Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thirukkuvalai – Legends
Saptha Vidanga Sthalams:
As per legend, Lord Vishnu had an image of Somaskanda which was created by divine sculptor Vishwakarma
for his personal worship. Lord Vishnu presented the image to Lord Indra. Lord Indra held this image in great
reverence. Once, demon named Vaalasuran invaded Devaloka and chased Indra away
from the Devaloka. Indra sought the help of Muchukunda Chola, a valorous king
ruled over earth, in defeating the demon. Muchukunda assisted Indra in winning
the battle against the demon.
Pleased with his support in winning the war, Indra implored
him to ask for anything that he wanted. The king promptly wished for the
Somaskanda image. He was stunned by the request made by Muchukunda. He did not want to go back on his word and
he did not want to part with the image either. Indra asked the divine sculptor
Vishwakarma to make six similar idols at night.
The next day, Indra offered the king to take any one of
the six idols hoping that the king would not be able to distinguish the real
one and would take one of the six idols that were created the previous night.
Due to his true devotion to Lord Shiva, he was able to find the original one.
Indra was delighted to see his unwavering devotion on Lord Shiva, he gifted all
the seven images to Muchukunda.
Muchukunda Chola brought all the seven images of Somaskanda with him to the Chola kingdom and had them
installed at seven different places (in and) around Thiruvarur.
He installed the original idol in Thiruvarur
and the other six idols at Thirukolili,
Thirukkarayil,
Thirumaraikkadu,
Thiruvaimur,
Thirunallar
and Thirunagai.
These seven places are collectively called as Saptha
Vidanga Sthalams.
The
Saptha Vidanga Sthalams are listed below;
|
Temple |
Name of Thyagaraja |
Dance pose |
Meaning |
|
Veedhi Vidangar |
Ajaba Nadanam |
Dance
without chanting, resembling the dance of Thyagaraja resting on Lord
Vishnu's chest |
|
|
Naga Vidangar |
Unmatha Nadanam |
Dance
of an intoxicated person |
|
|
Sundara Vidangar |
Paaravaara Nadanam |
Dancing
like waves of sea |
|
|
Aadhi Vidangar |
Kozhi Nadanam |
Dancing like a cock |
|
|
Avani Vidangar |
Vandu or Brahma Nadanam |
Dancing
like a bee that hovers over a flower |
|
|
Neela Vidangar |
Kamala Nadanam |
Dance like lotus that moves in a breeze |
|
|
Bhuvani Vidangar |
Hamsavagha Nadanam |
Dancing with the gait of a swan |
Lord Shiva offered mounds of paddy to Sundarar via
Kundaiyur Kizhar:
As per legend, Sundarar used to feed the devotees of
Lord Shiva in Thiruvarur.
It is said that Sundarar used to pray Lord Shiva to give him paddy or gold so that
he could carry out the holy task of feeding the devotees. Once, he visited this
temple and prayed to Lord Shiva to help him in his noble cause.
Meanwhile, there was another ardent devotee of Lord Shiva named Kundaiyur
Kizhar lived in Kundaiyur
village, located close to Thirukuvalai.
He was also doing the noble cause of feeding the
devotees of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and informed him that
he would provide him mound of paddy in his place and instructed him to handover
it to Sundarar. Kundaiyur Kizhar informed Sundarar about the presence of rice
mound and invited him to take it for himself to feed the devotees in Thiruvarur.
Sundarar visited Kundaiyur
and was delighted to see the rice mound. He was also thinking about the
difficulty in transferring the paddy to Thiruvarur.
Finally, he pleaded Lord Shiva for help by singing a Padhigam. Pleased with his
prayer, Lord Shiva instructed Bhoodaganas to shift the paddy from Kundaiyur
to Thiruvarur.
They shifted the entire paddy overnight to Thiruvarur.
The place where Kundaiyur
Kizhar offered the paddy is still can be seen in Kundaiyur
Rishabhapureeswarar Temple. The incident is enacted every year on
the day next to the day of Magam asterism in the Tamil month of Magam. A bronze
image of Sundarar will be taken in procession from Thirukolili
to Kundaiyur
Rishabhapureeswarar Temple. The heaps of paddy will be measured in
the platform in the Kundaiyur
Temple and offered to Sundarar during this festival.
Brahmapureeswarar:
Once, Lord Vishnu and Brahma fought among
themselves about their superiority. Unable to come to a conclusion, they
approached Lord Shiva for deciding the winner. Lord Shiva appeared as an
endless flame and challenged them to find his source. Lord Brahma took the
form of a gander and flew to the sky to see the top of the flame, while Vishnu took
the form of the boar Varaha, and sought its base.
Neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find the source. Lord Vishnu
conceded his defeat graciously, but Brahma lied and said he had found the
pinnacle. Lord Shiva was angry of Brahma lies and cursed Lord Brahma not to
have any temples in earth for his worship. Lord Brahma came to this
temple, created the Brahma Theertha, worshiped Lord Shiva and got
relief from the curse. As Lord Brahma worshipped Lord Shiva, he came to be
called as Brahmapureeswarar.
Thirukolili:
As per legend, Navagrahas (nine planets) together
worshipped Lord Shiva here. Hence, Navagrahas can be seen standing in the same
row. It is unusual to see Navagrahas in this arrangement. Devotees throng this
temple to get relief from Navagraha dosha. As the effects of
Navagrahas (Kol) is nullified in this
place, the place came to be called as Kol
Ili
Bheema got relieved from Brahmahatya dosha here:
As per legend, Bheema, one of the Pandavas, acquired
Brahmahatya dosha on killing the demon Bakasuran. He worshipped Lord Shiva here
and got relief from the Brahmahatya dosha. Stucco images depicting this legend
can be seen in the rajagopuram.
People worshipped Lord
Shiva here:
It is said that Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Muchukunda
Chola, Indra, Agastya, Pandavas, Navagrahas, Sundarar, Sambandar, Appar, Parana
Deva Nayanar, Sekkizhar and King Hemakantha had worshipped Lord Shiva here.
Thirukuvalai:
As presiding deity is made of white sand, it is always
covered with Kuvalai. Hence, the place came to be called as Thirukuvalai.
Other Names:
Thirukuvalai was also called
as Brahma Tapovanam, Kathakaaranyam, Thetraamaravanam, Pushpavanam and Then
Kailasha.