kshetrapuranas

From the Darkness and into the Light, Thirukkoviloor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 5

2011-11-21T01:45:00.011-05:00

तमसोमा ज्योतिर्गमय |

“Lead me from the Darkness, unto Glorious Light”

Ah! The joy of stepping out from a dark and dank room into the bright and glowing sun; the sighs of relief when the power is restored at home, flickering up that solitary 10W bulb; the sight of a glorious fire burning away in the midst of the dark forest; and the familiar comfort of the teasing words ‘பல்பு எரியுதா?’ as you try to scratch your head in search of knowledge… Radiance, brightness, luminance, glow, sparkle, or whatever else you may call it, the very thought of ‘Light’ churns up a picture of warmth and happiness in our minds. It is this ecstasy of being led from the gloom into the glow, which can only be so much explained than experienced, that is requested for in the above verse from the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad.

Technically speaking, darkness is nothing more than the absence of light, the absence of knowledge, and the absence of direction. Fortunately or not-so-fortunately, it so happens that we often end up being smothered or misled, by these very absences of light or knowledge or direction, to the deepest lairs of gloom. Not many are known to have escaped from the all-pervading fingers of darkness, and almost every man ends up having a dark side, walking through a dark period of life, cherishing a dark secret, kindling a dark yearning, and enjoying a dark what-not! Sometimes, we remain so blind; we hardly realize that we are in our darkest hour yet.

So, from where do we derive that one glorious spark that is capable of driving away the darkness within? While some say that a loved one, like a family member or a trusted friend, is perhaps the best source of inspiration, for many others, it maybe the occurrence of a single event that eventually jolts them out of their nightmares. However, for a majority of us, the guidance has to come from within. The scriptures claim that the super-soul that resides within each of us; that spark of divinity that keeps our life-forces kindled up, is the sole provider of the light that is capable of drawing us out of the darkness. But of course, if the darkness has crept in to such an extent that there may be no return possible, then, the very same spark can simply destroy the individual - which will be the whole point of our post today!

Long, long ago, the Goddess of spring, Vasantha, found herself to be in a very elated mood. She danced around on her toes, touching everything around her, infusing them with the same sense of joy that prevailed in her heart. Soon, the trees were sagging under the weight of their own nectar-laden flowers and big ripe fruits, the rivers ran full, making gurgling noises, with the fish jumping in and out of the flowing waters, the air was charged with the buzz of insects flying hither-thither and the contented cries of various animals that roamed the forests, and even the people of earth, the greedy and jealous human-beings, paused to enjoy the beautiful show that Vasantha was putting up for them. Everything was just too good to be true, and everyone was just too joyful to be normal.

On the slopes of Mandhara...

The gracious dance of Vasantha not only enraptured the lower souls residing on the earth, but also managed to sing its way into the hearts of the divine couple, Shiva and Parvathi, as they relaxed on the many mountains of the Himalayas. As the beauty of spring unfolded on the chilly vistas of Mount Mandhara, the divine couple roamed through the beautiful orchards and gardens that adorned the mountain slopes, dancing gently in-tune to the chirps of insects, enjoying the fresh aroma of every new blossom, and blessing every blade of grass that touched their sacred feet. The beauty of his own creation stunned Shiva, very much like a mother in awe of the prettiness of her own child, and he sat down to breathe in the ecstasy that was brimming through the three worlds. Just as charmed by the splendor of spring, Parvathi’s heart soared with happiness, and in a moment of playfulness, she crept up behind Shiva and closed his two eyes with her palms.

Darkness descended on the world like a thick veil, as the Lord of the universe, who sustained in his two eyes the sun and the moon, was momentarily blinded by the all pervasive Mother. Instinctively, Parvathi went numb with fear, unable to comprehend the reason behind the sudden cover of darkness, and she started sweating profusely from her palms – big globs of sweat that rolled down Shiva’s cheek. Almost simultaneously, Shiva opened his third-eye, which bore Agni, in an attempt to provide heat and light to the now dark world. Sweat from the Mother’s palms merged with the heat from the Father’s eye, and the thus fertilized sweat-drops rolled down to the ground. At around the same time, realization suddenly dawned on Parvathi, and she quickly withdrew her palms from Shiva’s eyes.

Sighs of relief went up as glorious light flooded through every corner of the earth, filling it up with a sense of life and happiness that was never seen before. The whole world, together with all the trees, animals, and humans, eagerly sucked in bursts of fresh air, as though they had just been born again.

While the citizens of earth celebrated their miraculous escape from near-doomsday conditions, Parvathi stood rooted to the ground; her eyes fixed on a spot near Shiva’s feet, where her sweat had fallen. There, in the place of her potent sweat, lay the ugliest baby that she had ever set her eyes upon. It was as dark as the night itself, sporting a fully-grown beard, a bushy moustache, jet-black matted hair, and humungous eyes that were totally white. The baby was as blind as a bat. A whole minute passed in absolute silence, with the exception of Parvathi’s racing heart-beats and raspy breaths, and then it happened…

The baby opened its tiny mouth and shrieked. Immediately, Parvathi’s and Shiva’s hands flew up to their ears, trying to block out the cacophony that was shredding the air around them. Somehow, the child had been born with the ‘incredible’ ability to screech like a hyena, a peacock, and a wolf, all rolled into one. Totally disgusted by the ugly looks and the horrendous cries of the baby, Parvathi fled from the scene, without even giving a second glance.

Shiva slowly looked at the bundle that lay cuddled up at his feet. Bending over, he picked up the baby cautiously, lest it screamed again, and spoke to it in cajoling tones. “You are one strong guy aren’t you, Andhaka (Andhaa – Blind)? Yes, that is your name. A-N-D-H-A-K-A. You will henceforth be called so, by one and all.”

Now, it became evident to Shiva that Andhaka would be less than welcome at his icy palaces at the top of Kailasha, given the look of repulsion on Uma’s face when she had laid her yes upon him. So where was this child to go? Who will bring him up as a person worthy of having been born from Uma’s sweat? The answer came in the form of Hiranyaksha.

Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, the sons of Diti and Kashyapa, were powerful Asura kings who terrorized the heavens and the earth alike. Hiranyakashipu, the elder brother, was wedded to Khayathu and she bore him four sons – Prahalada, Anuhrada, Samhrada and Hrada. Unfortunately, the same blessings, of being parents, were not bestowed upon Hiranyaksha and his wife Vrishadbhanu. Desiring a child, Hiranyaksha retired to the forests to invoke the blessings of the gods through intense penance and meditation. Even as he sat in the midst of a clearing, offering oblations to the Sacred Fire, Shiva appeared before him, carrying the newborn Andhaka in his arms.

“Hiranyaksha, I am pleased with your invocations, and I am also aware of the purpose of your penance. Unfortunately, you will never be a father, Hiranya. The stars foretell that and I see no reason to change what has been written. However, I am offering you a son, who is invincible, and extraordinarily powerful. Bring him up as your own and he will add glory to the Asura race.” Saying so, Shiva handed over Andhaka to an elated Hiranyaksha and vanished into the thin air. Good riddance!

The arrival of a foster son made Hiranyaksha proud and conceited. He soon increased his atrocities and tortures, and made life unbearable for the common people, the rishis and the Devas. Eventually, he picked up Mother Earth, tucked her under his muscled arms and went on to hide under the oceans. Shocked with his ruthless behavior, the Devas, headed by Brahma, appealed to MahaVishnu to save the Earth and all the others from the relentless deeds of Hiranyaksha. Thankfully, heeding to their prayers, Vishnu took the form of Varaaha, the divine boar, dived into the oceans, killed Hiranyaksha and rescued the earth.

The death of Hiranyaksha presented the Asura kingdom with a complicated situation. Tradition demanded Andhaka, the son of Hiranyaksha, to be the next in-line on the throne of the Asura clan. However, Andhaka was blind, ugly, and moreover, he lacked the charisma that is required for successful leadership. Seeing no other way, Sukracharya, the Asura-mentor, installed Hiranyakashipu on the throne.

Hiranyakashipu proved to be worse than Hiranyaksha, and redoubled his brother’s effort at terrorizing the innocent. He also nursed a growing grudge against Vishnu, whom he considered to be the murderer of his beloved brother. He destroyed all the temples dedicated to the various gods, and installed gigantic statues of himself instead. However, he met severe resistance from his young son, Prahalada, a staunch devotee of MahaVishnu who refused to stop chanting the sacred Ashtaakshara. Ignoring the fact that he was his own son, Hiranyakashipu ordered his guards to torture Prahalada until he saw sense, but only in vain. In the end, unable to see his devotee in any more pain, Vishnu emerged from a pillar as Narasimha (the man-lion) and tore apart Hiranya, killing him instantly, thus freeing the world of yet another menace. Later, Vishnu himself crowned Prahalada as the emperor of the Asura clan, and blessed him with long life, fame, and prosperity.

Now, the crowning of Prahalada was a tad too much for our Andhaka, who was already feeling down-in-the-dumps because of his lack of sight. Neither was he respected at the palace, nor was he allowed to indulge in the luxuries that were open to the others. He could neither go hunting, nor play ball, nor roam around in the gardens, nor enjoy the dances by the ravishingly beautiful royal danseuse. And now, to add more salt to the wound, he would never get an opportunity to be the king either. Life had been so ‘kind’ to him

Deeply disappointed by his own piteous state, Andhaka shunned everything that he owned, and retired to the forests to meditate upon Brahma. There, for a thousand years, he focused all his concentration on the form of the Four-Headed God, while he chopped off chunks of flesh from his body and offered it into the sacrificial fire. At long last, not being able to stand any more self-destruction of Shiva’s own son, Brahma appeared before Andhaka.

“Andhaka! Arise, Oh child! You have achieved your goal, and here I stand before you. Anything that you ask will be yours.” said Brahma, and then as an after-thought, he added, “Conditions apply though!”

Delighted with Brahma’s appearance, Andhakaasura prostrated before him and laid forward his three-part request. “Brahmadeva! I have been spurned all my life due to my blindness and my gory appearance. Pray, bestow me with vision and a beautiful body, as also a long, deathless life to make up for all that I have missed out on.”

Brahma shook all his four heads (a funny sight it must have been) and said, “Andhaka, I will grant you sight right away, as also the fine-looking body that you desire, but the final boon, I am afraid, you have to let go of it. Everything that is born must die. Everything that is created must, one day, be destroyed. This is the Cosmic Law, and I cannot play around with it. If you so desire, choose the condition under which you may die, and I will gladly grant you your wish.”

Andhaka’s brain immediately sprang into action, trying to choose between the various near-impossible death-scenarios that were running around his head. Finally, after much head-scratching and nail-biting, Andhaka looked up at Brahma. “Since you say that I must face death, let a woman be the reason for me to do so. The woman should be ravishingly beautiful, and should be like a mother unto me. Let me die when I descend to such a level of vulgarity, that I nurture lust towards her, for then I will no longer deserve to live anymore.”

Brahma, fully aware of the secret behind Andhaka’s birth and the identity of his true mother, mused inwardly at the plays of fate. “Granted Andhaka! May you live a long life and attain eternal fame.”

Made nearly-invincible by the virtue of Brahma’s boon, Andhaka returned to the kingdom, which was his birthright. His once proud and haughty cousins now trembled before the sight of him. Willingly, they heaped up all their riches at his feet and offered back their individual kingdoms. Andhaka smiled within. He had finally been accorded with the respect that he had always deserved.

In an act of joyous magnanimity, he gave back the kingdoms and the acquired wealth to his kith and kin, and crowned himself as the supreme emperor of the Asura clan. Andhaka, established a magnificent city at the foot-hills of the Mandhara Mountain and ruled over his Asura brothers from the capital. Soon, armed with his power, Andhaka took to invading Amaravathi. The glorious city of Indra was stripped of all its legendary wealth, and the Devas and Gandharvas were locked up in ghastly prisons. Now, Andhaka turned his sight towards the Netherworlds, and soon the mighty inhabitants of the Pathala found themselves in the company of the imprisoned Devas. Andhaka’s hordes did not spare anyone on earth either. They tortured innocent Brahmins, killed unwary travelers, destroyed sacrificial fires, tore down temples, and assaulted harmless women. The performance of daily rituals, the observance of monthly festivals, and the offering of seasonal sacrifices to the gods were all banned in Andhaka’s kingdom. Consequentially, the lands dried up and the rains failed to arrive on time. Thousands of years passed by thus, and people suffered everywhere – frightened, hungry, and ashamed of their fates. Andhaka, however, continued to enjoy the availability of lavish food, excellently aged-wine, and voluptuous women at his bedside.

One fine day, Andhaka was suddenly overcome with a desire to go on a trek in the lush green slopes of Mount Mandhara. Together with three of his trusted ministers (and equally crooked ones too), Duryodhana, Vighasa and Hasti, he started riding up the slopes. Soon, it was noon and the overhead sun scorched down on their backs. The ministers bade Andhaka to sit down under a shady tree, whilst they busied themselves with preparations for lunch. And the fateful happened – Vighasa stumbled upon a large cave. Inside, in the very depths of the cavernous structure, sat an aged ascetic engaged in meditation. A garland of human skulls adorned his torso and his hair was arranged in a knotted pile. With a crescent moon tucked into his hair, he sat on tiger skin, oblivious of his surroundings. Regular boring forest stuff!

But wait, who was that? In the brightness of the glow that suffused from the ascetics body, Vighasa had nearly missed out the woman who sat besides the ascetic. Emitting her very own aura, the woman was captivatingly beautiful. If all of feminine beauty, grace and chastity were to take one form, then that very form was there in the cave, sitting besides the ascetic. Vighasa’s gapingly open mouth failed to close and drool dripped out copiously. “She would be the perfect wife for the emperor, and in finding her, I would become his closest aide.” Excited by future prospects, Vighasa dashed back to Andhaka.

“My lord”, he said, panting heavily from the mountain running, “I have found her… I have found her… I have found the one woman who would be the ideal bride for you. Nay! In all senses, you are the only fit groom for her… She oozes beauty, charm, and character, and… and… I think it is best you see her to judge for yourself. She sits in the cave by the summit of the mountain, by the side of an ascetic who is blatantly unconscious of the ravishing beauty sitting beside.”

Andhaka’s face burst into a wide smile at the end of Vighasa’s excited narration. Lust blinded his judgement and soon enough his mind was going places. “What are you doing here then, you insane beings? Lead me to the cave.” he bellowed.

At this open order, the Asura generals escorted Andhaka back to the cave. Standing at the mouth of the gigantic subterranean chamber, Vighasa challenged the ascetic. “Ey! Aged saint! What use do you have for such a gorgeous wife? Why do you, who have already renounced the pleasures of the flesh, still keep her by your side? Give her to our Lord, the great Andhaka. He is rich, powerful, handsome, and is the ruler of the three worlds. Your wife would be fortunate enough to be his chief queen. Give her up and continue your penance in peace. Resist and you shall live no more.”

The ascetic, who, you must have realized by now, was none other than Maheshwara himself, briefly smiled at them. “If your leader is all that you claim him to be, ask him to come and take her away.”

Provoked thus, Andhaka grabbed his sword and charged to the cave, followed closely by his three generals. Shiva jumped down from his seat, bent low, and faced the attack. Instantaneously, the Asuras fell upon him like a pack of hunting dogs, only to be flung back like a bundle of sticks. There was a blur of sudden movements, and before they could even gather their senses, the generals lay panting on the floor, moaning and bleeding, but thankfully alive. Andhaka looked up at the ascetic with a blend of shock and fear, and in a flash he scuttled out of the cave. Looking up at the back of their quickly retreating king, the Asura generals too followed his lead and ran as fast as their bruised bodies could take them.

As he watched the Asuras running away, Shiva realized that the time was ripe for Andhaka’s life to come to an end. Andhaka himself had set the ball rolling when he had come in search of Uma. Turning around to Parvathi, he said, “It is time, Shakthi. He has to die and it must happen in accordance with Brahma’s boon. Pray, continue to stay in this cave for some time. He is bound to return sooner or later.” Parvathi bowed to her husband, “Have I ever gone against your orders, my Lord?” Shiva smirked and summoned Nandi, his trusted vehicle. “Nandi, guard the cave and protect Parvathi. I will return when the instant is right.”

Back at the foot hills of Mount Mandhara, Andhaka writhed with shame, disgust, anger, and most of all - uncontrollable lust. His very body felt like it was on flames. He could neither sleep, nor lie awake. He could neither eat nor drink. He felt weak and cheated. He had to lay his hands on her. The ascetic (if he really was one) had never allowed for even a fleeting glimpse at the woman. “Shame on you Andhaka!” he thought to himself.

Soon enough, his desire got the better of him, and just like Shiva had told Parvathi, Andhaka made a beeline for the cave. Only this time, he was accompanied by the entire strength of his military, complete with cavalry, infantry, and chariots. Andhaka marched on confidently, until he found himself facing Nandi. “Move!” he yelled, waving his hands sideways.

Nandi did move, only that he moved forward, knocking down Andhaka. Andhaka howled with fury, and war immediately broke out between Nandi and Andhaka’s generals. Time and again, Nandi drove back the vast Asura forces, only to be attacked yet again. Andhaka was not the one to give up easily. He repeatedly attacked the cave from different strategic positions and egged on his army to give their best fight. The war continued for over 500 years.

Inside the cave, as Parvathi anxiously awaited the arrival of her spouse, the feminine powers of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, Indra, Kumara, Varaaha, and Chandamunda manifested as Braahmi, Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Aindri, Kaumari, Vaaraahi, and Chamunda (the Sapthamatrkas or Seven little Mothers) to offer protection to Uma. Together they waited in the cave, anticipating Shiva’s involvement in the battle.

Nandi was still valiantly battling with the Asura forces outside the cave, when help came in the form of Vishnu, Brahma, Agni, Indra and the other Devas. Sensing that the battle may soon end up in favor of the enemies, Vighasa, used his magical skills to turn himself into a gigantic mountain python, and in one large gulp he swallowed all of the enemy soldiers. Startled by this ploy, Nandi stood rooted to the ground, too numb to raise his weapons. And that was all that the Asuras needed. Making use of Nandi’s momentary loss of senses, the Asura forces managed to force themselves into the cave, only to be driven back by a powerful arrow that came whizzing at them. Like a perfectly launched missile, the arrow found its target and rammed into the head of the python that was Vighasa. SMACK!!! Blood-Shower!!!

Vighasa crashed into the ground, and his body split open. The ingested gods and Devas tore themselves out of Vighasa’s viscera and looked around for signs of their timely savior. With a blinding flash of light, Shiva rode out of the cave, His hands wielding the magnificent Pinaka bow and the resplendent trident, while across his back was strapped a quiver full of arrows. With sacred ash sparkling on His spotlessly white torso, and his throat shimmering like a brilliant sapphire, he rode majestically astride Nandi’s back. And besides Him, competing with Him in all aspects of charm, beauty, and grace, sat Parvathi. Clad in glistening shades of silk and gold, she appeared like the noon day sun, shining amidst the pearly white clouds. Instantly, the Devas prostrated before the divine couple, singing their praises.

नमः शिवाभ्यां वृषवाहनाभ्यां विरिंञ्चिविष्णिवन्द्रसुपूजिताभ्याम् |

विभूतिपाटीरविलेपनाभ्यां नमोनमः शंकरपार्वतीभ्याम् || - उमामहेश्वरस्तोत्रं

"Salutations to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shivaa, who ride of the divine bull

Who are worshipped by Vishnu, Brahma, and Indra,

And whose bodies are anointed with sandal and holy ash,

Salutations to that Lord Shankara and that Goddess Parvathi "

- Umaamaheshwara Stotram

However, it was not just the Devas who were overcome with the appearance of the divine couple. Andhaka too, stood transfixed at the sight - for a different reason altogether. He just couldn’t take his eyes off the ravishingly beautiful woman riding alongside Shiva. “She must be the one.” he thought. “Vighasa was not wrong. She alone is worthy of being my queen. If she is to be mine, I would fight many thousands of battles like this one.” As his carnal desires invaded his senses, so did death begin to invade him - by the very power of his own boon from Brahma, for he had indeed lusted on a woman who was his very creator, his very own mother, and the mother of every other life on this earth.

“Soldiers!” bellowed Andhaka. “CHARGE!!!”

The Devas and the Asuras fell on each other once again. With the Lord in their midst, the Devas fought with a new found zest and decapitated many of the gory Asuras, but by some magic, not understood by the Devas, the dead Asuras woke up, as though from a deep slumber, and continued their fight. It was then that a few Devas discovered the source of the Asuras’ apparent immortality. The Asura preceptor and the Kula Guru of Andhaka, Sukracharya, an unequalled scholar and a great saint, was hovering around the battle field breathing life into the dead Asura soldiers, utilizing his mastery in the Mritha Sanjeevini Mantra (A secret chant capable of revoking the dead). The enraged Devas captured Sukra and turned him into a fruit. They then offered the fruit to Neelakantha, and requested him to ingest it. Shiva too consumed the fruit, thus bringing an end to the continuous revival of the dead Asuras.

Soon, in a short span of time, much of the Asura army lay wounded or dead. Andhaka stood on the field, a lonely warrior. And nothing seemed to deter him from fighting further. He singlehandedly battled against the large sea of Devas, but surprisingly, none of their weapons had any effect on Andhaka whatsoever. Vishnu’s Sudarshana, Indra’s Vajrayudha, the Agneyaastra of Agni, and even Shiva’s Pashupataastra failed to deliver their highly extolled results. On the contrary, to the utter dismay of the Devas, every little drop of blood that oozed out from Andhaka’s body gave rise to a new Andhaka the moment it hit the ground. Before long, the battlefield was overrun with thousands of Andhaka-clones, each as powerful and as talented as the original. Andhaka’s fallen blood also ran in tiny rivulets in all directions, crisscrossing the battlefield, forming 64 squares, in a chessboard like pattern. The Devas stood stunned, not knowing what to do and where to run. Pandemonium reigned on the battle-field.

Shiva was determined to bring the situation under control and with his powers he created a goddess, Bhairavi, from his right shoulder. She had several heads, each endowed with a long tongue hanging out of the mouth, and in her arms she held an enormous bowl. “Devi, do not let his blood spill onto the ground. Either drink it up or collect it in the Kapaala.” ordered Shiva. He also created 64 Bhairavas and stationed them in each of the 64 blood-etched squares to drink any stray blood. With Bhairavi efficiently running around the battle field, drinking up any blood that happened to fall, and the Bhairavas doing their work equally well, Shiva soon managed to destroy all the shadow-Andhakas who had populated the battleground. The real Andhaka once again stood alone on the field, his eyes still mesmerized with Parvathi’s extraordinary beauty. Lust, anger, and shame roiling within him, Andhaka charged forward with a blood-curdling howl.

Andhakaasura Samhaaram

In the blink of an eye, with an earth shattering roar, Shiva jumped from Nandi’s back, thrust his Trishula into Andhaka’s chest and lifted him high up. The Devas leaped in delight, their shouts of glee shaking the very heavens. Andhaka was finished!!!

