Swaminatha
Swamy Temple, Swamimalai – Legends
Swaminatha
Swamy:
As per legend, Brahma, the Hindu god of creation,
disrespected Muruga (the son of Shiva) at the time of visiting Mount
Kailash, the abode of Shiva. The child Muruga got angry with Brahma and
asked him how he was creating living beings. Brahma said that he was creating
living beings with the help of the Vedas (Hindu scriptures). On
hearing the reply, Muruga asked Brahma to recite the texts from Vedas. Brahma
started to recite the text with the holy word called Pranava Mantra,
"Om".
At that time Muruga stopped Brahma and asked him to
explain the meaning of the Pranava Mantra. Brahma could not reply and hence
Muruga knocked Brahma on his forehead with his clenched fists and punished him
with imprisonment. Lord Muruga took up the role of the creator. The Devas
(celestial deities) were surprised by the absence of Brahma and they requested
Vishnu to negotiate with Muruga to release Brahma. Vishnu could not help and as
the last resort, Lord Shiva went to the rescue of Brahma.
Lord Shiva came to Muruga and asked him to release
Brahma from imprisonment. Muruga refused to release him stating Brahma was
unaware of the meaning of the Pranava Mantra (AUM). Lord Shiva asked Muruga to
explain the meaning and Muruga extolled to Lord Shiva the meaning of the
Pranava Mantra. Lord Shiva behaved like a student to a teacher, listening with
rapt attention from his son, giving Muruga the name Swaminatha Swami (The
Teacher of Lord Shiva). It is in keeping with this legend, the shrine of
the son Muruga is atop the hillock, while the father Shiva's shrine is located
at the basement.
Swamimalai:
As per another legend, once all sages and gods assembled
in Kailash,
the abode of Shiva. It resulted in the tilting of earth towards one direction. Lord
Shiva asked Sage Agasthya to move towards South to balance the tilt.
Agastya employed a demon by name Idumban to carry two hills in his shoulders to
be placed in the South. The demon carried the hills down south and rested in a
place. When he tried to lift one of the hills, it didn't budge, and he found a
young man standing at the top of the hill not allowing it to be moved.
The demon tried to attack the young man but was smitten.
Sage Agastya identified the young man as Karthikeya and asked him to pardon the
demon. Karthikeya readily did so and let the hill remain there at Pazhani.
It is a practice followed in the modern times where people carry milk in both
their shoulders as a devotion to please Karthikeya. The demon carried the other
hill to Swamimalai.
Lord
Shiva learnt Pranava Mantra from Lord Murugan:
As per legend, Sage Bhrigu before commencing an
arduous penance, got the boon that anybody disturbing his mediation will
forget all his knowledge. Such was the power of the penance that the sacred
fire emanating from the head of the saint reached up to the heavens, and the
frightened devas surrendered to Lord Shiva praying for his grace. The Lord
extinguished the sacred fire by covering the Sage Brighu head by hand thus
disturbing his penance. Lord Shiva forgot all his knowledge. He immediately
sent for his son Subrahmanya and asked him if he knew the Mantra.
The young Subrahmanya smilingly replied that he does,
and he asked Lord Shiva that if only the Lord is prepared to learn the Mantra
in a proper manner, then he would teach him. There upon with folded hands and
bowed head, Lord Shiva stood before his young Guru (Subrahmanya) with great
veneration and learnt the Mantra. As this incident took place in this
sacred place it came to be known as Swamimalai
and the deity as Swaminathan, indicating that the son was superior to his
Father. It is in keeping with this legend that the
shrine of Subrahmanya is built on the hillock and that of Lord Shiva below the
mound.
Indra
worshipped Lord Murugan here:
As per legend, Indra worshipped Subramanya Swamy on
the day of Visakam star and gained strength to defeat the demon Harikesa. In
the place of the traditional peacock before the Lord, there is elephant here,
which was gifted by Indira after the destruction of demon Harikesa, according
to scriptures.
Nethra
Theertham:
It is said that his Vel weapon that created the Nethra
Theertha in the
temple. Once, a blind devotee named Sumathi lost his eyesight because
of his sins. Sage Bharadhwaja asked him to go and worship Netra Vinayaga and
take a dip in the Netra Theertham to get over his sins and regain his sight. It
is believed that the devotee took a dip in the sacred waters and regained his
sight as he approached the Nethra Vinayagar temple.
Mother
Earth worshipped Lord Murugan here:
Mother Earth worshipped Lord Muruga for relief from a
curse of Mother Parvathi and even after realizing her boon, she is staying here
in the form of a gooseberry tree.
Gurumalai
/ Gurugiri:
As the Lord Murugan was a Guru to his own father Lord
Shiva, the
place came to be called as Gurumalai
/ Gurugiri.
