SPECIAL FEATURES I would like to draw the visitors’ special attention to three very rare visual treasures of the Chidambaram temple. We start with the sphinxes, or Purusha Mriga. Unique composite mythological beings, which play a significant role in both the architecture and ritual of this temple. Then we focus our attention on the ancient frescos on the ceiling of the temple of Devi Sivakamasundari. These recount the Leelas or sacred deeds of Lord Shiva in the visual medium. Finally we will turn to the relief’s of Karanas or dance movements which adorn many parts of the temple. The Nataraja temple in Chidambaram is the only temple in India, as far as I have been able to ascertain, whose entrance is guarded by a pair of sphinxes. As the visitor enters the temple of the Nataraja proper, the main shrine within the complex, through its east entrance, he descends the twenty-one steps that lead into the heart of the temple. There he encounters on either side of the entrance on a raised platform, the images of the two sphinxes. They are called Purusha Mukha (human-faced), or Purusha Mriga (human-beast). They are sitting with their lion bodies in an upright watchful, position. Their human faces surrounded by full manes. They are part of the ritual practice of the temple and the people burn lamps for them. As, upon entering, our eyes meet theirs, they purify us from our sins. They were assigned to that position, guarding the temple entrance, from time immemorial. Legend recounts they first guarded the great ritual fire sacrifice performed by the Pandanvas, the five heroes of the epic Mahabharata. This was called Rajasuya. After the completion of the ritual the Purusha Mriga asked what they might do, now their task was fulfilled. They were told to go to Chidambaram, where Shiva was one day going to perform his Cosmic Dance for the humanity. Their task would be to purify the devotees visiting the temple. The Purusha Mriga that guard the east entrance are consciously on the people’s mind. They are worshipped and butter lamps are always burning in front of them. And from time to time, according to the temple’s routine, rituals are performed for them. But not far away, in another part of the temple, I found many more Purusha Mriga. Long forgotten and unnoticed by both priests and devotees, as well as by the many scholars that visit this famous temple. When we turn left from the Purusha Mriga at the entrance and follow the third courtyard in the clockwise direction, we reach the Nritta Sabha, the pillared hall in chariot form. Its sculptured plinth is adorned with a number of layers each with its own repeating motive. Just above eye level, on the top pattika or belt, unfold a row of reclining sphinxes, alternating with lions, wrapping around the front part of the pavilion. Then, on the western side of the hall, two niches containing two form of Shiva project from the Nritta Sabha. Both images are flanked by pairs of elegant pillars, which support the roof of the niches. At the base of each pillar again we find a sphinx. Male on one side and female on the other, these four sphinxes stoically support the pillars. And although they have fangs, they guard Shiva with expressions of peace and benevolence. And even though their position is prominent, these sphinxes seem to go unnoticed by the visitors, and their resemblance to the sphinxes of Egypt has never, to my knowledge, been pointed out until now. The sphinx also plays an important role in the daily rituals of the Nataraja temple, in the form of a silver lamp on which a sphinx is figured in a standing, worshipping, position. This lamp is used in several rituals during the day. We may wonder whether there is a trans-cultural connection through cultural transference. Whether there is a historical connection, or whether the resemblance’s have intrinsic significance within the system themselves? Archetypal, born from the depths of the human collective subconscious. A second feature that deserves the special attention of the visitor are