Gangaala Moorthi

Amidst loud shouts of relief and elation, Shiva handed the trident with the impaled Andhaka to Rudra, one of his very many manifestations. Rudra gladly accepted the trident, and bearing it on his right shoulder, he danced around the world to the rhythm of his ‘Kodukotti’ (a small hand held drum) – a dance of joy and victory. One of Shiva’s Bhootha Ganas followed Rudra everywhere and drank up every drop of blood that trickled out of Andhaka’s corpse. Later, he was blessed with the fortune of being one of the Navagrahas – Angaaraka (Mars). (This form of Shiva, carrying an impaled Andhaka over his shoulders is widely worshipped as Gangaala Moorthi and is one of the 64 Maheshwara Moorthams. He is often depicted with all his paraphernalia including the drum, the following Bhootha Gana, and a deer which is shown to be eating Durva grass from one of Gangaalar’s hands. He is swathed in tiger skins and wears many serpents as his body ornaments.)

Shiva, the untainted and the benevolent, however, revived Andhaka and appointed him as one of his Bhootha Ganas. He was christened Bhringireeda by Parameshwara and was given a place amongst the ranks of the fortunate few who serve the Lord at Kailasha. (Bhringireeda is usually represented as a skeletal figure, to emphasize the lack of blood and other body fluids which were drained by Gangaala.) Shiva also freed Sukracharya, who was imprisoned in his stomach, and warned him about the possible catastrophic consequences of the Mritha Sanjeevini Mantra. With everything now back in order, and the world being a more peaceful place yet again, Shiva retreated back into the cave with Parvathi to continue his penance and meditation.

Spiritually, Andhaka’s story bluntly reminds us of our incapacity to recognize and make use of the boons that we have been blessed with. So often, we overlook our gifts and blessings in the quest for objects of far lesser worth. It also teaches us to make our choices after considerable contemplation, for some boons could be curses in disguise. Most of the time, it is far simpler to look up to God and leave everything unto him, rather than subjecting ourselves to disastrous consequences.

The story of Andhaka’s birth, his rise to power, and his ultimate death at the hands of Shiva is narrated in words and phrases in the Shiva MahaPurana and the Shivaparakrama texts. However, at the ancient shrine of Shiva at Thirukkoviloor, the legend of Andhakaasura is preserved and celebrated in stone and colour. The temple at Thirukkoviloor is steeped in ages and has been glorified in the Thevaram and other Shaiva Thirumurais. It is the oldest of the Ashta Veerattaanas and is categorized as the second Veerattaana Sthala. It has been sanctified by the visits of several notable saints and yogis of the past and recent times, including Avvaiyar, ThirugnanaSambandhar, Arunagirinathar and Ramana Maharishi. I too was blessed with the fortune of visiting the temple during my recent trip to India, and I was truly spellbound by its antiquity and cultural richness.

The presiding deity at Thirukkoviloor is Veeratteshwarar and the goddess goes by the names of Periya Nayagi and Sivaananda Valli. They are enshrined in separate temple compounds, each with its own Rajagopuram, Vimana, and Mandapas. Once upon a time, during its hay day, the temple premises were spread over several acres of land. Sadly, owing to lack of funds for upkeep and maintenance, it has now shrunk to a fraction of its past size. Nevertheless, it still stands tall by the southern banks of the Pennai river, housing a number of sub-shrines, each with its own fascinating story to tell or an appealing trivia to know about.

Presiding Deities - Veeratteshwarar & Sivaananda Valli

On entering the Swami temple and crossing the outer Prakaara, we enter into a Mandapa leading into the sanctum. The Swami temple is filled with interesting frescoes and paintings from the Pallava period, which are badly in need of a restoration. Straight ahead, housed in a large sanctum, is the Swayambhu Linga of Veeratteshwara. The Lord is believed to be present in his Bhairava manifestation, and hence is known to liberate devotees from the clutches of black magic and voodooists. In the dark sanctum, lit by a few twinkling lamps, the Linga Swaroopa stands out clearly, reinforcing the guaranteed destruction of darkness in the devotee’s heart once it has been offered to Eeshwara. Since Sukracharya was forgiven by the Lord at Thirukkoviloor, the shrine of Veeratteshwarar is also believed to grant relief to people who suffer from Sukra Dosha.

Samhaara Moorthi and Bhairavi - Marvels in Bronze

Samhaara Moorthi - older idols

Immediately to the left of the sanctum is the shrine of Andhakaasura Samhaara Moorthi. The older bronze idol, which has been receiving worship for several centuries, was recently replaced with a shining new bronze masterpiece (The older idols were quite different from the new ones and I believe that they are still being offered worship in the inner sanctum.) Shiva is shown to be holding Andhakaasura high up, impaled in his Trishula. He has several arms, each bearing a different weapon, and stands aloft, with one foot placed on the head of a Bhootha Gana. No amount of words can describe the flawless depiction of the angry face and the perfect poise. Also present are individual idols of the Goddess Tripura Bhairavi, who holds a dagger and a large basin for collecting Andhaka’s blood, Sukracharya, paying his obeisance to the mighty Lord, Daakini Pakshi, and of Parvathi. Each of the bronze idols is an excellent example of Dravidian workmanship and dedication. The bronze garlands of human skulls which adorn the torsos of Samhaara Moorthi and Tripura Bhairavi, are masterpieces by themselves.

Ashtabhuja Durga - the goddess comes alive!

Facing the Samhaara Moorthi shrine is the small wall-shrine dedicated to Ashtabhuja Durga. Devotees throng to her during the Rahu-Kaala poojas on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and light hundreds of lamps fashioned from the rinds of freshly squeezed lemons. When the priest waves the lamps before her serene face, her eyes come alive, and one can see the whites of her eyes as well as the pacifying black pupils. For a few moments it feels like she is right there, like a mother, assuring us with her gaze full of love.

Further down the Prakaara corridor is the Bhairavar shrine. Thirukkoviloor was where Shiva created 64 Bhairavas and their consorts, the 64 Bhairavis. Hence, the Bhairavar shrine is as equally exalted as the main deity’s. Regular Yagnas and Homas are conducted before Bhairavar on Ashtami days to rid the world of evil forces and to offer protection to the vast cosmos.

If one was look up at the ceiling diagonally opposite from the Bhairavar shrine, one would be surprised to see a bas-relief sculpture of Vaasthu Purusha. Usually, temples do not have any idols or pictures of the Vaasthu Purusha. However, Thirukkoviloor is an exception, for this was the very place where the concept of Vaasthu was first perceived. The 64 Bhairavas, who manifested from Shiva to occupy the 64 squares of Andhaka’s blood, are worshipped together with the squares as the traditional Vaasthu Mandala. During a Vaasthu Shanthi/Vaasthu Dosha Nivarthi poojas, these 64 Bhairavas are invoked to protect the house or building from all the 8 different directions. For this reason, Thirukkoviloor is a favorite destination for people who plan to build houses or office buildings. Often, after the Vaasthu pooja, the devotees take one or two stones from within the temple precincts and use it as the foundation stone for their constructions.

Periya Aanai Ganapathi

On completing the circumambulation of the sanctum, we come across twin shrines on either side of the main door, facing the sanctum. Both these shrines are of enormous importance in Tamizh devotional literature. At the south west corner of the temple is the shrine devoted to Periya Aanai Ganapathi. Avvaiyar, the grand-old lady of Tamizh literature, is said to have visited the shrine during her pilgrimage to Thirukkoviloor. When Avvai was blissfully worshipping Ganesha, she suddenly looked skywards to see Cheramaan Perumaan riding on a while horse and Sundarar riding on a white elephant (Sundarar and Cheramaan Perumaan are two of the Arupatthimoovars - the 63 Shaiva devotees from all walks of society who excelled in their devotion towards Maheshwara). They were heading towards Kailasha to offer their customary prayers to Shiva. Overcome with a desire to join them in their journey, she rushed forward with her worship in haste. Disturbed by Avvai’s change, Ganesha appeared before her and demanded, “Avvai, why are you in such a hurry?” When Avvai told him the reason, Ganesha laughed. “My dear Avvai! Continue your worship at your own pace. I promise you, that at the end of it, I will take you to Kailasha before the other two even reach there.” True to his words, at the end of Avvai’s pooja, Ganesha lifted her up in his trunk and placed her right besides Shiva and Parvathi at Kailasha (Since Ganesha had assumed a gigantic form to carry Avvaiyar to Kailasha, he came to be known as Periya Aanai Ganapathi). Overcome with his grace, Avvai burst forth into a beautiful Tamizh hymn glorifying the greatness of Ganesha. These verses are today sung across the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu as the famous Vinayagar Agaval.

சீதக் களபச் செந்தா மரைப்பூம்

பாதச் சிலம்பு பலஇசைப் பாடப்

பொன் அரை ஞாணும் பூந்துகில் ஆடையும்

வன்ன மருங்கில் வளர்ந்து அழகுஎ றிப்பப்

பேழை வயிறும், பொரும்பாரக் கோடும்

வேழ முகமும் விளங்கு சிந்தூரமும்

அஞ்சு கரமும் அங்குச பாசமும்

நெஞ்சிற் குடிகொண்ட நீல மேனியும்

நான்ற வாயும் நாலிரு புயமும்

மூன்று கண்ணும் மும்மதச் சுவடும்

இரண்டு செவியும் இலங்குபொன் முடியும்

திரண்ட முப்புரிநூல் திகழொளி மார்பும்

சொற்பதம் கடந்த தூய மெய்ஞ்ஞான

அற்புதம் நிறைந்த கற்பகக் களிறே! - விநாயகர் அகவல்
“With the anklets on your red hibiscus-like sandal anointed feet,
merrily singing lilting tunes,
the golden girdle, and the flower-soft clothes,
shining in the beautiful colors of the rainbow,
and your large paunch, weighty tusks,
Elephantine face with saffron smeared on the forehead,
the five hands, bearing the goad and the noose,
and your blue-hued body attracting our minds,
your pendulous jaws, four mighty shoulders,
the three eyes, and the required three holy marks,
fan like ears, your gleaming golden crown,
and the breast aglow with the sacred triple-thread.
O Being, we contemplate on thee! Bright and beautiful!
The wish-yielding elephant
born of the Master of Mystery at Kailasha” – Vinayagar Agaval

Avvai's journey to Kailasha - a bas-relief

The second of the twin shrines is dedicated to Shanmugar, the second son of Shiva and Parvathi. It is believed that it was indeed Karthikeya who was responsible for the name of the town. When Karthikeya was looking around for a suitable place to perform Shiva pooja to absolve himself of the sin of vanquishing SooraPadma, Parvathi is said to have come to his help. She took Karthikeya’s weapon, the Vel (lance), and threw it earthwards. The place where the Vel fell came to be known as ‘Thiru-Kai-Vel-oor’ (The city of the holy Vel from Her hand), which got perverted into its present day form of Thirukkoviloor. The monolithic idol of Shanmugar is stunning to behold, complete with six heads, twelve hands bearing various weapons, Valli and Devayanai, all housed beneath an intricately carved Thiruvaachi (Decorative Arch). Both Avvaiyar and Arunagirinathar (Thiruppugazh verses) are said to have sung verses in praise of the Shanmugar shrine at Thirukkoviloor.

There are also several smaller shrines dedicated to Somaskandar, Varadaraaja Perumal, Natarajar, Gajalakshmi, Ardhanaareswarar, Vishwanathar, Surya, Arupatthimoovar, Naalvar (Appar, Sundarar, Thirugnanasambandhar and Maanikka Vaasagar), Ayyanaar, Sapthamaatrkas, Veerabhadra, and the Navagrahas. Since it is a Maha Bhairava Kshetra, the temple is a potent Sani, Raahu and Kethu Dosha Nivarthi Sthala. Also, since Brihaspati is said to have obtained favours from Shiva at Thirukkoviloor, it also serves as a Guru Prarthana Sthala.

The goddess, Periya Nayagi, is housed in a separate temple complex. Many years ago, there was a passage connecting the Swami temple with the goddess' shrine, which no longer exists. The goddess is shown to be standing, with four hands, two of them holding lotus buds and the other two in the Abhaya and Varada Mudras. Her ears are adorned with ear-rings that have the Sri-Chakra inscribed onto them. She is believed to be eternally meditating on the blissful form of Shiva, in repentance for having closed his eyes, and hence she is also known as Sivaananda Valli.

Meiporul Nayanar's deception!

The temple also houses the samadhi of Meiporul Nayanar, another one of the Arupatthimoovar. Meiporul Nayanar was the king of Thirukkoviloor and a devotee par excellence. He was also a just ruler and fine administrator. Envious at the prosperity of the kingdom, a neighboring king, Muthanathan, launched an attack on the city. However, he lost heavily at Nayanar’s hands. Maddened by the vast defeat, he resorted to unfair means to kill the Nayanar. Well aware of Nayanar’s staunch devotion, he disguised himself as a Shiva Bhaktha and walked into the palace with an armful of palm leaves. Nayanar had issued standing orders that no Shiva Bhaktha should be stopped from meeting him. Taking advantage of this open hospitality, Muthanathan walked right up to the king’s bed chambers where he was stopped by a guard named Dhathan. Muthanathan showed him the bunch of palm leaves and told him that he had to immediately teach the king a great Shaiva philosophy that was contained therein. On his disclosure, Muthanathan was granted entry into the chambers at once. On seeing the Shiva yogi, the king immediately sent his queen away and bowed before the visitor. On knowing the reason for his visit, he offered the yogi a seat and sat down at his feet, ever ready for the lessons. With the positional advantage, Muthanathan grabbed his dagger and thrust it into the king’s neck, thus avenging his defeat. Hearing the king’s stifled cries, the guard Dhathan came running into the room and drew his sword to kill the traitor. However, Nayanar forbade him from harming Muthanathan. With great pain, he managed to speak out two words, "தத்தா, நமர்" (Dhathaa, he is one of us), and he ordered Dhathan to lead the traitor in the guise of a Shiva Bhaktha to the boundaries of the kingdom without harming him. Nayanar then, painfully struggled to keep himself alive until Dhathan came back with news of the traitor’s safe journey. Only upon hearing that the enemy had been able to cross his borders unharmed did he breathe his last. Such was the depth of his devotion. He did not wish even his enemy to be harmed just because he was in the guise of a Shiva Bhaktha. Pleased with his heartfelt and untainted devotion, Maheshwara is said to have appeared before him during his last moments and is said to have blessed the Nayanar with a permanent abode at Kailasha in His eternal service.

Thirukkoviloor is also the birth place of Narasingha Munaiyaraiyar, another renowned Shaiva, who was the foster-father of Sundaramoorthi Nayanar of Thevaram fame.

The temple hosts its annual festival in the month of Maasi (mid February to mid March) for 13 days. Special poojas are offered to the presiding deity and the Goddess throughout the 13 days and on the 6th day of the festival, the idol of Andhakasuravadha Moorthi is taken out in procession along the Maada streets. Apart from the Maasi Brahmotsavam, Kaarthikai Somavaaram, Aani Thirumanjanam, Aarudra Darisanam, Pradosham and Shivarathri are some of the other major festivals at the Thirukkoviloor temple. The Pennai river, which runs by the temple, is the Sthala Theertha, and the Sthala Vriksha happens to be the Sarakkondrai tree (Cassia Fistula). The temple has been sung by Appar and Sundarar, and is the 11^th Paadal Petra Sthalam in Nadu Naadu.

The town of Thirukkoviloor also occupies an important place in the history of Tamil Nadu. It was a flourishing vassal kingdom under the Chozhas. One of its kings, Thirukkoviloor Malayamaan, was the maternal grand-father of Raja Raja Chozha. It is said that Raja Raja Chozhan was born, and spent much of his early years at the Thirukkoviloor palace. Malayamaan’s son, Deiveegan is said to have entered into wedlock with Angavai and Sangavai, the daughters of Paari Vallal (a great patron king of poets and scholars) at Thirukkoviloor. The wedding was graced with the presence of Avvaiyar and Kabilar (A scholar from the Madurai Tamizh Sangam, and a great fried of Paari Vallal). In fact, many towns surrounding Thirukkoviloor owe their names to this famous marriage – such as Kabilar Kundru (the hill where Kabilar gave up his life in memory of Paari) and Manam Poondi (where the wedlock was solemnized). The town was a thriving centre for Shaivas, Vaishnavas and Jains alike. Thirukkoviloor is also one amongst the 108 Sri Vaishnava Divyadesams. The Trivikrama Perumal/ Ulagalantha Perumal temple (more to come in later posts), located in the western part of the town, is as equally steeped in antiquity as the Veeratteshwarar temple and is also one of the Pancha Krishnaaranya Kshetras. The town was also home to some beautiful Jaina viharas, which fell into ruins over time.

A visit to Thirukkoviloor is bound to bring double blessings from these two great temples of yore. The temple town is about 30km south of Thiruvannamalai which serves as an excellent travel base. It is one of the two Veerattaana Sthalas in Nadu Naadu and needs to be popularized among the people, so that some of our precious arts like the wall frescoes and the bronze idols do not get lost way down into our future generations.

கருத்துறை அந்தகன் தன்போல் அசுரன்

வரத்தின் உலகத் துயிர்க்களை எல்லாம்

வருத்தஞ்செய் தானென்று வானவர் வேண்டக்

குருத்துயர் சூலங்கைக் கொண்டுகொன் றானே - திருமூலர்
“Andhaka, frightening unto the god of death, whose name he bore,
armed with boons divine, harassed all the worlds.
Thus the Celestial Beings moaned to the Lord;
Who, lifting high his trident sharp, pierced him straight to certain death”
- Thirumoolar

Notes:

1. Thirukkoviloor was the capital of Nadu Naadu (Nadu in Tamizh means centre), which got its name owing to its central location between the Chera, Chozha and Pandya kingdoms. Back in time, when it was at the peak of its glory, the region was also known as Sethi Naadu and Malaada Naadu.

2. It is believed that during the war with Andhaka, several beings emerged from Shiva’s body. They include the 36 Maathru Ganas (Women Bhootha Ganas), the celestial bird-headed beings - Dakini and Yogini, 64 Bhairavas and their consorts, the 64 Bhairavis, Tripura Bhairavi and Vaasthu Purusha. Some believe that Vaasthu Purusha was born as a manifestation of the earth when it was fertilized by Shiva’s sweat.

3. The Pennai river is often known as Dakshina Pinaakini, since it is said to have originated from Pinaaka, the bow of Shiva. During the wedding ceremony of Angavai and Sangavai, on Avvai’s prayers, the river is said to have run full of ghee, milk, and curds. Since the river abided by the requests of Avvaiyar, it is also known as Bhaarathi Neya Tharangini (Bhaarathi Neya – She who was blessed by Saraswathi, i.e. Avvaiyar)

4. The local people believe that the mighty Malayamaan rulers, who ruled over Nadu Naadu, were direct descendents of Kuzhagar, who was a manifestation of the Lord himself.

5. A lot of Tamizh history is associated with Thirukkoviloor. Details of its links with Raja Raja Chozhan, Malayamaan, Paari Vallal, Kabilar, Avvaiyar, Dheiveegan, Meiporul Nayanar, and Narasingha Munaiyaraiyar can be provided on request.

P.S.

Sorry about the long hiatus. The last two months have been packed. But I am hoping to get back onto a regular writing schedule.

Of Shiva's Discus and Vishnu's Basil, Thiruvirkudi, Ashta Veerattaanam - 4

2011-07-26T12:08:00.003-04:00

ஒரு தவறு செய்தால், அதை தெரிந்து செய்தால்
அவன் தேவன் என்றாலும் விடமாட்டேன்

“If one commits a blunder, and he does it knowingly,

I will spare him not, even if it is God himself.”

Remember the good old lines in the song from MGR’s famous movie EngaVeetu Pillai? Yes, I agree it sounds all too conceited, but wait, isn’t that what all our Puranas talk about. Wasn’t that the crux of Nakkeerar’s dialogue with Shiva, who had come as a rich pundit, which ended with the famous line “நெற்றிக்கண் திறப்பினும் குற்றம் குற்றமே” (Even with your third eye open, you have to accept that your fault is nevertheless, a fault)? Too filmy, eh? But even in the annals of this very blog, we can see some of the penalties that were meted out to various big-shots, from Indra to Krishna and more recently, even to Yama. There are scores of such examples, but the essence of these diverse stories is the same – you commit a mistake, and you will be punished, no doubts entertained.

Interestingly, there are certain characters in the Puranas, who are never corrected by punishments, no matter how harsh they are. They go back to their dirty old ways once the dark clouds have passed. Indra tops the list of such notorious demigods. I have virtually lost count of the number of times that he has been cursed, smacked, kicked and crushed, but he relentlessly pursues trouble, and even pays for it, sometimes heavily. The story that we embark on is yet another offspring of Indra’s ‘laudable’ behavior. This time, it was absolute snobbishness and disrespect to elders that had led to his chastisement and a whole lot of nasty aftertaste. The trouble came in the form of Jalandhara.

The legend of Jalandhara can be found in at least two Puranas as also in the Mahabharatha. Each source gives a slightly different version of the tale, and I have managed to pick out the relevant similarities between the ones in Padma Purana and the Mahabharatha, and weave it out into one fine, flowing story.

It was one of those times when Indra was on one humungous ego trip. Feeling elated at his self-importance, he decided to drop by at Kailasha for a friendly tête-à-tête with Parameshwara, where he might even get a chance to rub in his all-controlling-importance into his host. So, he went through the gates of Kailasha, past Nandi, and a whole lot of Shiva-Ganas without so much as a friendly nod. Finally, when he reached the heart of the Himalayas, where beautiful icicles formed exquisitely stunning pillars, he could see neither Shiva nor Parvathi nor either of their mischievous sons. Surprised by their absence, and dismayed at the lost chance of showing-off, he turned around, only to be faced by an aged hermit sitting on the rocks. Indra couldn’t recollect seeing him on any of his earlier visits to Kailasha. Haughtily, he approached the hermit and asked, “Ahem. Who may you be and do you happen to know where Shiva is?” Silence was all that he got back.

Now, the king of demigods was not used to being ignored, and especially, not by a lowly hermit. He repeated the question, this time, through gritted teeth. Silence again.

Fury surged through Indra, and with one quick move, he lashed out his Vajrayudha (thunderbolt) and hurled it towards the hermit. The Vajrayudha struck the hermit’s head with the momentum of a giant meteor, and crumbled to pieces. Indra hardly had the time to gasp at the sight of his powerful weapon disintegrating in front of his very eyes, when the aged hermit bounced up with the agility of a seasoned acrobat. Through the haze of all the crumbling dust, Indra could just make out the emergence of a glorious flame from the center of the hermit’s forehead. The third-eye of Shiva!

Indra was horrified on realizing what he had done. He had actually STRUCK Shiva, the sole sustainer of the universe, with his dratted (now destroyed) Vajrayudha, and he was going to pay for it big-time. His ego flew out of the window, as did all his snobbishness and dreams of a pleasant rendezvous. In a moment, he went from being vertical to lying perfectly horizontal, his hands stretched out, as he attempted to perform an Ashtanga Namaskaara (A yogic posture of submission in which eight (Ashta) parts (Angas) of the body touch the ground – the two feet, two knees, chest, forehead and two palms) to Shiva.

अन्यथा शरणं नास्ति त्वमेव शरणं मम |

तस्मात्कारुण्यभावेन रक्षरक्ष परमेश्वर ||

"I have no refuge but your lotus feet my lord,

I seek your compassion alone. Protect me, Oh Maheshwara”

As easily pleased, as angered (and hence named Ashuthosha – the one who is easily pleased), Shiva forgave Indra. “Again Indra, let this add yet another chapter to the tome entitled ‘How not to behave with your Boss!’, that we can possibly write out of all your mistakes. It is high time you learnt to behave like the king of the demigods, and not like an immature teenager.” With that, he wiped out the strings of sweat that had sprung up due to the heat of his anger, and shook his now sweaty forefinger. The pearls of sweat, that had adorned the brows of Maheshwara, fell into the vast stretches of the Milk-Ocean, and in a flash, took the shape of an Asura baby boy. As the baby lay on the milky tides, crying loudly, in sync with the bobbing motion of the ocean, the ocean king, Samudra Raajan, gently caressed the boy with his tender wave-like fingers, and took him to Brahma for his Nama-Karana (Christening ceremony).

Feeling extremely proud of his newborn child, Samudra Raajan placed him on Brahma’s lap. Brahma looked down on the tiny-tot with his kind eyes, his lush-white beard flowing down from his four heads. Tickled by the movements of the long beard, the infant tugged at the few hairs that were sticking out at the bottom of the beard. “Ouch!” yelled Brahma. Tears immediately welled up from his eyes, ran down his cheeks and landed on the baby. That must have been one strong child.

Now, this was too much water to be associated with one person. He was born out of sweat that fell into the ocean and here, he even managed to get himself ‘drenched’ with Brahma’s tears. Brahma smiled, and safely tucking his beard away, he once again looked down at the child. “Jalandhara!” he announced, “He will henceforth be known as Jalandhara.” (Jalandhara can be split two ways - (a) Jala (water)+Andhar (within) = He who was born within the waters, and (b) Jalan (water) + Dhara (stream) = He who created a stream of water, which might be an indirect reference to the generous tear glands of Brahma)

Thus named, Jalandhara was brought up by his foster-father, Samudra Raajan, in a lavish and loving manner. Over the years, he was trained in all the 64 forms of arts that the ancient traditions upheld, and he excelled in every single one of them. Though he was always surrounded by many Devas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Apsaras, and Kinkaras, his joy quadrupled every time an occasional Asura came to visit his father’s court – strong blood ties I guess. Eventually, his Asuric qualities dominated his decisions, and soon he crossed over to the dark side. It was not long before his exceptional leadership qualities, extraordinary strength, and razor-sharp instinct came to the notice of the Asura elders. Envisioning the grand future of the Asura clan in Jalandhara, they crowned him to be the king of the Daityas. They also got him married to Brindha, the surprisingly pious daughter of Kaalanemi, yet another Asura vassal.

Before starting his reign over the Asuras, Jalandhara felt that it was necessary for him to insure his life against the many wars that he was about to wage. So off he went to a peaceful forest to begin his penance towards Brahma. The Creator, as such easily satisfied, was even more so pleased with the penance of the boy whom he had christened. Hardly any time had passed since Jalandhara had sat down for his penance, when Brahma appeared before him, all beaming and proud (with his beard tucked away of course!). “And what are your needs today, my son?” he asked, in a singsong voice.

Jalandhara did not beat about the bush, and came straight to the crux. “I know that you will not grant me the boon of immortality.” Brahma nodded in agreement, all his 128 teeth on display. “Then, let it be that I die only when my wife Brindha, the best of the Pathivrathas that I have seen, foregoes her vow of chastity. Only when she entertains the thought of being with another man, even for the most fleeting of moments, should I become vulnerable to death.” Brahma frowned at the Asura’s absolute confidence in his wife’s utter devotion to him. Nevertheless, he granted the boon that was asked for, and returned to Satyaloka.

Jalandhara returned to the Asura kingdom from the forests, haughty and proud at his newly obtained boon. Almost immediately, he launched an attack on the palatial slopes of the Meru Mountain, where the Devas dwelt, amidst the pleasures of lavish wealth, rich food, and mouth-dropping-beautiful Apsaras. It was payback time for Indra’s behavior with the wise old hermit atop Kailasha, long-long ago.

Indra was driven out from his grand castle and Jalandhara seized the possession of the 16 exquisite treasures which had materialized during the churning of the Milk Ocean, including the Kalpaka Vriksha, Airavatha, and many of the Apsaras. Vishnu rushed to the help of the Devas, mounted on Garuda, but only in vain. The chastity of Brindha made it impossible to even make a single scratch on Jalandhara’s body. The Devas led by Vishnu, eventually retreated from Meru, after several thousand years of war.

In next to no time, Jalandhara marched over to Vaikuntha, and Sathyaloka, and captured them too. Even Vishnu and Brahma were forced to flee from their abodes, helpless against the immeasurable valour of Jalandhara and the unshakeable chastity of his wife.

Now, there was but one refuge that was still available. The Devas, led by Indra, Brahma and Vishnu, scuttled to Kailasha and sought asylum at the lotus feet of Shiva. “Mahadeva!” said Vishnu, “It is time to put an end to the atrocities caused by your own son. Pious, though he was, and though born from your very sweat, he is terrorizing the three worlds. The Devas have known no peace ever since he became the Asura king. You alone are capable of coming up with a solution.”

Shiva gave a throaty chuckle. “Narayana, the Devas are paying back for the deeds of their ‘virtuous’ king. What has been sowed must be reaped. Besides, you know that I can do nothing in his case. The boon that was granted to him makes me powerless before his wife, and I do not see her throwing away her chastity any time in the near future. Also, she happens to be one of your greatest devotees, Oh Madhava. Every time her husband goes to war, Brindha meditates on you, ceaselessly, so that no harm comes to him. So pure is her devotion that you were not able to raise your arms against Jalandhara, even when he invaded Vaikuntha.” Vishnu raised a quizzical eyebrow, which Shiva conveniently ignored. “Jalandhara chose his boon well. This is not a mere war of might, but also a war of the intellect. We have to think before we proceed.” Saying so, Shiva rested his face on one of his hands, while with the other he vigorously scratched his matted locks, rattling his head for a brainwave.

The Devas stared in dismay at this hopeless exchange of information between two of their foremost saviors. Did this mean that they have to endure the torture of the Asuras till the end of their lives, which would be like forever, because the Amrutha from the Milk-Ocean had made them immortal?

Suddenly, Shiva jerked up from the self-imposed reverie, a wide smile on his face. With his eyes, he summoned Vishnu to come closer, and started whispering into his ear. Vishnu listened patiently, his eyebrows rising with every passing second, until they disappeared right into his crown. Once or twice, he shook his head vigorously, and attempted to walk away, but Shiva pulled him back every time. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to the distraught Devas, Vishnu nodded, and the two ended their whispering conference. Shiva still had the grin on his face, but Vishnu looked like he could do with some cheering up. “The problem will be resolved, Oh Devas. You will soon be able to return back to your very own palaces, but until then, you are all welcome to stay on the beautiful slopes of the Himalayas.” said Shiva, dispersing the assembly.

It was not long before the news, of the Devas seeking sanctuary at Kailasha, reached the ears of Jalandhara. He roared with laughter. “So the cowards have finally sought the asylum of Shiva? I will go there this very moment and pulverize the whole of Kailasha.” he yelled. Brindha came running out of her chambers at the sound of her husband’s lunatic laughs. “No Swami!” she pleaded. “Please do not risk your life by going to war against Mahadeva. I have been seeing terrible omens all day. My right eye, shoulder, and thigh, have been throbbing all morning. Please don’t leave to Kailasha today.” But Jalandhara turned a deaf ear to all her pleas. When the end is near, one’s senses tend to go berserk, and refuse to take in a good word, or two. Jalandhara too, became a prey to the plays of time. Feeling conceited about his extraordinary powers and unmatchable strength, he marched onto Kailasha, all alone.

Upon hearing the news of Jalandhara’s intended attack on Kailasha, Shiva transformed himself into an old hermit once again, and stationed himself at the gates of his mountain palace. Jalandhara approached the gates, like a bull in rage. Shiva calmly stepped onto the middle of the path, blocking his progress. Jalandhara stared at the puny hermit and growled, “Who may you be to block me?”

“I am one of the many hermits who live here, hoping to be blessed with a vision of the Lord on his bull, before I breathe my last” replied the hermit. “But, what brings you to the gates of Kailasha today? You seem like a king - a very angry one at that.”

“I heard that the king of Devas has wimped out and sought refuge at Kailasha. I plan to drag him out, and kill him, and with him, all the Devas too.” said Jalandhara.

“But they have been granted sanctuary by Shiva himself. He will surely come to the rescue of the Devas. What will you do then?” asked the hermit, in a voice laced with so much concern that it actually sounded true.

“Aaah! Then we just have to assume that it is a very bad day for Shiva too, don’t we? Now get out of my way, before I blast you to the side.”

“Relax, oh great king. If you don’t mind, I would like to test your self-bragged prowess before you advance to wage a war against the great god. If you pass my test, I am sure that you would triumph against Shiva. What say?” cajoled the hermit-who-was-Shiva.

Jalandhara rolled his eyes at the puny hermit in front of him. “Whatever!” he said, and accepted the challenge.

In the meanwhile, Vishnu prepared himself to set the ball rolling on the other half of Shiva’s grandiose plan. It had taken a long time for him, to bring himself to do it. He took deep breaths and consoled himself from time to time, whispering softly. “It’s all for the Greater Good… for the Greater Good… Greater Good.”

Slowly, he took the form of Jalandhara. “Urghhh! It feels positively nasty to be an Asura.” he thought out aloud. Then, bracing himself for all the possible after-effects, he barged into Jalandhara’s palace. “Brindha! Oh Brindha!” he yelled, “I am back.” Relief flooded Brindha’s heart on hearing her husband’s voice, and she jumped up from her Vishnu-Dhyana. Rushing outside, she threw her arms around Jalandhara’s (Vishnu’s) frame, and hugged him in a tight embrace. Jalandhara’s protection shattered instantly. His wife had embraced another man! Target achieved.

Back at Kailasha, the real Jalandhara stood towering over the hermit, who had challenged him to an exhibition of strength. Leisurely, the old hermit inscribed a circle on the ground with the big toe of his right foot. Jalandhara sighed. His patience was fast reaching its limits.

The hermit admired his handiwork (rather ‘footiwork’) for some time, and looked up at Jalandhara. “There you go. If you are able to break apart this disc of earth, and lift it over your head, then I am sure that victory would be yours - anywhere, anytime, and against any person.”

Jalandhara smirked at the ridiculousness of the task. Dusting his hands, he bent down to break the circular piece of earth. It was hard and dirty work, but Jalandhara finally managed to break away the disc, and with great effort he raised it over his head, panting heavily like a dog in pursuit. At that moment, as Jalandhara stood upright, proudly savouring his triumph, the hermit revealed his true form. With one subtle chuckle, Shiva transformed the disc of earth into a deadly-looking discus and forced it through Jalandhara’s body. Blood splattered over Shiva, as the two lifeless halves of Jalandhara’s body fell to the ground. The glorious discus flew back into the hands of Shiva, its task complete. It was finally over. Jalandhara was dead.

Jalandhara Vadham

The moment Jalandhara’s soul fled from his mortal body, Brindha, by the virtue of her true devotion to her husband, came to know of the whole grand plan that was schemed up by Shiva and meticulously executed by Vishnu. The great Vishnu, whom she had come to believe as her sole savior, her greatest hope, and her only solace while Jalandhara went crazy with wars, had now tricked her into widowhood. Disgusted, she broke away from the clasp of the illusionary Jalandhara, her blood boiling with rage and shame. Vishnu too realized that the game was up, and he assumed his original form, smiling meekly.

As Brindha looked up at the mighty, four-armed God who stood before her, her rage burst out spontaneously, and she hurled a curse at Vishnu. “Oh Madhava! What is this that you have done? I placed all my trust upon you and the unbreachable security offered by your sacred name. I believed that you would bless me with a long and contented married-life, and every single day, I invoked that goddess, who resides in the lotus of your very heart, to grant me the same eternal-bondage that she enjoys with you. But now, you have let me down with your cheap acts of trickery. Oh Mayava! Is this what true devotion begets? Is this how you reward those who have faith in you? I don’t deserve this, and you don’t get to stand there, smiling at your victory, while I endure this suffering. If it is true that I have been faithful to my husband all my life, if it is true that I have never swerved away from my devotion to you, then, let it be so that you too will, one day, experience the same grief that is tearing me apart from the insides this very moment.” Saying so, she rushed out of her palace, and jumped into the fire that was consuming her husband’s mortal remains. As her soul fled towards Vaikuntha, the Gods and Demigods lined up in the skies to catch a glimpse of that great Pathivratha, whose intense devotion had prevented even Shiva and Vishnu from laying a finger on her husband. Brindha had attained a permanent place on the list of some of the chastest women in Indian heritage, along the ranks of Seetha, Mandodari and Anusuya.

Brindha / Tulasi Devi

As the three worlds celebrated the fall of Jalandhara, Vishnu retired to Vaikuntha in silence. His heart was heavy with guilt at the treachery that he had just committed to one of his foremost devotees. The guilt burned him from within, until he could take it no longer, and he dashed to Kailasha. Realizing Vishnu’s pitiable condition, Maheshwara planted a seed in the ashes of Brindha. In a flash, the seed germinated and a plant burst out from the ashes – giving rise to the very first Brindha plant, more commonly referred to as the Tulasi or the Holy Basil.

Shiva himself strung a beautiful garland from the leaves of the plant and placed it around Vishnu’s neck. As the very first leaves of the garland caressed his dark blue skin, the burning sensation subsided instantaneously, and Vishnu let out a loud sigh of relief. Shiva smiled at his ‘partner-in-crime’ and said, “Narayana, I perfectly understand your present mind-set, but you should come to terms with the fact that this is an occupational hazard that comes with the position. We may destroy to protect, but only rarely do we protect to destroy. What we planned and executed was for the greater good of the universe, and if someone had to be sacrificed in the process, well, then that is the way it is meant to be so.”

ஒரு நாட்டைக் காக்க ஒரு ஊரையே தியாகம் செய்யலாம்

ஒரு ஊரைக் காக்க ஒரு குடும்பத்தையே தியாகம் செய்யலாம்

ஒரு குடும்பத்தைக் காக்க ஒரு குடும்ப நபரை தியாகம் செய்யலாம்,

இதுவே உசிதம்.

“To save a country, an entire city can be sacrificed.

To save a city, an entire family can be sacrificed.

To save a family, a single member from the family can be sacrificed.

And this approach alone is the most apt.”

-An excerpt from Chanakya’s Arthashastra

[Though the Padma Purana and the Mahabharatha end their versions of Jalandhara’s story right here, some Shaivite legends go onto narrate the story of Shiva giving away the newly created discus to MahaVishnu.]

As time passed, Vishnu, who had always desired a powerful weapon to carry on with his duty of the universal-sustainer, now started to covet the Chakra that Shiva had used to kill Jalandhara. Knowing that the best way to lay his hands on the Chakra is Rudra-Prassanna (Causing the happiness of Rudra), he decided to worship Shiva with a 1008 lotuses, offering a blossom at the chanting of each of the 1008 names of Mahesha. Immediately, he set forth to collect the flowers and other objects that were required for worship. Then, choosing a suitable spot, he started his worship, with MahaLakshmi sitting beside him, handing him the lotus blossoms.

“Om Shivaya Namaha!(1)

Om Haraaya Namaha!(2)

Om Mridaya Namaha!(3)

…

Om Anarthitaaya Namaha!(1005)

Om Agunaaya Namaha!(1006)”

As Vishnu reached out to take the 1007^th lotus, he realized that he was touching Lakshmi’s bare fingers. There were no more blossoms left to offer. He glanced at Lakshmi, and saw that she was as surprised as he was. How could it be? He had personally counted the 1008 lotus blossoms into the flower basket, and that too, with great care. But now he was short of two and time was fast running out.

Vishnu receives the Chakra

It was then that he was reminded of the many epithets that his devotees praised him with. Aravindaaksha! Kamalanayana! Pushkaraaksha! Padma-Nibhekshana! - All of them hailing him as the possessor of two eyes that were as beautiful as freshly-bloomed lotuses. Without hesitating any further, he grabbed his sword, Nandaka, plucked out his eyes and offered it to Shiva. Immediately, Shiva appeared before him and restored his eyes. “Narayana! I am extremely pleased with your devotion and your intense sense of sacrifice. I had intentionally hidden the lotus flowers to test you. You surpassed my expectations. I am elated to give you the object that you seek.” Saying so, he handed over the Chakra to MahaVishnu. “Henceforth, this Chakra will be as inseparable from you as you are from me. Use it well.” And that is how the Sudarshana Chakra came to Vishnu, at least according to certain legends.

The legend of Jalandhara and his death is eulogized in the southern shrine of Thiruvirkudi, where the Lord is worshipped in his form as the Vanquisher of Jalandhara. The temple-town is the next stop on our tour of the Ashta Veerattaanas and is conveniently located near the yet-another-famous temple town of Thiruvaroor. The presiding deity is Veerattaaneshwarar, while the Goddess goes by the name of Elavaarkuzhali/Parimalaabigai. The shrine has been praised in the Thevaram by Thirugnana Sambandhar, and hence, is also one of the 274 Paada Petra Thalangal in Tamil Nadu. The main temple is situated amidst lush-green vegetation, on an island between two rivers. Since the mound of earth between the two rivers, on which the temple stands, resembles the ear of a cow, the place is also known as Gokarnam (Go-cow, Karna-Ear). The temple is graced by a five-storied Raja Gopuram which faces the Chakra Theertha that lies before the entrance. Past the ornate entry doors is a beautiful Mandapa supported on pillars that boast of exquisitely carved sculptures. The outer prakaara also houses a Brindhavana, a Tulasi garden, where it is believed that Maheshwara planted the seed to give rise to Tulasi. Adjacent to the Brindhavana is a small sub-temple which is claimed to be the place where Vishnu worshipped Shiva to cure him of his burden of guilt. Incidentally, Tulasi happens to be the Sthala-Vriksha at Thiruvirkudi. Thiruvirkudi is also one of the very few Shiva-Kshetras where the Lord is worshipped with Tulasi, rather than the more commonly used Bilva.

Jalandharaari

The inner Prakara houses the central shrine dedicated to Veerattaaneshwarar, a swayambhu Linga mounted on a square pedestal. The Goddess’s shrine is located to the left and is preceded by yet another Mandapa, into the ceiling of which is carved a wheel inset with the twelve signs of the Zodiac. The Gomukhi from the Goddess’s shrine, which conducts the Abhisheka water, is also carved such that it is shown to be supported by a beautiful woman. Immediately next to the Goddess’s shrine is the room where the processional deities are safeguarded. Occupying the central position is a brass Utsavar idol of Jalandharaari/ Jalandhara Vadha Moorthi, also known by the name of Veerattaaneshwarar. The idol is one of its kind, where the Lord is shown to be in a standing posture, bearing the discus in his lower right arm, and his lower left arm depicting the Ayudha-Mudra (Scissor hand-posture). In his upper two hands, he holds the deer and the goad. Special poojas are held for Jalandhara Vadha Moorthi during all major festivals in the temple. The rest of the temple is replete with small shrines to other deities such as Ganesha, Subramanya, Mahaakshmi, Surya, etc. Also, apart from the Chakra Theertha in front of the temple, there is also the Shankha Theertha, which is located behind the temple

The temple acts as a Parikaara Sthala for Vaasthu. People who encounter difficulties during the planning and construction of their dream homes, often come to the temple, take a brick from the premises, and use it as a part of their construction. Devotees also throng to the shrine to offer worship that would rid them, as well as their ancestors, of any curse that may have befallen their dynasty. Such pilgrims bathe at the Chakra Theertha and worship Jalandharaari to rid them of their curses.

Virkudi Gopuram

Thiruvirkudi is also believed to be the place where the broken bow of Vishnu fell, when the Devas took the form of termites and gnawed away at the bowstring to awaken Vishnu, who was in his Yoga-Nidra. For this reason, the place is also referred to as Dhanushapuram in the Puranas. Certain verses in the Mahabharatha also point to Thiruvirkudi as being the secret place where Arjuna had hidden his powerful weapons during the year long incognito hiding, immediately following the 12 years of exile. It is believed that Shiva himself had directed Arjuna to the shrine at Thiruvirkudi, and had also granted him a boon that the weapons would appear as snakes and other dangerous reptiles to anyone else other than the Pandavas. The erstwhile presence of the Pandava bows could be yet another reason to name the town as Dhanushapuram.

The temple celebrates all the major festivals on the Hindu calendar, though I am unsure if there is a separate festival that commemorates the killing of Jalandhara, like at the other Veerattaana Shrines. Devotees throng to the temple in large number during the festivals; else it is a calm and crowd-free place, situated in serene surroundings, that makes it an ideal location for a quiet spiritual retreat.

Thiruvirkudi is easily accessible from both Mayiladuthurai and Thiruvaroor. Buses and other forms of public transport are abundantly available, that take pilgrims all the way to the temple entrance.

எங்கும் கலந்தும்என் உள்ளத் தெழுகின்ற
அங்க முதல்வன் அருமறை யோதிபாற்
பொங்குஞ் சலந்தரன் போர்செய்ய நீர்மையின்
அங்கு விரற்குறித் தாழிசெய் தானே. – திருமூலர்

“He who pervades all, as also my heart he fills with joy,

He who spoke out the very Vedas and our Scriptures,

Him did the haughty Jalandhara challenge to a duel,

And in the toe-marked circle did he see the monster’s end.”

-Thirumoolar

Notes:

1. The legend of Tulasi is narrated differently in the several different Puranas available. I have chosen a version that easily blends with the Sthalapurana of Thiruvirkudi. However, whatever the reason maybe, Tulasi is considered to be one of the best offerings that one can make to Mahavishnu. Additionally, performing Tulasi archana to Shiva on Mondays is believed to bestow one with good health.

2. The curse of Brindha was one of the many reasons for the Raamavataara, in which Vishnu was forcefully separated from his beloved wife, and consequently had to endure much suffering and torture. Again, certain other sources claim that Brindha had cursed Vishnu to turn into a stone, and hence Vishnu was forced to take the form of Salagrama – the sacred stones that are found on the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal.

3. It is believed that Jalandhara had built his palaces in the Northern reaches of Bharathavarsha. The place is today know as Jalandhar in his memory, and is a major industrial hub in Punjab.

Chakrapradha Moorthi

4. Thiruveezhimizhalai, is a neighbouring town of Thiruvirkudi, where the Chakrapradha Moorthi of Shiva is worshipped. Here, even today, one can see the single eye that was offered by Vishnu, at the feet of the Linga. Hence, the presiding deity is known by the name of Nethraarpaneshwarar. Also, the processional deity is shown to be in a seated posture, with Parvathi at his side, in the act of giving the Chakra to Vishnu.The sacred tank in the temple was created by Vishnu himself and is hence known as Vishnu Theertha.

5. It is believed that the soul of Jalandhara, remained on the earth for a long period of time, yearning for Moksha (liberation). The soul established a Shiva Linga at Kanchi, and offered regular worship, until the Lord finally took pity and merged the soul with him. The Linga worshipped by Jalandhara is now enshrined in the temple of Jalandharesam, a few miles away from the Ekambareshwarar temple at Kanchipuram.

Jalandhara Vadha Moorthi

6. Jalandharaari is often depicted in certain texts in a manner that is quite different from the processional deity at Thiruvirkudi. He is shown to be a tall-reddish hued, terrifying, three-eyed, man, carrying an umbrella in his right hand and a water-pot, Kamandala, in his left. Next to him stands Jalandhara, yellowish in colour, bearing the Chakra between his hands, and a sword hanging from his waist. This form of Jalndharaari is a closer match with the description of the hermit, who had met Jalandhara at the gates of Kailasha.

