Amravaneswarar Temple, Manthurai – Legends
Etymology:
It is
believed that this village was originally a forest full of mango trees. Hence,
Shiva is named as Amravaneswarar in this site. The word
"Amra" means mango.
The name
Mandurai has its origin as the region was dense with Mango trees and also as
Lord blessed a Maan – deer in this place.
Shiva bestowed a deer with a mango here:
Shiva
bestowed a deer with a mango here. Since Shiva bestowed a deer with a mango,
this place is called Manthurai (Maan is deer in Tamil).
Indra got relieved of his curse:
Indra, the king of celestial deities, is said to have
worshipped Shiva to absolve himself of the sin of having
deceived Ahalya, the wife of Gowthama
Rishi.
Surya with Samukyadevi and Sayadevi:
Samukya
Devi, daughter of divine sculptor Vishwakarma was married to Sun God. She
had a happy marital life with Sun. As days rolled, she could not bear the
heat of her husband. She asked her husband to reduce his temperature but
he did not help her. Samukya Devi came to the conclusion that she could no
more bear the heat and told her father her intention to come to him. As a
father, he quoted scriptures and asked the daughter to be patient. As she
could no longer live with Sun, as a devout wife to take care of husband’s
needs, Samukyadevi created a maid, an accurate replica of her, and made her to
live with Sun taking care of him.
She was Sayadevi
(shadow image). Samukyadevi did not return to Sun despite her father’s
advice and was unwillingly staying with him. She took the form of a horse,
came to this place, and performed penance on Lord Shiva to bring down the heat
of Sun so that she could return to him. Sun too found some difference in
the attitude of Sayadevi and came to know from Vishwakarma that Samukyadevi had
left him. He immediately reduced his heat, came to this place, worshipped
Lord Shiva and returned with Samukyadevi. Representing this event, planet Sun
appears in the Navagraha shrine with both Devis – Samukya and Chaya. Sun
is alone too nearby. Other planets are facing Sun.
Ahankara Chaturthi:
There is
also a story attached to the temple that Lord Shiva graced two Deers – a demon
couple in earlier birth and also a Maharishi on a Chaturthi day (4th day
of new moon or full moon day) coinciding with Tuesday – called Ahankara Chaturthi. Special
pujas are performed to Lord on such Chaturthi days. It is said that the
benefit of worshipping the Lord this day would relieve devotees from sins
committed knowingly or unknowingly and bless them with prosperity.
Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi graced a baby deer as its
parents:
A Maharishi
committed a wrong to Lord Shiva and was cursed to be born as a deer in this
place that was dense with Mango trees. The Rishi – deer was born to other Deers
– demons in earlier birth. They left the baby-deer for preying. Lord
Shiva with Mother Parvathi came there in the guise of a hunter, shot them and
released them from their curses. They came to the baby deer waiting for
its parents. Mother Parvathi fed the hungry baby deer, the Rishi in
earlier birth. Lord Shiva consoled it and released from the curse. As
requested by the Rishi, they stayed here.
People worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Surya,
Chandra, Kanvar and Vishnu are said to have worshipped Shiva here. Mrugandu
Munivar (father of Markandeya) and a deer are said to have worshipped Shiva
under a mango tree, and this legend is illustrated in stucco in the temple.
Bhagwan Sri Adi Sankara had worshipped Lord here,
Birthplace of Sage Markandeya:
In this
place sage Mrugandu was blessed with on ideal son Markandeya after his arduous
penance for years. Lord Shiva has asked the sage to choose between either a
gifted son but with a short life on earth or a child of low intelligence but
with a long life. Sage Mrugandu chose a gifted son with short life. Also here
the sage performed penance to obtain protection from the fear of death of
Markandeya when he attained the age of sixteen.
Parihara Sthalam for Moolam Starrers:
This
shrine is preferable to those belonging to the ‘Moolam’ star. Devotees of
Moolam star will be freed from all types of doshas and receive better prospects
of marriage is they offer prayer here.
Amravaneswara Mahatmya:
The
Sthala Purana of the temple is recorded under the title "Amravaneswara
Mahatmya" in Agastya Samhita of Skanda Purana.
Brahma absolved of his sin of lying to Lord Shiva:
Once, as
part of his competition on supremacy with Vishnu, Brahma lied that he had seen
the head of Lord Shiva (as per the legend connected to Tiruvannamalai). Due to
this, he was cursed by Shiva. To absolve his sin, Brahma came to this site. He
created the river called Gayatri and worshiped Shiva in this temple. (There is
no Gayatri river now; probably a portion of Cauvery in this region is called as
Gayatri).
Surya and Chandra:
To
absolve himself from the sin of attending Daksha Yagna, Surya worshiped Shiva
in this village. Chandra prayed to Shiva in this site and as a result he became
the master of the night period.
Pancha Shiva Temples:
This is
one of the Pancha (five) Shiva Temples in Lalgudi region. The others being
Thirumangalam, Nagar, Anbil and Lalgudi.