yahooyoga: Cleanliness (sucha)

Saucha (Purity) is the first of the Niyama. Saucha means purity or cleanliness, Pure thoughts, Good feelings and the Cleanliness of the body are all aspects of saucha. While bathing and personal hygiene constitute external cleanliness, the practice of Asanas and Pranayama helps us to clean our organs of toxins and impurities and our minds of impure thoughts. Yogis and devout people always purified themselves before commencing their prayers and daily activities. Still more important is the cleansing of the Buddhi (Intellect) of impure thoughts. When one is benevolent one sees the virtues in others and not merely their faults. The respect which one shows for another virtues makes him self respecting as well and helps him to fight his own sorrows and difficulties. Besides purity of body, thought and word, pure food is also necessary.

A long time ago there lived a powerful king in Kashmir. Unfortunately, he contracted a disease called leprosy. Physicians and healers were called from far and wide to cure the king, but none of them succeeded. The king then decided to go on a pilgrimage. He traveled far and wide and met many holy men and saints, but none could help him. At long last he arrived at the temple town of chidambaram. To purify himself before entering the shrine the king took a dip in the temple tank. When he steeped out of the water, the king noticed that his body had been cleaned of the dreaded disease. His deformities were removed and his whole body sparkled with health and vigor.

The King's joy knew no bounds. Pure in body and mind he offered his thanks to Lord Shiva in the ancient temple. He then made a generous grant whereby the ancient temple was enlarged and made more glorious.