Incarnation of Lord Ayyappa Swamy
The Kaliyug Hindu god Ayyappa Swamy is worshipped through India the incarnation of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu has several names such as Harihara sudhan because he is the son of lord Vishnu (Hari) the Saviour and lord Shiva (Haran) the destroyer. Lord Ayyappa Swamy also worshipped in the name of Manikanta since Lord Vishnu gifted the new-born deity with a little bejeweled bell necklace, so this god is called Manikanta Swamy. Other names of Lord Ayyappa Swamy are Dharmasasta, Manikandan, Sathanar, Sastan, Ayyanar, Natrayan, Nattarasan, Bhutanathan, Pandala Raja, Kumararaja ,Shastha, Ariyan and Pamba Vaasan.
Lord Ayyappa Swamy is the deity of this era who is called the ‘Kaliyuga Varadan’ ( Lord of Kali Yuga or modern times) who incarnated in this modern world to save the mankind from total devastation by inflaming spirituality in every human being. Lord Swamy Ayyappa, has the power to control the whole universe against evil.
With the name of Dharma Sastha, lord Ayyappa is considered to be born out of the union between Mohini (an Avatar of Vishnu), and lord Shiva while saving the gods against powerful evil demon Bhasmasura.
So he is the son of Shiva and Vishnu in Mohini form.
The most famous Ayyappa Swamy temple shrine in India on the hills of Sabarimala at Kerala state in thick forest area. This forest abode of Lord Ayyappa is in the Western Ghats of India. Muslims in Kerala also honour him through the legend of Vavar. Millions of devotees visit Shabarimala every year making it the second largest pilgrimage in the world. Lord Ayyappa seated on a tiger atop the hill on a hill known as Sabarigiri later noted as Sabarimala.
History behind incarnation of Lord Ayyappa:
One legend related to the incarnation of lord Ayyappa Swamy is demon Basmasura who worshipped Lord Shiva with difficult penance and obtained boons from him as whomsoever he touches on the head will become ashes. So when the demon granted with such boon he started vanishing everyone and also wanted to test the effect of the boon on Lord Shiva whether it works on gods or not and then he started chasing him.
Lord Shiva requested Lord Vishnu for help. Then Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as Mohini and diverted demon Bhasmasura from Lord Shiva to his side with her appearance and dance and made Basuasura to touch his own head which put him to death. Thus passion of Lord Shiva towards Mohini resulted the birth of Hariraputra Ayyappa.
With this the asura king Mahishasura brother of Bhasmasura burnt up with anger at the trick of gods had pulled on him. Demon king Mahishasura was blessed with invulnerability to all men, the gods had sent goddess Durga, to fight and kill him. Thus, Mahishi the princess sister of Bhasmasura began performing a fearsome set of austerities, and pleased the creator god Brahma. Then lord Vishnu granted her the boon of ruling the universe and being invulnerable except to a being that had the combined strength of both Shiva and Vishnu.
Since then such a person did not exist, so Mahishi thought she was safe and conquer and plunder the world. This made gods get into trouble and implored lord Shiva and lord Vishnu to save them from this disaster. Then lord Vishnu could found a solution to the problem. When lord Vishnu had taken on the Kurma Avatar, he also had to manifest himself as Mohini, the enchantress, to save the nectar of immortality from the demons who were not willing to share it with the gods.
So he decided to became Mohini again, then the female Mohini and the male Shiva could have the divine child who would combine their powers and beat Mahishi. Thus Mahishi was demolished.
It is believed that worshipping Swamy Ayyappa at critical crises will ward away.