Mohini avatar and Shiva legend: why Lord Ayyappa is called Harihara Putra
According to the Puranic legend, Ayyappa was born of the union of Shiva and Vishnu's Mohini form, hence the name Harihara Putra.
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Hindu Puranas describe many avatars of Lord Vishnu and several astonishing legends associated with them. The Mohini avatar is considered special among them. It is a well-known legend that Vishnu took the form of Mohini to distribute amrit (the nectar of immortality) during the churning of the ocean. This same Mohini avatar is also linked to the birth story of Lord Shiva and Lord Ayyappa. Because of this legend, Ayyappa is called "Harihara Putra", the son of Hari and Hara.
According to the Puranic legend, after amrit emerged from the churning of the ocean, a struggle began between the gods and the asuras to obtain it. The gods feared that if the asuras got hold of the amrit, the balance of creation could be disturbed. Lord Vishnu then took the form of an enchanting woman, who came to be called "Mohini". With her beauty and wisdom, Mohini seated the gods and the asuras in separate rows and distributed the amrit. According to the legend, the gods received the amrit and the asuras could not.
Some Puranic traditions say that when Lord Mahadev heard of Vishnu's Mohini form, he expressed a wish to see it. Vishnu took the form of Mohini again. Seeing the allure of that form, Mahadev was enchanted for a while, the legend goes. The details of this episode appear to vary somewhat across texts and traditions.
According to the birth story of Ayyappa popular in South India, a son was born from the divine union of Mahadev Shiva and Mohini. That son is Lord Ayyappa. "Hari" is the name of Lord Vishnu and "Hara" is the name of Lord Shiva, which is why he is called "Harihara Putra". In the devotional tradition, this legend is regarded as a symbol of the unity of Shiva and Vishnu.
Ayyappa's principal pilgrimage site is at Sabarimala in Kerala, where large numbers of devotees go for darshan every year. Ayyappa is regarded as a symbol of celibacy, restraint, devotion and equality. Special vows, discipline and the tradition of pilgrimage are important in his worship.
The legend of Ayyappa linked to the Mohini avatar is seen not only as a birth story but also as a way of understanding the relationship among the different divine forms of the Hindu tradition. Details may differ across Puranas and regional legends, so it is important to view this legend in the context of religious faith and tradition.