the ceiling frescos of the pavilion in front of the temple of Devi Sivakamasundari. They have been variously dated as being between 1000 and 800 years old, and express through the visual media several of the mythologies associated with the Chidambaram temple. When the visitor enters the Devi temple by descending the sixteen steps, the pillared hall containing the frescos stretches right in front. It consists of three wings. The middle wing has been decorated with relatively modern paintings. The ancient frescos are found in the northern and southern wings of the pavilion. In the wing immediately to the right of the main middle wing of the mandapa, we find the depiction of the myth of the Daruvanna. The images have to be read from the east towards the west, i.e. from the direction of the Shiva Ganga tank towards the temple proper. In the first scene we see Shiva and Parvati enthroned on Mount Kailasa surrounded by the gods. In the second scene Shiva leads Vishnu by the hand as they proceed together to the Daruvanna.In the third scene they have transformed themselves in Bhikshatana and Mohini. The fourth scene shows the Rishi wives following Bhikshatana, crazed with desire. The fifth scene depicts the Rishis as they loose all sense and pursue Mohini. In the sixth scene we see the Rishis perform their magical fire sacrifice, and all the demonic beings created there in, to attack Shiva. In the seventh scene Shiva sits peacefully, having subdued all demonic forces, and performing his Cosmic Dance. Several of the other myths and legends that can be recognized are those recounting the lives and actions of the saints Vyagrapada, Patanjali and the king Hiranya Varman. The story of the saint Manikavasakar, the flood in Madurai. Further we find depictions of the Chariot Festival, temple building activities etc. Special attention may be drawn to the depiction of the temple plan, as it must have been at the time of the painting of the frescos. The third feature which is of special interest to visitors are the karanas or dance movements, sculpted in countless relief’s all around the temple complex. They are of two kinds. The first we encounter as we enter the temple complex through any of the four gopurams. Each temple gateway has the 108 karanas or dance movements which comprise Shiva’s Cosmic Dance, sculptured on the surface of its passage. On Shiva’s command they were taught to the saint Bharata by Shiva’s companion Nandikeshvara. They were made part of the art of theatre, which had been created for the benefit of the humanity by Brahma the Divine Creator, and given to Bharata Muni to perform and pass on to the humanity. They are described in Bharata’s Natya Shastra, the doctrine of Drama and Dance, the oldest existing text on the art of theatre. Only four other temples have depictions of the karanas as part of their imagery, all in Tamil Nadu. The great temple in Tanjore has the Karanas depicted in a gallery which is unreachable to the visiting public, in the tower around and above the sanctum. The Sarangapani Vishnu temple in Kumbakonam has the karanas around on the outside of the main gopuram. These series are both incomplete. Then we find karanas in the gopurams of the temples of Vriddachalam and Tiruvannamalai. The other type of dance sculptures we find on the base of several of the main halls within the temple complex, where they form, as it were, a procession of dancers and musicians. These dance movements have not been systematized and though they can be seen to have some relation to the karanas they follow their own structure, rhythm and dynamics, as a dance unfolding. In between these panels with dancers and accompanying musicians we find figures and images of little known folk stories. These folk stories were once part of the repertoire of ancient folk theatre. These dance panels can be found around the base of the Hall of Thousand Pillars, the Nritta Sabha, the Devi temple, the Deva Sabha, the Pandya Nayaka temple and around the enclosing wall of the great courtyard.

