Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Thirumuthukundram/Vruddhachalam/Vruddha Kasi is
one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Cuddallore , Tamil
Nadu. This is one of the prominent
temples of Lord Shiva also known as Mukthisthal similar to Varanasi. Worship of Lord Pazhamalainathar with his
consort Balambikai provides devoutness equivalent to the worship of Lord Kasi
Vishwanatha & Goddess Sri Vishalakshy.
Presiding deity – Sri
Pazhamalainathar/Vruddachaleswarar with his consort Goddess Sri
Periyanayaki/Vruddachaleswari/Balambikai
Theertham – 5 sacred Theertham (Mani Mutharu)
Mangalasasanam – Appar, Sundarar, Thiru Gnana
Sambandhar
Saint Arunagirinathar sung praising the glories
of Lord Subramanya in his famous composition ‘Thiruppukazh’.
Sundarar arrived on this sacred temple and
passionately sung praising the glories of Lord Pazhamalainathar. Lord was pleased at the devotion of Sundarar
and provided him with 12000 golden coins for the construction work of temple in
Tiruvarur. Sundarar was turned out panic
stricken at the thought of carrying the huge sum to Tiruvarur all alone. He anxiously prayed to Lord to arrange the golden
coins to be send to Tiruvarur. Seeing
the helplessness of Sundarar, Lord Shiva tossed the 12,000 golden coins into
the river (Manimutharu) situated here and declared that it would be available as
per his request in the Kamalalaya River located in Tiruvarur.
Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Nandikeshwara, Lord
Subramanya with his consorts Goddess Sri Valli & Deivayanai ,63 Nayanmars,
Lord Madhava Perumal, Kala Bhairava, Goshtamurtham – Vruddhambika,
Significance - According to Shaiva Siddhantha
there are 28 Shiva Agamas. Lord
Subramanya sanctified all those 28 Shiva Agamas into 28 Lingas and worshipped
Lord Shiva on this sacred land. Lord
Ganesha and Lord Subramanya with his consorts Goddess Sri Valli &
Deivayanai also can be seen in between the Linga. This is one of the rarest revelations of 28
Shiva Agamas, therefore the temple also known as ‘Agama Koil’. The names of the Lingas are Kamikeswara,
Yogeswara, Chinthieswara, Karaneswara, Ajitheswara, Deeptheswara,
Choodameswara, Chaksareswara, Amsumaneswara, Chapprabeswara, Visveswara,
Viswaseswara, Swayambeswara, Analeswara, Veereswara, Rouraveswara, Makuteswara,
Vimaleswara, Chandragnaneswara, Mukambipeswara, Prokthitheswara, Lalitheswara,
Chitteswara, Santhaneswara, Sarvothameswara, Parameswara, Kiraneswara,
Vathooleswara,
Sthalavruksham – Vanni
A Yogi used to pluck leaves from this Vanni tree
and offer to all the workers who were engaged in the construction of this
temple as their wages of the day. Amazingly,
the leaves would change into golden coins according to their amount of labor.
Festivals – Adi Pooram, Maha Shivaratri, Markazhi
Thiruvathirai, Arudra Darisanam, Vaikasi Vasanthostavam, Masi Makam
Brahmostavam,
The legend has that Lord Brahma prayed to Lord
Shiva before he has started the creation the Earth. Lord Shiva blessed Lord Brahma to resume his
divine creation; Lord Shiva transformed himself into a hill and remained on
this sacred land. Shortly, Lord Brahma started his creation of Earth and its
living beings. Therefore, the presiding
deity has got its name ‘Pazhamalainathar’.
Another legend has that Guru Namashivayam who
was lived in 16th century was an ardent devotee of Goddess
Balambikai. Once he was returning from
Thiruvannamalai on his way to Chidambaram, he visited Thirumuthukundram and
stayed overnight. After meticulous
worship of Lord Pazhamalainathar and Balambikai he relaxed inside the Praharam
of this temple. Slowly he was drifted
to sound sleep, due to hunger he could not persist his sleep. Whenever he feels hungry, he earnestly prays
to Goddess Periyanayaki and sung praising her glories, in this way he obtains
food to wave of his hunger. He
passionately sung praising her glories.
Instantly there appeared an old lady before him and shot a question
‘Every time you sings addressing me an old lady (Kizzhathi). How an old lady could provide food and water
for you?’ Immediately Guru Namashivayar
re-corrected himself and sang praising the enthralling beauty of Goddess. She was pleased at the devotion of Guru
Namashivayar, regained her exquisite form and served him with the food.
This temple remains open from 6.00AM to 12.00PM
in the morning and 4.00PM to 9.00PM in the evenings.
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
