Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Thirumayilai/Shukrapuri/Vedapuri
is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Mylapore,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In this temple Lord Shiva worshipped in
the form of a self-manifested Linga. It is one of the oldest temples of
Lord Shiva referred as Mount Kailash ‘ Kaillaye Mayilai’ built during the 7th Century by the Kings of Pallava Dynasty, the Kings of
Vijayanagara also have made abundance of contributions to this temple.
Presiding
deity – Thiru Kapaleeswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Karpakambal
Mangalasasanam
– Thiru Gnana Sambandhar
Saint
Arunagirinathar sung praising the glories of Lord Subramanya in this temple.
Worshipped
by – Goddess Parvati, Lord Brahma, Lord Rama, Four Vedas, Sage Shukracharya,
Significance
– Lord Brahma sanctified a Linga and worshipped Lord Shiva and got rid of his
ego
Sage
Shukracharya regained his lost eye after worshipping Lord Kapaleeswara in this
temple.
Lord Subramanya
was blessed with a spear by Goddess Sri Parvati before the battle against the
demon Tharakasura.
Thirumayilai
is the birth place of the famous Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar who wrote
‘Thirukkural’.
Goddess Sri
Parvati transformed into a peacock and worshipped Lord Shiva on this sacred
land. She underwent severe austerities praying to Lord and envisioned
Lord as Punnaivana Nathar under the Sthalavruksham positioned here.
Theertham –
Kapali Theertham
Sannidhis –
Lord Ganesha, Lord Nandikeshwara, Lord Subramannya with his consorts Goddesses
Sri Valli & Deivayanai, Lord Jagdeeswara, Navagraha, Lord Veerabhadra,
Moovar, 63 Nayanmars, Bhairava, Saint Arunagirinathar, Punnaivana Nathar, Lord
Shaneeswara, Poompavai,
Festivals –
Panguni Uthiram, Panguni Brahmostavam, Masi Pournami, 63 Moovar Thiruvizha,
Thirukalyanam, Maha Shivaratri,
Sthalavruksham
– Punnai
There are
several interesting myths associated with this temple. The legend has
Goddess Sri Parvati requested Lord Shiva to explain the essence of Panchakshara
Mantra. Lord Shiva earnestly narrated the nectar like quintessence of
Panchakshara to Goddess Sri Parvati. While the lecture was taking place,
Goddess Sri Parvati’s attention got deviated and she fully engrossed in the
loveliness of a peacock which was gracefully dancing before her. This
infuriated Lord Shiva and cursed her to turn into a peacock. Goddess Sri
Parvati was ashamed of her carelessness and requested Lord the ways to get rid
of the curse and reunite with him. Lord Shiva advised her to worship him
on this sacred land. Goddess Sri Parvati transformed herself into
Peacocok followed the instructions of Lord Shiva and reunited with the Lord.
Thus, this place has got its name ‘Thirumayilai’.
Lord
Brahma had five heads like Lord Shiva. Hence, it’s added the proud of
Lord Brahama with the thought that he is equivalent to Lord Shiva in all
respects. In fact, Lord Brahama’s life span ends at the end of each Yuga
and a new Brahma originates to take up the responsibility of Creation. But
Lord Shiva remains eternal without the beginning or the end. Lord Shiva
plucked one of the heads of Lord Brahma in order to enlighten him about the
reality. Thus, the presiding deity has got his name ‘Kapaleeswarar’ in
this temple.
Shivanesar
was a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva lived in Thirumayilai. He had a
beautiful daughter Poompavai. Shivanesar came to know about Thiru Gnana
Sambandhar the passionate devotee of Lord and his self-less service. He
had the deepest desire to marry off her daughter Poompavai to Thiru Gnana
Sambandhar. Unfortunately, Poompavai died of snake bite while she was
collecting flowers from their garden. But Shivanesar’s earnest desire
made no changes in him. He kept the remaining of her ashes in a mud pot
and kept it safely. He felt that Sambandhar has the right to dissolve the
remaining ashes of Poompavai in the sea.
Incidentally,
Sambandhar made a visit to Thiruvotriyur and met Shivanesar, he was
inconsolable. Shivanesar circumambulated
Sambandhar with tears overflowing he kept the mud pot contains the residual of
his daughter and explained the heart breaking story of Poompavai.
After listening to Shivanesar, Sambandhar fervently sang praising the glories
of Thirumayilai Thiru Kapaleeswarar. At the end, the mud pot broken
into pieces and Poompavai gracefully walked out of it.
Shivanesar was in raptures at this mysterious incident and requested Sambandhar
to marry her. Sambandhar thoughtfully explained that
Poompavai regained her life after a snake bite; Sambandhar gave second life to
her, eventually he became father to her. In this way, he turned down the
marriage proposal of Poompavai, she remained unmarried in her whole life and
continued to do self-less service to Lord.
This
temple remains open from 6.00 AM to 1.00 PM in the morning and 4.00 PM to 8.00
PM in the evenings.
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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