Vedapureeswarar Temple, Thiruverkadu – Legends
Wedding Darshan of Lord Shiva:
As
per Hindu legend, during the divine wedding of Shiva and Parvathi, there was heavy crowd at Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Sage Agasthya could not view event and prayed to Shiva at this place to get him a view of the event.
Pleased by his devotion, Shiva appeared to the sage and his wife Lopamundra
along with Parvathi in his marriage attire. Shiva made the place his abode and
appeared in his marriage posture to Agastya. One can see Lord Shiva and Goddess
in ceremonial wedding posture just behind the Shiva Linga inside the sanctum.
Sage Agasthiyar was blessed to have God’s darshan from various places and
Thiruverkadu is one of them.
Place for Salvation:
Lord
Shiva once told Mother Parvathi that anyone thinking of this holy place, stay
here for a while or even pass through this place would be awarded with total
salvation to the devotee.
Vidam Theenda Pathy:
While
Lord Vinayaka was playing in the milk ocean, Lord Vishnu witnessing the play,
his conch slipped and fell into the ocean. He got it back with the grace
of Lord Shiva of this temple. Along with Lord Vishnu, Adisesha also
worshipped Lord here and promised that he would not bite anyone living within
the boundaries of this place. Since that day, no death had occurred in this
place due to snake bite. Hence, the place has the name Vidam Theenda Pathy
– place where no snake bite occurs.
People worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Sages
Athiri, Parasara, Brugu, Kuchara, Angirasa, Vasishta, Gautama, Kashyapa, Dindi,
Mundi, Valakilliar Viradagni and others had worshipped Lord Shiva in this
temple. Pandava brothers, Emperor Shibi Chola, Vana, nine planets
and deities of the 8 directions – Ashtathik Balakas had worshipped here.
Birth place of Moorka Nayanar:
This is
birth place of Moorka Nayanar. He resolutely followed the principle of
taking his food only after feeding Shiva devotees. He was unable to stick
to the dharma, he used his gambling skill and made money. When the losers
refused to pay him the dues, he used violence to recover the money and continued
the habit with the proceeds. As he behaved brutally with the losers, he
was named Moorka Nayanar-violent Nayanar. He was cleansed by Lord as the
intention of Nayanar was high. Despite all this sin he was doing a
good service in feeding the sivanadiyars, he was blessed by Lord Siva. There is
a shrine for Moorka Nayanar. On Karthigai (Nov - Dec) on Moola Nakshathra day
special pooja is conducted.
Parasurama visited this shrine along with his mother:
Due to
the curse of Sage Brugu, Lord Vishnu was born as Parasurama to Sage Jamadagni
and Renuka Devi. When he came here to worship Lord Shiva here, his
mother Renukadevi also accompanied the son. That Renuka temple is now the
famous Karu Mariamman temple in Tiruverkadu.
Tiruverkadu:
Lord
Shiva wanted to create the world after it was destroyed by the great
floods-pralaya-tsunami. He ordered the four Vedas-Rig, Yajur, Sama and
Atharvana to become Velvela trees. These trees are the sacred trees of the
temple. Hence the place is named Verkadu - jungle of vela trees with the auspicious
prefix Tiru – Tiruverkadu.
Velaayudha
Theertham:
Legend
associated with the temple says that, once when Lord Brahma was proceeding
towards Kailash, the son of Lord Shiva, Lord Subramanya asked Brahma for the
meaning of the Pranava Mantra “OM”. When Brahma could not explain the meaning,
Lord Subramanya imprisoned him. As a result, all creations came to a
standstill and the Devas prayed to Lord Shiva to get Brahma released. Lord
Shiva sent Sri Nandhigeswarar to talk to Lord Subramanya and rescue Lord
Brahma. But Lord Subramanya did not listen to Nandhigeswarar and hence Lord
Shiva himself approached Subramanya and convinced him to release Lord Brahma.
