Veezhinathar Temple, Thiruveezhimizhalai – Legends
Wedding
of Parvathi:
Pleased with the severe penance of Muni Kathyayana and
his wife for a child, Mother Parvathi herself was born to them. When
she grew into a marriageable age, the sage prayed to Shiva that he should marry
her. Responding to his prayer, Lord Shiva took the hands of Parvathi on the
Magam Star day in the month of Chithirai (April-May). The sage also
requested the Lord to give darshan to all, all days in the same Wedding
Form. The Lord appears in the sanctum Sanctorum in the Wedding Form.
The Name
Thiruveezhimizhalai:
Once this place was dense with many trees, sandal, Shenbagam,
Jack and Vila all collectively called Veezhi. A hunter named
Mizhalai Kurumbar was a devotee of Lord Shiva and offered him
the Vila fruit for Nivedhana. Pleased with his devotion, the Lord
taught him the 8 great lessons called Ashtamasiddhi. The Vizha fruit is
still found at the feet of the Lord in the temple. Hence, the place
came to be known as Thiru+Veezhi+Mizhalai (a combination of the names of the
fruit and the devotee hunter).
Padikkasu:
Thiruveezhimizhalai once passed through a dry period
with severe famine. Gnanasambandhar and Thirunavukkarasar prayed to
the Lord with their hymns to tide over the famine condition and restore
fertility in the land. The Lord gave each a gold coin each day as promised
by him in their dreams to buy food and feed the suffering people. He gave the
coin to Gnanasambandhar on the eastern side and the other at the western side
to Thirunavukkarasar. This is called Padikkasu (allowance money as we call
it now) and this peetam also is still in the temple. In that Sambandar got gold
coins of more value and Appar got coins of bit less value it seems.
Vishnu
worshipped Shiva here:
Demon Jalandhara took of the discus of Vishnu. He went
to Lord Shiva to get it back from him. Lord Shiva told Lord Vishnu that he
was then among the Veezhi plants in Earth and that he had to worship him there
to get back the discus. Vishnu came to this place, made a pond in his name
and worshipped Shiva with this Theertham and lotus flowers. Yet it was short by
one flower which Vishnu made up by taking off his own eye to worship
Shiva. From this day onwards, the practice of offering eye symbols
carved in silver, gold or copper came into being. Lord Shiva pleased with the
puja of Vishnu gave him back his disc. The eye offered by Vishnu is still at
the feet of Lord Shiva. Moolavar Vimanam is believed to have been brought here
by Mahavishnu.
Veezhi
Kaadu:
The place was once a forest full of Sandhanam
(Sandalwood), Shenbaga, Pala (Jackfruit), Vila which is called Veezhi in Tamil.
Also there is a plant by name Veezhi which grows in abundance at this place.
Hence it is called Veezhi Kaadu (forest).