Tirukkallil Sivanandeeswarar Temple, Thirukkandalam – Legends
Sage
Brugu worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Sage Brugu has the habit of worshipping Lord Shiva
only. He went to Mount Kailash to worship the Lord. Lord was with
Mother Parvathi. The sage worshipped Lord only ignoring Mother which hurt
her. Mother sat very close to Lord to make the sage worship her
also. But the sage took the form of a fly and circumambulated Lord Shiva
only. To teach the sage a lesson that Shiva and Shakti are but one, Lord
granted darshan in the Arthanareeswara form – half male and half female. Yet,
the sage still thought that Shiva alone was supreme.
The sage then came down to earth on a pilgrimage and
reached this place. He worshipped the Shivalinga once worshipped by Sage
Agasthya with Kallil flowers. Lord Shiva told the sage that Shiva and Shakti
were inseparable and one power alone could not act. Lord kept Mother on
his lap. The sage understood the truth. The sage begged the pardon of
Ambica for his folly. Too pleasant with the prayer of the sage, Mother said
that he would always be in a state of bliss – Anandam. Hence, as bliss
boon giver, Mother is called Anandvalli. As Brugu worshipped Lord with
Kalli flowers, He is also named Tirukalleeswarar and the place Tirukallil.
Tirugnanasambandar
visit to this place:
Saint Tirugnanasambandar continued his pilgrimage from Thiruvenpakkam.
On the way, he left puja items on the banks of Kuchasthalai river and went for
a bath but could not find them on return. When he came to this place, he found
the baggage intact near the Swayambulinga. Lord told Sambandar that he
brought the baggage to make him visit this place. Sambandar sang in praise
of Lord.
Lord
Shiva granting wedding darshan to Sage Agasthya:
The ground level of north went deeply down due to the
weight of the crowd gathered to witness the wedding Lord Shiva and Mother
Parvathi. Lord Shiva asked sage Agasthya to go to south to balance the earth
level equally. Sage Agasthya implored the Lord that he should grant him
the wedding darshan at any place he asks for. The sage was relaxing at Tirupalaivanam. Lord
appeared in the dream of the sage and showed this place. Lord Shiva
granted not only his wedding darshan but also the Somaskanda darshan along with
Lord Muruga. Agasthya prayed to Lord that this darshan should ever be
available to all devotees. Granting the boon to Sage Agasthya, Lord Shiva
rose from here as Swayambu Linga and assumed the name Shiva Nandi Easwara.
Tirukallil:
In the beginning, the Shiva was in the midst of Kalli
trees and so the name of the place is called Tirukallil and the Shiva is called
Tirukalleeswarar.
Kuchasthalai:
Rama’s sons Kucha-Lava fought with Lakshman and Ramar at
Siruvarpuri near here. They came here, took a dip at a river and worshipped
Shiva. The river is called Kuchasthalai since Kucha took a dip.
People
worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Worshipped by Brugu Rishi, Agasthiar, Lava-Kucha, and Thirugnana
Sambandar.