans live a disease free and longer life. Bogar accepted the dictum of divine and continued his journey.

China

Bogar traveled between South India and China, learning and sharing his knowledge with other saints and siddhars. The construction details of an aircraft and a steam engine propelled seacraft, were shared with Chinese. The details along with other experiments demonstrated by Bhogar in China, are clearly documented in his work “Saptakanda”.

Brihadeeswara Temple, Tanjore

The world’s first granite temple in Tanjore was built by the famous, Raja Raja cholan. In one of the ancient Tamil scripture “Abinadhanakosam”, a record of Bogar’s assistance to the king is mentioned.

When the Vimana (temple tower or gopuram) work was undertaken, the chief sculptor had suddenly died and the King faced the challenge of lifting the tomb structure (weighing around 80 tons) atop the temple tower which was about 200 feet high.

Bogar, through his disciple – Karuvoorar and other intermediaries, instructed from China, one of the remarkable engineering feats of ancient times. Accordingly, a gradient ramp five miles long was built and the heavy stone was pulled to the top of the temple tower. A small shrine dedicated to the great disciple, Karuvoorar was built behind the Shiva temple marking his contribution.

Kannivadi and Palani

During one of Bogar’s visit to China, he was overpowered with worldly desires and lost all his siddhis, leading the life of an ordinary man. His devoted disciple, Pulipani went in search of his guru and brought him to the place of Kannivadi (South Tamilnadu).

Bogar requested Pulipani to recite the wisdom passed by him. Pulipani recited in front of a stick, as it is a sin for a disciple to teach the guru. Bogar heard this recital and regained his original state and siddhis.

He meditated to seek the grace of the divine mother and she instructed him, to visit Palani and secure the grace of Dhandayuthapani (Lord Muruga).

Navapashanam idol

At the onset of Kali yuga, Bogar convened with several siddhars to discuss about the means to protect human kind from different types of the diseases, that will be prevalent in the upcoming yuga. As an expert, he used 4448 rare herbs and made 9 poisons (Navapashanam). With great knowledge and skill, he mixed the navapashanam and made an idol of Lord Muruga. By pouring milk and panchamirtham (a sweet recipe) over the idol, one can extract the Master medicine that cures all diseases in this kali yuga.

This idol, after centuries of worship, fell into neglect and the place of worship was engulfed by the forest. One night, a king of the Chera Dynasty, who controlled the area between the 2^nd – 5^th century A.D., wandered from his hunting party and took refuge at the foot of the hill. Lord Muruga appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to restore the idol to its former state. The king commenced a search for the idol and after finding it, constructed the temple and re-instituted its worship. This is commemorated by a small stone slab at the foot of the staircase that winds up the hill.

An idol made from the strongest Granite, would have withered through the years. But, Bogar chose the navapashanam and instilled the power to endure and thus last through the centuries of kali yuga.

Resting place

At the top of Palani Hill, near the navapashanam idol, there is an opening in the Earth. It is a hole in the ground leading to the mouth of a cave. Bhogar often lowered himself, sat in the cave and accessed Life’s hidden secrets. At the opening, Bogar erected a shrine for the Divine Mother with yantras and metal icons bearing the inscription of the Goddess Parvathi and her son, Muruga. He also worshipped a small emerald lingam about ten inches in height.

When Bogar felt that his outer work was complete, he entered and sat down in the darkness of the cave. Faithful Pulipani heaved a stone slab over the entrance, sealing Bogar forever in the blackness of this earthen womb.

For thirteen generations Pulipani’s descendants had watched over that stone slab, that marks the gateway to the underground chamber. Long ago, Bogar’s little shrine was set atop that hallowed spot, and even today, is still worshipped by the vigilant sons of the faithful Pulipani.

Though, Bogar is reported to have left the physical plane at Palani, he continues to work on the astral plane, meditating for the welfare of all beings.

Myth Vs. Truth

Life of siddhars is complex and they are often known to exhibit their magical powers. One such power includes the ability to cross ample distance in fraction of a second or in a blink of eye- they can disappear from one place and appear in another, that are miles apart. He visited countries travelling through astral plane and through transmigration.

He is believed to have visited South America, which has been confirmed by the Muycas of Chile:

“Bocha, who gave laws to Muycas, was a white, bearded man, wearing long robes, who regulated the calendar, established festivals, and vanished in time like others (other remarkable teachers who had come across the Pacific according to numerous legends of Incas, Aztecs and Mayans).”

Another popular myth is that Bogar was Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism and the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter – the male Yang and female Yin. This conforms to the concept of Shiva and Shakti in Hindusim.

Bogar was an alchemist and it is to be noted that alchemy as a science was practiced in China only after B.C. 135 and was practiced as an art until B.C. 175. Thereafter, a royal decree was enacted banning alchemical preparation of precious metals and these details are recounted in the two existing Chinese books of alchemy – Shih Chi and Book of Formulas of the Divine Elixir of the Nine Cauldrons.

End-Note

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