Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Thirukadaiyur is one of the 275 Thevara
Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Thirukadavoor/Thirukadaiyur, which is 18kms from Mayavaram,
Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu. This
is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva built during the 11th
century also known as Ashta Veerattanam/Vilvaranyam Kshetram.
This temple has grand architectural structure
and it occupies huge acres of land built during the regime of Chola Kings. The temple inscription reveals its existence
from the date of King Raja Raja Chola. King
Kulothunga Chola has made remarkable contributions to this temple.
Presiding deity – Lord Amruthaghateswarar with
his consort Goddess Sri Abirami.
Mangalasasanam – Thiru Gnana Sambandhar,
Sundarar, and Thirunavukkarasar sung praising the glories of
Kalasamharamurthy/Mruthyunjaya Murthy/Amruthaghateswarar in this temple. Thiru Abirami Bhattar sung praising the
glories of Goddess Abirami in this temple.
Sthalavruksham – Vilvam/Jathi (Bael tree/Pinchilam)
Theertham – Amrutha Theertham, Kasi Theertham
Worshipped by – Sage Agastya, Sage Pulastya,
Serpent Vasuki, Goddess Durga, Lord Yama, Sage Markandeya,
Significance – Thiru Kungiliyakalaya Nayanar and
Kari Nayanar were born in this sacred land and worshipped Lord Amruthakhateswarar
to their heartfelt content and attained the Abode of Lord Shiva in this sacred
land.
Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanya, Sage
Markandeya, Lord Nandikeshwara, Lord Naganatheswara with Goddess Gajalakshmi
Festivals – Chithirai Brahmostavam, Maha
Shivaratri, Arudra Darisanam, Thiru Karthikai
Nindrum Irunthum Kidanthum Ninaipathu Unnai
Yendrum Vananguvathu Un Malarthal
Yezhuthamarayin
Ondrum Arumporule Arule Umaiye Imayathu
Andrum Piranthavale Azhiya Mukthi Anandamey
Many interesting myths associated with this
temple. Abirami Bhattar composed
glorious verses praising Goddess Abirami in his famous composition ‘Abirami
Pathikam’. In this, Bhattar praised
Goddess in 100 marvelous verses with unique phonetic skill.
The Deities and demons decided churning of the
Milky Ocean for the nectar of immortality; they forgot to pay initial obeisance
and worship to Lord Ganesha. It
infuriated Lord Ganesha and he hid the pot contains elixir of immortality, soon
after it turned out a stunning Linga.
Thus, the presiding deity has got his name Amruthaghateswarar in this
temple.
The legend has that Sage Mrigandu worshipped
Lord Shiva to have a virtuous offspring and underwent severe austerities. Lord Shiva was pleased at the devotion of
Sage Mrigandu and offered him two sets of boon to choose anyone out it. The two boons were a child with long life and
no intelligence and another one was a virtuous child with high brilliance but
short life. Soon, Sage Brigandu opted
for the second boon. As a result, Sage
Brigandu and his wife Madhurmathi had a stunning boy child. They named him Markandeya. Markandeya was grown into a righteous brilliant boy. He was a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva from
childhood. The life span allotted for
this virtuous child Markandeya was ended when he attained the age of 16
years. Lord Yama chased Markandeya with
his rope to get hold of him. Markandeya
scurried to this temple and surrendered to Lord hugging the Linga firmly. Lord Yama followed Markandeya and threw the
noose of the rope on his neck; eventually the noose tightened the Linga as
well. The most infuriated Lord Shiva
trampled Lord Yama to death. Thus,
Markandeya was saved from Lord Yama and blessed with immortality. Consequently, Sage Markandeya remained on Earth
until the deluge was taken place.
The absence of Lord Yama created huge chaos in
the Universe. Goddess Earth prayed to
Lord Vishnu to save her from the burden of excessive inhabitants. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu approached Lord
Shiva and requested to give life to Lord Yama and reinstate the righteousness
on the land.
Another legend has that Abirami Bhattar a
fervent devotee of Goddess Sri Abirami lived on this sacred land and worshipped
Goddess Abirami in this temple. Once
King Saraboji the ruler of this city visited this temple and found Bhattar who
was meditating upon Goddess Abirami without paying any attention to King’s
arrival. It irritated the King and in
order to test the devotion of the Bhattar, the King shot a question about the
significance of the day whether it was Full Moon or New Moon day. Bhattar who was in deep meditation
visualizing the dazzling face of Goddess Abirami answered that it was Full Moon
day. Actually, that was a New Moon
day. King Saraboji was deeply annoyed at
the careless answer of Bhattar. He
ordered Bhattar to prove his aphorism was true, otherwise he would be shoved
into flames. Bhattar was not at all
worried about the verdict of the King; he remained immersed in the meditation
of Goddess Abirami. In the night a huge
crowd was assembled in the temple to witness this miraculous event, Bhattar seated
in the middle of flames, he passionately sung the 100 glorious verses of
Goddess Abirami, at the end Goddess Abirami tossed her ear ring in the sky and a
sudden brilliant light wrapped the entire land with Full Moon to prove Bhattar
was true. Thus, Goddess Abirami saved
the life of Abirami Bhattar.
Vizhikke Arul Undu Abirama Vallikku Vedam Sonna
Vazhikke Vazhipada Nenjundu Yemakku Avvazhi
Kidaikka
Pazhikke Suzhandru Ven Pavangalai Seithu Paazh
Naraka
Kuzhikke Azhundhum Kayavar Thammodu Yenna Koottu
Iniye?
Worship of Sri Amruthaghateswarar with his
consort Goddess Sri Abirami and performance of Mrutyunjaya Homam, Beemaradha
Shanthi, Shastiabdhapoorthi, Ayush Homam provides abundance of merits.
This temple remains open from 6.00AM to 1.00PM in the morning and
4.00PM to 9.00PM in the evenings.
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