Death's Demise - Thirukkadavoor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 3

2011-07-16T13:28:00.004-04:00

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

“Venerations to the Three-eyed reality,
He who is naturally scented and the very nourishment of all lives.
May we be liberated from death for the sake of immortality,
Even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper.”

-Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

So yes, we are mortals, destined to die one day or the other, but that does not make it any easier for us to comprehend death. We dread the very word, hush it up when a child speaks about it and consider it to be an impurity. But alas, our rendezvous with death happens as scheduled, whether we are prepared or not. It may perhaps be the only punctual incident that we would encounter in our times. Try as much as it is worth, but it is going to be one big failed attempt to skip the meeting. Death.

Our Puranas and Upanishads are simply overflowing with the legends of people who have sought immortality, only to be thwarted by the evil plays of Time. From Hiranyakashipu’s virtually death-less boon, the strange killer-profile request of Mahishi, to the boons granted to Mahishasura, Ravana, Hiranyaksha, the Tripuraasuras and several others, nothing has been able to grant total immortality to those who seek it. On the other hand, this highly coveted status is often nearly-enjoyed by people who hardly seek it at all. The Hindu scriptures name eight Siranjeevis, great men whose life spans are so long that they appear to live for an eternity. They are, in no particular order, Markandeya, Mahabali, Parashurama, Vibheeshana, Hanuman, Vyasa, Kripa and Ashwatthama, and one of them is going to be the hero of our story today.

(It is to be noted that they are not immortals but that they are blessed with an extremely long life. The true immortals are the Devas alone, for it is they who have consumed the Amrutha from the Ksheera Saagara. However, even the immortals dissolve at the end of time, during Pralaya. Only the Supreme Being lives on forever, having no beginning and no end, as do the Vedas. In this sense, only the Paramatma and the Vedas remain in eternal existence.)

Mrigandu was the son of the illustrious Kaushika Maharishi. Together with his wife, Marudhamathi, he led a simple life of worship and penance. They were immense Shiva bhakthas and were always immersed in the chanting of the holy Panchakshara. Husband and wife were very happy and content with their peaceful life and the gifts that the Lord had blessed them with. But life is never that perfect, not even to the rishis. As days passed by, they yearned for a son, who would be the apple of their eyes and the sole future of their lineage. Day after day, they pleaded the Lord to bless them with a son, so that they could shower all their love on him. One fine day, Shiva decided to take heed to their prayers and all of a sudden, he appeared before the pious couple.

“Mrigandu, I am extremely happy with the pure and untainted devotion that brims up from the hearts of you and your wife. I am more than willing to bless you with Santaana Bhagya (the fortune of having a child) but you have one tough choice to make”, said Shiva, with a warning smile.

“Maheshwara, we yearn, but for a child. I am unable to see the question of a choice. Do enlighten us.” Mrigandu’s face was the very picture of confusion.

Shiva smiled again. “Very well, then here they come. Mrigandu, would you like to have a child who would be just like you in your wisdom and devotion but would live for a mere sixteen years, or would you prefer a hundred children who would live for many-many years to come but would be challenged in their intelligence quotient and their moral values? The choice is yours to be made.”

Without even batting an eyelid, Mrigandu answered, “Maheshwara, give us that one intelligent son. We will be happy with him.”

“Thathaasthu. You will be blessed with a child worthy of your clan’s name. But remember, he has just sixteen years to live on this earth.” With the dire warning, Shiva vanished.

Marudhamathi soon became pregnant and in due course of time, gave birth to a radiantly beautiful baby boy. All the planets were lined up in auspicious positions at the time of his birth and the very heavens celebrated his coming. The child had all the qualifications for a bright and fruitful (albeit a very short) life.

Friends and relatives poured into the hermitage to wish the lucky parents and to bless the new-born-child. “Dheerga Aayushmaan Bhava!” said one visitor after another, showering their blessings on the child for a long and eventful life. Amidst the loud laughter and the incessant talks of the invited guests, Shiva’s warning sounded distant and unreal, and the proud rishi-couple basked in the warmth of the new-found happiness. In the presence of the assembled guests, Mrigandu reached down to the crib and softly whispered the chosen name into the baby’s tiny ears. “Markandeya. Markandeya. Markandeya.”

Markandeya grew up in no time at all, and was the darling of the aashrama. Everyone liked him, even the deer and the peacocks, as did the cows and the sparrows. When he had attained a suitable age, Mrigandu himself initiated him into the study of the Vedas and Puranas. Within a short span of time the boy had mastered all the scriptures. His parents beamed with pride every time he recited the Rudram or the Sama-Gaanas.

At the age of twelve, Mrigandu initiated him into the sacred and mystic Gayathri Manthra. His Upanayana was conducted with much fanfare and all the invited guests, once again, blessed the boy with a long and happy life. “Dheerga Aayushmaan Bhava!” they echoed. But this time, the blessings didn’t register with Mrigandu and Marudhamathi. They were in a shock. Shiva’s words somehow sounded more ominous on this side of twelve. How come twelve years had gone by in the blink of an eye? Would they get to be with their son, for but four more years? Gloom slowly crept into their hearts which had previously been brimming with pride and affection for their only son.

Days passed quickly and their grief multiplied at an alarming rate. Very soon, it became obvious to Markandeya that his parents were no longer the cheerful and content couple as he had known them for his first twelve years. He could see that his parents were inwardly grieving at something and were trying to hide it from him, with very little success of course. As his sixteenth birthday drew near, it became a rare sight to see Marudhamathi without tears welling up from her eye. The obedient and loving child that he was, Markandeya could no longer bear the silent suffering and he finally confronted his parents.

“Father! Mother! I see that you are being tormented by some secret that you refuse to reveal. I am unable to figure out the cause of your misery. Why don’t you tell it to me? Isn’t it the duty of a child to allay his parents’ miseries? Am I not even capable of making my parents happy? What is it that is eating you from the insides? Enlighten me. Please!” he begged, with tears running down his tender cheeks.

At the sight of Markandeya’s tears, Marudhamathi’s motherly heart broke down with the truth. “Son, when Parameshwara blessed us with a child, he asked us to make a choice between one intelligent, short-lived son and many foolish, albeit long-living children. We of course went with the first choice. But now, as you approach your sixteenth birthday, we are afraid that Maheshwara will take you back. How are we supposed to live with the fact that our son has but a few more months to live?” she cried, her anguished voice rasping between continuous tears.

To their utter surprise, Markandeya smiled at his parents. “Is that all? Is that the problem? I find this to be trifling indeed. I am sure that Shiva can save me from the clutches of death. Haven’t you taught me father, that he is very benevolent to his devotees? Don’t we all worship him as Mrithyunjaya or the victor of death? He is Kaalari, Kala Samhaara, Mahakaala and Kaalakaala. He is Time, as well as the energy that sustains time. He is the very breath that lives within us, as also the Lord of Yama, the god of death. He does not permit death to approach those who have totally unto surrendered to him. He will not let me down either, father. For your happiness, I am going to ask him for an extension of my mortal life span. I am sure that he will grant me that.” said Markandeya, trying to calm down his mother.

Turning to Mrigandu, he said, “Father, Grant me the permission to take leave from this aashrama and wish me success in my ambitious endeavor. I will come back to meet you only after I get his blessings. I am sure that I can take care of myself, so don’t worry too much about my whereabouts.” Saying so, he packed his belongings into a small bundle, and with one last look at his parents, who were still sobbing uncontrollably, he left the hermitage.

Markandeya’s first stop was at Kashi, where he set up a Shiva Linga at the confluence of the Gomathi and the Sarayu rivers, and offered ritual worship to the Lord. The place where he stayed is today known as Markandeya Aashram, and is easily reached from the center of Kashi. Legends tell us that, after a while he departed from Kashi, taking with him a Kalasha (pot) filled with water from the holy Ganges and a creeper of the fragrant Pinjilam flower (Jasminum Grandiflorum, Tamil - Jaati Malli). The Skanda Purana informs us that Markandeya then visited 107 shrines of Maheshwara spread all over the country. At all the shrines, he worshipped the presiding deity with the water from the Ganges and adorned the Linga with fragrant garlands woven from the Pinjilam flowers. After a long and tiring journey to the 107 shrines, he finally arrived at the southern town of Thirukkadavoor by the banks of the river Kaveri, on the last day of his fifteenth year. The place was located amidst a thick forest of Vilva trees (Aegle marmelos) and hence was also known as Vilvaaranyam. Enshrined in the temple was Shiva as Amruthagateshwarar along with Abhiraami Devi as his consort. Enquiring around the town, Markandeya came to know about the wondrous legend behind the origins of the temple.

Eons ago, the creator Brahma was suddenly overcome with a desire to be instructed on the Brahmagnana, the supreme knowledge. Seeking a teacher-par-excellence, he came to Kailasha in search of Maheshwara. Shiva gladly accepted Brahma’s request to be the instructor and he gave Brahma a single seed from the Vilva tree. “Brahmadeva, the suitable place for you to receive this sacred knowledge will be revealed by this seed. Go to Bharatha Kanda and try to plant this seed at various kshetras. The place where the seed sprouts and grows into a tree within a time period of 24 minutes (one Naazhigai – a Tamil measure for time), will be the most appropriate site for your learning. I myself will come in search of you and bless you with Upadesa.”

Upadesam to Brahma

Brahma was elated with Shiva’s words. He reverently took the seed from Shiva and went to Bharatha Kanda. After attempting to sprout the seed at various shrines and temples, Brahma came to the banks of the Kaveri and tried to plant the seed. The seed immediately sprouted and shot up into the air. In a few moments, there was a fully grown Vilva tree in front of Brahma. Shiva too, immediately appeared beneath the tree and taught Brahma the nuances of Brahmagnana. Upon Brahma’s request, Shiva agreed to stay under the Vilva tree and was worshipped as Adi Vilvavananaathar/Adi Vilvaaranyeshwarar.

But the legends did not stop there. Much later, when the Devas and Asuras churned the milk ocean for Amrutha, Ganesha was pretty mad that they had not invoked him before they had started the churning. So, when the Amrutha appeared in a pot, Ganesha appropriated the entire pot and hid it at Vilvaaranyam. It was only after the Devas had apologized profusely and had offered customary worship to Ganesha, that he revealed the hiding place of the pot. But to their dismay, the pot of Amrutha wouldn’t budge from the ground. It was rooted to the place and simply refused to move. As the Devas stared at each other, pondering over the possible consequences, the pot turned into a beautiful Linga in front of their very eyes. Surprised by the turn of events, Mahavishnu and the Devas worshipped the newly-formed Linga and requested Maheshwara to return the Amrutha for the welfare of the world. Pleased with their prayers, Shiva finally appeared before them and presented them with a whole new pot filled with the nectar of immortality. The overjoyed Devas then asked Mahavishnu to immediately distribute the nectar at the very place to avoid any further complications. Therefore, Vilvaaranyam also became the sacred site where the Amrutha from the milk ocean was divided and distributed amongst the Devas. And since the Linga had taken shape from a pot (Gatam) of Amrutha, the Lord came to be known as Amruthagateshwarar.

Markandeya was spellbound by the stories that the temple had to tell. He knew that his time was almost up, and he knew that his heart had but a few more hours to beat, but all he felt was a strange sense of calmness. Slowly, he gathered fruits from the forest, and he lovingly wove yet another garland from the Pinjilam flowers. Carrying the offerings in his dainty palms, he stepped into the shrine and sat down in front of the Linga. Once again, he poured the water from the Ganges over the Lord and adorned him with the Pinjilam garland. Then, with his eyes closed, he started chanting the Panchakshara. “Om Nama Shivaya! Om Nama Shivaya! Om Nama Shivaya!”

The last minutes of Markandeya’s fifteenth year ticked away slowly and Yama sent his Kinkaras to claim the life of Markandeya. The Yama Kinkaras came down to the banks of the Kaveri and approached the praying boy. However, Markandeya was deep in penance and the vibrations of the Panchakshara did not allow the Kinkaras to get anywhere close to him. The Kinkaras panicked at this unexpected hurdle and ran back to Yamaloka to report the complication to their master.

“Prabho”, they cried in unison, “The boy is unapproachable. Something is stopping us from going near him. He is not a mere mortal, we say.”

Yama sniggered at his men. “Gibberish. You are simply unable to discharge your duties properly and are trying to cover it with some cock-and-bull story. I will go there myself and mind it, another failed attempt to take someone’s life and you will find yourself in permanent unemployment.” With yet another chortle, Yama jumped onto his buffalo and charged into Thirukkadavoor.

With a sudden flash, Yama appeared before Markandeya. He was gory, to say the very least. With long fangs and a dark body, he had blood-shot eyes and a moustache that would make Veerappan blush with shame. In one hand he held the noose while the other carried a mace that was supported on his wide, strong shoulder. And as if these were not frightening enough, there was his giant buffalo, with shockingly long and sharp horns, that exhaled out smoke with every breath.

“Markandeya”, he called out, “your time in this world is over. You are now to accompany me to the legions of the dead.”

Markandeya slowly opened his eyes and took in the scary sight of Yama and his buffalo. Yamadharma Raja, who is usually not visible to mortal-eyes, appeared before him due to his intense devotion and piety. “Yama Raja, all I request of you is time enough for me to complete my worship. I will willingly come with you one I am done with my pooja.” said Markandeya, his face calm and serene.

“No!” cried Yama in shock. “I cannot let you live even for a second beyond your sixteenth year. I will fail in my duties if I do so. Stop your petty arguments and come with me this very second”, he ordered.

At Yama’s stern order, Markandeya threw his arms around the Linga in a tight hug. “No Dharmaraja! I cannot leave my worship unfinished. I need to complete my prayers to Maheshwara before I leave my mortal coils.” he begged.

“Aaargh! You spoilt brat! You think I am going listen to all your petty excuses? You will come with me now and that is the end of your story.” thundered Yama. In a flash, he threw his noose around Markandeya. But since, the boy was hugging the Linga, the noose fell around both Markandeya and the Rudra-bhaga (The top cylindrical part) of the Linga. As the rope of the noose tightened around him, Markandeya closed his eyes once again and prepared himself for the worst. When the noose was sufficiently tight, Yama decided that it was time to move and he gave the noose an almighty tug. With the tug, the Linga burst open and out emerged Shiva, looking furious. His hair was all astray and his eyes glittered with wrath. In the blink of an eye he kicked Yama’s chest with his left leg and pinned him down, and while Markandeya watched in horror, Shiva plunged his trident into Yama’s heart. Blood splashed out from Yama’s body as he lay sprawled on the floor, lifeless. The Lord of Death was dead!

The vanquishing of Yama

There were brilliant flashes of lightning in the sky and loud, nerve-wrecking thunders as Mother Nature accepted the loss of an integral part of her. The Devas rushed from their heavenly abodes to Thirukkadavoor, where Shiva stood over the corpse of Yama. The very sight of one of their brethren lying dead at the feet of Maheshwara, made them go weak at the knees. The Lord had to be pacified and what better way than good old flattery. Gently, they nudged Markandeya to go forward and appease the Lord’s anger. Markandeya slowly walked towards Shiva, with his arms raised up in veneration, singing his praises.

मृत्युंजय महादेव त्राहि मां शरणागतम् ।

जन्ममृत्युजरारोगैः पीड़ितं कर्मबन्धनैः

“Oh great Lord, Who has won over god of death,
Please save us as I am submitting to you,
From births, deaths, old age and disease,
And also the ties of Karma which affect us.”- Mrithyunjaya Stotra

(The garland of 22 verses that were sung by Markandeya on Shiva is today celebrated as the Mrithyunjaya Stotra. Regular chanting of the stotra is believed to deliver one from the fear of death and grant liberation upon the shedding of one’s mortal coils)

Flattery, as always, managed to achieve its goal, and Shiva’s anger ebbed away without leaving a trace. Smiling widely at the young boy in front of him, Shiva said, “Markandeya, to you there will be no death. You will remain sixteen forever and will neither become old nor gray haired. You will neither be afflicted by any disease nor will ever see any wrinkles. Every desire of yours shall be fulfilled and you shall remain this young till the end of the age.” (Now, that, is a boon, many of today’s women would kill for) Blessing Markandeya thus, Shiva merged back into the Lingam. True to Shiva’s boon, the followers of Sanatana Dharma believe that Markandeya is still very much alive, young, and vibrant, as always. They venerate him as one of their Siranjeevis, and pray to him for longevity and fearlessness towards death.

However, the death of Yama proved to be catastrophic for the earth-goddess. There were no deaths and the population simply exploded. At one point of time, Bhoomi Devi found it excruciatingly painful to bear the increased weight of her residents. Distressed beyond limits, she ran to Maheshwara and pleaded him to bring Yama back to life, so that lives of people would begin and end as planned. Understanding the pitiful condition of Bhoomi Devi, Shiva restored Yama back to life and warned him, “Beware, Oh Dharmaraja, that there is no death to my devotees. Those who venerate me and pray to me with the purest of hearts will neither be troubled by you nor your attendants you. At the end of their respective life spans, their pure souls will automatically come under my custody. I presume that you will never forget this, for the sake of your own welfare.” Yama nodded meekly, his head hung down, plainly grateful that his body was alive and moving.

Thirukkadavoor, Entrance arch

The legend of Markandeya is eulogized and commemorated at several shrines across India. In fact, each of the 108 temples which were visited by Markandeya celebrates the life and immortality of the ever-youthful sage. However, Thirukkadavoor, in central Tami Nadu, being the 108^th shrine that Markandeya visited, and the very place where Yama was vanquished as well as restored to life by Shiva, happens to be the top kshetra associated with the legend. Variously known as Thirukkadavoor Veerattam, Thirukkadaiyur, Kadapuri, Vilvaaranyam, Bramarandiratthalam, and Mrithyunjaya Kshetra, the temple-town is yet another of the Ashta Veerattanas, that celebrates the victory of Shiva over death. Even though the presiding deity of the temple is Vilvaaranyeshwarar, who was worshipped by Brahma, the Abhiraami sametha Amruthagateshwarar shrines are by far the most popular shrines at the sprawling temple. The temple has two Rajagopurams on the east and west entrances, but the west entrance is considered to the main-door as the Swami Shrine faces that direction. Amruthagateshwarar in the central shrine is a Swayambhu-Linga, who was worshiped by Markandeya, Bhoomi Devi, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Yama. The marks that were left by Yama’s noose are still present at the base of the Swayambhu-Lingam, and are clearly visible when the Linga is bathed with milk during the ritual abhishekas. Yet another dent is seen at the top of the Linga, which is ascribed to Shiva’s bursting out from the Linga, to kill Yama. Though, all worship is offered to only one Linga at the shrine, close observance shows the existence of a second Linga behind the first. Following temple protocol, during the evening worship (Saayaraksha Pooja) the honours are first offered to Vilvaaranyeshwarar, the presiding deity. Protocol also demands that before a pilgrim proceeds to the shrine of Amruthagateshwarar, he is to first visit the Papakareshwarar shrine, who was worshipped by Agastya Maharishi, followed by the Punyakareshwarar shrine, which was worshipped by Pulastya Maharishi. Punyakareshwarar has a separate shrine, while Papakareshwarar has to be worshipped through a window from the shrine of Punyakareshwarar. The idea is to rid yourself of all your sins (Papa) and multiply your Punya (good deeds) before praying for liberation at the presiding shrine. In the path around the central shrine are smaller shrines dedicated to various deities such as Murgan, Lakshmi, Saptha Matrkaas, Bhairavar, Agastya, Surya and the 63 Nayanmars. Interestingly, there is no shrine dedicated to the Navagrahas. It is believed that in this temple, the Navagrahas have no authority and pay their allegiances to Shiva. Hence, the sole power lies with Kaalasamhaara Moorthi, who is enshrine in the Mandapa in front of the central shrine.

Kaalasamhaara Moorthi

The bronze idol of Kaalasamhaara Moorthi is another of those gorgeous sculptures that you get to see at the Ashta Veerattanas. Shiva is beautifully shown to be towering over Yama, who is lying at his feet. With the right leg on the ground and the left leg resting on Adi-Sesha, Shiva holds the trident up in one hand, while with the pointed finger on the other, he is shown to be warning Yama against mistreating his devotees. Close observance would show the presence of a Shiva Gana, Gundodhara, pulling Yama’s corpse by his leg. Since a corpse is considered to be inauspicious, especially in a temple, Gundodhara is seen to be removing it from divine presence. Markandeya is also seen near the Lord’s feet, paying obeisance to the Moorthi. Generally, the lower portion of the statue with Yama, is kept covered at all times. This is believed to be the Samhaara (destructive)-form of the Lord. However, during poojas, the covering cloth is removed and lamps are waved before the Lord. This form is believed to be Yama-Anugraha Moorthi (he who restored Yama back). Hence, in one sculpture, both the Samhaara and the Anugraha forms of the Lord are worshipped. Kaalasamhaara Moorthi is accompanied by Baalambikai, who appears in the form of a young girl with two hands. She is flanked on either side by Lakshmi and Saraswathi. Abhishekas are performed to Kaalasamhaara Moorthi on only 11 specific days of the year. It is only during these abhishekas that the idol is completely exposed for one to appreciate the nuances in the sculptural beauty of the idol. Like at Vazhuvoor, there is a yantra embedded in the walls of the shrine which is referred to as the Thirukkadavoor Rahasya. Immediately opposite the shrine of Kaalasamhaarar, is a small shrine dedicated to Yama, who is shown to be paying respects to the Moorthi, with his buffalo at the side.

The outer circumambulatory path of the temple houses the famous shrine of Shri Abhiraami Devi. The story of her birth is pretty interesting. When Mahavishnu sought to worship Shiva before distributing the nectar, it was required that he worshipped Parvathi along with Shiva. Since there was no time to create an idol of the Goddess, Vishnu removed the ornaments adorning his chest and worshipped them in place of the Goddess. It is believed that Abhiraami emerged out of these very ornaments. For this reason, in the temple, Mahavishnu is worshipped at the mother of the Goddess. Also, since Abhiraami was born from the ornaments of Vishnu, which happen to be the dwelling of Mahalakshmi, it is believed that worshipping the Goddess would bring upon blessings of fame and prosperity.

