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.