Friday, July 17, 2020

Someswara Swamy Temple, Kumbakonam – Legends

Someswara Swamy Temple, Kumbakonam – Legends
Maha Pralayam:
According to Hindu mythology, at the end of every Yuga, there is a huge flood called Maha Pralayam occurs and the whole world immerses in a deluge on account of the wrath of Hindu god Shiva for the sins committed by humans in earth. Lord Brahma prepared himself for the next cycle of creation. He put all the seeds from which creation would sprout in amrita (the elixir of immortality) along with four Vedas and Puranas and kept them together in a clay pot. On top of the pot, he placed a coconut with mango leaves and wrapping around the pot’s neck a sacred thread. He then placed the pot on the peak of Mount Meru in the Himalayas.
When the Maha Pralayam started, it destroyed all living creatures on the earth. The Amutha Kalasa also got displaced and started floating on the seas for years. Eventually when the Pralayam stopped, the Kalasa settled in Kumbakonam. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a hunter (Kirata Murthy) and split open the pot with his arrow. The life on earth started flourishing again. It is believed that when Lord Shiva opened the pot with his arrow, the pot broke and fell in various places across the earth. Each of these items became Shiva Lingas and temple has been established later.
These Temples are;
1. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple (place where the Amrutha Kalasa stayed). It is believed that Lord Kirata Murthy (Lord Shiva) himself made a Shivalingam with the broken pieces of the Kalasa by mixing nectar and sand with it. He worshiped this lingam and stayed back in this place. The Shivalingam is in the shape of the neck of a pot (Kudamukku in Tamil).
2. Someswarar Temple (place where the string (Uri/Sikkam) fell. The Sikkam (threads) around the Amirtha Kalasa fallen here and took a shape of Linga and hence known as Sikkeshwarar.
3. Nageswarar Temple (place where the Vilva leaves tied to the Kalasa fell).
4. Abhimukeswarar Temple (place where the Kalasa’s coconut fell).
5. Gauthameswarar Temple (place where the sacred thread of Kalasa fell).
6. Koneswarar Temple, Kudavasal (place where the rim of the Kalasa fell)
7. Sakkottai Amirthakalasa Nathar Temple (place where the mid-portion of the Kalasa fell). Since the pot (locally called kalayam) arrived here, it was called Kalayanallur. 
8. Banapureeswarar Temple (place where Lord Shiva broke the Kalasa with his arrow).
9. Aadhi Kampatta Viswanathar Temple (place where the flowers of the Kalasa fell).
10. Kalahastheeswarar Temple (place where Chandan of the Kalasa fell).
11. Ekambareswarar Temple (place where the balance items of Kalasa feel).
12. Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar Temple (place where some drops of the nectar fell).
Karonam:
As per legend, Nava Kannikas (representation of nine holy rivers) came to Kumbakonam to take bathe in the Mahamaha Tank to cleanse themselves of the sins set on them by sinners. When they came to Kumbakonam, there was chaos all around the place. Mother Parvathy embraced Lord Shiva in fear. Hence, the place came to be called as Kaya Arohanam (Kaya means body and Arohanam means embraced). Hence, Lord Shiva came to be called as Kayarohanar. The place came to be called as Kaya Arohanam and later got corrupted to Karonam.
Somesam:
Once, Chandran due to Brihaspati curse came to Kumbakonam and worshipped the Lord Sikkeshwarar. He excavated a tank for the worship. This tank came to be called as Chandra Pushkarini. It does not exist now. Chandra is also called as Soma. Hence, the place also came to be called as Somesam and Lord came to be called as Someswarar.
Vyazha Someswarar:
As per legend, Guru (Planet Jupiter) worshipped Lord Someswarar. Hence, Lord Shiva came to be called as Vyazha Someswarar (Guru Sikkeshwarar).
Chozheeswarar:
It is believed that Chola King Parantaka installed a Shiva Linga in this Temple and worshipped the Linga for Child Boon. The Linga installed by him came to be called as Chozheeswarar.
Maleesar:
As per legend, Lord Vishnu worshiped Lord Shiva here for one year to receive a boon to battle and destroy demons. As Vishnu (Mal) worshipped Lord Shiva here, Lord Shiva came to be called as Maleesar (Mal means Lord Vishnu).
Holier than Kasi:
There is a popular saying in Sanskrit - Kumbakonam is more sacred than Varanasi (Kasi). A sin committed at some place can be washed away by visiting a nearby holy place.  A sin committed in one of the sacred places is washed away by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi. However, if one commits a sin in Varanasi itself, it can only be washed off in Kumbakonam. Similarly, any sinful act done at Kumbakonam is washed away there itself.