Karkodeswarar Temple,
Kamarasavalli – Legends
Karkodeswarar:
Parikshit was the grandson of
the Pandava brothers. He was the son of Abhimanyu (son of Arjuna and his wife
Subhadra) and Uthara. Ashwathama, son of Dronacharya aimed at Parikshit even while
he was in the womb of her Mother to avenge his father’s death in the Mahabharata
war. But he could not succeed due to the grace of Lord Krishna. He ascended the
throne after the Pandavas. Parikshit, while on one of his hunting sprees, felt
thirsty and he came to the nearby sage Shamika’s hermitage.
Sage Shamika was in deep
meditation. And there was no one to give him water. He requested Sage Shamika
in a loud voice asking for water. The sage did not hear him as he was in deep
meditation. King Parikshit in anger took a dead serpent and threw it around the
sage’s neck. The sage still did not wake up from his deep meditation. After a
while, Sringin, the sage’s son comes home and sees a dead serpent round his
meditating father’s neck.
The son knowing through
intuition that the King Parikshit threw the dead serpent on his father Shamika
curses the king Parikshit that he would die by a snake-bite on the seventh day.
Though Parikshit came to know of the curse with his own moral powers and
through others, he could not escape the impact of the curse. Parikshit fearing his
death, questions the sages what he should do to attain Moksha.
Sages advised him to listen to
Bhagavatha Purana stories from Sage Shukamuni. However, after seven days
Parikshit is bit by a snake called Karkodaka according to Devi Bhagavatham
(While other scriptures suggest that king Parikshit was bitten by a snake
called Takshaka). Karkodaga is the son of Kathru and the head of 8 great
serpents (Ashtama Nagas). Janamejaya, son of Parikshit decided to avenge the
death of his father and began a special Yajna to destroy the whole Naga
species.
All the Nagas were drawn to the yajna
fire and were burnt, but Karkodaga was determined to escape the vengeance and
sought the help of Lord Maha Vishnu. Lord Vishnu directed Karkodaga to this
place – Kamarasavalli – under the grace of Lord Soundareswarar and advised him
to perform intense penance. Karkodaga scrupulously followed Vishnu’s advice. Lord
Shiva (Soundareswarar) appeared before Karkodaga and assured protection to his
life and also to the serpent families from extinction.
Lord also assured that no Kala
Sarpa Dosha would affect the residents of the place and if any such that would
be compromised. After this event, Lord Soundareswarar came to be praised as
Karkodeswarar. According to inscriptions here, no one had died of snake bite in
this place. This happened on a day ruled by Cancer Lagna and Cancer Rasi.
Hence, those belonging to this Lagna and Rasi are advised to pray in the
temple for relief.
Kamarasavalli:
Manmatha, the god of love who
provokes people to fall in love with women had once shot arrows of love on Lord
Shiva Himself, while he was in deep meditation. Lord Shiva enraged at this
opened his third eye and burnt him down. Manmatha’s wife Rathi lost her Mangal
Sutra in Manmatha’s death. She performed severe penance to Lord Shiva here at
this place and begged Lord Shiva to bring back her husband to life.
Lord Shiva with the intention of
restoring population growth and to bless Rathi, made Manmatha alive but visible
to the eyes of Rathi Devi only. As Lord graced Rathi Devi, the place came to be
known as Rathi Vara Puram and Kama Rathi Valli. Later the name changed as
Kamarasavalli. To confirm this story, a copper idol of Rathi Devi is in the
temple in the posture as begging the Lord seeking her Mangal Sutra boon. There
is a temple pond called Sundara Theertham in front of the temple in which Rathi
is said to have had a dip in the waters.
The presence of another village
adjoining this place, called Azhagiyamanavalam (Azhagiya- Handsome,
Manavalan-Husband, referring to Manmathan here), further confirms this
story. Remembering this event, the temple celebrates Kaman festival
– Manmathan the God of Lust. During the festival, people bring a castor plant,
cut it into two and then plant. Symbolizing the boon of Lord for Rathi-Manmatha
unity, even now, rather as a committed promise, it comes to life within 8 days.
As the marital life of Rathi with Manmatha was restored, it is the faith of
people that anything separated earlier will come to life back with their prayers
to Lord.
Other Names:
Kamarasavalli was also called as Tirunallur, Karkodeswaram,
Chaturvedi Mangalam, Rathivara Puram and Kamarathi Valli.