திருமேனியை உடைய திருவாலவாயான் திருநீறே.

இராவணன் மேலது நீறு எண்ணத் தகுவது நீறு
பராவணம் ஆவது நீறு பாவம் அறுப்பது நீறு
தராவணம் ஆவது நீறு தத்துவம் ஆவது நீறு
அராவணங்கும் திருமேனி ஆலவாயான் திருநீறே

இராவணன் மேலது நீறு - இரவின் வண்ணம் கொண்ட இராவணன் பக்தியுடன் தன் அங்கமெங்கும் அணிவது திருநீறு

எண்ணத் தகுவது நீறு - தியானிக்க ஏற்றது திருநீறு

பராவணம் ஆவது நீறு - பாராயணம் செய்யப்படுவது திருநீறு

பாவம் அறுப்பது நீறு - பாவங்கள் என்னும் தளைகளை அறுப்பது திருநீறு

தராவணம் ஆவது நீறு - தரா என்னும் சங்கின் வண்ணம் ஆவது திருநீறு

தத்துவம் ஆவது நீறு - எல்லாவற்றிற்கும் அடிப்படையானத் தத்துவமாய் இருப்பது திருநீறு.

அராவணங்கும் திருமேனி ஆலவாயான் திருநீறே - அரவுகள் (பாம்புகள்) வணங்கும் (நிறைந்திருக்கும்) திருமேனியை உடைய திருவாலவாயான் திருநீறே.

உம்பர்கட்கரசே! ஒழிவற நிறைந்த யோகமே!

உம்பர்கட்கரசே! ஒழிவற நிறைந்த 
யோகமே! ஊத்தையேன் தனக்கு
வம்பெனப் பழுத்தென் குடி முழுதாண்டு 
வாழ்வற வாழ்வித்த மருந்தே!
செம்பொருட்டுணிவே! சீருடைக்கழலே!
செல்வமே! சிவபெருமானே!
எம்பொருட்டுன்னைச் சிக்கெனப்பிடித்தேன்
எங்கெழுந்தருளுவதினியே!

உம்பர்கட்கரசே - தேவர்களுக்கு அரசனே!

ஒழிவற நிறைந்த யோகமே - இல்லாத இடமே இல்லையெனும் படியாய், தோற்றம் இறுதி இல்லாமல், எக்காலத்தும், எங்கும், எல்லாப் பொருளினிலும் எல்லா உயிரினிலும் நிறைந்து கலந்தவனே

ஊத்தையேன் தனக்கு - கேவலமான, அழுக்கான எனக்கு

வம்பெனப் பழுத்து - வீம்பாய் அருள் புரிந்து, பழுக்கும் காலமில்லாத காலத்தில் சீக்கிரமே பழுத்த பழம் போல தகுதி இல்லாவிடினும் எனக்கு அருள் புரிந்து

என் குடி முழுதாண்டு - என் குடும்பம், குலம், உற்றார், உறவினர், எல்லோரையும், உன் அடிமையாய் ஆண்டு

வாழ்வு அற வாழ்வித்த - நிலையில்லா வாழ்வு போகும்படி நிலையான வாழ்வு அளித்த

மருந்தே - அமுதம் போன்றவனே

செம்பொருள் துணிவே - பெரியோர்களால் உண்மைப் பொருள் என்று முடிவு செய்யப் பட்ட பொருளே; செம்பொருளாகிய வேதங்களால் முழுமுதல் என முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டவனே

சீருடைக்கழலே - அழகிய பெருமையுடைய சிறந்த திருவடிகளை உடையவனே

செல்வமே - என் செல்வமே

சிவபெருமானே

எம் பொருட்டு - எங்கள் பொருட்டு

உன்னைச் சிக் எனப்பிடித்தேன் 

எங்கு எழுந்து அருளுவது இனியே - நீர் எங்கே சென்று விட முடியும்?

தேவர்களின் அரசனே! நீர் எங்கும் எப்பொருளும் விடாமல், இல்லாத இடமே இல்லை எனும்படியாய், நீக்கமற நிறைந்துள்ளீர். உமக்கு தொடக்கம் என்றும் முடிவு என்றும் இல்லாமல் எங்கும் எப்போதும் நிறைந்துள்ளீர். நிலையில் மிகவும் குறைந்தவனான கேவலமான எனக்கு பழுக்கும் காலத்திற்கு முன்பே பழுத்த இனிய பழம் போல அருள் புரிந்தவரே. நீர் எம்மை மட்டும் அல்ல என் குலம், நண்பர், உறவினர் என அனைவரையும் உன் அடியார்களாய் ஆக்கிக் கொண்டீர். எங்கள் நிலையில்லாத வாழ்வை நீக்கி, என்றும் நிலைக்கும் பெருவாழ்வைக் கொடுத்த அமுதம் போன்றவரே! ஞானிகளாலும், வேதங்களாலும் மெய்ப்பொருள் என்று துணியப் பட்டவரே! நீரே எல்லோருக்கும் அழியாத பெருஞ்செல்வம். சிவபெருமானே! எங்கள் நலனுக்காக நான் உமது திருவடிகளைச் சிக் எனப் பிடித்தேன். நீர் எங்கு செல்ல முயல்கிறீர். நான் உமது பாதங்களை பிடித்துவிட்டதால் நீர் எங்கும் தப்பிச் சென்று விட முடியாது.