Later
Lord Shiva instructed Lord Subramanya to go to Thiruverkadu and worship him
there. Later Lord Subramanya visited Thiruverkadu formed a Pond (Theertham)
using his spear (Vel) installed a Shiva Linga and so he worshipped Lord Shiva
here. Hence the pond here is called as “Velaayudha Theertham” i.e. pond formed
with the spear. In this temple we can see Lord Subramanya in a separate shrine
without any weapon in his hand. Also, there is a Shiva Linga in front of Lord
Muruga which is a rare one.
Lord Muruga got Vel from Karumari Amman:
It is
also said that Lord Muruga, before his battle with the demon king Soorapadman,
got his weapon ‘Vel’ from Goddess Sri Karumari Amman here and so the place
was called as Velankaadu.
Verkanni Amman took her abode here on request of Lord
Shiva:
Once,
when the Asuras gave troubles to Devas, they came and worshipped Lord Shiva at
Thiruverkadu, to save them. Lord Shiva called his Devi Sri Verkanni and
directed her to look after his duties till he is back from Devaloka. Lord
Shiva gave her the holy ashes from his body and blessed her. The Goddess asked
sage Agasthiyar, to look for a holy place where she can perform the
heavenly duties assigned by Lord Shiva. When Sage Agasthiyar was thinking of
such a place, he heard an Asareeri (a holy voice) saying that, the place where
he was standing itself is a holy place. Goddess took abode here as Karumari
Amman and blessed the place that, one will be removed of all the sins by
worshipping her at Thiruverkadu. Thiruverkadu is the place where all 3 Gods,
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva have worshipped the Goddess. Hence, she is
called as Sri Karumari here. Ka means Brahma, Ru means Rudhra or Shiva, and Ma
means Vishnu.
Vinayagar worshipped Karumariyamman here:
It is
said that Sri Vinayagar (Lord Ganesha) worshipped the Goddess here by
performing Abhishekam using Valampuri Sanghu (Conch). The Goddess got pleased
with his worship and blessed him that the poojas at the temple will first be
performed to Sri Vinayagar and then to her.
Vedapureeswarar:
Whenever
Lord Shiva takes various forms her orders the four Vedas to take a specific
form and accompany him. As such, at the time of destroying Thirupuram, Vedas
become horses to his chariot, for the sake of Arjunan, when he took a hunter’s
form, the Vedas took the form of dogs. When Lord Shiva danced the Ananda
Thandavam, the four Vedas become his ankle). When he took the Bitchadanar form,
the four Vedas become his Komanam. In this temple since the Vedas took the form
of neem trees, he is called as "Veda Pureeswarar".
Sage Sanathkumar got relieved of his curse here:
The sage
Sanathkumar became a camel after Nandhi cursed him. As per the advice of
Nandhi he came to this temple to worship Shiva and got rid of the sin.
Indra prayed to Lord Shiva here:
To
attain Shivananda Peru vazhvu, Indiran came to this temple to pray and obtain
grace of the deity.
Ashta Lingams:
When
Sage Agasthya was going down South to balance the Earth during the celestial
wedding of Lord Siva and Parvathi, he installed Shivalingams at several places.
Since he could not participate in the wedding, Lord Shiva agreed to grant him
the vision of the divine marriage at will. When Agasthya came to worship at
Thiruverkadu, he sought to see the Lord's marriage there. So, the Lord appeared
before him along with Goddess Parvathi in the Marriage Kolam as
Vedapureeswarar.
Goddess
Parvathi teased the Lord saying that while he immediately manifested in
whatever form the Sages wanted, what would he do for simple devotees? With the
smile, the Lord manifested himself in the form of Lingams on all eight
directions around Vedapureeswarar, much to the delight and happiness of Goddess
Parvathi. King Anabaya Cholan (Kulothunga II) had constructed the
Vedapureeswarar temple as well as temples for eight lingams around it. However,
with the passage of time, and several invasions, the temples have become lesser
known shrines.
