Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thirupattur – Legends
Brahmapureeswarar:
Lord
Brahma’s overwhelming pride as the
Creator of the Universe. Lord Brahma felt that he was more prevailing than Lord
Shiva – since he had the supremacy of creation. This sense of pride
provoked Lord Shiva, who
destroyed Lord
Brahma’s Fifth Head, and also cursed
him that he would lose his power of creation. To relieve himself of this curse,
Lord Brahma started out on a pilgrimage of Lord Shiva Temples.
During his
pilgrimage, Lord Brahma also visited this temple and installed 12 Shiva
Lingams around Brahmapureeswarar and
worshipped Lord Shiva here for a considerable time. Being moved by Lord
Brahma's prayers, Lord Shiva, on Devi Parvathi’s appeal, gave him Darshan under the Magizha tree and liberated him from his
curse. Lord Shiva also restored the power and responsibility of creation to
Lord Brahma.
Lord
Shiva also blessed Lord Brahma that he would have a separate shrine at this
temple. He also advised Lord Brahma that since Brahma himself had his destiny
rewritten here; He should rewrite the destiny of his devotees visiting this
temple. Since the fate of Lord Brahma, the Creator, himself was changed by Lord
Shiva at Tirupattur, one can expect a turning point in life by praying at this
temple.
Samadhi
of Sage Patanjali:
There is a story that Sage Patanjali with snake legs and
author of astrological science attained Siddhi (salvation) in 10 shrines. This
is one among them. His Samadhi (Tomb) is in the temple. It is believed that he
is still alive and continues to write the Yoga Sutras. The sage still graces
mankind from his tomb authoring holy books.
Lord Shiva cursed Lord Brahma for telling a lie:
This
story also explains Lord Shiva's supremacy and the story behind
why he is அடி முடி காணாதவர் (One who doesn't
have a beginning or an end). Once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had a
dispute as to who among them was superior. They approached Lord Shiva and asked
his judgement on this. Lord Shiva then took the form of a huge Linga and said
whoever could see the top or bottom of the Linga and return first would be
declared superior. Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar and started digging the
earth to reach the bottom, whereas Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and
started flying towards the top.
Lord Vishnu
accepted his defeat as he couldn't get to the bottom. This proves Lord Vishnu's
modesty and simplicity. Lord Brahma couldn't accept defeat easily, he saw
a Ketaki flower flying down from the top. He inquired the flower as to where it
was coming from. Ketaki said that it was coming down from the top of the
Lingam. Lord Brahma then took him into confidence and requested Ketaki to
testify to Lord Shiva that Brahma had indeed seen the top of the lingam.
On
hearing this false story, an enraged Lord Shiva, cursed Lord
Brahma for telling a lie, that Lord Brahma would not be worshiped and
would not be having a temple anymore. Lord Shiva also cursed the Ketaki
flower that it would not be used for puja hence forth. Hence Lord Brahma
doesn't have a temple. Also, this was the first day when Lord Shiva took the
form of a huge Linga whose top or bottom could not be assessed and is hence it
is worshiped as Mahasivarathri day.