Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram – Legends
Ananda
Thandavam:
The story of Chidambaram begins with Lord Shiva
strolling into the Thillai Vanam (Vanam meaning forest
and Thillai trees - botanical name Exocoeria agallocha, a
species of mangrove trees - which currently grows in the Pichavaram wetlands
near Chidambaram). In the Thillai forests resided a group of sages or rishis
who believed in the supremacy of magic and that God can be controlled by
rituals and mantras or magical words. Lord Shiva strolled in the
forest with resplendent beauty and brilliance, assuming the form
of Bhikshatana, a simple mendicant seeking alms. He was followed by his
consort, Vishnu as Mohini.
The sages and their wives were enchanted by the
brilliance and the beauty of the handsome mendicant and his consort. On seeing
their womenfolk enchanted, the rishis got enraged and invoked scores of
serpents (Nagas) by performing magical rituals. Lord Shiva lifted
the serpents and donned them as ornaments on His matted locks, neck and waist. Further
enraged, the sages invoked a fierce tiger, whose skins and dons were used by
Lord Shiva as a shawl around his waist and then followed by a fierce elephant,
which was devoured and ripped to death by Lord Shiva (Gajasamharamurthy).
The rishis gathered all their spiritual strength and
invoked a powerful demon Muyalagan - a symbol of complete arrogance and
ignorance. Lord Shiva wore a gentle smile, stepped on the demon's back,
immobilized him and performed the Ananda Tandava (the dance of eternal
bliss) and disclosed his true form. The sages surrender, realizing that Lord
Shiva is the truth and he is beyond magic and rituals.
Sage
Patanjali & Vyakrapada witnessing Cosmic Dance of Lord Shiva:
Throughout all of eternity Lord Vishnu, the preserver,
rests on Shesha, the Cosmic Snake, in Vaikuntha. Once his weight suddenly
seemed to have greatly increased. Shesha asked Vishnu “Why are you so much
heavier, Lord?” The Lord answered “I have had a vision of Shiva dancing his
Cosmic Dance. I have expanded with happiness at the sight.” Shesha requested
Vishnu to tell him all about Shiva’s Dance. And Lord Preserver told him
everything.
After hearing about the Ananda Thandava and Adisesha
yearns to see and enjoy it. After Shesha performed austerities for long ages,
Shiva appeared before him, and offers him the fulfillment of any wish. Shesha
has only one wish: to witness Shiva’s Tandava. The story of sage Patanjali as
well as his great student sage Upamanyu is narrated in both Vishnu
Purana as well as Shiva Purana. In fulfillment of Shesha’s wish,
Shiva announced to him that he will dance at the appropriate and tangible
moment on earth in the Sabha in the Thillai forest. This forest is situated on
the middle point of the earth, and constituted its heart centre, the Lotus
Space.
Through it passes the main energy Nadi, or vein, of our
mother planet. This place is called Cit Ambara, the Ether of Consciousness.
Shiva told that he, Shesha, would be born on earth from human parents, and that
he would be called Patanjali. After growing up; he will travel to Thillai,
where he will meet another saint, called Vyakrapada the Tiger footed. And both
will perform tapas and worship, until the appointed time for Shiva to perform
his Cosmic Dance in the Sabha has arrived. As Patanjali reached the Thillai
forest he found on the southern bank of the lotus pond, the saint Vyakrapada,
worshipping the Moolasthana Linga and performing austerities.
Vyakrapada had come to the Thillai forest following the
advice of his father Rishi Madhyandina. To worship the Moolasthana Linga he
used to gather flowers in the early morning, but however early he collected the
flowers, insects had already damaged them. Deeply upset that his worship was
not as complete or perfect as he aimed for, he cried to Lord Shiva to help him.
In answer to his prayer Shiva gave him tiger claws for hand and feet, enabling
him to find his way through the thick forest at night to gather flowers long
before daybreak, before the insects could inflict their damage.
From then on, both saints did the worship and the
austerities together, as they waited for the appointed time for Shiva to dance
in the Sabha. As that time approached also the 3000 Munivar’s (later called
Deekshithars) arrived in the forest to await the Lord’s dance. When that day
arrived, it was announced with the sound of drums and conches. A rain of
flowers fell from heaven, and in the Sabha appeared a light of a thousand suns
and moons. In the middle of this light mass appeared Shiva’s form, dancing his
Ananda Tandava, and showing his Lotus Foot. His is an un-earthly beauty, while
his peaceful smile shines on all. He was together with Parvati, who witnessed
his dance.
All those present, Devatas, demons and humans rejoiced,
almost fainting, and all joined in his dance. Legends say that Lord Shiva
displayed his dance of bliss (the Ananda Thandavam) – as Nataraja to these
two saints on the day of the Poosam star in the Tamil month
of Thai (January – February). Then Shiva offered the two saints to
make a wish. They wished that Shiva would forever perform his Ananda Tandava or
Dance of Bliss in the golden Sabha of Chidambaram, for the entire world to
experience. So that any human who desired this could also reach his lifted
Lotus Foot and realize liberation.
Sveta
Varman got relieved of Leprosy here:
Soon after the king Sveta Varman came to the Thillai
forest. This king was forced to give up his kingdom after being infected with a
skin disease called ‘white spot’, a form of leprosy. Lord Nataraja ordered the
two saints Vyakrapada and Patanjali to let the king take a bath in the lotus
pond, now called the Shiva Ganga, that he may be healed. After re-emerging from
the water, the king’s skin had become golden, his name becoming Hiranya Varman
or ‘golden coloured’.
