Kadambavaneswarar Temple,
Kulithalai – Legends
Devas of the celestial world had
appealed to Mother Ambika to protect them from the atrocities of Demon
Doomralochana. Mother took the form of Durga and fought with the demon. As his
boons were very strong, he fought with equal might with Mother. Mother began to
feel weak. Lord Shiva deputed Saptha Kannikas to fight him. The demon could not
stand their force and hid himself in the hermitage of Maharshi Kathyayana.
The virgins mistook the Rishi as
the demon and eliminated him and thus incurred Brahmmahathi Dosha – a sin that
would make the sinner dark with a gruesome face. As advised by Ambika, they
performed penance on Lord Shiva and got relieved of the sin when Lord granted
them darshan from the Kadamba tree. Hence, the bas-relief images of Sapta
Kannis are installed behind the idol of Shiva Linga in the main shrine. Also,
he came to be called as Kadamba Vaneswarar.
Lord Muruga worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Lord Muruga worshipped Lord
Shiva here for washing off the sin caused by killing of demon
Surapadma.
Brahma attained Mukthi here:
Lord Brahma, tired after his
task of creation prayed to Lord Siva for Mukthi. Lord Siva praised Brahma for
his wonderful job of creation and instructed him to worship Kadambavaneswarar.
Also advised him to bathe thrice a day in the sacred Cauvery river and perform
abishekam & pooja to the Lord. Brahma continued to worship Lord Siva for
several thousands of years. Finally, Lord Shiva granted darshan along with Mother.
Thus, Brahma is said to have attained Mukthi at this sthalam.
Mukthi Sthalam:
There is a belief that devotees
are ensured of Mukthi if they worship Kadambar at this temple in the morning,
followed by Ayyarmalai Rathnagiriswarar and Thiruengoimalai Nathar in the
evening of the same day.
Pancha Kadamba Sthalams:
It is considered as one of the
five Kamba shrines installed by Lord Subramanya. The other four shrines are
Kovil Kadambar, Aadi Kadambar, Ilankadambanoor and Perunkadambanoor.
Dakshina Kasi:
Since this temple in South India
is facing North, it is also known as the Dakshina Kasi.
Brahmapuram:
The site was named as
Brahmapuram as Lord Brahma conducted the chariot festival here.
Chatur Veda Puri:
Vishnu prayed to Shiva prior to
recovering the Vedas from Somasuran; hence the site was also called as Chatur Veda
Puri.
Lord Shiva darshan to Kanva Rishi:
Lord Shiva of this Temple
appeared before Kanva rishi under the Kadamba tree.
Meenakshi Sundareswarar:
Devasarma is supposed to have
got the darshan in this temple of the Lord Sundareswarar marrying Meenakshi
(the wedding that took place in Madurai). Hence the deity in this temple is
also known as Sundareswarar & the Ambal as Meenakshi.
Etymology:
The town derives its name from
the presiding deity of the Kadamba Vaneswarar temple.
The 7th century Nayanmars (Saiva saints) Appar,
revered the place as Kadambandurai and Kuzhithandalai in his works in Devaram.
The word Kuzhithandalai, in modern times, is denoted as Kulithalai.
People worshipped Lord Shiva here:
Vishnu, Muruga, Brahma, Saptha
Kannigas, Kanva, Devasarma, Agastya Tirunavukkarasar, Aiyadigal, Kadavarkon
have worshipped Lord Shiva at this sthalam.
