Airavatheswarar Temple, Athimugam – Legends
As per legend, an asura named Viruthasura was harassing
the devas and sages. The devas and sages appealed to Lord Indra to protect them
from the asura. Indra mounted on his white elephant (Airavata) fought with the
demon and killed him. Indra and Airavata was afflicted with brahma hatya dosha
for killing the Viruthasura. To get relief from the dosha, Indra and Airavata
were praying to Lord Shiva and suddenly a divine voice from the sky instructed
them to locate a Swayambhu Linga on the banks of Agastya river.
The divine voice further instructed them to worship the
Lingam for 48 days for relief from the brahma hatya dosha. As advised, they
went in search of the Swayambhu Lingam and found it in the banks of Agastya
river. Both of them offered their worship sincerely to the Lingam for 48 days.
Lord Shiva appeared before Indra and Airavata on the 48th day and
relieved both of them from their brahma hatya dosha.
As Lord Shiva was impressed by the devotion of Airavata
and to honour the devotion of Airavata, Lord Shiva informed that the Swayambhu
Lingam worshipped by Airavata will have the carving of the face of
the elephant and the Lingam will be worshipped as the Airavatheswarar.
As elephant (Airavata) worshipped Lord Shiva here, the place came to be called
as Hastimukam (Hasti means elephant in Sanskrit) and later got corrupted to Athimugam.