Abhiraami Devi

The potent Tamil hymn, Abhiraami Andhaadhi, composed by Abhiraami Bhattar, was sung exclusively in the honour of this Goddess. Subramanya Bhattar was a scholar who lived at Thirukkadaiyur during the rule of Raja Sarabhoji the Second. He was an intense devotee of Abhiraami Devi, who often used to remain at the temple for long periods of time, immersed in the grace and sanctity of her shrine. This abnormal behavior of the Bhattar drew criticism from his peers, who eventually branded him to be a lunatic. The allegations and complaints against Subramanya Bhattar ultimately reached the king’s ears, who came down to the temple to check it for himself. It was the start of the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Thai (January-February). The temple priests were busy, observing the rites associated with Amavasya (new moon day), and the Bhattar was deeply engrossed in the worship of the Goddess. The king, at once, approached him and asked, “Subramanya Bhattar, what thithi (phase of the moon) is it today?” The Bhattar, who was captivated by the shining moon-like face of Abhiraami Devi answered in a jiffy. “Why my king, it is Pournami (full moon) indeed.” The king was aghast, and repeated his question, to which, the Bhattar once again answered in the same tone, “It is Pournami, my Lord.” Sarabhoji was furious at the impertinence of the Bhattar, and he ordered, “Oh Bhattar, if we don’t get to see the full moon tonight, you will be consigned to flames. You will be made to sit on a swing supported by a hundred ropes over a burning pit of fire. As the night passes without the appearance of the moon, the ropes will be severed one by one, and the closer you will get to death”. The king’s harsh words jolted the Bhattar to his senses. He was shocked when he heard about his conversation with the king and his impending death sentence. With tears welling up in his eyes, he looked at the idol of Abhiraami, “It was you who made me say that it is a full moon tonight, and it will be you who will save me from the plight that awaits me.” In the evening the Bhattar was chained to the swing as ordered, and a brilliant fire was kindled right beneath it. The heat from the fire wafted up and the Bhattar called out to Abhiraami for help. His immovable faith and his unassailable devotion towards the Goddess flowed out in the form of beautiful Tami hymns, in praise of the grace and power of the Divine Mother. With each passing verse, one of the ropes suspending the swing was severed. The verses were such that each verse began with the last word of the preceding verse. Hence, such compositions are known as Andhaadhis (Andha – end, Aadhi – beginning, thus, it means ‘beginning from the end’).

தனம் தரும் கல்வி தரும் ஒரு நாளும் தளர்வு அறியா
மனம் தரும் தெய்வ வடிவும் தரும் நெஞ்சில் வஞ்சம் இல்லா
இனம் தரும் நல்லன எல்லாம் தரும் அன்பர் என்பவர்க்கே
கனம் தரும் பூங்குழலாள் அபிராமி கடைக்கண்களே !

“Wealth will be granted, as also will be knowledge, and a tireless

mind too. A divine body and countenance, and relatives with hearts that speak out

their true feelings. And every other virtue will be granted to the one, who loves the Mother and others,

as also fame, by the very glance of Abhiraami’s eyes, her locks adorned with fragrant blossoms.”

-Abhiraami Andhaadhi, 69

Her ear-ring as the Full Moon

As Bhattar drew to the ending lines of the 79^th verse, the Goddess appeared before the Bhattar and threw one of her glittering earrings onto the skies, where it shimmered brightly, like a full grown moon. The ecstatic Bhattar went onto complete a 100 verses on the Goddess, which are today collectively recited as the Abhiraami Andhaadhi. The blessed genius that he was, the Bhattar also ended the Andhaadhi with the first word of the first verse, thus adding further glory to the composition. The king and everyone else, who had gathered, were ashamed at what they had done to a devout soul like the Bhattar, and begged him to forgive them. The gracious Bhattar accepted their apologies and offered all their praises to the Goddess. The very same intense devotion, which had led to the Bhattar being branded as a lunatic, now became the reason for him to be praised as Abhiraami Bhattar. As a mark of his respect for the scholar, the king decreed that one hundredth of the royal revenue will annually go to the descendents of the Bhattar. The copper plates proclaiming this decree are still under the possession of the surviving descendents of the Bhattar. The incident is celebrated every year on Thai Amavasya, when the Goddess is decked with flowers and brought out on a palanquin to the temple courtyard. The verses are recited one after another, followed by aarathi at the completion of each verse. When the 79^th verse is sung, a bright lamp is lit at the top of the Dwajasthambham, signifying the appearance of the full moon. Thousands of devotees throng the temple corridors to watch this spectacle.

The temple prakaaras also house a shrine dedicated to Gugaambigai. She is shown to be seated on a throne with Skanda on her right lap. This is a rare sight that is not seen in many other shrines. Also, the Kshetra Vinayagar is known by the name of Kallavaarana Pillaiyar, for he had stolen the pot of Amrutha from the Devas (Tamil, கள்ளன், Kallan – Thief). He is depicted as having the Amrutha Kalasha in his trunk.

Thirukkadavoor also happens to be the birth place of two of the 63 Nayanmars – Kunguliya Kaalayar and Kaari Naayanaar. The first of the two, Kaalayar, was a rich and affluent merchant. As a sign of his devotion, he used to offer Kunguliyadhupam (a type of incense) to the Lord every day, and hence, he came to be known as Kunguliya Kaalayar. Unfortunately, due to an unforeseen loss in his business, he was forced to give up all his wealth, and was soon driven to a penniless state. A day arrived, when his wife had to part with her Thirumangalyam (sacred marital thread and pendant) to buy them some food. Kaalayar took her Mangalyam to the market with a heavy heart. There, seeing an elderly woman selling Kunguliyadhupam, he lost himself and bought some for the temple. He rushed to the sanctum and immersed himself in the worship of the Lord. The Lord, taking pity on his devotee, and extremely happy with his selfless behaviour, filled his house with gold and grains, sufficient to last for three generations, and bade him to go home. Kaalayar slowly returned home, fearing a showdown by his wife, but instead, he was taken aback by the wealth that was piled in there. Realising the divine play of Eshwara, he danced with joy, praising the tender heart of the Lord, and he continued his service to the temple till his very end. Even today, the temple that he worshipped at, exists near the main temple, and is praised as Kaaleswaraalayam in his memory. It is believed that when two of the foremost Nayanmars, Appar and Sambandhar, had visited the shrine together, they had stayed at the Matha (monastery) established by Kunguliya Kaalayar.

Kaari Naayanaar, on the other hand, visited the palaces of many prosperous kings, collected money and resources, and used them in the service of Shiva Bhakthas, and for the betterment of Shiva temples.

Temple legends tell us that Markandeya bathed the Lingam of Amruthagateshwarar everyday with the waters from the Ganges. Pleased with his worship, Maheshwara requested Ganga to flow into a well near the Brahmapureeshwarar Temple in the neighbouring town of Thirukkadavoor Mayanam (Thirumeygnaanam). Thenceforth, Markandeya drew water from the well and used it in his prayers. Even today, only the waters from this tank are used for abhisheka. The underground passage, which was used by Markandeya in his transits between the temple and the tank, can still be seen near the shrine of Vilvavaneshwarar. Since the Ganges flowed into the well on the day of the Ashwathi nakshatra in the Tamil month of Panguni, the theertha is known as the Ashwathi Theertha as also Markandeya Theertha. Pilgrims are not allowed to bathe in the tank, except on the Panguni Ashwathi day. On this day, the idol of Markandeya is carried to this tank and special worship is offered. Then, Markandeya himself performs the Theerthavari for the Lord.

The Pinjilam creeper that was planted by Markandeya, is revered as the Sthala Vriksha. The creeper bears fragrant jasmine blossoms all year round. In the entire town of Thirukkadavoor, the flower is not used for personal adornment. All the flowers are offered to the temple. It is said that offering a single jasmine blossom to the Lord at Thirukkadavoor is equivalent to an archana with 1008 other flowers.

In the neighbouring village of Manalmedu, is a temple dedicated to Marudhamathi sametha Markandeshwarar. It is believed to be the birth place of Mrigandu Maharishi. In the temple, there is a separate shrine dedicated to Markandeya, where he is shown to be worshipping a Shiva Linga.

Sashtiabdhapoorthi Celebrations

The Thirukkadavoor temple wears a festive look every day as many people come here to celebrate their Poornabhishekam (100^th birthday), Kanakabhishekam (90^th birthday), Sadabhishekam (80^th birthday), Sahasrapoornadarshanam (the sightings of one thousand full moons), Bheemaratha Shanthi (70^th Birthday), Sashtiabdhapoorthi (60^th birthday), and Ugraratha Shanthi (59^th Birthday). All along the circumambulatory paths, one can see tiny groups of people performing yagnas to express their gratitude for a long and fruitful life. Sixteen pots filled with sanctified water are worshipped, along with the chanting of mantras to alleviate any misfortunes that may occur to the positioning of the Navagrahas. The pots of water are then emptied on the heads of the celebrating couple by their near and dear. The couples are then asked to visit the temple at Thirumeygnaanam to complete their pilgrimage. Ayushya homam, which is performed at the end of a child’s first year, is also conducted on the temple premises. It is believed that at the above mentioned years of a person’s life, one maybe subjected to turbulent times due to the positioning of the planets, and hence the Shanthis (placatory worships) and abhishekas (thanksgiving worships) are performed at the appropriate times. A considerable portion of the temple's revenue is generated from these poojas. The innumerate celebratory poojas fill the temple with a feeling of happiness and satisfaction – a feeling of being alive.

The temple is also an excellent kshetra to perform Parikaaras for various Navagraha Doshas. However, all Dosha-Nivarti poojas are offered to Kaalasamhaara Moorthi alone, for the Navagrahas do not have any authority here. Worshipping at the temple is also believed to help in increasing one’s life span, destroying the fear of death, and preventing any occurrence of untimely and accidental demise. People also throng to the temple to worship at the shrine of Abhiraami, for she is known to grant anything and everything.

கலையாத கல்வியும் குறையாத வயதுமோர் கபடு வாராத நட்பும்
கன்றாத வளமையுங் குன்றாத இளமையும் கழுபிணியிலாத உடலும்
சலியாத மனமும் அன்பு அகலாத மனைவியும் தவறாத சந்தானமும்
தாழாத கீர்த்தியும் மாறாத வார்த்தையும் தடைகள் வாராத கொடையும்
தொலையாத நிதியமும் கோணாத கோலும் ஒரு துன்பமில்லாத வாழ்வும்
துய்ய நின் பாதத்தில் அன்பும் உதவி பெரிய தொண்டரொடு கூட்டு கண்டாய்
அலையாழி அறிதுயிலு மாயனது தங்கையே! ஆதிகட வூரின் வாழ்வே!
அமுதீசர் ஒருபாகம் அகலாத சுகபாணி! அருள்வாமி! அபிராமியே

- அபிராமி பட்டர்

“Learning that goes not awry, a life span that is not shortened, and friendship that knows no guile,

Prosperity that never diminishes, youth that does not whither, and a body that sees no disease,

A mind that is never vexed, a wife whose love wavers not, and children who never know disobedience,

Fame that never decreases, a word that I go back on not, and charity that has no hurdles,

Wealth that is not thieved, a government that is never Adhaarmic, and a life that knows no despair,

At your esteemed feet, you gave me love and support,

and made me one amongst the great people who serve you,

The sister of he who lies in sleep on the milk ocean, the one who lives in the town of Kadavoor,

Oh thee, who separates not from one side of the body of Amutheeswarar,

Oh Goddess with the hands that bestows boons, bless us with these, Oh Abhiraami”

- Abhiraami Bhattar

[In this single verse, the Bhattar asks for the sixteen types of wealth that are required for a man to lead a happy and contented life on this planet. These are the wealth that elders bless us with, when they say “பதினாறும் பெற்று பெருவாழ்வு வாழ்க”. It is not that they are telling us to have sixteen kids. Imagine that!]

Temple Gopuram

The temple celebrates a number of festivals including Shivarathri, Navarathri, Thiruvadhirai, Maasi Magam, Panguni Uthram, the Thai Amavasai Abhiraami Andhaadhi festival, and the Panguni Ashwathi Theerthavari. However, the main festival of the temple is the eighteen-day long Kaalasamhaara Thiruvizha in the month of Chithirai (April-may), when the entire episode of Kaalasamhaaram is reenacted in the temple streets. On the sixth day of the festival, Kaalasamhaara Moorthi is brought out for the only time in the year. Special poojas and abhishekas are performed to Baalambikai and Kaalasamhaarar. Later in the evening, the processional deity is taken out, and the Veera Taandava of the Lord is enacted followed by Yama-Samhaara. Thousands visit the temple during the festival to seek the deities’ blessings for a long and happy life. Also, the Sankhabhishekams with 1008 sanctified conches during the five Karthika Somavarams (Mondays in the months of November-December) are equally famous, and draw large crowds from near and far.

Thirukkadavoor is located near Thanjavur in central Tamil Nadu and is well connected by public transport. The temple is currently under the administration of the Dharmapuri Aadheenam.

To us mortals, there is no better boon than making our short life on earth a well lived one. The fear of death only increases our hatred towards our unavoidable mortality. While immortality is on no current to-do list of ours, it is not wrong to ask God for a long and healthy life, filled with happiness and comforts. We may not all be Markandeyas, but at the very least, we do deserve a peaceful life and an even more peaceful death. And I am sure that the Lord of Thirukkadavoor will grant us this and many more boons, if only we appeal to him.

மூலத் துவாரத்து மூளும் ஒருவனை
மேலைத் துவாரத்து மேலுற நோக்கிமுற்
காலுற்றுக் காலனைக் காய்ந்தங்கி யோகமாய்
ஞாலக் கடவூர் நலமாய் இருந்ததே – திருமூலர்

“By invoking the Kundalini fire that lay coiled at the Muladhara,
and raising it up it to the Hollow near the Sahasraara, thus controlling the Praanavayu.
By this fiery yoga of controlling the praana, He scorched the God of Death,
thus lasting for eternity, here are Thirukkadavoor, and that is a matter of awe.”

(or)

“He bade Markandeya, who worshipped him at the temple of yore,

and raised him to a stature equivalent to that of the Devas of the upper world.

By jumping out of the Linga and kicking Yama on his chest, the great yogi,

which happened at Thirukkadavoor, the sanctified shrine of longevity."

-Thirumoolar

Notes :

1. The famous Tamil literary work, Silappathikaaram, mentions Thirukkadavoor to be the home town of the court-dancer Madhavi, who becomes the love-interest of Kovalan.

2. Over the centuries, the temple has received patronage from several dynasties including the Chozhas, Pandiyas, the Vijayanagara Kings, and the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur.

3. Some Puranas also tell that the Kaalasamhaara episode was ‘staged’ at the Manikarnika Ghat, in Kashi, as also at several other places. Hence, the beautiful stone and brass icons of the Kaalasamhaara Moorthi can be seen at several Shiva temples across the country.

A Tale of Three Cities - Thiruvadhigai, Ashta Veerattaanam - 2

2011-07-03T19:04:00.002-04:00

அப்பணி செஞ்சடை ஆகி புராதனன்
முப்புரம் செற்றனன் என்பர்கள் மூடர்கள்
முப்புரமாவன மும்மல காரியம்
அப்புரம் எய்தமை ஆர் அறிவாரே - திருமூலர்

“The Primordial Lord, bearing the crescent moon on his crimson matted locks,

destroyed the three great cities, so tell the unwise and the ignorant.

The three cities are in fact the triple impurities and nothing else,

It is the impurities that he burnt, but only a few who understand this truth”

-Thirumoolar

This life of ours is a gift from the Supreme, who reigns this world as well as the rest. It comes with its own god-given support system consisting of the triple virtues – love (Prema), knowledge (Buddhi) and the primordial energy (Shakthi) which sustains it all. However, we are often unable to keep the three virtues in their pure untainted states and mostly we end up imprisoning them within the three strong castles of bondage, namely, ego (Ahankara), Karma and illusion (Maya). Once caught in the web, we hardly get to escape from it, or worse, we seldom realize the imprisoned state of our virtues. This is when the divine seeks to help us out of the trouble that we have put ourselves into. The first step in the destruction of the three vices, however, is to be taken from our side. We have to let go of the ‘I’ in us and surrender to the belief that we are all but mere puppets in the cosmic show. This way, the ego breaks down, and with the firm belief that we are no longer in charge of our actions; Karma slowly loses its significance too. At long last, when this truth is firmly embedded in our intelligence, the fog of illusion is lifted and we dwell in eternal bliss. This is the very gist of Karma Yoga as Krishna details in the third chapter of the Gita.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि सन्न्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा।

निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वर:।। - श्री भगवद्गीता (3, 30)

“Surrendering all your works unto Me,

with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit,

with no claims to proprietorship,

and free from lethargy, fight.” – Shri Bhagavad Gita (3, 30)

Of course none of the above said happens without us having to be twitched around by the puppeteer. It was to illustrate this necessary participation of the Paramatma, in the destruction of the vices of the Jeevatma that the entire episode of Tripurasamhaara was acted out in the cosmic theatres. The story of the Tripuras and their destruction is perhaps one of the most sung leelas of Shiva in the Thevaram and the Thirumurai. It also occurs repeatedly in the Vedas, the Sarapopanishad, the Mahabharatha, Thirumurugattrupadai, Shivapurana, Puranaanooru and several other pieces of Vedic and Dravidian literature. Though the incident is variously related with the pilgrimage towns of Trayambak in Maharashtra, Kashi and several other North-Indian shrines, we will restrict ourselves to the tiny hamlet of Thiruvadhigai in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. The shrine at Thiruvadhigai has close ties with the Tripurasamhaara and is the second stop on our list of the Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal.

The legend of Tripurasamhaara was narrated by Duryodhana in the Karna Parva of the Mahabharatha (Chapters 33-34) to Shalya, who was reluctant to be the charioteer of Karna, and the other assembled warriors. It is believed that the story was originally conveyed by the sage Markandeya to Dhritharashtra, in the presence of Duryodhana. The tale begins with the relentless and powerful penance of Taaraka, a ruthless Asura king. He was an immense Shiva bhaktha and regularly conducted Shiva poojas and vrathas. However, the very tainted asuric-blood, which had thrived through the long lineage of Daityas, flowed in his very veins. As a result, he was possessed with the impossible idea of achieving invincibility, supreme power, and immortality, and that was precisely the reason for his latest penance to please Shiva. Finally, when Shiva appeared before him to grant his boon, Taaraka very cleverly demanded that he could be killed only by a son of Shiva and no one else. Shiva’s lips twitched lightly, but nevertheless, he granted this boon and disappeared. But Shiva had no child! Worse, he did not even have a wife at that period of time, with Sati having immolated herself at Daksha’s yagna. Taarakasura was simply thrilled that he had tricked the Lord into granting him immortality. Little did he consider the intelligence of the Supreme Being, who had created the seemingly ‘intelligent’ him?

The subsequent narrative of the marriage of Shiva and Parvathi, the birth of their son, Kumara, and his eventual victory over Taarakasura form the central theme of the Skandapurana.

Coming back to our tale, the Asura Taaraka had three sons - Vidhyunmaali, Taarakaaksha and Kamalaaksha. They too were staunch devotees of Shiva, and just like their father, their love for power and immortal life stimulated them to meditate on Brahma, the grandsire of all creation. For thousands of years they meditated on one leg, inhaling only air, hardly taking in any solid food. Brahma, as always, the easiest to please of the Trimurthis, rushed down to them and immediately consented to grant their boons.

“Sons of Taaraka, what is it that you seek? Ask and it shall be given.” said Brahma. The Asuras voiced their one boon in unison, “We seek immortality, Oh Grandsire. Death should never befall us.”
“That, I am afraid, is a boon that I will not grant.” quipped Brahma, “Ask for something else.”

“Then, Oh mighty creator!!!” the Asuras chorused again, “Grant us two boons, the first being that no one in this creation of yours should be stronger than us.” Brahma at once gave his nod, all his four heads vigorously going up and down. “And grant us three forts, one made out of gold, one of silver and one of iron. These three forts should be able to fly, roam and go to any place that we desire. The forts would come together, but once in a thousand years, at a specified time and place. Only when the foremost one amongst the gods, who bears in him half the strength and prowess, of each of the 33 crore Devas, will, with one shaft, pierce those three cities united into one, shall we, the Tripuraasuras meet our end. This is our wish.” The grandsire gulped nervously, rolled his eyes, granted them their ridiculous wish and was gone in a jiffy, lest they asked for more alarming boons.

By the command of Brahma, Maya, the Danava architect, was commissioned to build the three cities. Maya let his imagination flow and soon there were three beautiful cities, filled with palaces, gardens, orchards, Shivaalayas, fountains, wide roads and grand intricate gateways, fully equipped with weapons and divine space chariots. The Kalpaka Vrikshas and the celestial cows present in the forts made sure that the inhabitants were kept happy by yielding them all the material wealth that they desired. The three kings lived in their individual forts and with great piety and regularity, performed Shiva Poojas and observed the Vrathas and festivals. The golden fort was built in the heavens and was occupied by Taarakaaksha. The silver one was constructed in the skies and went to Kamalaaksha. The iron fort was built on earth and was inhabited by Vidhyunmaali. The forts floated around the worlds, like some giant ancient UFO’s, at peace with each other and with the three worlds.

In the meanwhile, a burning desire was kindled in Hari, the son of Taarakaaksha. He too wanted to contribute to the glory of the Asura lineage like his father and uncles. So, following in their footsteps, he too went to a dense forest and started to meditate on Brahma. He ate no food and drank no water. He meditated upside down and under the flowing waters of the rivers. He even built a fire and meditated in its midst. Soon, Brahma was pleased beyond his own expectations and he appeared before Hari. Now Hari was a tad more intelligent than the other Asuras. So, when Brahma asked him to state his wish, instead of demanding immortality directly, he took a roundabout approach. “Oh Supreme Creator, grant me the existence of a lake in our city, such that persons, slain by the means of weapons, may, when thrown into it, come out with life, and with redoubled strength.” And Brahma said “Thathaasthu!”. A lake immediately sprung up in the midst of the golden fort, sparkling with a divine shimmer. In whatever form and whatever guise a Daitya might have been slain, if thrown into that lake, he was restored to life, in the self-same form and guise. Hari rejoiced at his laudable achievement and the Asuras planned a grand celebration in his honour.

The Devas make their complaints to Shiva

The Devas however, did not like this at all. They were jealous of the sparkly flying cities, of their immense treasures and were positively freaked out by the magical lake. They even instigated the Maruts to wage a war against the cities, but the forts were simply impregnable. At long last, they ran to Brahma, poured out their unfounded woes and asked the divine Grandsire the means by which the triple cities could be destroyed. The grand old god looked at them meekly, with big sad eyes. It was because of his very boon that the three cities were even in existence. Feeling helpless, they proceeded to Kailasha, but even Shiva turned his face away, stating that the Asuras had not performed anything wrong yet, and hence could not be punished. Panic and fear washed over the Devas like a tidal wave, but they were not ready to give up. Gathering up their tattered hopes, they finally resorted to Vishnu and begged him to show them a way out.

Vishnu, the omnipresent and the omniscient, looked at the Devas and burst out into a laugh, much to the surprise and embarrassment of the assembled gods. “Well, you come to me for such trivial situations, Oh Devas. If they have not yet fallen prey to any sins, don’t we just have to force them into committing some?” he suggested coyly.

The Devas stared back in disbelief, confusion etched onto their faces. Vishnu smiled again and with a gentle wave of his hand he created a man. The man had a clean shaven head and was swathed in faded robes. In his hands he carried a water pot. The man approached his creator, with a piece of cloth covering his mouth and asked, “Master, who am I? Why was I created?”

With the mischievous smile still plastered to his face, Vishnu took the man to one side. “You, who have been created by me will learn a new religion and preach the same. I will be your guru and teach you the religion, all its doctrines and beliefs. You will believe that there is no Swarga and no Naraka. The religion will strongly deny the fact that the rewards and punishments for your acts will be meted out after death. The religion will be against the very Vedas and all its messages. You will then go and preach this religion to the Tripuraasuras, to take them away from the path of righteousness. That will give us sufficient time and excuse to plan their downfall.”

