Kodeeswarar Temple, Kottaiyur,
Kumbakonam – Legends
Maha Pralayam:
According to Hindu mythology, at
the end of every Yuga, there is a huge flood called Maha Pralayam occurs and the
whole world immerses in a deluge on account of the wrath of Hindu god Shiva for
the sins committed by humans in earth. Lord Brahma prepared himself for
the next cycle of creation. He put all the seeds from which creation would
sprout in amrita (the elixir of immortality) along with four Vedas and Puranas
and kept them together in a clay pot. On top of the pot, he placed a coconut
with mango leaves and wrapping around the pot’s neck a sacred thread. He then
placed the pot on the peak of Mount Meru in the Himalayas.
When the Maha Pralayam started,
it destroyed all living creatures on the earth. The Amutha Kalasa also got
displaced and started floating on the seas for years. Eventually when the
Pralayam stopped, the Kalasa settled in Kumbakonam. Then Lord Shiva took the
form of a hunter (Kirata Murthy) and split open the pot with his arrow. The
life on earth started flourishing again. It is believed that when Lord Shiva
opened the pot with his arrow, the pot broke and fell in various places across
the earth. Each of these items became Shiva Lingas and temple has been
established later.
These Temples are;
1. Adi
Kumbeswarar Temple (place
where the Amrutha Kalasa stayed). It is believed that Lord Kirata Murthy (Lord
Shiva) himself made a Shivalingam with the broken pieces of the Kalasa by
mixing nectar and sand with it. He worshiped this lingam and stayed back in
this place. The Shivalingam is in the shape of the neck of a pot (Kudamukku in
Tamil).
2. Someswarar
Temple (place where the string (Uri/Sikkam) fell.
3. Nageswarar
Temple (place where the Vilva leaves tied to the Kalasa fell).
4. Abhimukeswarar
Temple (place where the Kalasa’s coconut fell).
5. Gauthameswarar
Temple (place where the sacred thread of Kalasa fell).
6. Koneswarar
Temple, Kudavasal (place where the rim of the Kalasa fell)
7. Sakkottai
Amirthakalasa Nathar Temple (place where the mid-portion of the
Kalasa fell). Since the pot (locally called kalayam) arrived here, it was
called Kalayanallur.
8. Banapureeswarar
Temple (place where Lord Shiva broke the Kalasa with his arrow).
9. Aadhi
Kampatta Viswanathar Temple (place where the flowers of the Kalasa
fell).
10. Kalahastheeswarar
Temple (place where Chandan of the Kalasa fell).
11. Ekambareswarar
Temple (place where the balance items of Kalasa feel).
12. Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar Temple
(place where some drops of the nectar fell). It is believed that some drops of
the nectar fell in a well in Kottaiyur Koteeswarar temple. This well came to be
called as Amutha well.
Prince Suruchi got relieved of his curse:
As per Hindu legend, Suruchi, a
prince from Thirihartha kingdom (a kingdom in the north), son of king
Sathyarthi, was cursed by Sage Bathra Yogi to become a devil. This curse was
given to him as he disrespected the sage and disturbed his penance in the Himalayas.
As advised by Sage Vyasa, the king brought his son to this place to worship
Lord Shiva. The prince took a dip in the temple’s Theerthams and worshiped Lord
Shiva. It is believed that he was absolved of his sins. It is believed that the
king stayed here for some time, renovated this temple and made some endowments
for the temple maintenance. He got his original form and the belief is
followed in modern times, where ladies take a holy dip to get a better
appearance.
Kottaiyur:
It was believed that Lord Shiva (in
the form of a Shivalingam) appeared here in the midst of Castor plants (Aamanakku
(Kottai) plant) (In Tamil it is called Erandam). The main Shivalingam in this
temple looks as it is formed out of the fruits of a castor plant. In other
words, its texture resembles a jack fruit. Hence, Lord came to be called as Kodeeswarar
and the village came to be called as Kottaiyur.
Koteeswarar:
It is believed that Sage Bathra
Yogi, in order to regain his spiritual power, visited many Shiva temples. When
he reached this temple, Lord Shiva was pleased with his devotion and blessed
him by appearing in the form of one crore (Kodi in Tamil) images of himself,
along with one crore images each of Vinayakar, Goddess Parvathy, Murugan and
Chandikeswarar. This was done as a way to bless him with the benefit of
visiting one crore Shiva temples. Hence the lord here is praised as Koteeswarar
and the place gets the name Koteeswaram. It is believed that any good deed
(Punniyam) or bad deed (Pavam) done here will be multiplied one crore times.
Mother Goddess Pandhadu Nayaki
(Goddess playing with a ball) is so named as she is tossing a ball under her
feet, indicating that she would toss the sufferings of her devotees as that of
a ball.
Heranda Maharishi performed
penance here:
As per another legend, sage Herandar (Atreya) is
believed to have worshipped Shiva at this place. Herandam means Castor plant.
The sage gets his name because he had performed penance under the castor plants
in this place. There is a separate shrine for Heranda
Maharishi in the front hall where he is seen in a meditative posture.
Heranda Maharishi brought back
River Cauvery from Pathala Loka:
As per legend, once in Thiruvalanchuzhi, Adiseshan
came out from the Pathala Logam (underworld) on a Shivarathri day to worship
Lord Shiva. A huge hole (Bhila Dwaram) formed at the place where Adiseshan came
out. Since river Cauvery was flowing through this place, she entered this hole
and fell into the underworld. The Chola king who ruled from Kumbakonam,
Harithuvajan got worried about this and prayed to Lord Shiva. It is believed
that at this point the lord’s divine voice was heard saying that a king or a
sage has to sacrifice his life by entering into the hole so that the river can
come back to earth.
The king also sought the advice of Sage Heranda
Maharishi who was performing penance in this place. The sage confirmed the
divine voice. When the king decided to get into the hole for the welfare of the
people, the sage stopped him and he himself entered into the hole and brought
Cauvery back to earth. The place where the river came back to earth is called
Mela Cauvery, near Kumbakonam. Although he entered into the underworld at
Thiruvalanchuzhi, it is believed that he came back to the earth in
Thiruvalampuram. He worshiped the lord there for some time and attained
salvation.
Legend of Ganges:
Another important feature of this lingam is that water
droplets can be seen coming out of its top. This symbolises the legend that the
Ganges resides in Lord Shiva’s head.
No relief for the sins committed
here:
There is no relief for the sins that are committed
here. A proverb related to this place goes like this – “Kottaiyuril seitha
paavam kattaiyode” meaning those placing their feet in Kottaiyur will become
Kattai (dead) meaning that sinners cannot enter this place. Those who commit a
sin here will have to live with its repercussions for the rest of their life. If
they do so, their sins multiply to a crore. The benefits of good deeds also
would multiply in crores. As many wicked people were afraid to come to the
temple, it is said that Goddess Pandhadu Nayaki assured them protection by
tossing their sins as a ball and reform them. Now, many people come here with
the obvious aim of seeking the pardon of the Goddess for what they did in the
past and lead a righteous life.
People worshipped Lord Shiva
here:
It is believed that Sage Heranda, Bathra Yogi, Lord
Ram, Brahma, Indra, Prince Suruchi, King Sathyarthi, Sage Narada and Sage Markandeya
have worshiped the lord here.