ஈசனே சிவனே போற்றி!

நீரினை சிரசில் கொண்டு

நெருப்பினை கையில் கொண்டு

பாரினில் பக்தர்தம்மை

பாசமுடனே காக்கும்


ஈசனே சிவனே போற்றி!

இறைவா உன் திருத்தாள்போற்றி!


வாசமாய் வாழ்க்கை மாறிட

வணங்குவோம் சிவனின் பாதம்




சிவம் என்று சொல்லும்போதே

சிந்தையது தெளிவு பெறும்

அவன் கருணைகங்கை

ஆறாகப் பாய்ந்துவரும்

நினைவெலாம் சிவமயம்

நித்தியமென்றாகிவிட்டால்

கனவிலும் எமபயமில்லை

கருத்தினில் இதனைக்கொள்வோம்!


அன்பிற்குமறுபெயராய்

அகிலத்தை ஆளுபவன்

என்புக்கு உள்கடந்துமனத்தில்

ஏகாந்தமாய் இருக்கின்றவன்

உருவமாய் உள்ளவனே

உள்ளத்தில் உறைவதை

உணர்ந்தபின் தாழ்வில்லை

உமாமகேசுவரனின்

கருணைக்கு ஏது எல்லை!

nan kanda thiru thalangal-chidambaram I

CHIDAMBARAM -Natarajar

Throughout all of eternity Lord Vishnu, the preserver, rests on Shesha, the Cosmic Snake, in Vaikuntha. Once his weight suddenly seemed to have greatly increased. Shesha asked Vishnu “why are you so much heavier, Lord?” The Lord answered “I have had a vision of Shiva dancing his Cosmic Dance. I have expanded with happiness at the sight.” Shesha requested Vishnu to tell him all about Shiva’s Dance. And Lord Preserver told him everything.

In the forest called Daruvanna live a community of Rishis or Seers in a hermitage. Through the performance of rituals they had achieved great knowledge and power, but they had not realized the importance of Divine Grace. Shiva requested Vishnu to accompany him to enlighten the Rishis, by showing them human power and knowledge were helpless without Divine Grace. To accomplish this purpose the two deities applied their power of Maya or Illusion.Shiva entered the hermitage of the Rishis as Bhikshatana or Mendicant. With dazzling beauty, wearing only a mendicant’s sandals or padukai, the wives and daughters of the Rishis fell madly in love with him, forgetting everything else, and completely loosing themselves.

Vishnu transformed himself into a beautiful woman called Mohini, and an alluring dancer. As soon as the Rishis saw Mohini dance before them, they too lost all sense and rationality and with desire burning in their hearts they followed Mohini around like madmen.

When some of the Rishis realized what was happening they became enraged and started a great magical fire sacrifice against Shiva-Bhikshatana. First they called from the fire tiger, but when it attacked Lord Shiva he laughed, and killed the ferocious animal with his hands, tearing off its skin and wearing it for a loincloth. Next the Rishis send poisonous snakes, which he draped around his arms and neck, as jewelry. Then Shiva prepared to perform his Cosmic Dance. His two other arms appeared and his third eye shone in his forehead. The Rishis called a fierce dwarf from their magical fire, but Shiva’s dancing foot simply took him for a pedestal and danced. Finally the Rishis send the fire itself to destroy the Cosmic Dancer, but he just took it on to his left hand. And from the mantras that the Rishis used against him he made his anklets. Then the Lord danced his Tandava or Cosmic Dance.

