Balasubramania Swamy Temple, Uthiramerur, Kanchipuram
- Legends
The
place has the history of Lord Muruga himself standing as his own Vel weapon to
protect the sages in penance from the threats of demons. The place
is known as Ilayanar Velur – Ilayanar is youthful Muruga, Velur is the place
where the Vel stood. The place on both sides of River Seyyaru then known as
Utharavahini was then a forest region.
Many
Rishis were performing penance here. Sage Kashyapa had his hermitage
here and performed penance for the welfare of mankind. Two demons,
armed with their boons of immortality, began to harass the sage who appealed to
Lord Kadamba Nathar for protection. Lord assured the sage that his younger son
Muruga would destroy the demons and protect all sages. He also assured the
sages that his Sword also would be sent to assist Muruga in the war against the
demons.
Taking
on the command of his divine Father, Muruga set out on the protection mission. He
called the demons and advised them. But their pride ignored his
advice. Lord Muruga instructed his Vel to stand guard on the eastern side of
the hermitage to prevent the demons. Lord Muruga separated the head
of Magaran with the sword given by Lord Shiva. Seeing the death of
his brother, Malayan used the magic taught by Maya the mother of Surapadma
which could not stand before the sword of Lord Shiva.
The
place where the head of Malayan fell is called Malayankulam and that of
Magaran’s defeat as Magaral. After executing the orders of Lord
Shiva, Muruga built a temple for Lord Tirukadamba Nathar. Lord Shiva
asked the Son to stay there and grant all boons to his devotees. It
is at This Ilayanar Velur, the temple of Balasubramaniar stands
now.
Murugan
did penance here before he started on his journey to kill Sura padman. He does penance
in the presence of his parents and obtains a Vel (spear) with which he slays
the Asura Sura padman. Here the vahanam for Murugan is elephant. This is
because only after slaying the Asura, Surapadman he becomes the peacock which
is the vahana of Muruga.