Thus, Vishnu himself taught the man and four of his disciples, the intricacies of the new formed religion. The five of them then resorted to forests near the Tripura and started preaching the religion. Since Vishnu himself had trained them, their act was pretty convincing. The tenets of the new religion were so influential that even Narada got confused and adopted the new religion. In fact, Narada was the one who carried the news of this fantastic new religion to the court of Vidhyunmaali. Hearing about the greatness of the religion from Narada himself, Vidhyunmaali reverentially approached the teachers, took lessons from them and converted to the new faith. His two brothers soon followed suit.

But, as they started practicing the canons of the new religion, they forgot the message of the Vedas. They acted rashly and started waging wars against the Devas. They stopped worshipping the sacred Linga, the Salagrama and other sacred symbols of Sanatana Dharma. The three forts started to fly around at tremendous speeds, killing birds and knocking out the stars. They landed without any prior notice and thousands of innocent lives were crushed to death. Further, instigated by the presence of the divine lake, the Asuras lost the fear of death and started harassing the common people, the rishis, the demigods and other harmless creatures. Deprived of their senses, all of them began to shamelessly exterminate the cities and towns established all over the universe. Thus, day by day, the atrocities of the Tripuraasuras increased drastically - in perfect accordance with Vishnu’s grand plan.

Knowing that the time was finally ripe, Vishnu and Brahma led a delegation of Devas to Kailasha to petition for the destruction of the Tripuraasuras. “Mahadeva”, they voiced in unison and then immediately prostrated before the Supreme Being.

“Our repeated salutations to thee, O Lord. Salutations to thee that art the source of all the gods,

to thee that art armed with the bow, to thee that art full of wrath.

Salutations to thee that had’st destroyed the sacrifice of that lord of creatures,

to thee that art adored by all the lords of creatures.

Salutations to thee that art always praised, to thee that deservest to be praised, to thee that art Death's self. Salutations to thee that art red, to thee that art fierce, to thee that art blue-throated,

to thee that art armed with the trident, to thee that art incapable of being baffled,

to thee that hast eyes as beautiful as those of the gazelle,

to thee that fightest with the foremost of weapons,

to thee that deserves all praise, to thee that art pure, to thee that art destruction's self,

to thee that art the destroyer; to thee that art irresistible, to thee that art Brahman,

to thee that leadest the life of a brahmachari; to thee that art Ishana; to thee that art immeasurable,

to thee that art the great controller, to thee that art robed in tatters;

to thee that art ever engaged in penances, to thee that art tawny, to thee that art observant of vows,

to thee that art robed in animal skins; to thee that art the sire of Kumara, to thee that art three-eyed,

to thee that art armed with the foremost of weapons,

to thee that destroyest the afflictions of all that seek thy shelter,

to thee that destroyest all haters of brahmanas, to thee that art the lord of all trees,

the lord of all men, the lord of all kin, and ever the lord of sacrifices.

Salutations to thee that art always at the head of troops, to thee that art three-eyed,

to thee that art endued with fierce energy. We devote ourselves to thee in thought, word and deed.

Be gracious unto us.”
-Karna Parva, Mahabharatha

Shiva smiled at the gathered gods and demigods, his eyes twinkling with good humor. “Pleased I am you’re your praises. What do you seek from me today?” he asked. The Devas exchanged anxious glances between themselves; not daring to raise their voice in Kailasha. Amazed by the sudden silence, Brahma finally came forward and spoke for the Devas. “It is through your power, Oh Lord that I create and rule over all my creations. It is with the very same power vested by you in me that I granted the boons to the three Asuras. But now, their deeds have gone beyond the limits of tolerance. They no longer tread the path of righteousness. It is you alone who is capable of destroying them. Grace us with the shelter of your lotus feet.”

Maheshwara smiled. “I agree with you, Brahma. We should put an end to this. But I shall not, however, kill them single-handedly. They are tremendously powerful and hence I consider it apt that all of you, united together- with half of my might bestowed upon you, should go to war with the Tripuraasuras.”

Brahma gulped again. “But, Mahadeva, the strength of the Tripuraasuras is twice that of our own. We have already been defeated by the ruthless inhabitants of the forts. And besides, we would never be able to bear even a tiny portion of your energy. On the other hand, with half our might united with you, would you be capable of destroying the Asuras?”

“So be it, Brahmadeva. With half your energies united in me, I will destroy the three Asuras and their forts. Prepare for the war everyone, and provide me with the very best of chariots and horses, a single fine arrow and an equally fine bow.”

The Devas, then transferred half their energies to Parameshwara. With all the added energy, Shiva shimmered bright. Overwhelmed by this extraordinary vision of Parameshwara, the Devas praised him as Pashupathi and sang his glories. Thus was born the Sri-Rudram – the sacrosanct hymn of Shaivas that is found in the Yajur Veda. The Sri-Rudram starts off with praises to Rudra, his two hands, his bow and his arrow - the key requirements for the destruction of the Tripuraasuras.

नमस्ते रूद्र मन्यव उतोत इषवे नम:| नमस्ते अस्तु धन्वने बाहुभ्यामुत ते नम:||

या त इषु शिवतमा शिवम् बभूव ते धनु:| शिवा शरव्या या तव तया नो रूद्र मृडय || - श्री रुद्रं

“Oh! Rudra Deva! My salutations to your anger and also to your arrows.

My salutations to your bow and to your two hands.

Oh! Rudra! By favor of your arrow, bow, and quiver,

which have shed their anger and turned auspicious, please render us happy.”-Sri Rudram

Shiva on the specially built car

The Devas then got to work at once, to build the most suitable car for Rudra. Vishwakarma, the divine-architect, was consulted and the construction began. Mother Earth, with all her glorious mountains, rivers and forests, became the car. The sun and the moon were made the two wheels of the chariot, balanced on the Mandhara Mountain, which acted as the axle. Nandi became the flag which was hoisted on the Meru mountain that acted as the flag staff. The four Vedas became the four horses drawing the car and the four supreme serpents became their tethers. Brahma was chosen by the demigods to be the charioteer, and in his hand he held the Vedic sound Vashat as the goad, with the Gayathri acting as its string. Time itself became the bow of Shiva and the very shadow of Rudra became the indestructible bowstring (Certain versions claim that Meru was the bow and Vasuki, the king of snakes, was its string.). The 33 crore Devas became various parts of the car and finally, Agni became the point of the fatal arrow and Vayu became its rear end. Vishnu seated himself at the shaft of the arrow, thus becoming the guiding source of its fatality. The newly constructed car, filled with the requisite weapons was brought to the gates of Kailasha. There, gleaming with the brightness of a million suns, Shiva mounted the special car, while the source of his energy, Parvathi Devi, stood firmly by his side. Everything in place, Brahma goaded the steeds, and the car zoomed forward.

The car made good speed and soon, they were almost at the destination, when suddenly, there was a cracking sound, and the car tilted down on one side. The steeds tripped over and fell upon one another. Shocked by the inauspicious incident, Shiva jumped down from the car and saw that the wheel hubs had broken. Realization dawned upon him as he looked at Parvathi. “It looks like our son is playing with me right now. I agree it is my mistake that I failed to invoke him before I started on this momentous task, and now I see this. Let this be an example to all of mankind, that the laws remain unchanged, even for me, who occupies the highest seat at Kailasha.” Shiva immediately sat down and shaped a small Ganesha out of turmeric, and propitiated his own son, the remover of all obstacles. Humbled by the prayers of his father, Ganesha rushed to the scene and immediately removed all the hindrances that may come forth in the war. The car was soon put back on its wheels and off it sped again.

Sensing approaching danger , the Tripuras flew everywhere, trying to block the path of the divine car, but only in vain. However, the crazy movements of the three forts combined with the weights of Shiva, Vishnu and Meru started to push the earth (car) into the netherworlds. The gods panicked at the plight of Mother Earth when, in a split second, Vishnu took the form of a giant bull. He lifted the earth from below and put it back into its rightful place. He then rushed into the golden fort of Taarakaaksha and drank up all the water from the Lake of Rejuvenation.

To burn with a smile

Meanwhile, Shiva patiently waited for the appointed time, when the three forts would eventually come together, thus making them vulnerable by the power of the Asuras’ very wishes. Accordingly, during the Sharad Kaala, when the star Pushya was in the ascending, Shiva finally put the arrow, which was Vishnu, onto his bow. The Devas watched with bated breath, some of them loudly calling out their contributions in helping the Lord bring about the destruction of the Tripuraasuras. They took immense pride in the fact that Shiva now bore half of their energies, which was going to help him finish off the three cities. They waited and waited...

But Shiva did not release the arrow. On the other hand, as the Tripuras drew near each other, Maheshwara just looked towards them and smiled gently. At once, the three forts were engulfed by brilliant flames. The Devas immediately hung their heads in shame. Along with the three cities of the Tripuraasauras, the pride and ego of the Devas had also been conquered. His smile alone was sufficient to destroy the cities and here they were, thinking that they were the sole reason for the destruction of the Tripuras. He had asked them for half their energies, not because he was incapable of defeating the Asuras without them, but just to respect the boon granted to the Asuras by Brahma.

Again, in accordance with the boons granted to the three brothers, Shiva released his single arrow on the three Asuras and they were reduced to ashes instantaneously. The ever-compassionate Lord, however, revived the three and made them his Bhootha-Ganas. Hence, Taarakaaksha and Vidhyunmaali were blessed with Saaroopyam (Same form as the Lord) and were appointed as the Dwarapaalakas to Shiva. Kamalaaksha, on the other hand, was assigned to the role of playing the five-headed trumpet during joyous occasions at Kailasha. After all, at one point of time, they had been his greatest devotees.

Tripura Taandava

Vishnu then sent away the preachers of the new religion to live in the great deserts until the beginning of Kali Yuga, when they could start their teachings afresh. Overflowing with joy on this wonderful occasion, Shiva danced gleefully to the beats of Nandi, Parvathi, Vishnu and others, lifting his legs high up into the air, in swift, graceful movements. (The dance of Shiva at the end of Tripurasamhaara is aptly called Tripura Taandava and is one of the major forms of Shiva Taandava.) As the 33 crore Devas watched the rising and falling of his lotus feet with rapt attention, they finally breathed freely after a long hiatus, no longer afraid of any golden airships or iron tanks.

Tripuranthaka Moorthi

As was said earlier, the temple town of Thiruvadhigai, near Banrutti in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, celebrates this destruction of the Tripuraasuras by Maheshwara. It is believed that the Tripuraasuras were killed, revived and accepted as Ganas at this very place. The Thiruvadhigai temple is spread over 7 acres in three concentric Prakaaras, and is overflowing with a plethora of brilliant sculptures depicting the various forms of Shiva, the Tripurasamhaara episode, and the 108 Karanas (positions) in Bharathanatyam, besides many others. Much of the temple was built during the Pallava regime, and their influence on the plans and the architecture of the temple can be easily felt. The presiding deity is Veerattaneswarar, who is housed in the central shrine as a large, 16-faced, swayambhu Linga. Behind the Linga is a beautiful stucco figurine of Shiva and Parvathi in their Thirukkalyana (marriage) posture. The goddess goes by the name of Tripurasundari, who had accompanied Shiva during the destruction of the Tripuras. Separately enshrined, in yet another shrine known as the Veerattesar Sabha, is the idol of Tripuraari/Tripuranthakar. He is shown to be standing, accompanied by his consort, who is variously praised as Janmamrithyu Vinasini and Tripuravalli. In his hands, he holds a deer, a goad, a bow and an arrow. This shrine is the very heart of the Thiruvadhigai Veerattaanam and houses the form of Shiva who had destroyed the Tripuras. A similar sub-shrine acts as the home to the famous Pancha-Mukha Linga. With four faces in the four cardinal directions and yet another face looking upwards, the Linga is a sight to behold and is not seen anywhere else in Tamil Nadu.

Thirunavukkarasar

The temple at Thiruvadhigai has several laurels to its name. It was here that the Thevaram was first sung. In fact, it was at Thiruvadhigai that Appar, the author of the Thevaram, and one of the Saiva quartet, was rechristened as Thirunavukkarasar. Appar was born as Marulneekkiyaar in a village named Thiruvamoor near Thiruvadhigai. He also had a sister named Thilagavathi. Early into his teens, Marulneekkiyaar was attracted by the covenants of Jainism. Eventually he became a staunch follower of the religion and changed his name to Dharmasenar. His sister on the other hand, tormented by the death of her fiancé Kalippagaiyaar and vexed with life, offered herself to the service of Shiva and all his devotees. She shifted to Thiruvadhigai and regularly worshiped Veerattaneswarar, while helping out the pilgrims who visited the temple in large numbers. While Thilagavathi was at Thiruvadhigai, her brother contracted a severe disease that affected his bowels. As a result, Dharmasenar continuously suffered from an excruciating pain in the abdomen which could not be alleviated by any of the Jain monks. Wishing to see his sister before things became any worse, Dharmasenar secretly left the Jaina school and made his way to Thiruvadhigai. There, he almost collapsed at his sister's feet and begged her to cure him. Shocked by the pitiful condition of her brother, Thilagavathi ran into the sanctum and taking some holy ash, she rubbed it onto Dharmasenar’s stomach and asked him to ingest some. The moment the Vibhuti entered his mouth, the ache vanished completely, leaving no trace at all. Relief flooded Dharmasenar and his joy burst out in the form of a beautiful Tamil hymn.

கூற்றாயின வாறு விலக்ககிலீர்
கொடுமைபல செய்தன நானறியேன்
ஏற்றாயடிக்கேயிரவும் பகலும்
பிரியாது வணங்குவ னெப்பொழுதும்
தோற்றாதென் வயிற்றி னகம்படியே
குடரோடு துடக்கி முடக்கியிட
ஆற்றே நாடியே னதிகைக் கெடில
வீரட்டா னத்துறை யம்மானே
“The father whodwells in Adhigai Veerattaanam on the northern bank of Ketilam!
you do not cure my disease which is giving me pain like the god of death.
I do not knowthat I did many cruel acts intentionally to get this disease.
Sivan who has a bull!
I bow to your feet only, always night and daywithout leaving them.
being invisible, inside my belly.
to disable me by binding together with the intestines.
I, who am your slave, could not bear the painyou must admit me as your slave removing the disease.”

And thus was born the Thevaram, one of the foremost of the twelve Shaiva Thirumurais. So pleased was Shiva with his heart-moving pathigams (verses) that, he blessed Dharmasenar with the title of Navukkarasar (the ruler of all tongues). With a renewed zest, Thirunavukkarasar offered himself to the eternal service of Shiva and to spreading the glory of the Shaiva faith. Navukkarasar and Thilagavathiyaar remained in Thiruvadhigai and started the practice of Uravaazhathondu (Cleaning the temple). To this day, the temple at Thiruvadhigai remains sparklingly clean. To honour the two great souls, there are separate shrines for Thilagavathi and Appar within the precincts of the temple

The temple has been sung about by all the three of the Thevaram trio (Thirunavukkarasar, Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandhar). It is the only temple of the Ashta Veerattanas to have been sung so. In fact, when Sundarar visited the place, he was so afraid of stepping on the sacred land that was sanctified by Thirunavukkarasar that he stayed at the nearby Siththavadamadam and offered his prayers from there. One night, while he was asleep, he felt that someone was repeatedly kicking him on his head. Startled by the kicks, Sundarar woke up and realized that it was the Lord who had placed his lotus feet on his head. Feeling energized after having received blessings from the Lord, Sundarar went on to convert the Pallava king, Mahendravarman, from Jainism to the Shaiva faith. Mahendravarman then ordered that the Jain schools be demolished and he built a grand Shiva temple, Thiru Gunapparaveecharam, near Thiruvadhigai. The original temple is now in ruins. However, it was rebuilt by the Pandya kings at a later stage and was even used as a fort by the Marathas and the British.

The Car-shaped Sanctum

Since Shiva had come in a grand chariot to destroy the Tripuras, the central shrine at Thiruvadhigai is itself built like a chariot. The vimana over the central shrine is built such that its shadow never falls on the ground. It is filled with thousands of colourful stucco sculptures, each depicting various scenes from the Puranas and Itihasas. It is believed that Rajaraja Chozhan modeled the famous Brihadeeswara temple at Thanjavur based on this temple. Even the practice of celebrating temple-car festivals originated at this place. Legends even claim that the very first chariot was built solely for Tripurasamhaaram.

Tripurantaka Moorthi on Ambal's Vimana

Kedilam river, also referred to as the Thengangai (Ganges of the South) is the main theertha of the Kshetra. The temple also sports the Soolatheertham. It is believed that people who drink water from the theertha will be cured of ulcers, stomach aches and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Since Shiva had granted darshan to Appar in his Thirumana Kolam (Married form) at Thiruvadhigai, a lot of marriages are solemnized within the temple premises. The sthala by itself happens to be a Kalyanakshetra like Madurai, where the goddess’s shrine is located to the right of the Swami’s shrine.

A popular belief exists that the Lord of Thiruvadhigai delivers his devotees from the triple vices of ego, Karma and illusion. People who come to the temple with Ahankaara (the ‘I’ factor) do not get to return again. Such is the greatness of the temple and the presiding deity. Temple protocol demands that the devotees remain with their heads bowed to the Lord. While applying the sacred ash, one is required to bend his/her head and do so, indicating that we are submitting our egos to the Supreme. The ash reminds us time and again, that at the end of the stipulated time, everything is reduced to ashes.

Bhoga Shayana Narasimhar

Apart from the temple of Veerattaneswarar, Thiruvadhigai is also home to the Saara Narayana Perumal temple. Since Vishnu was the arrow (சரம், Saram in Tamil) that had destroyed the Tripuraasuras, he remained at Thiruvadhigai as Saara Narayanar. The goddess of the temple is known by the name of Hemambujavalli. The temple houses a very unique idol of Bhoga Shayana Narasimha, where Narasimha Swami is shown to be reclining on Adisesha. Such an idol is not found anywhere else in the world. It is believed that Narasimha Swami laid down to take rest after vanquishing a demon named Vakkiraasura. The rare idol is kept covered with gold shields and is often bathed in cool waters to reduce the heat of the Lord’s anger. The presiding deity of the temple is seen to be in a standing posture and is completely carved from Salagrama stone. In an unusual occurence, he is flanked on his right by Sri Devi alone (Usually he is flanked by both Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi). Like at Uppiliappan Kovil, it is believed that Mahavishnu married the daughter of Markandeya Maharishi at Thiruvadhigai. The temple Garudazhwar is also seen to be in an unusual pose, with his hands crossed and bearing the Sudarshana and the Panchajanya. The temple legends speak of the fact that Vishnu gave his conch and discus to Garuda, for safekeeping. while he took the form of Shiva’s arrow. Hence Garuda remains in possession of Vishnu’s weapons at Thiruvadhigai.

Every year, in the month of Vaikasi, Saara Narayana Perumal and Thiruvadhigai Veerattaneswarar take part in the annual 10 day Brahmotsava of the Veerattaneswarar temple. On the ninth day, the entire episode of Tripura-Dahanam is re-enacted in the temple car-streets. Grand scale poojas are offered to Tripuranthaka Moorthi, who is then taken on a car to the banks of the Kedilam river. Saara Narayana Perumal is also carried to the river banks and placed next to the temple car. Three forts are then constructed with hay, dried coconut palm fronds and palm leaves. Wooden dolls of the three Asuras are then placed within the newly-constructed forts. Amidst the chanting of mantras, the arrow is taken from the hands of Tripuranthaka Moorthi and placed on the idol of Saara Narayana Perumal. The powers of Vishnu are then transferred to the arrow, which is once again placed in the hands of Tripuranthakar. Camphor lights and oil lamps are offered to both the idols, and then the three forts are set on fire. After the entire spectacle, due respects and naivedhya are offered to Saara Narayana Perumal, and then Tripuranthakar returns to his shrine, where he is bathed in cool waters to wash away the inauspiciousness of the Asuras’ death. The festival ends with the lowering of the temple flag on the 10^th day of Vaikasi Visagam.

Yet another important festival at Thiruvadhigai is the 10-day Appar thiruvizha, which takes place in the month of Chithirai. It celebrates the curing of Navukkarasar’s disease and the subsequent darshan given by Maheshwara. Apart from these, Karthikai Somavaram, Thiruvadhirai, Thirugnana Sambandhar Thiruvizha in the month of Aadi, Maha Shivarathri, Thilagavathiyaar Gurupooja and Pradhoshams also see a large gathering of devotees.

Thiruvadhigai is thus a place worth a visit by any self-respecting human being. As was said earlier, it is only with the destruction of the three impurities of the mind that divine bliss comes to us mortals. What better place to seek for the same than where the Lord himself had symbolically destroyed them?

Thiruvadhigai is located very near to Cuddalore, Pondicherry, and Banrutti and is easily accessible by road and rail.

Notes:

1. It is interesting to note that the three vices of ego, Karma, and illusion are duly represented by Taarakaaksha, Vidhyunmaali and Kamalaaksha. Once god has had his way with them, the vices are burnt and refined into knowledge, prowess, and love respectively. If one was to closely observe the Dwarapaalakas at some of the Shiva shrines, it can be seen that Taarakaaksha bears earrings that have elephants on them, while Vidhyunmaali sports earrings with lions. Elephant represents knowledge and the lion is perhaps the best example for prowess and strength, and hence the appropriate earrings for the refined Taarakaaksha and Vidhyunmaali. It is also to be understood that, while knowledge and prowess may just get you into His presence, it is only ‘love’ (Kamalaaksha) that is going to make Him happy enough to perform His Aananda Taandava.

2. The place where the axle of Shiva’s car broke is today known by the name of Accharuppakkam (Acchu – axle, Aru – break). There is a temple dedicated to Acchumuri Vinayagar, who was responsible for the axle’s damage. Shiva is also enshrined here as Pashupathi. It is believed that a rishi named Trinethradhari worshipped Pashupathi and was blessed with a vision of Tripurasamhaara Moorthi.

3. The legend of Tripurasamhaara is also associated with several other temples such as the Muppuraari Kottam temple in Kanchipuram, Tripurantha Kesam, Simhachalam and the Thevara-Vaippu Thalam of Tripuranthakam. The images, icons and paintings of Tripuranthaka Moorthi and Tripura Taandava Moorthi adorn the walls and pillars of several Shiva temples all over the world.

4. In the writing of this Purana, it may appear that Jainism has been shown in a bad light. I assure that I have the highest respects for all religions. However, the history of Tamil Nadu does throw up several incidents associated with tyrannical Jain kings. They converted from one religion to another and often ended up confused, thus defaming any religion that they embraced. History also reports the presence of several influential Jains with the wrong ideologies, who attempted to control the affairs of the State by converting the kings. Such converted kings often disrespected people of other faiths and sometimes went to the extent of destroying temples. Shaiva saints like Sundarar and Appar, struggled against these kings, often with the help of divine help, to re-establish religious freedom.

Shambho Vs Jumbo - Thiru Vazhuvoor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 1

2011-05-16T03:45:00.195-04:00

தென்னாடுடைய சிவனே போற்றி !
என்னாட்டவர்க்கும் இறைவா போற்றி !!

“Praise be to Shiva, He who belongs to the southern lands
Praise be to the supreme, the Lord of all the earth-dwellers”

The first time I heard the verse, I was like rather taken aback by the possessiveness of the Tamil Shaivas in claiming the Lord to be their own. But then, when you start to look around the various cities and villages in the South Indian states, especially in Tamil Nadu, you will most certainly concede with the above couplet. Tens and thousands of temples are dedicated to Maheshwara, many of them dating back several centuries and millennia. Add to it the many ash-smeared foreheads, the rudraksha-clad necks and the countless bulls that roam around freely, it is like Shiva just shifted base from Kailasha to Tamil Nadu.