Its full power made the Rishis fall to the ground. It made Vishnu shake, and even Parvati, the goddess consort of Shiva, who joined them to witness her husbands dance, was overcome with fear. But the Lord danced smiling, showing his raised foot. The Rishis understood the Lord’s Divine Grace, and attained realization. They started to dance themselves and all of creation danced with them.

After Vishnu has told Shesha about his vision of Shiva’s Cosmic Dance, Shesha longs for only one thing: to see Shiva’s dance himself. Vishnu grants him permission to leave him for a while, so Shesha too will be able to experience Shiva’s dance.

After Shesha performed austerities for long ages, Shiva appeared before him, and offers him the fulfillment of any wish. Shesha has only one wish: to witness Shiva’s Tandava.

In fulfillment of Shesha’s wish, Shiva announced to him that he will dance at the appropriate and tangible moment on earth in the Sabha in the Tillai forest. This forest is situated on the middle point of the earth, and constituted its heart centre, the Lotus Space. Through it passes the main energy nadi, or vein, of our mother planet. This place is called Cit Ambara, the Ether of Consciousness. Shiva told that he, Shesha, would be born on earth from human parents, and that he would be called Patanjali. After growing up he will travel to Tillai, where he will meet another saint, called Vyagrapada the Tigerfooted. And both will perform tapas and worship, until the appointed time for Shiva to perform his Cosmic Dance in the Sabha has arrived.

All these things foretold by Shiva to Shesha come to pass. As Patanjali reached the Tillai forest he found on the southern bank of the lotus pond the saint Vyagrapada, worshipping the Mulasthana Linga and performing austerities. Vyagrapada had come to the Tillai forest following the advice of his father, the Rishi Madhyandina. To worship the Mulasthana Linga he used to gather flowers in the early morning, but however early he collected the flowers, insects had already damaged them. Deeply upset that his worship was not as complete or perfect as he aimed for, he cried to Lord Shiva to help him. In answer to his prayer Shiva gave him tiger claws for hand and feet, enabling him to find his way through the thick forest at night to gather flowers long before daybreak, before the insects could inflict their damage.

From then on both saints did the worship and the austerities together, as they waited for the appointed time for Shiva to dance in the Sabha. 

 A rain of flowers fell from heaven, and in the Sabha appeared a light of a thousand suns and moons. In the middle of this light mass appeared Shiva’s form, dancing his Ananda Tandava, and showing his Lotus Foot. His is an un-earthly beauty, while his peaceful smile shines on all. He was together with Parvati, who witnessed his dance. All those present, Devatas, demons and humans rejoiced, almost fainting, and all joined in his dance, dancing themselves.

Then Shiva offered the two saints to make a wish. They wished that Shiva would forever perform his Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss in the golden Sabha of Chidambaram, for the entire world to experience. So that any human who desired this could also reach His lifted Lotus Foot and realize liberation.

Soon after the king Sveta Varman came to the Tillai forest. This king was forced to give up his kingdom after being infected with a skin disease called ‘white spot’, a form of leprosy. Lord Nataraja ordered the two saints Vyagrapada and Patanjali to let the king take a bath in the lotus pond, now called the Shiva Ganga, that he may be healed. After re-emerging from the water the king’s skin had become golden, his name becoming Hiranya Varman or ‘golden coloured’. And he was taken to the Sabha to see Nataraja’s Ananda Tandava. Overtaken with emotions the king fell on earth and offered his life-long service to the Dancing Shiva.

He was consecrated by the 3000 munivars, and received from Vyagrapada the Tiger banner, signifying his kingship and valor. The king then rebuild beautifully the temple and the city around it. And established the main festivals of the yearly cycle in the temple.

தென்னாடுடைய சிவனே போற்றி ! என்னாட்டவர்க்கும் இறைவா போற்றி !!

 Shambho Vs Jumbo - Thiru Vazhuvoor, Ashta Veerattaanam - 1

தென்னாடுடைய சிவனே போற்றி !
என்னாட்டவர்க்கும் இறைவா போற்றி !!

