4th May Friday
Thiruvottriyur – Adi Pureeshwarar
We went to the temple early morning
to have our darsanam at the temple
and also at the Thyagaraja Sannidhi. We
went into the temple and had the darsanam
of the Siva Lingam and the Tyagaraja Sannidi. The temple is another of the
famous paadal pettra Sthalams.
We saw the 27 Nakshatrams in the form of various Siva
Lingams – a very unique feature of the temple. A person who is born under a
particular star can have their special poojas
/ prayers done here in front of the Lingam for the particular star. Pancha Bhoota Lingams are also present just
before the Gosala. It is also said that The Vayu Lingam is the place of Roma
Rishi Samadhi – one of the great Maharishis in the great Indian Panorama of Sages.
The Sthalapuranam says that during one of the Pralayams, Brahma Deva did deep Tapas
at this place before the commencement of the next Srishti cycles. Shiva rose from the Yoga-agni in a strange and
indecipherable form. Flames of fire crackled and blazed from which emerged a chittirappalakai, a flat square drawing
board like shape that formed a Shivalinga.
Brahma prayed for the great waters to subside. Shiva ordained that this town be
exempted from destruction. The Agni Kunta
became the temple and Shiva resides here as agni or fire with his consort Darbanayagi Ammal who embodies Chit Shakthi. Thus the town which was
exempted from deluge – ‘orutral’ –
got the name Tiruvottriyur.
Another story is that King Mandata levied taxes for all
places including Sivastalams. Surprisingly,
when his orders inscribed in palm manuscripts arrived at Tiruvotriyur, an
additional line appeared on them, apparently from nowhere. This line decreed
that this township be exempted from the orders. The king enquired as to who had
interpolated those words. No one seemed to have done it. The king after
examination decided that it was not one of his own men who did it. He rubbed and removed away the words from the
palm script that sanctioned exemption and kept it locked. The next day, on
examining the manuscripts, the same words had reappeared. King Mandata felt
that Lord Shiva himself had chose Otriyur
as ‘His Own Land’.
The king exempted the township
from tax payment. Tiruvotriyur (‘the town exempted’ from tax payment) was thus
created. In consonance with this episode, the moolavar in this temple is also
called ‘Ezhuthariyum Peruman’.
(‘He who chose to write’)
The temple is famous and is one
of the paadal pettra Sthalam.
We went to the Devi Sannidhi – Vadivudai Amman – One of the Tri Sakthi
Sthalams.
Devi here is also known as Gnaana Shakthi.
Iccha Shakthi Gnaana Shakti Kriya Shakti Swaroopini -
Three temples depict the famous
three names –
Vadivudai Amman at Tiruvottriyur
– Gnaana Shakthi
Tiruvudai Amman at Melur - Iccha Shakthi &
Kodiyudai Amman at
Tirumullaivayil – Kriya Shakthi.
As some abhishekams and morning poojas
done there, the Sannidhi was closed
at the time we went there. We waited and then it was opened – The divine beauty
is un-explainable. We stood there oblivious to the surroundings for some time.
Before we proceeded to Melur to
visit the Iccha Sakthi temple we went
to Pattinathar Samadhi.
Pattinathar Samadhi
The Samadhi is located about 1 km
from the temple on the eastern side cutting through the road for lorry traffic.
The temple has a direct entrance to the road now and the approach is given a
small Gate showing the same.
Pattinathar is another of the
great 18 Siddhars whose story is well documented and the details of the
incident when he gets the palm leaf inscribed – ‘Kaathatra Oosiyum Vaarathu Kanum Kadaivazhikke’ (Not even an
eyeless needle will accompany you in your final journey of life) is quite a
famous quote in the Spiritual traditions in South India.
He asked some of the children
playing near the beach to cover him in a pit and while they did this, he would
playfully emerge outside immediately and walk towards them. The last time they
did, he did not come out but was transformed into a Sivalingam. It is the very same Lingam which is seen and done Pooja
upon.
Melur – Tiruvudai Amman – Iccha Sakthi
From Tiruvottriyur, we went to
Melur which is on the route to Minjur and a very heavily industrialized area
with huge Lorry traffic. When we reached the temple there was a marriage
function going on at the Devi Sannidhanam. We actually walked in to
the sound of welcoming Naadaswara Melam
and did our full darsanam with the
full orchestration on the backside. While we were having darsanam at the Devi Sannidhi the Melam also intensified as the taali muhurtham also was approaching.
The temple also has a hidden cave
visible at the back side of the main sanctum sanctorum – Tirumanangeeswarar.
The caves probably date back to the early Sangam ages and is said to connect
the Tirumullaivayil Kshetram and was probably due to political reasons.
Back to our Rooms –
We wanted to go to the third
Sakthi temple at Tirumullaivayil and also see the Rasa Lingam there. But then,
‘The Lord’ had other ideas as we got caught in a major traffic jam and had to
wait in the road for about 2 hours. We didn’t have time on our side as we were
going back to our places by evening and thus had to drop the plan.
Kameshwara and Kameshwari had
been very kind enough and showered the good fortune for all of us to visit -
Three of the Pancha bhootha lingams, one of the Saptha Vitanka Kshetrams, one
of the Veeratta Kshetrams, one of the Pancha Sabha Kshetrams, one of the Saptha
Sthanams, three of the Aadhara Sthalams, a host of the Paadal Petra Sthalams
and some major Samadhi Sthalams. The wish of the Lord is the Order of any day
for us and we bow to the ‘Apaara Karuna’ by which this entire Samarpanam played
out itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment