Amirtha Kadeswarar Temple, Thirukadaiyur – Legends
Amirtha Kadeswarar:
As per
legend, once, Devas and Asuras together churned the milky ocean (Thiruparkadal)
for the nectar of immortality (Amrita). As a general practice, Ganesha
should be worshiped before commencing any works but the Devas forgot to worship
him. Lord Ganesha got offended by the behaviour of the Devas. So, he stole the pot of Amrita and hid it here. Hence, Vinayaga
in this
Temple came to be called as Kalla Pillaiyar.
The
place came to be called as Thirukadaiyur
due to the presence of the nectar pot. Vinayaga created a Shiva Linga here and
poured some of the Amrita over it. It is believed that the presiding deity is
the Lingam created by Vinayagar and has the power to grant longevity to its
worshipers. As the Amrita from the pot is poured over the Shiva Linga by Lord
Vinayaga, Lord Shiva came to be called as Amirtha Kadeswarar.
Kala
Samhara Moorthy:
As per legend, Mrikandu
Rishi along with his wife Marudmati lived in Thirukadaiyur.
The couples worshipped Lord Shiva and sought from him the boon of begetting a
son. Mrikandu Rishi performed penance on Lord Shiva for realizing his wish.
Lord Shiva appeared before him and he was given the choice of either a
righteous son, but with a short life on earth or a child of low intelligence
but with a long life.
Mrikandu rishi chose the former,
and was blessed with Markandeya, an exemplary son, destined to die at the age
of 16. Sage Markandeya grew up to be a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He even brought water from the Ganges to the
temple via an underground passage for his worship. On the day of his destined
death, he continued his worship of Lord Shiva in his aniconic form of Shivalingam
in the
temple.
The messengers of Yama,
the god of death, was unable to take away his life because of his
great devotion and continual worship of Shiva. Lord Yama then came in person to
take away Markandeya's life and sprung his noose around the young sage's neck.
By accident or fate the noose mistakenly landed around the Shivalingam, and out
of it, Lord Shiva emerged in all his fury attacking Yama for his act of
aggression and killed him.
Lord Shiva further blessed Sage
Markandeya would live forever at 16. Thus, Lord Shiva came to be called as Kalantaka
(Kala Samhara Moorthy). As Lord Shiva vanquished Lord
Yama here, this
temple is considered as one of the Ashta
Veerattana Sthalams, the eight holy places where Lord Shiva revealed
his wrath and strength.
Meanwhile,
with Yama being rendered inactive, there were no deaths on earth, but people
were still being born. Burdened by the weight of so many people and unable to
sustain their hunger, the earth-goddess, Bhumi Devi, appealed to Lord Shiva for
help. Lord Shiva, feeling compassionate for the earth-goddess, revived him, allowing death to occur again.
However,
in order to remind Yama never to try to kill someone while they are worshiping
Shiva again, the icon of Lord Shiva in this
temple depicts the Lord with his forefinger raised in warning. Since
it is believed that Lord Siva subdued Yama in Thirukkadaiyur,
the Lord Shiva came to be called as Mrutyunjaya (Conqueror of Death or
Victorious over Death). It is believed that this
temple is considered as the 108th
Shiva Sthalam where Markandeya worshiped Lord Shiva.
Abhirami Bhattar:
Thirukadaiyur is considered as the
birth place of Abhirami Bhattar, the author of Abhirami Andhadhi. His birth
name was Subramanian. He was an ardent devotee of Goddess Abhirami and was a
priest in this temple. He loved the goddess so much that he saw her everywhere
and in everyone, but especially in all women. He consider any women entering the
temple as an embodiment of Goddess Abhirami.
One day,
Thanjavur Maratha King Sarabhoji visited the
temple and saw Subramanian was in deep prayer thinking only about
goddess Abhirami. He also noticed that Subramanian did not bow before him as he
entered the temple. The king got furious and enquired about him to the devotees
in the temple. One of the priests told him that he was mad worshiping all women
as the divine mother and showering them with flowers.
However,
another priest informed the king that he was a saint and a great devotee of
goddess Abhirami. The king was confused by the two conflicting statements. So,
he decided to put Subramanian to the test. Therefore, he asked Subramanian
whether today a full moon day or a new moon day. Subramanian was still in
deep prayer and was seeing the shining face of goddess Abhirami in his mind.