“Praise be to Shiva, He who belongs to the southern lands
Praise be to the supreme, the Lord of all the earth-dwellers”

The first time I heard the verse, I was like rather taken aback by the possessiveness of the Tamil Shaivas in claiming the Lord to be their own. But then, when you start to look around the various cities and villages in the South Indian states, especially in Tamil Nadu, you will most certainly concede with the above couplet. Tens and thousands of temples are dedicated to Maheshwara, many of them dating back several centuries and millennia. Add to it the many ash-smeared foreheads, the rudraksha-clad necks and the countless bulls that roam around freely, it is like Shiva just shifted base from Kailasha to Tamil Nadu.

And it doesn’t stop with just that. Perhaps the best works in Shaiva Siddhantha were also composed in Tamil by a group of 63 devotees hailing from various walks of life. These 63 Nayanmars travelled from one temple to another, singing the praises of the lord, spreading knowledge, performing miracles and having darshans of Shiva at his many-many sacred pilgrimage sites. Their songs often preached esoteric truths about the Lord and his many plays, and are organized into twelve volumes that are collectively known as the Panniru Thirumurai. Out of these twelve volumes, the first seven were exclusively sung by just three of the foremost Nayanmars – Thirunavukkarasar, Sundarar and Thirugnana Sambandar. These seven volumes are today praised by the name of Thevaram (The Lord’s Garland). The three of them had visited 275 Shiva temples between them and had sung at every single shrine. These 275 shrines came to be praised as ‘Thevara Thalangal’ or ‘Paadal Petra Thalangal’ (sites which were sung by the trio). Apart from the 275 shrines, the trio has mentioned an additional 249 unvisited shrines in their verses, which are known as the ‘Thevara Vaippu Thalangal’. So much for just 3 of the 63 Nayanmars.

Amongst these 500 odd shrines, some of the temples are further grouped into smaller categories such as the Pancha Bhootha Thalangal, Saptha Vidanga Thalangal, Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal, Saptha Sthaana Thalangal and so on, depending on the Sthala Purana, the nature of worship etc. It is one such group of shrines that we will be traveling through in the upcoming posts – the Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal

காவிரியின் கரைக்கண்டி வீரட் டானங்
கடவூர்வீ ரட்டானங் காமருசீ ரதிகை
மேவியவீ ரட்டானம் வழுவை வீரட்டம்
வியன்பறியல் வீரட்டம் விடையூர்திக் கிடமாங்
கோவல்நகர் வீரட்டங் குறுக்கை வீரட்டங்
கோத்திட்டைக் குடிவீரட் டானமிவை கூறி
நாவினவின்றுரைப்பார்க்கு நணுகச் சென்றால்
நமன்றமருஞ்சிவன்றமரென்றகல்வர் நன்கே.
- திருநாவுக்கரசர், ஆறாம் திருமுறை
"By the banks of the Kaveri, The Kandi Veerattaanam,
The Kadavoor Veerattaanam, The charming Adhigai Veerattaanam,
The large and spread out Vazhuvai Veerattanam,
The breathtaking Pariyal Veerattaanam, the residence of His bull
Koval Veerattanam, Kurukkai veerattaanam and the
Kotthittaikkudi Veerattanam. By chanting these
with our very lips, even the messengers of Yama will fear to come near
at the time of death, for we are the servitors of Shiva and that alone is glory"
-Sixth Thirumurai by Thirunavukkarasar

Sprinkled over the landscape of Tamil Nadu are eight temples dedicated to Shiva in his terrific form as the destroyer of the bad and the evil. These eight temples, which are collectively known as the Ashta Veerattaana (Veerasthana) Thalangal (The eight shrines of extraordinary valour), are the sanctified spots where the Lord revealed his wrath and strength, and in short tried to show off his heroism. The eight temples are worth a visit, not only for their mind-numbing sanctity, but also for the rare treat of beholding several uniquely beautiful bronze idols, of which there are no other copies in existence. They are unique in their form, pose and structure, and it is only by beholding them that one can fully appreciate the details of the craftsmanship and the flowing beauty of the sculpture. But most importantly, each of these eight temples has a lively story to tell and that’s where kshetrapuranas@blogspot comes in. So, on we go with our journey across these eight kshetras.

