Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur – Religious Significance

Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur – Religious Significance

Moola Linga Sthalam:

According to legend, Mahalingaswamy is the centre of all Shiva temples in the region and the Saptha Vigraha Moorthis (seven prime consorts in all Siva Temples) are located at seven cardinal points around the temple, located in various parts of the state.

The seven deities are;

·        Nataraja in Chidambaram Nataraja Temple,

·        Chandikeswarar in Senganur Satyagireeswarar Temple,

·        Vinayagar in Thiruvalanchuzhi Vellai Vinayagar Temple 

·        Muruga in Swamimalai Murugan Temple

·        Bhairava in Sirkazhi Sattainathar Temple 

·        Navagrahas in Suriyanar Koil Suryanar Temple

·        Dakshinamoorthy in Alangudi Apatsahayesvarar Temple

The other deities of a Shiva temple associated with Mahalingeswarar are;

·        Durga in Patteeswaram Thenupuriswarar Temple

·        Somaskanda in Thiruvarur Thyagaraja Temple

·        Nandi at Thiruvaduthurai Gomuktheeswarar Temple

·        Ambal at Thirukadaiyur Amirthakadeswarar Temple

Equivalent to Kasi Vishwanathar Temple:

This temple is considered as one of the six temples along the banks of the Kaveri which are considered equivalent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. These temples are:

·        Aiyarappar Temple, Thiruvaiyaru

·        Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur

·        Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai

·        Chayavaneswarar Temple, Sayavanam

·        Swetharanyeswarar Temple, Thiruvenkadu

·        Srivanchinadhaswamy Temple, Srivanchiyam

Significance for Prakaram:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2020/03/mahalingeswarar-temple-thiruvidaimarudur-prakarams.html

Paadal Petra Sthalam:

The presiding deity is revered in the 7^th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Thevaram written by Tamil poet saints known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.  The temple is revered by all the three Nayanmars (saint poets) namely, Appar, Sambanthar and Sundarar. Appar has glorified the temple in five, Sundarar in one and Sambanthar in six verses. Appar refers the temple as Idaimaruthur. Sambandar has sung the glory of Samba Dakshinamurthy who is also enshrined here along with his consort. This Temple is the 147^th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 30^th Sthalam on south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu.

Madhyarjunam:

There are 3 temples having Marudha tree (Arjunam) as their Sthala Vriksham.

They are:

1. Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple, Andhra Pradesh (Thalai Marudhur – First or top Marudhur)

2. Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu (Madhyarjunam (Idai Marudhur) – middle Marudhur)

3. Narumbunatha Swamy Temple, Tirupudaimaruthur, Thirunelveli, Tamil Nadu (Sputarjuna (Kadai Marudhur) – Bottom or Last or Lower Marudhur)

This place is named as Idaimaruthur as it is in between Srisailam and Ambasamudram.

Pancha Krosha Sthalams:

According to Hindu mythology, at the end of every Yuga, there is a huge flood called Maha Pralayam occurs and the whole world immerses in a deluge on account of the wrath of Hindu god Shiva for the sins committed by humans in earth. Lord Brahma prepared himself for the next cycle of creation. He put all the seeds from which creation would sprout in amrita (the elixir of immortality) along with four Vedas and Puranas and kept them together in a clay pot. On top of the pot, he placed a coconut with mango leaves and wrapping around the pot’s neck a sacred thread. He then placed the pot on the peak of Mount Meru in the Himalayas.

When the Maha Pralayam started, it destroyed all living creatures on the earth. The Amutha Kalasa also got displaced and started floating on the seas for years. Eventually when the Pralayam stopped, the Kalasa settled in Kumbakonam. The drops of nectar are believed to have fallen onto five shrines around Kumbakonam, namely Mahalingeswarar Temple at Thiruvidaimarudur, Airavateshwarar Temple at Darasuram, Naganathar Temple at Tirunageswaram, Swaminathaswamy Temple at Swamimalai and Sundareswarar Temple at Koranattu Karuppur.

Saptha Sthana Temples of Thiruneelakudi:

It was believed that after achieving Chiranjeevi Status from Lord Shiva. He achieved this status at Thiruneelakkudi Temple. As a mark of respect to Lord Shiva, Sage Markandeya worshipped Lord Shiva in Seven Temples around Thiruneelakkudi. In remembrance to this event, during annual Chithirai festival, Sage Markandeya accompany Lord Shiva and Mother of Thiruneelakkudi and visit the remaining six Shiva Temples. This is called Saptha Sthana Festival of Thiruneelakkudi.

The Saptha Sthana Temples of Thiruneelakkudi are;

1.    Neelakandeswarar Temple, Thiruneelakkudi

2.    Sundareswarar Temple, Elandurai

3.    Somanathar Temple, Enathimangalam

4.    Naganatha Swamy Temple, Thirunageswaram

5.    Kampaheswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam

6.    Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur

7.    Airavateshwarar Temple, Maruthuvakudi

Sakthi Peethas:

The Shakti Peetha are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-focused Hindu tradition. There are 51 or 108 Shakti Peethas by various accounts, of which between 4 and 18 are named as Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts. Most of these historic places of goddess worship are in India, but there are seven in Bangladesh, three in Pakistan, three in Nepal, and one each in Tibet and Sri Lanka.

Various legends explain how the Shakti Peetha came into existence. The most popular is based on the story of the death of the goddess Sati. Out of grief and sorrow, Shiva carried Sati's body, reminiscing about their moments as a couple, and roamed around the universe with it. Vishnu had cut her body into 51 body parts, using his Sudarsana Chakra, which fell on Earth to become sacred sites where all the people can pay homage to the Goddess. The Mother Shrine in this Temple is considered as one of the Sakthi Peethas.

Thiruvasaga Sthalam:

The 9^th century Saiva saint poet Manikkavasakar has sung praise about the temple in his Thiruvasagam. Hence, the temple is considered as Thiruvasaga Sthalam.

Thirupugazh Sthalam:

Arunagirinathar have celebrated this place in his Thirupugazh Hymns. Hence, the temple is considered as Thirupugazh Sthalam.

Pancha Linga Sthalams:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2020/03/mahalingeswarar-temple-thiruvidaimarudur-pancha-linga-sthalams.html

First Pooja to Mahalingeswarar:

The pooja is first performed to Mahalingaswamy in this temple and then only to Vinayakar. Here Vinayagar himself is worshipping Shiva.