He
responded to the King saying that it was a full moon day mistakenly thinking
the shining face of goddess Abhirami for the moon, but it was actually a new
moon day. The king concluded that he must be mad and ordered his soldiers that
he should be burnt at dusk if the moon failed to appear. When the dusk
approached, the soldiers ordered him to come with them to be burnt for his
madness.
He
realized what had happened. He went with the soldiers and reached the pyre. He
realised only goddess Abhirami could save him now. He started singing her glory
in 100 verses in the Andhadhi poetic style begging her to come to his rescue.
Andhadhi is a unique kind of Tamil poetry constructed such that the
last or ending word of each verse becomes the first word of the next verse.
In some
instances, the last word of the series of verses becomes the beginning of the
very first verse, thus making the poem a true garland of verses. Andha(m) means
end and Adhi means beginning. While singing the seventy-ninth verse
of his song, Mother Abhirami appeared before Subramanian, his executioners, and
the unbelieving king. She threw her earring into the sky, it took the form of
the full moon.
The
king, having realized his mistake and immensely pleased by his devotion,
released Subramanian. Since, then he came to be called as Abhirami Bhattar
(priest of Abhirami) and the king became his disciple. This event is celebrated
in the
temple on the new moon day of the Tamil month of Thai (Jan-Feb).
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar:
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar is
a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect
of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the eleventh in the list of 63
Nayanars. He is regarded as a historical figure, evident from accounts where he
played host to the Nayanar saints Appar (Appar, 7th century),
Sambandar (7th century), Siruthondar (Paranjothi, the army
general of the Pallava Emperor Narasimhavarman I, who ruled between
630 – 668 CE) and Nilanakkar (Tiruneelanakka).
The life of Kungiliya Kalaya
Nayanar is described in the Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th
century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Kalaya was born in Thirukadavur,
presently known as Thirukkadaiyur
in Mayiladuthurai District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was then
part of the Chola kingdom. Kalaya was a Brahmin, member of the
priest caste and worked as a temple priest. Kalaya served Shiva by offering him
incense called Kungiliya, giving him the name Kungiliya Kalaya.
Lord Shiva is said to be pleased
with Kungiliya Kalaya's service but decided to test his devotion. Over course
of time, Kungiliya Kalaya's wealth diminished. He lost his money and
possessions. He had to sell his properties to feed his starving family.
However, he continued to burn incense sticks in Shiva's temple. When all
valuables were sold, only his wife's gold thali (a necklace given by
a groom to a bride in a Hindu wedding, which she wears as a sign of her marital
status) remained.
The wife removed
her thali and gave it for Kalaya to sell and bring some rice for the
family, even though it was considered inauspicious for a married woman to
remove it. However, Lord Shiva disguised as a Kungiliya merchant or hawker and
asked if he wanted to buy the incense. Unmindful of his family's condition,
Kungiliya Kalaya traded the thali for a bag of incense and went to the temple
to burn it. The wife waited patiently and finally put the children to bed and
prayed to Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva was pleased with the
devotion of the couple and appeared in the dream of the wife and promised to
restore their wealth. When she woke the next day, the house was filled with
valuable objects. She sang a panegyric in honour of the Lord Shiva and prepared
the meal and waited for Kalaya. Lord Shiva then appears before Kungiliya Kalaya,
who had lost his senses and was immersed in devotion till then, in the temple
and blesses him.
He instructs him to return to
his home and wife. Kungiliya Kalaya returned home to find his house transformed
into a mansion with all wealth. Several devotees of Lord Shiva gathered there.
Kungiliya Kalaya served the devotees and distributed money amongst them. He is
also associated with another legend related to Thiruppanandal
Aruna Jadeswarar Temple. The Nayanar wanted to visit this
temple. The Lingam of this temple was bent.
It was said that a female
devotee called Thadaga was garlanding the lingam where her upper part of
the sari slipped; she tried to garland the lingam with one hand while
holding her sari by the other. Lord Shiva bent his neck (shaft of the lingam),
making it easier for her to garland the Lingam. The Lingam remained in the
leaning posture since that day. Many tried to straighten the lingam but failed.
The Chola king, who was renovating the
temple, was upset.
The saint offered to help the
king. He sang the Panchakshara mantra and offered Kungiliya
incense to Lord Shiva. He tied one end of the rope around his neck and other
bend around the shaft of the stone lingam, at the risk being suffocated by the
noose. He pulled gently, and Shiva complied by making the lingam straight. The
king became happy and rewarded Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar with many gifts.