And it doesn’t stop with just that. Perhaps the best works in Shaiva Siddhantha were also composed in Tamil by a group of 63 devotees hailing from various walks of life. These 63 Nayanmars travelled from one temple to another, singing the praises of the lord, spreading knowledge, performing miracles and having darshans of Shiva at his many-many sacred pilgrimage sites. Their songs often preached esoteric truths about the Lord and his many plays, and are organized into twelve volumes that are collectively known as the Panniru Thirumurai. Out of these twelve volumes, the first seven were exclusively sung by just three of the foremost Nayanmars – Thirunavukkarasar, Sundarar and Thirugnana Sambandar. These seven volumes are today praised by the name of Thevaram (The Lord’s Garland). The three of them had visited 275 Shiva temples between them and had sung at every single shrine. These 275 shrines came to be praised as ‘Thevara Thalangal’ or ‘Paadal Petra Thalangal’ (sites which were sung by the trio). Apart from the 275 shrines, the trio has mentioned an additional 249 unvisited shrines in their verses, which are known as the ‘Thevara Vaippu Thalangal’. So much for just 3 of the 63 Nayanmars.

Amongst these 500 odd shrines, some of the temples are further grouped into smaller categories such as the Pancha Bhootha Thalangal, Saptha Vidanga Thalangal, Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal, Saptha Sthaana Thalangal and so on, depending on the Sthala Purana, the nature of worship etc. It is one such group of shrines that we will be traveling through in the upcoming posts – the Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal

காவிரியின் கரைக்கண்டி வீரட் டானங்
கடவூர்வீ ரட்டானங் காமருசீ ரதிகை
மேவியவீ ரட்டானம் வழுவை வீரட்டம்
வியன்பறியல் வீரட்டம் விடையூர்திக் கிடமாங்
கோவல்நகர் வீரட்டங் குறுக்கை வீரட்டங்
கோத்திட்டைக் குடிவீரட் டானமிவை கூறி
நாவினவின்றுரைப்பார்க்கு நணுகச் சென்றால்
நமன்றமருஞ்சிவன்றமரென்றகல்வர் நன்கே.
- திருநாவுக்கரசர், ஆறாம் திருமுறை
"By the banks of the Kaveri, The Kandi Veerattaanam,
The Kadavoor Veerattaanam, The charming Adhigai Veerattaanam,
The large and spread out Vazhuvai Veerattanam,
The breathtaking Pariyal Veerattaanam, the residence of His bull
Koval Veerattanam, Kurukkai veerattaanam and the
Kotthittaikkudi Veerattanam. By chanting these
with our very lips, even the messengers of Yama will fear to come near
at the time of death, for we are the servitors of Shiva and that alone is glory"
-Sixth Thirumurai by Thirunavukkarasar

Sprinkled over the landscape of Tamil Nadu are eight temples dedicated to Shiva in his terrific form as the destroyer of the bad and the evil. These eight temples, which are collectively known as the Ashta Veerattaana (Veerasthana) Thalangal (The eight shrines of extraordinary valour), are the sanctified spots where the Lord revealed his wrath and strength, and in short tried to show off his heroism. The eight temples are worth a visit, not only for their mind-numbing sanctity, but also for the rare treat of beholding several uniquely beautiful bronze idols, of which there are no other copies in existence. They are unique in their form, pose and structure, and it is only by beholding them that one can fully appreciate the details of the craftsmanship and the flowing beauty of the sculpture. But most importantly, each of these eight temples has a lively story to tell and that’s where kshetrapuranas@blogspot comes in. So, on we go with our journey across these eight kshetras.

Thiru Vazhuvoor, which lies about 9 km from Mayiladuthurai is the sixth of the Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal. Here, the Lord is worshiped as Gajasamhaarar - the slayer of the elephant demon. The Gajasamhaara Moorthi is revered as one of the SadaaShiva-Moorthams - 64 different forms of Maheshwara that find a mention in our puranas. The Ilankilainaayaki sametha Kiruthivaasar temple at Vazhuvoor is at least 1500 years old, and has been sung by Thirunavukkarasar as a Vaippu thalam in the Thevaram as also by Thirumoolar in his Thirumanthiram.

As is the case with many shrines, the legend and myth of Thiru Vazhuvoor is also intricately linked with other famous events mentioned in our puranas. So back we go to the starting point of perhaps every other myth in the hindu puranas - Ksheera Saagara Manthana or the churning of the Milk Ocean (See Thiruvalanchuzhi and Pradosha Purana).

Terribly weakened by Durvasa’s curse, the Devas were forced to seek help from their Asura cousins for churning the milk ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality. The vile Asuras, surprisingly agreed to extend their helping hands, subject to a single promise – that the Daityas were to be given an equal share of the Amrutha which would come out of the milk ocean. The Devas were so shamefully desperate for any help that they readily agreed to the Asuras’ clause. Finally, the churning began, with the Meru Mountain as the churn and the snake king Vasuki as the rope. After many initial hurdles and setbacks, the Ksheera Saagara ultimately started revealing the richest of its treasures. Out came Kaamadhenu (the sacred wish- yielding cow), Ucchaishravas (The winged horse), Airavatha(The celestial white elephant), Kalpakavriksha (the wish-bearing tree), Kausthuba (The divine jewel), Varuni (The Wine goddess), Maha Lakshmi, Chandran(The Moon) and many other objects of incalculable worth. The Devas and Asuras gleefully divided the extraordinary treasures amongst themselves. Indra claimed both the Kalpakavriksha and Airavatha, while the Asuras gladly accepted Ucchaishravas. Kaamadhenu chose the sage Vasishta to be her owner and Kausthuba decided to grace the chest of Vishnu. Maha Lakshmi too followed Kausthuba and garlanded Shri Vishnu as her groom (thus receiving an eternal spot in his heart) and Chandran decided to adorn the sacred locks of Shiva for eternity.

With the division of the treasures accomplished, the massive churning continued - for they had not yet achieved what they had started out for. Finally, after what appeared like eons, the creamy waves of the milk ocean opened up like a blooming lotus and out emerged Danwantari, the god of health. The water drops on his body shimmered like many jewels and in his hands he bore a jewel encrusted golden pot, brimming with Amrutha - the nectar of immortality. At once the Devas and Asuras pounced upon him, like a pack of hungry dogs on a slice of meat. But Danwantari was too quick for them and he set out like a flying horse. The Devas and Asuras followed, their faces taut with concentration and their arms snatching madly at the empty air in front of them. Each group wanted the entire pot for themselves and earlier promises lay long-abandoned in the race for ever-youthfulness.

It was then that Maha Vishnu decided to act in the best interests of the world that he sustains. The Asuras must be prevented from laying their hands on the nectar at all costs; else the three worlds would suffer. In a moment he transformed himself into the most ravishing beauty anyone had ever set their eyes upon – Mohini. She was so extraordinarily breathtaking that even the Apsaras blushed red with embarrassment. With a full sensuous body draped with the most suggestive of garments, she walked up to the Devas and Asuras who were fighting over the nectar.

तस्यां नरेन्द्र करभोरुरुशद्दुकुल श्रोणीतटालसगतिर्मदविह्वलाक्षी |
सा कुजति कनकनूपुरशिंजितेन कुम्भस्तनी कलशपाणिरथाविवेश ||
तां श्रीसखीं कनककुण्डलचारुकर्णं नासाकपोलवदनां परदेवताख्याम |
संवीक्ष्य संमुमुहु रुत्स्मीतवीक्षणेन देवासुर विगलितस्तन पट्टिकान्ताम ||
- श्रीमद्भागवतं
“Oh King, that woman, dressed in a most beautiful sari, her thighs resembling the trunks of elephants
Walking very slowly because of her big, low hips, her eyes restless due to youthful pride,
Her golden ankle bells making tinkling sound,
Her breasts like water jugs with a pot in her hand, she entered the arena.
She appeared like a friend of Lakshmi, her, her beautiful ears adorned with ear-rings,
With attractive cheeks, nose and a charming face. Thus appeared the Supreme Lord.
Looking at her, who was glancing and smiling at them, the entire assembly became enchanted.
And the Deva-Asuras stared as her sari border moved against her ample bosom. ”
-Srimad Bhaagavatham

The Advent of Mohini

“Ahem”, she said, and in a heartbeat silence descended upon the scene like an invisible veil. Every mouth was open wide - some drooling and some just having a momentary attack of lockjaw. “If you don’t mind, Oh sons of Kaashyapa, I would like to distribute the nectar to you.” she said, her voice a combination of a billion nightingales. And the very next moment, the jar of nectar was in her hands. “Yes, Oh Beautiful Lady!!!” sighed the crowd in unison.

What followed is of course, no news to anyone. The Devas were offered all the nectar while the piteous (Oh well, at least they deserved their fair share of the reward) Asuras were cheated out of the deal. All the efforts made by the furious Asuras to fight back against the Devas went in vain, as the nectar had made the Devas invincible. Thus, Maha Vishnu had once again saved the day, and the whole of Devaloka rejoiced at the newly regained strength of its inhabitants.

However, the purpose of the Mohini Avataara had been fulfilled only in part. And so Mohini waited by the shadows of Darukaavana (the forest of Devadaru/Deodhar trees), for the destined time to arrive. She waited and she waited. At long last, on the faraway horizons of Mohini’s sight, appeared a man – the man she had been waiting for. And he was no ordinary being, for he was a perfect match for Mohini. Extremely handsome and strongly built, he had all the desired Lakshanas for an auspicious groom. Carrying a trident in one hand and a kapala (a cup made from a skull) in the other, he came to a standstill in front of Mohini. Mohini glanced up at him, her eyes twinkling with perfect understanding, for the man was none other than Shiva himself, in his enchanting form of Bhikshaadanar - the naked god of extreme beauty.

The Divine Union

The meeting of the two beauties was no mere coincidence. On the contrary, it was the only way to put an end to the atrocities of Mahishi, the buffalo demoness. Long ago, Mahishi had obtained a boon that she could only be vanquished by a male child born to Shiva and Vishnu, who has spent 16 years on earth, living the life of an ordinary mortal. The moment had finally arrived and the heavens awaited the ultimate union of Shiva and Vishnu to yield a male child. The cosmic dice rolled as Shiva came together with Mohini, and in the lush surroundings of the forests, their divine potencies merged. A beautiful child appeared on the green carpet of the forest floor, shining like a thousand suns, a tiny golden bell suspended from his conch-like neck. Shiva and Vishnu beamed down upon their cute offspring. They blessed him with all their powers and then, leaving their new born child on the forest floor, the couple proceeded onto the next stop of their very busy schedule. (The child was later taken up by the King of Panthala and was christened Manikandan. He went on to vanquish Mahishi, as destined, and finally left for his heavenly abode after 16 years of mortal life. We today know him variously as Hariharaputhran, Sastha, Ayyanaar and Ayyappan – the much beloved deity of Sabari.)

With Mohini at his side, Bhikshaadanar decided to roam around the sacred forest of Darukaavana, which reverberated with much peace and silence. The forest was home to a number of rishis and munis - sages who had taken a very different outlook to the existence of god. Over a period of time, they had come to believe that it is Karma (the fruit of one's actions) alone that is supreme and all-powerful, and that the worship of God in any of his countless forms does not yield any fruits. They had come to a conclusion that the Devas were bound by the power of the yagnas to grant them whatever they needed and accordingly, they immersed themselves in the performance of yagnas and meaningless-rituals, following their dogma of Karma endlessly. Their wives also took up their spouses’ view of Karma, and assisted the rishis in their daily rituals. Little did they realise the fact that these deeds could indeed yield the desired fruits only if there was someone to distribute the same? Their misconceptions had to be broken, and they had to be diverted onto the right path of both worship and Karma, else the results would be catastrophic. Shiva, who of course knew all this and much more, finally decided that the time was ripe to prick their balloon, and he set the ball rolling.

The bewitchingly beautiful Lord, accompanied by his equally charming companion, walked onto the streets of the Darukaavana aashramas, begging for alms with the kapala in his hand - the supreme Lord of the universe, who is worshipped continuously by Kubera himself, was begging for alms!!! And out came the rishipathnis (the wives of the rishis), bearing rice and vegetables in their dainty hands. They had been busy all day, preparing a feast for their husbands who were performing yet another yagna. With a haughty nod of their heads, they looked up at the beggar. Their one look at the charming form of Shiva was all that it took for them to give a reaction similar to the one that the Asuras and Devas had given for Mohini – a loud and heavy sigh of amazement and wonder. In a moment, their hearts were no longer with them and they started following the Lord down the streets like lost zombies, letting out deep sighs of yearning and loud shouts of admiration of his captivating form.

Meanwhile, Mohini went on to the yagnashala and danced and sang in front of the rishis. Her perfect movements and her mesmerizing beauty, took little time to distract the rishis from the yagna proceedings. Lust flared up in their little hearts. They abandoned the yagna fire and approached Mohini, their eyes unfocused and drooling by the litres. Just about then, the conglomeration of Bhikshaadanar and his enthusuastic admirers walked past the site of the yagna. The cacophony caused by the crowd of rishipathnis was enough to make the rishis snap out of their lusty trances and look up at what was going on. Their jaws fell open instantly, for they were dumbstruck with two sights- the extraordinary beauty of the Lord and the utter stupidity of their wives. To see one’s wife following another man, with a wild look of lust in her eyes, is any man’s worst nightmare. The rishis were similarly flabbergasted by the lack of virtues that their wives were so flamboyantly exhibiting. Angered by their behaviour, they called out to the leader of the procession. "Hey, you stranger! Why have you come to these woody regions, where we try our best to perform our karmic duties?" they questioned him.

Bhikshaadanar calmly walked over to Mohini and said, "Oh great saints, I too have come here to perform meditation and practice austerities with my wife." Now, that was another blow to the rishis. They had just come to know that their love-interest for the past few minutes was actually the wife of this vain man. "She is your wife?" they demanded. "Look at the way that she behaved in front of us rishis, with all her sensual dancing and cooing. Whatever happened to her vows of chastity?" Bhikshaadanar laughed again. "Look who is talking", he teased, "the rishis who left their yagnas and rituals to drool at my wife. My wife is so much better than all the womenfolk standing right behind me, who have shamelessly followed me. I was told that they were your wives. It is like the pot calling the kettle black." The rishis were dumbstruck at the quick wits of the charming man and had to be content with just glaring at their wives, while the celestial couple moved deeper into the forest.

Bhikshaadanar and Mohini then visited the aashrama of Vasishta, where they were welcomed with much warmth and respect. Vasishta and his wife seated them on suitable mats and offered them food, water, betel leaves and cool sandal paste. Shiva and Vishnu were extremely pleased with their hospitality, and after blessing the rishi-couple, the divine beings then returned to their respective abodes.

Back at Daarukaavana, the rishis were fuming at their recent embarrassment. They were furious at their wives, at Mohini, at Bhikshaadanar and at themselves. In the midst of all the fury, a single, totally insane thought struck their tainted minds - Why not kill the man who was responsible for this mess? The rishis unanimously agreed to perform an Abichaara Homa (Black magic sacrifice) to kill the Lord. In the burning fires of their yagna they poured in chilies and potent spices. Smoke, thick and black, rose from the fires with an overwhelming smell, as the rishis chanted in strange tongues. Out of the searing fires of the yagna emerged a snake, hissing loudly and spitting venom. It flew like an arrow at the Lord’s neck, egged on by the rishis. But Neelakantha, the drinker of Hala Hala, caught hold of it with a single finger and wore it around his slender waist as his belt. The infuriated rishis now raised a tiger from the fires, but alas the tiger was killed instantly with one quick movement of the Lord’s hand; its skin ending up around the Lord’s hip. Further angered thus, the rishis now sent out evil fire and a drum that produced an ear-splitting fatal noise. The Lord smiled calmly at the receiving end, as he caught both of them in his arms. The fire now glowed with an auspicious yellow tinge and the drum reverberated with the sound of Pranava (Om). The poisonous bee from the yagna became the official shruthi-box for Shiva's dance and the short-demon, Muyalagan, who was capable of inducing various diseases, became the foot stool for the Lord to dance on. Shiva smiled at the rishis once again; this time with mockery twinkling in his eyes. That’s when the rishis lost it all, and their fury burst out in waves. Jumping up, they poured a large volume of libations into their fires and called out to all the evil spirits to help them in their endeavor. The fires burnt tall and bright, licking up the libations that were being offered.

Suddenly, with a shudder that rocked the entire forest, the sacrificial fires finally threw up an elephant, black as the smoke. Large and fearsome, the elephant’s eyes glinted with anger. It thrashed its tail against the tall trees, bringing them down in an instant, and its restless legs created a mini-sandstorm. The rishis looked up at their creation and ordered the elephant to kill the man who was the cause of all their distress. The rogue pachyderm now charged at the Lord, who was standing as relaxed as ever, with his trident on one shoulder. With a vile look, the elephant rushed down, trumpeting madly, its tusks raised high to gore into the Lord. It came nearer and nearer, and the Lord showed no reaction, whatsoever. Finally, when it was barely a few inches from the target, in a flash, Shiva assumed a miniscule form and jumped into the trunk of the elephant. Instantly, the world was engulfed by suffocating darkness. All life and movement stopped abruptly. Neither did the winds blow nor did the seas churn. All was quiet. The Devas panicked and the rishis of Daarukaavana danced in joy. Parvathi, who was playing with baby Kumara at the moment, picked him up and began to run hither-thither - her motherly heart beating with anxiety, for the well-being of all her children as well as the reappearance of her beloved Lord. Back at Darukaavana, the elephant too came to a sliding halt, surprised by the totally unexpected victory.

A moment passed, perhaps two, and all of a sudden the rogue elephant started behaving strangely. It trumpeted loudly again, but this time it was a cry of pain and not of fury. Soon it was rolling all around the clearing, thrashing against the trees. Undoubtedly, the elephant was experiencing some excruciating pain - a continuous internal burning rather. Not being able to bear it any longer, it ran in search of a cool water body. At long last, spotting a pond, the elephant rushed towards it and jumped in with a loud splash.

Silence.

Gajasamhaarar, Art by Deepak Saagar

BOOM....Without warning, the waters suddenly flew up from the pond, like an explosion-of-sorts, and out came Shiva, bursting through the stomach of the rogue elephant. With six arms holding various weapons and two other hands holding the torn skin of the elephant, the Lord was terrific to behold. With one leg resting on the elephant’s head, the other leg lifted up, eyes glinting with fury and hair flying out, Shiva appeared as Gajasamhaarar. So frightening was the sight and so gory was the Lord’s appearance, that Shakthi herself was overcome with fear. Acting instinctively, she tried to remove herself from the spot, all the while restraining a restless baby Kumara, who was apparently super excited at the dramatic appearance of his short-lost father!!!

Seeing the catastrophic results of the yagna, Veda-Purusha, who had stood by the rules of the yagna, took the form of a deer and surrendered at Shiva's feet, apologising profusely. Shiva took the deer in his left hand, and ordered it to whisper the Vedas into his ear at all times.

With both the Veda-Purusha and the Yagna-Purusha deserting them, the rishis of Daarukaavana started to experience the consequences of their sins against Shiva and Vishnu. They finally realised that it was the Lord himself who had come to teach them a lesson and they surrendered unconditionally at his feet, apologising for their blatant ignorance. The Lord, as quickly calmed as angered, forgave them instantly and granted moksha to the elephant. The rishipathnis also returned to their normal states and blushed with shame at their acts of lust. The rishis had thus finally learnt their lesson on the importance of self-less worship, and with the satisfaction of a mission well-accomplished, the Lord withdrew himself from Darukaavana.

Vazhuvoor Raja-Gopuram

It is believed that the Lord’s heroic feat of vanquishing the rogue elephant, was staged near the present day town of Vazhuvoor in Southern Tamil Nadu. Since this holy town has somehow always managed to slip (வழுவி - Vazhuvi, to slip ) away from any destruction at the times of Pralaya (Cosmic Deluge), it came to be known as Vazhuvoor. The place is also referred to as Veerattaanam in the puranas and is believed to be surrounded by Pippalavanam, Darukaavanam, Badharikaavanam and Sameevanam. The temple’s presiding deity is Ilankilainaayaki sametha Kiruthivaasar, a Linga swaroopa. The goddess is believed to be a granter of Santana-Bhagyam (the fortune of motherhood) to women who pray to her with true devotion. The moolavar Kiruthivaasar is a swayambhu of extraordinary beauty and is adorned lovingly with many serpentine ornaments (Nagabharanam). The temple has been visited by Jyeshta devi and the Sapthamathars, and the Lingas that they had worshiped can be seen even today.

Gajasamhaara Moorthi at Gnanasabhai

The main attraction of the temple is however, the Gajasamhaarar shrine, where the bronze idol of Gajasamhaara Moorthi is worshipped. The shrine is reverentially referred to as Gnanasabhai, or the hall of knowledge, similar to the Kanaka Sabhai in Chidambaram. The idol is of course, an exceedingly beautiful work of art. A peculiar feature of the idol is that the underside of the lord’s left foot is visible. This can be seen in none of the other 63 SadaaShiva Moorthams and is unique to the Gajasamhaara Moorthi. The foot is usually kept covered and is made visible at the time of ritual worship. The complete beauty of the idol can be realised only while circumambulating the shrine. One can then behold the elephant hide covering the back of the idol, the legs hanging loose by the sides, and the intricate depiction of the lord’s weapons - all flawlessly sculpted in bronze. Of particular interest is the intense expression of anger that has been brought out on the Lord's face by the talented sculptor. This idol is placed alongside an idol of Shakthi with Skanda in her arms. Shakthi is portrayed as trying to reluctantly run away from the spot, confused between her care for her husband and her apparent fright. Skanda, on the other hand, is depicted with his index finger pointing towards the Moorthi of Gajasamhaarar as though crying out, “Oh, there is dad, Mommy”. The whole set of bronze sculptures has a very lifelike appearance about it. Just like at Chidambaram, a powerful Yantra has been installed behind the moorthi of Gajasamhaarar. Special worship is often offered to this Yantra to negate the effects of witch-craft and black magic. The Gajasamhaara Taandava is considered to be a form of Oordhva Taandava (Dance of Fury) of the Lord and the Gnanasabhai is praised as one of the Lord’s nine famous dance halls.

Out of the 64 Maheshwara Moorthams, only the Gajasamhaara moortham and the Saha-Uma-Skandar (Somaskandar) moortham, portray the Lord in the presence of both Parvathi and Muruga. On a more esoteric note, the Gajasamhaara Moorthi represents the vanquishing of the untold miseries caused by ignorance and the realization of true knowledge. Skanda, though having originated from Shiva, acts as the middleman between us and his father, by guiding us on the correct path to the absolute truth. It is to represent this that he sits on his mother's lap and points his finger towards his father in the Gajasamhaara Moortham.

