Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore – Literary Mention
There is
no reference to the temple in Sangam literature of the 1st to 5th centuries and the
earliest mention is found in 6th century Tamil
literature. The temple and the deity were
immortalized in Tamil poetry in the works of Thevaram by poet saint belonging to the 7th century - Thirugnana Sambandhar has composed the 6th Poompavai
pathigam in praise of the temple. Arunagirinathar, the 15th century poet, sings praise of the
temple in Thirumayilai Thirupugazh. The 12th-century poet, Guna Veera
Pandithar sings about Neminathar under Theerthangar Neminathar Pugazh. Thirumayilai
Prabanthangal is a compilation of four works on the temple and the deity.
Great
Saivite Saints Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar had sung
the glory of Lord Kapaleeshwarar in their Thevaram hymns. This is the 24th
Shiva temple in Thondai Nadu region praised in Thevaram hymns. The temple is
closely associated with the history of Saint Thirugnana Sambandar who restored
Poompavai to life from the bones and ashes preserved by her father
Sivanesar. The father was intending to give his daughter to the saint in
marriage. But fate had it that she died of snake bite. Yet, the father
preserved her bones in a pot to be handed over to the child saint when he
visited the place.
Sambandar
did visit the place. Narrating his sad story, he placed the pot before the
saint. Sambandar sang a pathigam-10 verses, beginning with the line,
‘Mattitta Punnai’ listing the various festivals of Lord Shiva in the first
three lines asking her in the final line, how she could miss the festivals
dedicated to Lord Shiva. The pot broke off and Poompavai came alive in her
full beautiful form. His joy knowing no bounds, the father asked the
saint to accept his daughter. Sambandar told him that he had now become her
father as he gave her life again and could see her only as a daughter. Poompavai
spent the rest of her life alone praying to Lord Shiva attaining salvation in
the end.