Athmanatha Swamy Temple,
Avudaiyarkoil – Legends
Lord Shiva divine play of
converting foxes to horses:
Avudaiyarkoil Temple is connected to the history of Saint Manickavasagar. The saint
Manickavasagar was born in a Brahmin family to the pious couple
Sampupadhachariar and Sivagnanavadhiyar at Thiruvathavur near Madurai on the
banks of Vaigai River. He learnt all the scripts, arts and studied various
books on religions within the age of sixteen. Astounded by the scholarship of
Vadavoorar, the Pandiya King Arimarthanan appointed him as the Chief Minister
and awarded him title 'Thennavan Brahmarayan'. He guided the King in
administering the Kingdom efficiently.
But
his thoughts were being focused towards the attainment of Mukthi (salvation) at
the feet of the Lord Siva and prayed him to show him a guru to fulfil his wish.
One day the news that horses were kept on the coastal line of Chola Kingdom was
received by the King through his spy. The King Arimardana Pandian of
Madurai asked his minister Thiruvadhavoorar to buy horses and gave him
money. Receiving gold coins from the King the Vadavoorar started towards
the eastern coast and stayed at Tiruperundurai.
He
heard sounds of Shivagama Mantras there and saw a Lord Shiva, in the guise of a
Brahmin was seated under a Kurundha tree near the temple. The prime
minister fell at the feet of the Lord and begged him to teach him
wisdom. While learning, Manikkavasakar plunged into deep meditation. When
he opened his eyes, he found his teacher absent in the place and understood
that his Guru was none other than Lord Shiva himself. He spent all the money he
carried for buying horses in building a temple for his Guru – Shiva and
dedicated himself in the service of Lord.
Manickavasagar
concluded that the Lord Shiva himself had come to help him. He begged Lord
Shiva to initiate Shiva Gnana. Then the Lord initiated him into the divine
mysteries of Siva Jnana. Manickavasagar spent all the gold coins received from
the King to purchase horses, in the construction of temples and feeding Shiva devotees
at Tiruperundurai. He built a temple for the Lord here. As the saint
failed to carry out the order of the king, he ordered the saint to be arrested
and jailed.
Lord
Shiva converted the foxes in the forests into horses, brought them to the king
as instructed by Manikkavasakar. After delivering the horses, Lord went
away. However, at midnight, the horses became foxes and started howling. Angry
king, made Manikkavasakar stand on the sands of Vaigai River in Madurai under
scorching Sun. To teach a lesson to the Pandya who acted against his
devotee, Lord made Vaigai flow in spate. King ordered to strengthen the
banks to avoid a breach.
Lord
also came to Madurai as a coolie for the repair work. The king
struck him with a cane for not doing the work properly. The blow only fell
on the king and everyone in Madurai leaving its scar on them. The King
came to know that all that happened was Lord Shiva’s design, fell at the feet
of Manikkavasakar and begged his pardon. Avudaiyarkoil was the ground for
this Thiruvilayadal Purana story (an epic by Paranjothi Munivar speaking of the
great plays enacted by Lord Shiva for his devotees).
Initially,
only a platform like thing was built and offering of rice was kept on the platform.
The steam was considered as God (Shiva) for him. It is the same platform which
still present inside the shrine and the same rituals are still followed. In the
later years, Pandya kings extended the temple with beautiful sculptures and
pillars. The minister Thiruvadhavoorar thus became a great devotee of Lord
Shiva and got the name Manikkavasakar. He wrote the famous Thiruvasagam in
Avudaiyar Koil Temple.
Lord Shiva in disguise as an old
priest:
In
times past, a Pandya king brought 300 priests from Benares to attend the temple
services here and to honour them he wanted to present gold brocade shawls to
them. While distributing, he found one in excess and he searched for that
priest in the crowd. An aged priest came forward and claimed that robe. On the
next day, the king was astonished to find that garment, wrapped round the
deity. Athmanatha was the priest who claimed that excess robe.
Keel Neer Katti:
A Kurumba
chieftain Lundakshan of the place grabbed Avudaiyarkoil temple land. Devotees
took the case to the reigning Pandya King; he still claimed that the land
belonged to him. He demanded evidence to prove that it belonged to the
people. Devotees, unable to oppose the king, fell at the feet of Lord. Lord
went to the chieftain and asked him about the quality of his land. The
chieftain said that it was drought land. Lord Shiva said that he was wrong,
and the land was fertile and there was plenty of ground water down. On
digging, water sprang up. The chieftain bowed his head down in
shame. This place is just at a distance from the temple called Keel Neer
Katti. This episode is well painted on the roof of the Panchakshara Mandapam.
Mother Parvathi performed
penance here:
Mother
Ambika performed penance here to make amends for disobeying the advice of Lord
not to attend the Daksha Yagna.
Other Names:
Thiruperunthurai
is also known as Kokozhi, Sivapuram, Akasha Kailasham, Vadavoor, Chatur Vedi Mangalam
and Adi Kailasam.