Apart from these, there are separate shrines for Ayyappa (this is believed to be his birthplace), Vinayaka and other Parivara Devathas. Interestingly, at the Navagraha shrine in the temple, the Planets are positioned in a strange manner. Guru, who is usually antagonistic towards Shani, is shown to be facing Shani here, hence making it a Grahamithra Kshetra. Shani also has a separate shrine dedicated to him, where he is shown to be bearing a bow. There is also a shrine dedicated to the bewitching moorthi of Bhikshaadanar and his companion, Mohini. The idols of Bhikshaadanar and Mohini are some of the other marvels in bronze that grace the temple of Vazhuvoor.

Bhikshaadanar - yet another bronze marvel

Popular belief has it that nearly 48,000 sages performed severe penance at this kshetra and were blessed with the highest of all knoweledge – the Brahma Gnaana. One of the many strange features of the temple is the location of the Theertham or the sacred pond. Usually, in Shiva temples, Nandi is found between the pond and the Linga. However, at Vazhuvoor, the theertham is present to be between Nandi and the Linga. This theertham has five wells and is famously known as the Pancha Mukha theertham. Every new moon day sees many devotees having a dip in this theertham and worshipping the Lord.

The Vazhuvoor temple celebrates all the major festivals on the Shaivite calendar, but the grandest spectacle is the Gajasamhaara Thiruvizha that is held in the months of February-March (Maasi). It is a three day (on the Pusam, Ayilyam and Magha Nakshatras) celebration, with the actual Gajasamhaaram taking place on the evening of the second day. The first day sees the flag-hoisting ceremony and the beginning of the poojas in the yagna-shaala, followed by a procession of the Chandrashekhara Moorthi. On the second day, the beautiful idols of Bhikshaadanar and Mohini are taken to Rishithoppu, a densely wooded area in the nearby village of Peruncheri. People believe that Rishithoppu was Daarukaavana in the times of yore. The divine couple stay there the entire day, and are worshiped with ritual bathing and .Arathis They return to the temple late in the evening, and are then seated in the Vasantha Mandapa, facing each other. Amidst the chanting of hymns, Deeparadhana is offered simultaneously to both the idols, and a beautifully adorned idol of Ayyappa is revealed. The ritual celebrates the union of Shiva and Vishnu, and the subsequent birth of Ayyappa.

Later in the night, the idol of Gajasamhaara Moorthi is decked up with flowers and jewels, and brought outside to the banks of the Pancha Mukha theertham. This is believed to be the pond into which the rogue elephant had jumped after it had swallowed Shiva. The elephant is said to have jumped into the North-Western corner of the pond and Parameshwara tore out of the elephant's viscera, as Gajasamhaarar, at the South-Western bank. Following the sthala purana, the Utsavar is taken to the North-Western corner of the tank. The goddess is simultaneously carried to the south-eastern corner. All of a sudden, a person runs towards the Lord, bearing a fire-pot in his hands, followed by others who carry a large snake fabricated from hay and paper. There is also a man dressed as a large demon and several other costumed devotees, representing the various objects which emerged out of the rishis' Abichara yagna. All of these objects are surrendered at the feet of Gajasamhaara Moorthi. As the highlight of the evening, a huge elephant enters the arena, crafted from colourful clothes and decked with bright flowers. The Lord’s dance of destruction begins with the palanquin-bearers moving to the beat of the resounding drums. The elephant then rushes at the Lord and the idol of Gajasamhaara Moorthi is placed within the interiors of the cloth-elephant. With the disappearance of the Lord, all lights are turned off at every home and temple in the town, and the whole town is immersed in pitch black darkness. Under the cover of darkness, the elephant is rushed to the south-western corner of the pond, where the cloth-elephant is torn apart and the Lord emerges from within. Lamps and camphor are waved before the Gajasamhaara Moorthi and the lights are lit up once again, bathing the town in brilliant colourful hues. The entire re-enactment of the Gajasamhaara episode and the subsequent celebrations continue into the wee hours of the morning. The festival draws to a close the next day with the lowering of the temple flag and a ritual bath for the Lord in the Pancha Mukha theertham. This grand scale re-enactment of the divine feat is unique in itself and takes place at no other place except Vazhuvoor.

Hence, here did Shiva vanquish the rogue elephant and teach a lesson to the self-obsessed dogmatic rishis. Here did he come as Bhikshaadanar to charm the rishipathnis of Darukaavanam, and here he stays, blessing all the devotees, crushing the elephant like negative energies that may trouble them from time to time. Here at Vazhuvoor, in the hall of Knowledge, remains Shiva, the terrific and yet the benevolent, the Lord of Shakthi and the master of all.

முத்தீ கொளுவி முழங்கொ வேள்வியுள்

அத்தி யுரியர னாவ தறிகிலர்

சத்தி கருதிய தாம்பல தேவரும்

அத்தீயின் உள்ளெழுந் தன்று கொலையே

- திருமூலர் திருமந்திரம்

“They lit the Fires Three, the sacrificial blaze roared high.
From inside which arose an Evil Elephant, whose hide the Lord peeled.
Seeking to rival the Lord's might, the Heaven's beings performed a sacrifice unholy,
And all that from that fire arose, The Lord smote for the very fire to consume.”

-Thirumoolar Thirumanthiram

God Dam(n) It, Maduranthakam

2011-04-13T01:56:00.006-04:00

As the Vasantha Navarathri draws to a close, any leisurely stroll along the Mada Veedhis (Temple streets) of the Parthasarathi Temple at Thiruvallikeni in Chennai is bound to end up with you staring at posters after posters of the upcoming Upanyasams by celebrated Hari-Katha experts and singers. The entire Iyengar-community around the temple prepares for a week-long series of lectures based on the single most heroic man in their puranas – Sri Raama. This is one time of the year when everyone hurries to get their old dusty copies of the Valmiki Raamayana, Kamba Raamayana or Raamcharitmaanas, for it is Sri Raama Navami, the auspicious day which Purushottama (the Man supreme) chose, to be born into the prestigious Ikshvaaku line. And in celebration of this sacrosanct Hindu holiday, we at kshetrapuranas has come up with yet another juicy story to share with you – a tale which is as ancient as the Raamayana and yet as new as the last century.

The year was 1798 and the monsoons were at their peak. Winds ripped by mercilessly and the roads were flooded with rivulets of cascading water. Visibility was near zero and people were hesitant to wander out, fearing for their safety, but the district collector of the East India Company for the village of Maduranthakam, Colonel Lionel Blaze, was concerned about just one particular menace – the lake of Maduranthakam.

The lake in the village had proved itself to be a severe pain to all the yester-year collectors. Beautiful, though it was by the summer time, it became equally vicious with the arrival of the monsoon rains. Whatever efforts the East India Company took to strengthen the bunds on the banks of the lake proved to be futile. The bund always yielded to the swelling lake and the village was flooded time and again. The waters additionally washed away the roughly built waste weir adjacent to the lake, creating a total wreck. Every year, the villager’s efforts at farming were all reduced to zilch because of this predictable but unpreventable flood.

That year, Blaze decided to be extra careful with the arrangements. He was seriously in need of some quick promotions and what better way to do it than to solve a long-lasting problem. Hence, he decided to camp at the village for some time before the monsoons set in, to supervise over the annual building of the lake bunds. He arrived at the village with his huge army of stonemasons, servants and other workers, well-prepared for the tough monsoon.

The moment he entered the village, Blaze’s eyes immediately fell on the magnificent stone edifice of the Sri Kothanda Raamar temple, rising tall and splendid, soaring above the other buildings. Greatly attracted to the Dravidian architecture, he lost himself in its beauty and wandered into the temple.

The temple archakaas came running out to welcome the collector into the holy precincts of their temple. “I did not know that such a splendid temple existed in a village under my administration”, he said, his eyes still taking in all the wonders in stone. “Pray, Oh holy men of this temple, do tell me why this temple is here? It is my common knowledge that every temple in India has some interesting legend behind it. What is the story behind this one?”

The head priest was only too delighted to hear the interest expressed by the colonel in knowing about the sthala purana of the temple. He humbly offered a seat to the Colonel and began to narrate the story of Sri Raama’s arrival to this quaint coastal village.

“Eons ago, when Sri Vishnu incarnated on this earth in the human form of Sri Raama, this particular kshetra was a dense forest of Bagula or Magizham trees (Mimusops elengi). Hence, the place is mentioned in our Puranas as Bagulaaranyam or ‘forest of the Bagula trees’. The forest was home to several rishis and munis, who had set up aashramas to perform austere penance and worship without any disturbance. Vipandakar was one such Maharishi who had set up a small place for himself, to perform daily ritual worship to the idols of Sri Karunaakaran, Sri Devi and Bhoodevi, So great was his bhakthi and so powerful was the aura of Sri Karunaakaran, that it drew the exiled prince of Ayodhya, Sri Raama to the spot. Extremely pleased with the rishi’s worship, Raama stayed back for a few hours to perform pooja to Sri Karunaakaran and bless Vipandakar with an opportunity to serve him. However, Raama couldn’t stay any longer because he was on a quest to redeem his kidnapped wife Sita. However, on parting with the Rishi, Raama promised to come back to this place once he had succeeded in rescuing Sita. The Rishi too went back to his penance waiting for the arrival of that glorious day.”

“Time flew by and the Raama-Raavana war ended with Raama killing Raavana, thus fulfilling his duty on earth. After crowning Vibheeshana as the king of Lanka, Raama mounted the Pushpaka Vimana, the ancient flying chariot that was owned by Raavana, along with Sita and Lakshmana. The Vimana sped northwards towards the capital of Kosala, followed on ground by a loyal herd of Vanaras. They were flying over a dense forest, when the Vimana stopped mid flight, all of a sudden. To everyone’s surprise, it refused to budge even with the Vanaras pushing and pulling it in all directions. It was then that Sri Raama remembered his promise to Vipandakar, and he immediately ordered the Vimana to go down, which it dutifully followed. And so Raama visited Bagulaaranyam again, but this time along with Sita. To Vipandakar’s astonishment and joy, Raama’s Vimana stopped in front of his aashrama. Sri Raama alighted from it and appeared before the Rishi, clutching Sita’s left hand with his right, with Lakshmana by his side. The Rishi went into hysterics of joy at this divine vision and invited the divine couple to stay at his aashrama. Sri Raama, thus stayed with the Rishi for some time and enjoyed his devotion and hospitality to the fullest extent possible and then returned to Ayodhya.”

“After the visit of the divine couple, the place bloomed with happiness and sweetness. The flowers overflowed with nectar and there was eternal spring in the air. To commemorate the sweet visit of the divine couple, the rishis named the place as Maduranthakam. This, Oh Durai, is the legend behind this mesmerizing temple.”

Sri Janakavalli Thaayar

Colonel Blaze listened to the entire story with rapt attention and soon, was totally lost in it. Only when the archakaa finally finished the tale did Blaze come out of his trance-like state. Looking quizzically at all the archakaas, Blaze’s wandering eyes fell on a large stack of uncut granite slabs, piled up against one of the walls. “What are these doing here?” he demanded. The head priest once again spoke out, “We are in the process of building a shrine for the lord’s consort, Sri Janakavalli Thaayar. However due to paucity of funds, we had to stop suddenly. We are sure that She would show us a way out. After all, she was the goddess of wealth incarnate.”

A blazing idea now shaped up in Blaze’s mind. “Oh holy men of my village, I promise to build the new shrine to your Goddess, if your deities can protect the lake from flooding over this year. Is that a deal?” he asked.

The priests looked at each other. They could obviously not say no to such a generous offer. They had nothing to lose after all. Unanimously, they all nodded their heads in agreement. With a curt nod to the priests Colonel Blaze too walked out of the temple, and he had not even had a darshan of the lord. Maybe it was a personal challenge between him and Raama.

The tank bund was soon built in time for the rains, but it was not any stronger than the previously destroyed ones. If the rains were as heavy as they usually were, this one was not going to last even a few days into it. As an extra precaution, Colonel Blaze asked the people to evacuate the village to ensure their safety. So except for a very few staunch devotees, who were totally against abandoning the temple, the other villagers left to visit their families and friends in the neighbouring villages.

The promised winds soon blew up, bringing along with them the dreaded storms. It was worse than ever that year. The storm uprooted trees with surprising ease and hurled them away like ragged dolls. Rains poured down in torrents and the lake began to fill up. Days went by, and the lake slowly started to swell, threatening to flood over.

One night, the rains were particularly terrible. But Colonel Blaze braved the gales to go out, with his attendant holding the umbrella, to look at the state of the lake bund. He had this nagging notion that the bund wouldn’t be able to hold on any further.

The Colonel's vision, Art by Deepak Saagar

Wading through the waters, the colonel finally reached the banks of the lake. The lake looked terrible - black as death and swelling with every passing moment - it offered the very picture of calamity. But wait, why were there two men walking on the other side of the lake? The villagers had to be absolutely nuts to walk out in this weather. The colonel watched in utter surprise, as the two figures continued to walk along the tank periphery, and then he realised that they did not even look like the villagers. Tall and well built, with crowns on their head, they looked like kings, each holding a bow in one hand and a bunch of arrows in the other. This was definitely the weirdest sight ever. He watched the men as they walked around the lake and then realising the wet state that he was in, the colonel walked back to his dwelling, pondering over the strange sight that he had just beheld and cursing the men who were out at this time in the night.

The next day dawned bright and nice. The rains had ceased and the sun was shining. Colonel Blaze rushed to the lake, and to his complete amazement, he saw that the lake bund had held. At once, he ran to the temple, to tell the priests this happy news. “The village has been saved… The bunds held up… We’ll have a good crop this year…” he shouted over and over again. The priests were immediately affected by the infectious happiness of the Colonel and they invited him to join them in their morning worship. The Colonel was led towards the sanctum by the priests. The doors of the sanctum were closed, as the ritual dressing and adorning of the Lord was in progress. The Colonel patiently waited for them to open, while the priests chanted in some unknown language totally strange to him.

The bells of the temple tolled and the sanctum doors were thrown open. What a sight met the Colonel’s eyes. Two men, dressed as kings, each bearing a bow and some arrows, accompanied by another woman. There they stood as stone idols, richly decked with garlands and shimmering with jewels. The colonel couldn’t believe it. Weren’t they the men who he had seen the previous night? Weren’t they the total insane villagers whom he had cursed at?

The Colonel went into hysterics of ecstasy. He couldn’t hide his happiness. With his mouth open wide, he kept staring at the idols of Raama, Sita and Lakshmana, joyous tears running down his cheeks. The priests noticed this and they immediately enquired about his sudden state of joy. The colonel, still reeling from a pleasure attack, explained the happenings of the previous night, and his utter surprise when he had seen the two men being offered worship at the temple.

The priests were only too happy at the turn of events. Amidst tears of joy, they repeatedly assured Colonel Blaze that it was indeed Sri Raama and Lakshmana who had appeared the previous night to protect the lake from flooding. “Durai, it was Raama himself, who had come to prevent the flooding of the lake. You are a fortunate soul, Oh Sir! What we have not achieved over many-many years of devotion and worship, you have achieved within a few days of your stay in Maduranthakam. A miracle indeed, Oh blessed sir, nothing short of a miracle!”

That day, Colonel Blaze left the temple jubilantly, surrounded by the priests, accompanied by shouts of victory. “Victory to Sri Raama!!! Victory to the beloved of Sita!!! Long live Durai Lionel Blaze!!!”

Extremely awed by this miracle, Colonel Blaze kept up his word to the temple archakaas and built the shrine to Janakavalli Thaayar. Even today, the inscriptions outside the shrine reveal the fact that the shrine had been built using the generous contributions of Colonel Lionel Blaze, the Jagirdar of the East India Company. His name also appears on the waste weir that was built adjacent to the lake.

Thus was built the Thaayar shrine at the Maduranthakam temple. Henceforth, the deity at the temple also came to be known as Sri Eri Kaatha Raamar (Raama who protected the lake) in commemoration of the miraculous incident that had been experienced by Colonel Price.

The temple town of Maduranthakam, which acted as the backdrop for this divine drama, is situated 77km south of Chennai and is stunning to behold, with the shimmering lake and the whitewashed temple towers. The temple is small but elegant, with separate shrines for Andaal and Ramanujar apart from the main shrines to Sri Kothanda Raamar and Janakavalli Thaayar. The temple is exalted as an Abhimana Sthalam by the Sri Vaishnavas and has several unique aspects as compared to many of the other Sri Vaishnava temples.

Ramanujar and Periya Nambi

To begin with, the temple town has close ties with Sri Ramanujacharya, the founder of the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya and an incarnation of Adisesha. It was here that he received deeksha (vows of Sanyas) from his Guru Periya Nambi, who performed the Pancha Samskaras to Ramanujar under a Magizham tree within the temple precincts. Ramanujar had actually started from Kanchi on a journey to Sri Rangam, to meet Periya Nambi there and join as his pupil. However, unknown to him, Periya Nambi had already started from Sri Rangam in search of Ramanujar. The Guru and Sishya met at Maduranthakam and Ramanujar insisted on taking his ascetic vows there, citing the uncertainty of human life and death against any postponement in his deeksha. Today, at the Ramanujar Sannidhi in the temple, both Periya Nambi and Ramanujar are present, which is a rare occurrence. Interestingly, unlike other temples, Periya Nambi is depicted to be in a Guru posture, with his hands depicting the Gnana mudra, and Ramanujar is shown as a Sishya, with his hands joint together. Also, this is the only temple where Ramanujar is adorned with white silk as compared to the ochre robes in other shrines, since this was the place where he had prepared himself to severe his ties as a householder. Hence, he is worshipped as a Grihasthi at his shrine, rather than as a Sanyasi, as in other places. Every year, this incident is celebrated on the Shukla Paksha Panchami Thithi in the Tamil month of Avani, when Ramanujar’s deeksha is enacted out under the Magizha tree in the temple compound.

The Chakra and Shankha mudras with Narthana Krishnan

The temple also has in its possession, the emblems of the Sudarshana Chakra, and the Panchajanya Conch, which were used by Periya Nambi to brand Ramanuja on his shoulders, when he took the deeksha. These copper brands were discovered in 1935 during a temple renovation along with a tiny copper idol of Sri Narthana Krishna. This idol is believed to be the personal deity of Periya Nambi and is shown to be in a dancing pose with a ball of butter in one hand. Child-less couplea seek a remedy for their grief by worshipping this idol and rocking him in a specially made silver cradle.

Sri Eri Kaatha Raamar and Sri Karunaakaran

Also, Maduranthakam happens to be the only kshetra where Raama is depicted to be holding the hands of Sita. Usually, in all Raama temples, Sita Devi is shown to be standing a little away from the lord. However, here Sri Raama is shown to be holding the left wrist of Sita with his right arm, just like he had jumped out of the Pushpaka Vimana to give darshan to Vipandakar. The shrine also has a statue of Vipandakar who is seen to be enjoying the presence of the Divine couple.

Interestingly, the temple has two Utsava moorthis – Sri Devi-Bhoodevi-Sametha-Karunaakaran and Sita-Lakshmana-Sametha Sri Kothanda Raamar. In spite of being a temple dedicated to Shri Raama, the primary respects are however offered to Sri Karunaakaran only. During all festivals and processions, it is Karunaakaran who is taken out. It is he who enjoys the marriage celebrations with Janakavalli Thaayar on Panguni Uthiram and with Andaal on Bhogi. Since Karunaakaran was worshipped by Sri Raama himself, this special status is reserved for him at the Maduranthakam temple.

Moreover, the Narasimha shrine at this kshetra is known to be associated with Kambar of the Tamil Raamayana fame. Prior to the staging of the Kamba Raamayanam, Kavi Chakravarthi Kambar went on a pilgrimage tour to various Raama temples in South India. When he came to the Maduranthakam temple, it is reported that he heard the roar of a lion repeatedly at one spot. On looking closely, he was blessed with a darshan of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The present day Narasimha shrine was raised on the very spot where it is believed that Sri Narasimha appeared to Kambar. The utsavar goes by the name Prahalada Varadhan and receives special Thirumanjanam and worship on Swathi Nakshatra days. Also, the Chakrathazhwar shrine at the temple is believed to possess tremendous powers, owing to the Yantra which is installed under the deity. Sudarshana Homa is regularly conducted at this shrine for human welfare on Chithirai Nakshatra days.

The glittering Maduranthakam Lake is situated right across the temple with a separate shrine for Anjaneya Swamy on its banks. The lake is so humongous that not many realize that the famous Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is located just on the other side of the lake. The sthala vriksha is of course the Magizham tree and there are plenty of them around, including many in the temple precincts, attesting to the town’s ancient name of Bagulaaranyam.

Raja Gopuram

The temple celebrates its annual Brahmotsavam in Aani and the Thirukkalyana Utsavam in Panguni along with the Raama Navami celebrations. On the seventh day during the Brahmotsavam, the Utsava vigrahas of Raama-Sita-Lakshmana are taken out in a chariot decorated like the Pushpaka Vimana, in memory of Raama’s visit to this kshetra. During the Raama Navami Utsava, the main deity is adorned with five different alankaaras in the course of one day. Famously known as the Panchalankaara Seva, he is adorned with a Pancha Gaccha in the morning, with a single strip of cloth just before noon, with Thiruvabharana and royal jewels at noon, with a diamond crown in the evening and with flowers and a pearl headdress at night. Thousands of devotees flock to the temple on these sacred days to catch a glimpse of the lord, who had once-upon-a-time revealed himself to a British stranger.

The town also makes a good picnic spot with its beautiful lake and serene atmosphere, and many people drive down for just the very same purpose. So when any of you Chennai-ites feel like you could kill a weekend, don’t hesitate to just race down the ECR to this scenic-cum-sacred town. I am sure that you won’t curse me for giving this suggestion.

Finally, winding up for the day, I hope all of you had a very good Raama Navami. May Shri Raama save us from all the floods in our lives just like he had saved the lake from flooding into the tiny hamlet of Maduranthakam.

Cheers and keep yourself tuned in for many more such stories @ kshetrapuranas.

நன்மையும் செல்வமும் நாளும் நல்குமே

திண்மையும் பாவமும் சிதைந்து தேயுமே

சென்மமும் மரணமும் இன்றித் தீருமே

இம்மையே ராமா என்ற இரண்டெழுத்தினால்.

- கவிச் சக்கரவர்த்தி கம்பன்

"All riches and goodness will arrive at our very doors,

The worst of our sins and our evil will be destroyed,

Gone will be this cycle of birth and death between lives,

If in this world we only utter the two syllables Raa-ma"

-Kavi Chakravarthi Kambar

kshetrapuranas

From the Darkness and into the Light, Thirukkoviloor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 5

Of Shiva's Discus and Vishnu's Basil, Thiruvirkudi, Ashta Veerattaanam - 4

Death's Demise - Thirukkadavoor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 3

A Tale of Three Cities - Thiruvadhigai, Ashta Veerattaanam - 2

Shambho Vs Jumbo - Thiru Vazhuvoor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 1

- திருமூலர் திருமந்திரம்

“They lit the Fires Three, the sacrificial blaze roared high.From inside which arose an Evil Elephant, whose hide the Lord peeled.Seeking to rival the Lord's might, the Heaven's beings performed a sacrifice unholy,And all that from that fire arose, The Lord smote for the very fire to consume.”

“They lit the Fires Three, the sacrificial blaze roared high.From inside which arose an Evil Elephant, whose hide the Lord peeled.Seeking to rival the Lord's might, the Heaven's beings performed a sacrifice unholy,And all that from that fire arose, The Lord smote for the very fire to consume.”

God Dam(n) It, Maduranthakam