Sudarkozhundeesar Temple (Pralayakaleswarar Temple), Pennadam
– Legends
Kalikamba
Nayanar:
Kalikamba Nayanar is a Nayanar saint, venerated
in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the forty-third in the list
of 63 Nayanmars. His hagiography speaks about how he cut the hand of his wife,
who did not help in serving a Shaiva, devotee of the god Shiva. The primary account of Kalikamba Nayanar's life comes
from the Tamil Periya
Puranam by Sekkizhar(12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanmars.
Kalikamba Nayanar was born and lived in Pennagadam also known as Tirupennagadam.
In Kalikamba Nayanar's times, Pennagadam was part of the Chola kingdom.
Kalikamba was a Vaishya, the merchant caste that flourished in Pennagadam. He was a devotee of
Shiva and used to serve the devotees of Shiva (Shaiva’s). Every day, he
welcomed them, washed their feet, and worshipped them. He also served lunch to
the devotees and offered them money and gifts. Once, when the devotees gathered
for lunch at Kalikamba's house, he started with his daily ritual
of pada-puja (washing of feet to show respect) of the devotees. His
wife helped him in the service. The wife would pour water from the pot, as
Kalikamba washed the feet. When Kalikamba was about to wash the feet of a
devotee, she recognized the devotee as their former servant and hesitated from
pouring water from the pot.
Kalikamba felt that the wife has desecrated the sacred
service. He took the pot from her hand and cut off the hand by his sword. He
continued to wash the feet of the devotees and served them food, a duty
generally performed by his wife. For his act of devotion, he attained the grace
of Shiva. The tale of Kalikamba Nayanar is also recalled in the 13th
Century Telugu Basava
Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha with some variation. The devotee is recognized the
son of their servant Mallandu or Malla. He had refused to serve Kalikamba and
left Kalikamba's house and become a Shaiva mendicant.
The wife refuses to serve a son of a slave and advises
her husband not to do so, however Kalikamba considers every Shaiva as a
manifestation of Shiva and refuses to pour water to wash his feet. Kalikamba
considers this as an insult of Shiva and cuts both her hands as a punishment. Pleased
with his dutifulness, Lord Shiva restored his wife’s hands and blessed both of
them with salvation. Hence the lord here is also praised as “Sri
Kaivazhangeesar” – (in Tamil “Kai” means hand and “Vazhangu” means to give). Kalikamba
Nayanar receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanmars. Their icons
and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.
Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.
Pralaya
Kaleswarar:
The world was once destroyed by Lord Shiva. Barring this
place, all parts of the world was submerged in water. Devas rushed to this
place and begged the Lord to protect all beings by keeping them here. Lord
directed Nandhi to prevent the flood entering here. Nandhi, till then
facing Lord Shiva, turned the other side to swallow the waters of the great
deluge and saved the place. Hence, Lord of the place is praised as Pralaya
Kaleswarar – Lord who protected the world. He destroyed and also
protected. Nandhi, which turned the other side to protect the place from the
deluge is still in the same position facing the entrance of the temple.
Pennagadam:
Indira, the king of Devas needed flowers form Earth to
perform Shiva Puja in his place. He sent two maidens to earth to bring
flowers, who found them in plenty but stayed here itself seeing a Shivalinga in
the garden and began doing pujas. As they did not return, he sent the
Divine cow Kamadenu to bring them back. Kamadenu found the maidens and
only joined them in the Shiva puja by pouring its milk on the Lord. As it
did not return, he sent his white elephant Iravadham in search of them.
The elephant, seeing them in worship also joined the
camp by standing in such a way to create a cool shadow for the
Shivalinga. Finally, Indira himself came down, saw the maids, cow and the
elephant and also joined them in the worship. All returned together with
the blessings of Lord Shiva. Since Virgins (Penn in Tamil), Divine cow (Aa) and
Elephant (Gadam) worshipped Lord here, the name of the place was called “Penn-
aa- Gadam – Pennagadam” which later became Pennadam.
Thirunavukkarasar
appealed to Lord Shiva to inscribe the stamp on him with the symbol of his
Trident and Nandhi:
It is in this temple Thirunavukkarasar appealed to Lord
Sudarkozhundhu Nathar to inscribe the stamp on him with the symbol of his
Trident (Trishul) and Nandhi (Vrushba) if he so considered him deserved for the
honour. Lord honoured the saint with his own hands in all his mercy. This
episode is described by divine poet Sekkizhar in his magnum opus Peria Puranam
in touching devotional lines.
Lord Shiva
raised the ground level to help a Chola King to worship him:
Version 1:
A Chola King had to worship the Lord from the other side
of the bank of the river due to heavy floods. Lord acknowledged his
worship by raising the ground level. There is a temple within the
temple, 30 meters above the ground level remembering the event. The place is
referred to as Tunngaanai Maadam in scriptures.
Version 2:
Another legend associated with this temple is that of
Anandvalli Ammaiyar, an ardent Shiva devotee, who used to worship the lord here
regularly. Once there was a heavy flood in the river Vellaru that prevented her
from reaching the temple. She decided to perform her daily worship from the other
bank of the river itself. Although she completed her worship, she could not see
the lord. Lord Shiva realized this and as a token of his appreciation for her
devotion, he raised the ground level by about 40 to 50 feet. Even today, the
shrine is an elevated position and one has to climb up some steps to enter it.
Birthplace
of Kalikamba Nayanar and Meikandar:
This is the birth place of celebrated saints Kalikamba
Nayanar and Meikandar, the pioneer of Saiva philosophy.
Marai
Gnana Sambandar lived in this place:
Also, Saint Marai Gnana Sambandar in the Saivite Guru
tradition lived here.
Kadanthai
Nagar:
Once this place had six thousand brave army men were
living. They were called as Kadanthayar and this town
used to be called as Kadanthai Nagar.