WHY TO ADDRESS AS SWAMI AYYAPPAN

Why to address everyone as swami Ayyappan?

Because of our attachment to our body and senses, we are under the grip of Maya and so see and perceive different names and forms instead of the "One" reality, Brahman or Consciousness.  To give up this non-duality of various names and forms, the spiritual Ayyappa devotee addresses everyone as "Swami Ayyappa". The beauty of whole Vrutham is that the devotee never uses the word  "I" or "You", the words of the Ego.  He addresses himself as Ayyappa and others as Ayyappa. Thus he identifies all names and forms as One, Ayyappa, One Consciousness, which is pure Advaita (non-duality).

Not only in Ayyappa Vrutham one does not mention one’s name or other’s names but also never addresses even relationships.  There is no addressing of mother, father, brother, sister, friend, enemy, aunt, uncle, etc. Everything is in fact only one supreme Consciousness.

He addresses others also as Swami and he is supposed to consider not only man, but beasts, trees and everything else as essentially divine.  He considers the Deity in any temple as a different form of Lord Ayyappa only. He is supposed to look at everything, whether living or non-living, as the manifestation of the one Truth-Lord Ayyappa. The donkeys that carry the goods up the mountains to Sabarimala temple, are ‘Kazhutha Swami-s’ (Kazhutha means donkey).