Thiru Vazhuvoor, which lies about 9 km from Mayiladuthurai is the sixth of the Ashta Veerattaana Thalangal. Here, the Lord is worshiped as Gajasamhaarar - the slayer of the elephant demon. The Gajasamhaara Moorthi is  revered as one of the SadaaShiva-Moorthams - 64 different forms of Maheshwara that find a mention in our puranas. The Ilankilainaayaki sametha Kiruthivaasar temple at Vazhuvoor is at least 1500 years old, and has been sung by Thirunavukkarasar as a Vaippu thalam in the Thevaram as also by Thirumoolar in his Thirumanthiram.

As is the case with many shrines, the legend and myth of Thiru Vazhuvoor is also intricately linked with other famous events mentioned in our puranas. So back we go to the starting point of perhaps every other myth in the hindu puranas - Ksheera Saagara Manthana or the churning of the Milk Ocean (See Thiruvalanchuzhi and Pradosha Purana).

Terribly weakened by Durvasa’s curse, the Devas were forced to seek help from their Asura cousins for churning the milk ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality. The vile Asuras, surprisingly agreed to extend their helping hands, subject to a single promise – that the Daityas were to be given an equal share of the Amrutha which would come out of the milk ocean. The Devas were so shamefully desperate for any help that they readily agreed to the Asuras’ clause. Finally, the churning began, with the Meru Mountain as the churn and the snake king Vasuki as the rope. After many initial hurdles and setbacks, the Ksheera Saagara ultimately started revealing the richest of its treasures. Out came Kaamadhenu (the sacred wish- yielding cow), Ucchaishravas (The winged horse), Airavatha(The celestial white elephant), Kalpakavriksha (the wish-bearing tree), Kausthuba (The divine jewel), Varuni (The Wine goddess), Maha Lakshmi, Chandran(The Moon) and many other objects of incalculable worth. The Devas and Asuras gleefully divided the extraordinary treasures amongst themselves. Indra claimed both the Kalpakavriksha and Airavatha, while the Asuras gladly accepted Ucchaishravas. Kaamadhenu chose the sage Vasishta to be her owner and Kausthuba decided to grace the chest of Vishnu. Maha Lakshmi too followed Kausthuba and garlanded Shri Vishnu as her groom (thus receiving an eternal spot in his heart) and Chandran decided to adorn the sacred locks of Shiva for eternity.

With the division of the treasures accomplished, the massive churning continued - for they had not yet achieved what they had started out for. Finally, after what appeared like eons, the creamy waves of the milk ocean opened up like a blooming lotus and out emerged Danwantari, the god of health. The water drops on his body shimmered like many jewels and in his hands he bore a jewel encrusted golden pot, brimming with Amrutha - the nectar of immortality. At once the Devas and Asuras pounced upon him, like a pack of hungry dogs on a slice of meat. But Danwantari was too quick for them and he set out like a flying horse. The Devas and Asuras followed, their faces taut with concentration and their arms snatching madly at the empty air in front of them. Each group wanted the entire pot for themselves and earlier promises lay long-abandoned in the race for ever-youthfulness.

It was then that Maha Vishnu decided to act in the best interests of the world that he sustains. The Asuras must be prevented from laying their hands on the nectar at all costs; else the three worlds would suffer. In a moment he transformed himself into the most ravishing beauty anyone had ever set their eyes upon – Mohini. She was so extraordinarily breathtaking that even the Apsaras blushed red with embarrassment. With a full sensuous body draped with the most suggestive of garments, she walked up to the Devas and Asuras who were fighting over the nectar.

