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Monday, April 6, 2020

Karkodeswarar Temple, Kamarasavalli – Legends

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.