Saturday, November 23, 2019

Ilamaiyakkinar Temple, Chidambaram – Legends

Ilamaiyakkinar Temple, Chidambaram – Legends
Thiruneelakanta Nayanar:
Thiruneelakanta Nayanar was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the second in the list of 63 Nayanars. The life of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar is described in Periya Puranam written by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Thiruneelakanta Nayanar born in Chidambaram, famous for its Thillai Nataraja Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, patron of Shaivism. He was born in the Kuyavar caste of potters. He made earthenware pots and other containers. He was a devout devotee of Shiva and distributed clay bowls to devotees of Shiva, free of cost. He and his wife specially revered the Neelakanta (Thiruneelakanta, "Blue Throated one") form of Shiva, who drank the Halahala poison.
Once, Thiruneelakanta Nayanar enjoyed pleasure with a prostitute. The news reached the wife before he reached home. The enraged wife fulfilled all her duties but did not allow her husband to touch her. When he tried affectionately touch her to placate her, she refused his advances and said 'Would you touch us (me) .... Thiruneelakanta.' While the wife meant that her husband does not touch her, she used a pronoun, which also meant "us". Thiruneelakanta could be interpreted as the name of the husband or god Shiva. Traditionally, a Hindu married woman does not address her husband by his name.
It is not clear by what she meant, but her husband took the meaning that she refrained him from touching all women ("us") by the name of the god Neelakanta. The Nayanar pledged not to touch any woman from that day, even in his thoughts. While the wife carried out all the responsibilities of a wife to Thiruneelakanta Nayanar, they never touched each other. They lived in different quarters in the house and fulfilled Tirunilakanta's vow in secret. The couple became old. Once, Shiva disguised himself as a Shaiva Yogi (mendicant). He was welcomed and worshipped by Thiruneelakanta Nayanar.
Upon inquiry by the aged potter about what he can do for the ascetic, the ascetic gave him his precious earthen begging bowl and told the potter to keep it safe till he returns. The yogi left; Thiruneelakanta kept the bowl in a safe location. After a long time, the yogi returned and demanded his begging bowl. Thiruneelakanta looked for the bowl in the place he kept it and then searched the whole house in vain. Lord Shiva had actually made the begging bowl disappear. The worried Nayanar prostrated before the mendicant and told him that he had lost the bowl and offered to replace it with a new clay bowl. However, the agitated ascetic refused and accused the potter of stealing his precious bowl.
Upon much persuasion, the ascetic ordered Thiruneelakanta to take a dip in the temple tank and swear by taking his hand on the head of his son. When the potter told the yogi that he was childless, the ascetic suggested that he do so by swearing on his wife's head. But, Thiruneelakanta refused to do so, due to his vow, the incensed left and appealed to the Brahmin priests of the temple for justice. The Brahmin court heard both sides and ordered the potter to swear his innocence in the holy tank. Thiruneelakanta and his wife entered the temple pond, each holding an end of a bamboo stick. The ascetic objected and suggested the potter hold his wife's hand.
Ultimately, the potter revealed the whole story - which was concealed from the world till then - about his private life and his vow to the assembled Brahmins and the ascetic. The old couple immersed themselves in the holy waters and emerged as a young couple as they rose up. The awestruck Brahmins looked in disbelief. The ascetic disappeared. In the sky, Lord Shiva appeared with his consort Parvati and blessed the couple. Pleased by the couple's devotion and sexual restraint, Lord Shiva took them to his abode Kailash, where they are said to have lived ever young.
One of the most prominent Nayanars, Sundarar (8th century) venerates Thiruneelakanta Nayanar in the Tiruthonda Thogai, a hymn to Nayanar saints, calling him "the blessed potter" and the first Nayanar mentioned in the hymn and the only one whose caste affiliation is stated. While describing the Nayanars, Nambiyandar Nambi (11th century) says that Thiruneelakanta Nayanar observed sexual abstinence with his wife and as an aged man, regained his youth with his wife by "God's grace". A maxim by Sivadevayya, also known as Visweswara Siva Desika, the guru and minister of the Kakatiya king Kakati Ganapati Deva (1199-1260), part of his lost Telugu Satakam (a poem with more than hundred lines) Siva-devadhimani Satakamu says that one must be like Siriyala in childhood, Sundarar in youth and Gundaya (Thiruneelakanta Nayanar) in old age; if one has no faith in Shiva then "his birth is burden and life is futile". Gopalakrishna Bharati (1810–1896) wrote a short opera named Tirunilakantha Nayanar Charitram on his life.
Thiruneelakanta Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Thai, when the moon enters the Visakha nakshatra (lunar mansion). He is depicted with folded hands. He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals. In Chidambaram, west of the main Nataraja Temple lies the temple tank called Ilamai Theertham (tank of youth) or Ilamai Nayanar Theertham (tank of the young Nayanar) or Vyagrapada Theertham, which is believed to the site of the test of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar by Shiva.
The Ilamaiyakkinar temple dedicated to Shiva stands on the banks of the tank. The temple is said to be built by the devotee Vyagrapada, long before Thiruneelakanta Nayanar's times and was also as Tiruppuleeswarar. After the Thiruneelakanta incident, the form of Shiva was renamed as Ilamayakkinar. The temple has a shrine for the Thiruneelakanta Nayanar and his wife Ratnasalai. The Thai Visakha day is believed to be the day of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar's test of devotion. The day is marked by a temple festival when the tale of the Nayanar's test are ritually enacted in the temple tank. Separated couples or couples with disputes in the marriage are prescribed to pray in the temple for a happy married life.
Tiruppuleeswarar:
Vyagrapada desirous of seeing Lord Nataraja’s dance, came to Chidambaram. He established a Sivalingam at the banks of the Theertham, erected a hut nearby and carried on his penance. Sage Vyagrapada, by the grace of Lord Siva had tiger’s legs. Since he worshipped the Lord, Siva came to be known as Tiruppuleeswarar.
Kanampulla Nayanar:
Kanampulla Nayanar was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as 46th in the list of 63 Nayanars. Periya Puranam (13th century CE) and Thiruthondar Thogai (10th century CE) describe him as a great devotee of the Hindu god Shiva. Kanampulla Nayanar was a grass cutter; selling the special Kanampul grass used for lamp wicks in Shiva temples. Because of this Kanampul has become associated with his name. Kanampulla Nayanar was born into a farming family in Pullirukkuvelur or Irukkuveloor, located at Sirkazhi Taluk, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.
As a farmer, Kanampulla Nayanar spent all his money in lighting the lamps in various Shiva temples. The Nayanar saint sang hymns to Shiva and served the deity and his devotees. Due to his devotional practices, Kanampulla Nayanar's wealth quickly eroded; he moved to Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, where he earned a living by cutting and selling Kanampul grass. With the money he earned, the saint purchased ghee (clarified butter) to light lamps in the Shiva temple.
Legend has it that Shiva decided to test Kanampulla Nayanar's devotion. Due to a famine, he was unable a to sell grass, but the Nayanar saint wanted to continue to serve Shiva by lighting lamps in his temple. He prepared a wick from the dry grass and burnt it, but it soon extinguished. In despair, he offered his own hair for burning. He extended his head near the lamp and spread his hair to be burnt. Pleased by the Nayanar's deep devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before him and released him from the cycle of rebirth. His Guru Pooja is conducted on the Tirukarthikai Day. Kanampulla Nayanar is said to have lit himself as a lamp and merged with Lord Shiva here. Same story is applicable to Chidambaram Temple also.