The hagiography says that after
serving Shaivas for many years, Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar attained Kailash,
Shiva's abode on his death. One of the most prominent Nayanars, Sundarar (8th
century) mentions Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar (called Kalayan of Kadavur) in hymn
to various Nayanar saints. When Sambandar met Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar at Thirukadavur,
he composed a hymn singing the glories of the latter.
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar is
depicted wearing a crown, with folded hands and holding a club in the crook of
his arm. His Guru Pooja is celebrated on the ninth day of the Tamil
month of Avani. He receives collective worship as part of the 63
Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva
temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in
festivals.
Kari
Nayanar:
Kari Nayanar
is Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect
of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the 47th in the list of
63 Nayanars. Traditional hagiographies like Periya Puranam (13th
century CE) and Thiruthondar Thogai (10th century CE) describes
his legendary life and services to the Hindu god Shiva. Kari Nayanar was
born in a Vedic Brahmin family in Thirukkadaiyur,
a coastal town in Mayiladuthurai District on the east coast of Tamil Nadu.
He was renowned in Tamil poetry
as well as Sanskrit Vedas. The saint compiled the vedic truths in Kovai (Anthology),
a Tamil composition titled Karikkovai. Hence, the saint came to be
called as Kari Nayanar. He also composed anthologies in praise of the three
crowned monarchs i.e., Chera, Chozha and Pandyan, the rulers of
three major Tamil kingdoms. In appreciation of his anthologies, the saint was
rewarded with heaps of prize money and gifts.
The saint utilized all his
earnings for the cause of Shaiva services. The saint built many Shiva temples
and served Shiva devotees. After rendering the prolonged selfless
services, the devotion, faith and intense prayers of the poet-saint made him to
attain the abode of Shiva. Guru Puja of Kari Nayanar is celebrated in Pooradam
star day in the Tamil month of Masi.
Adhi Vilva Vana Nathar:
As per
legend, once, Lord Brahma went to Mount
Kailash to have the Gnana Upadesa (wisdom learning). Lord Shiva
gave the seeds of Vilwa tree to Brahma and asked him to sow them in earth in
various places. Lord Shiva further stated that where the seed germinates
within one hour into a tree shall be venue of teaching. It is said that the
miracle happened in Thirukkadaiyur. The
Shiva Linga worshipped by Lord Brahma is called as Adhi Vilva Vana Nathar and
can be seen in a separate shrine in the
temple premises.
Lord Vishnu as Mother of Ambika:
As per
legend, Lord Vishnu wished to perform Shiva Puja before serving the nectar to
Devas. It is a general rule that the Shiva Puja should be performed along with
Ambika. Lord Vishnu took off all his ornaments to represent Mother Ambika. She
rose from these ornaments. Thus, successfully he completed the Shiva Puja
and served the nectar to Devas. It is believed that the ornament of Lord
Vishnu is the home of Mother Mahalakshmi. As Ambika (Abirami) was born of
the jewels, Lord Vishnu is praised as the Mother of Ambika.
Jaathi Malli:
When
Markandeya was performing abishekam to Amirtha Kadeswarar with Ganga Water,
Ippinjilam flowers too came with the water. Ippinjilam is also called as Jaathi
Malli. It is a Jasmine variety that blossoms throughout the year. This flower
is used only for the God and should not be used for human purposes. An archana
with a single flower is considered equal to 1008 archanas.
Punniyavarthanar:
As per
legend, when Pulasthya came to visit Markandeya, he worshipped Amirtha
Kadeswarar and installed a Shiva Linga at this
temple. This Linga came to be called as Punniyavarthanar.
Papa Vimochanar:
As per
legend, Sage Agastya installed a Shiva Linga, worshipped it for relief from a
sin (papa). Hence, the Shiva Linga came to be called as Papa Vimochanar.
Other Names:
Thirukadaiyur was called as Thirukadavur
Veerattam, Pinchila Vanam, Kadapuri and Vilvaranyam.
People worshipped Lord Shiva here:
It is
believed that Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Vinayaga, Yama, Devas, Sapta Matrikas,
Agastya, Pulasthya, Markandeya, Durga, Bhoodevi, Sibi, Soma Sharma, Shiva
Sharma, Yama Krida, Rathnakaidan, Chandra Pooshanan, Ratnakara, Pancha Suryas,
Brahmathiraja, Vasuki, Sambandar, Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar, Kari Nayanar,
Appar, Sundarar, Thirumoolar, Cheraman Perumal Nayanar, Nakkeera Deva Nayanar,
Parana Deva Nayanar, and Sekkizhar had worshipped Lord Shiva here.