He was taken to the Sabha to see Nataraja’s Ananda
Tandava. Overtaken with emotions the king fell on earth and offered his
life-long service to the Dancing Shiva. He was consecrated by the 3000
munivars, and received from Vyakrapada the Tiger banner, signifying his kingship
and valor. The king then rebuilds the temple and the city around it and
established the main festivals of the yearly cycle in the temple.
Dance
contest between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi:
Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi offered a grand dance performance
in Kailash when they were in a happy mood. At the end, they wanted to know the
winner. They approached Lord Brahmma. He was not able to decide. They sought
the opinion of Lord Vishnu. He suggested a stage be built by divine sculptor
Vishwakarma for the dance contest. The contest began. For every type of
Thandavas (dancing) Shiva did, Mother Parvathi too did her part thrillingly.
They excelled each other. At the end, Lord Shiva simply lifted his right leg
and kept it above his head which Parvathi could not. Lord Shiva was declared
winner by Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva stayed in this temple as Lord Nataraja and
requested Perumal too to stay with him. Lord Vishnu is here in his reclining
posture.
Thillai
Nagar:
A demon woman Dhilli by name prayed to Lord Perumal to
be a forest herself full of trees and that Lord should grace the place with his
presence. She became Thillai trees. Named after her, the place came to be known
as Thillai Nagar.
Parivara
Devathas of Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalinga Swamy Temple:
According to another Hindu legend, Mahalinga Swamy at
Thiruvidaimarudur is the centre of all Shiva temples in the
region and the Saptha Vigraha moorthis (seven prime consorts in
all Shiva temples) are located at seven cardinal points
around the temple, located in various parts of the state. The seven
deities are;
·
Nataraja in Thillai Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram,
·
Chandikeswarar temple at
Tirucheingalur,
·
Vinayagar in Vellai
Vinayagar Temple at Tiruvalanchuzhi,
·
Muruga in Swamimalai Murugan Temple at Swamimalai,
·
Bhairava in Sattainathar Temple at Sirkazhi,
·
Navagraha in Suryanar
Temple at Suryanar
Kovil
·
Dakshinamoorthy in Alangudi Apatsahayesvarar Temple, Papanasam
Thillai:
The town used to be called Thillai, likely derived from
the mangrove of Thillai trees (Exocoeria agallocha) that grow here
and the nearby Pichavaram wetlands.
Chidambaram:
The site became the capital of Cholas in the 10th
century, and they renamed it to Chidambaram and built the current temple for
their family deity of Nataraja Shiva. The word Chidambaram comes from
the Tamil word Chitrambalam (also spelled Chithambalam) meaning
"wisdom atmosphere". The roots
are citt or chitthu means "consciousness or
wisdom", while and Ambalam means "atmosphere". This
composite word comes from its association with Shiva Nataraja, the cosmic
dancer and the cultural atmosphere for arts. The word Chidambaram is
translated by James Lochtefeld as "clothed in thought".
Other
Names:
The town and temple name appears in medieval Hindu texts
by various additional names such as Kovil (lit. "the temple"),
Pundarikapuram, Vyagrapuram, Sirrampuram, Puliyur and
Chitrakuta. Additional names for Chidambaram in Pallava era and North
Indian texts include Kanakasabai, Ponnambalam, Brahmastpuri and Brahmapuri.
Pallava
King Simha Varman attained Mukthi here:
Later during the 4th or 5th century C. E, a Pallava king
called Simha Varman who was also a Nayanmar saint by name Aiyatikal Kaadavarkon
made some compositions and bathed in the tank and attained mukthi at Thiru
Perum-Patra Puliyur or Chidambaram.
Edir
Ambalam:
The chariot form of the Sabha commemorates Shiva as
Tripurasamhara Murti, the Destroyer of the three Demon Cities. Several divine
powers joined together to create Shiva’s chariot. Thus, the sun and moon became
the wheels, the Vedas the horses etc. After destroying the three Cities he
descended from his chariot, having landed opposite the Chit Sabha, and ascended
into the Sabha to commence his Dance. From this the Nritta Sabha is also called
Edir Ambalam or opposite hall.
Six Point
Star Posture of Nataraja:
Another notable point of Anandha Thandava Posture is
that it is based on the six-point star. Nataraja's head forms the topmost
point of the star, while His spreading hair and right hand form the upper side
points. His drape and raised left leg form the lower points, and his right leg
that rests on the demon Muyalagan forms the lowest point. Surrounding this is
the arc of fire.
Pancha
Puliyur Shrines:
There are five shrines believed to be worshipped by Sage
Vyakrapada. They are called as Pancha Puliyur Shrines. Thillai Nataraja Temple
is one among them. All these shrines are revered by the Tamil hymns of the
Nayanmar Saints.
They are;
·
Omampuliyur
·
Perumpuliyur
·
Erukkattampuliyur
·
Thirupathiripuliyur
·
Perumpatrappuliyur (Chidambaram)
Patanjali and Vyagrapathar are also believed to have
worshipped Shiva at Vilamar and Tirupunkur. There is also a shrine to Patanjali
Naathar (Shiva) at Kaanaattumullur.
Rediscovery
of the Thevaram Hymns:
There is another recent legend associated with this
temple. The sacred Tamil works of the Nayanmars had been missing for several
years, and it was during the period of Raja Raja Chola (the builder of the Thanjavur
Big Temple), formal research was initiated to trace these fine works of
devotional literature. These works of the Saivite Saints rich in musical
content were recovered in a dilapidated state in one of the chambers in this
vast temple, after the monarch brought images of the Saint trinity in procession
to the temple.