Chakrapani Temple, Kumbakonam
– Legends
Chakrapani:
As per
legend, Once, the rishis found it difficult to undertake their penance at this
place as they were continuously harassed by Jalandasura. At the same time, the
heat of the sun in this region was becoming intolerable. At the same time, the
Sun God’s heat in this region was becoming intolerable. The Sun God had become
arrogant, thinking that he was the only source of light, and said that it was
his choice to decide the intensity of his heat. The rishis undertook penance at
this place invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu to save them, both from the Asura
and the heat.
Answering
their prayers, Lord Vishnu appeared here and hurled his Chakra
(also called Sudarshana), the discus, is the most powerful weapon of Lord Vishnu,
to neither world to kill king Jalandasura. After killing the Jalandasura,
Sudarshana Chakra emerged unscathed from River Cauvery at Kumbakonam and came
into the hands of Lord Brahma who was bathing in the holy river. Lord Brahma
got impressed and installed the image of Sudarshana in the place where the
temple is now located.
The
place where Sudarshana Chakra emerged out of water is called Chakra Theertham
or Chakra Padithurai. Since the Lord has come out of Chakra, he is called
Chakrapani or Chakra Rajan. The Chakra is having 365 spokes, representing
the number of days. Sudarshana Chakra had the power equivalent to
several times the strength of the Sun’s rays. It was brighter than Sun. Sun God
was jealous to see another power brighter than him and further increased his
light. But the Sudarshana Chakra absorbed all his brightness and made Sun dark.
He surrendered
to the Sudarshana Chakra and prayed him for forgiveness. Lord Chakrapani appeared
from the Sudarshana Chakra all bright on the Vaikasi (May-Jun) Poornima day
with three eyes and hair as bright as Agni the fire and granted darshan to Sun.
Pleased with the prayers, Lord restored the original brightness to the Sun.
Lord Surya
wanted the town to be named after him and pleased by his devotion, Chakrapani
named the city as Bhaskara Kshetra. It is believed that Surya worshiped
Chakrattazhvar during Masi Magam and every year Masi Magam festival is
celebrated during the day, commemorating the event. The temple car is drawn
around the streets of the temple during the day.
To
prevent the possibility of this place becoming over heated again, Sudarashanavalli Thaayar is seen alongside Chakrathazhwar
(while normally one sees Vijaya Valli Thaayar next to Chakrathazhwar). There is
a separate Shrine for Vijaya Valli Thaayar. Though Chakrathazhwar is given
prominence in Thirumogur
near Madurai, Srirangam
and other temples, this is perhaps the
only temple, where he is present as the Main deity.
Holier than Kasi:
Once,
a Brahmin named Surya Bandu was taking the Asthi Kalasa of his father along
with his disciple to Kasi to immerse the ash in River Ganga. On the way, he came
to Kumbakonam, he placed the Kalasa on the banks of the Holy Chakra Padithurai to
perform his Sandyavadana in Cauvery River. The disciple was hungry, and he
opened the kalasa to know if it contained some eatables. Then to his wonder he
saw the red lotus flowers and so closed it. They reached Kasi. The Brahmin
opened the kalasa and saw the bones & ashes.
The
disciple informed him what he had seen in Kumbakonam. So, he returned to
Kumbakonam. He opened the pot and mixed the ashes in the water of the holy
Chakra Theertha. It is told that his father had informed him to mix the ashes
in such a tank where they turned to be lotus flowers. A dip in this holy tank
is a blessing on the day of the Thula month of Tamil year. The Sthala Purana
has spoken very high of this Thula masa dip and giving Dana to the deserving.
Maha Pralaya:
As per
another legend, during the great deluge, the pot of nectar came down swirling.
The pot of nectar fell down into different pieces as Shiva shot his arrow at
the pot. The nectar is believed to have relieved lives in the planet. The
various places where the nectar spilled are