Tharuka Vaneswarar Temple, Thirupparaithurai – Legends
Etymology:
There were
lots of parai trees in ancient days. As parai trees had grown in abundance in
this village in olden days this village is called Thiru “parai” Thurai. This
place also has the name ‘Tharukavanam’ (Paraai tree is called as ‘Tharuka
Vriksham’ in Sanskrit). It is believed that the Paraai tree has the specialty
of healing a few types of skin diseases which cannot be cured easily.
Shiva as Bikshadana taught lesson to the egoistic Sages of
Tharukavanam:
This
place was called Tharukavanam and once the rishis here were very egoistic and
feeling that their knowledge and spiritual powers were just sufficient to
uplift the people. They felt God is not at all needed since one’s karma only is
responsible for the pain and pleasure of that person. The rishis wives were
also equally egoistic, thinking that they were the most beautiful of all the
worlds including the Devaloka ladies and the consorts of the 3 moorthies.
Wanting
to teach a lesson, Shiva took the form of a beautiful full nude beggar with all
his sheen as Bitchadanar accompanied by Vishnu as Mohini. To teach the lesson
first for the ladies, they both went to the Agraharam begging. On seeing such a
divinely personality with a magnetic voice for the first time, the ladies
forgot themselves, forgot what they were doing and came to streets to see him.
On
seeing the beauty of the Mohini (Vishnu), they felt ashamed and embarrassed
with their egoistic thinking about their beauty. Followed by the wives of the
rishis, both Bitchadanar and Mohini went to Tharukavanam where the rishis were
doing a Yagna. On getting furious over their wives getting attracted towards
this nude beggar, the rishis did different things like creating an elephant,
Tiger etc., through yagnas, sending mantras and Vedas to fight Bitchadanar but
nothing could stand in front of him.
Shiva
finally revealed his true identity and did a furious dance in front of them. On
realizing their mistakes, the rishis at once surrendered to Bitchadanar. The
rishis learnt by hard way that learning all the mantras and Vedas are only to
promote the human lives and to do good to the society.