तस्यां नरेन्द्र करभोरुरुशद्दुकुल श्रोणीतटालसगतिर्मदविह्वलाक्षी |
सा कुजति कनकनूपुरशिंजितेन कुम्भस्तनी कलशपाणिरथाविवेश ||
तां श्रीसखीं कनककुण्डलचारुकर्णं नासाकपोलवदनां परदेवताख्याम |
संवीक्ष्य संमुमुहु रुत्स्मीतवीक्षणेन देवासुर विगलितस्तन पट्टिकान्ताम ||
-          श्रीमद्भागवतं
“Oh King, that woman, dressed in a most beautiful sari, her thighs resembling the trunks of elephants
Walking very slowly because of her big, low hips, her eyes restless due to youthful pride,
Her golden ankle bells making tinkling sound,
Her breasts like water jugs with a pot in her hand, she entered the arena.
She appeared like a friend of Lakshmi, her, her beautiful ears adorned with ear-rings,
With attractive cheeks, nose and a charming face. Thus appeared the Supreme Lord.
Looking at her, who was glancing and smiling at them, the entire assembly became enchanted.
And the Deva-Asuras stared as her sari border moved against her ample bosom. ”
-Srimad Bhaagavatham

The Advent of Mohini

“Ahem”, she said, and in a heartbeat silence descended upon the scene like an invisible veil. Every mouth was open wide - some drooling and some just having a momentary attack of lockjaw. “If you don’t mind, Oh sons of Kaashyapa, I would like to distribute the nectar to you.” she said, her voice a combination of a billion nightingales. And the very next moment, the jar of nectar was in her hands. “Yes, Oh Beautiful Lady!!!” sighed the crowd in unison.

What followed is of course, no news to anyone. The Devas were offered all the nectar while the piteous (Oh well, at least they deserved their fair share of the reward) Asuras were cheated out of the deal. All the efforts made by the furious Asuras to fight back against the Devas went in vain, as the nectar had made the Devas invincible. Thus, Maha Vishnu had once again saved the day, and the whole of Devaloka rejoiced at the newly regained strength of its inhabitants.

However, the purpose of the Mohini Avataara had been fulfilled only in part. And so Mohini waited by the shadows of Darukaavana (the forest of Devadaru/Deodhar trees), for the destined time to arrive. She waited and she waited. At long last, on the faraway horizons of Mohini’s sight, appeared a man – the man she had been waiting for. And he was no ordinary being, for he was a perfect match for Mohini. Extremely handsome and strongly built, he had all the desired Lakshanas for an auspicious groom. Carrying a trident in one hand and a kapala (a cup made from a skull) in the other, he came to a standstill in front of Mohini. Mohini glanced up at him, her eyes twinkling with perfect understanding, for the man was none other than Shiva himself, in his enchanting form of Bhikshaadanar - the naked god of extreme beauty.

The Divine Union

The meeting of the two beauties was no mere coincidence. On the contrary, it was the only way to put an end to the atrocities of Mahishi, the buffalo demoness. Long ago, Mahishi had obtained a boon that she could only be vanquished by a male child born to Shiva and Vishnu, who has spent 16 years on earth, living the life of an ordinary mortal. The moment had finally arrived and the heavens awaited the ultimate union of Shiva and Vishnu to yield a male child. The cosmic dice rolled as Shiva came together with Mohini, and in the lush surroundings of the forests, their divine potencies merged. A beautiful child appeared on the green carpet of the forest floor, shining like a thousand suns, a tiny golden bell suspended from his conch-like neck. Shiva and Vishnu beamed down upon their cute offspring. They blessed him with all their powers and then, leaving their new born child on the forest floor, the couple proceeded onto the next stop of their very busy schedule. (The child was later taken up by the King of Panthala and was christened Manikandan. He went on to vanquish Mahishi, as destined, and finally left for his heavenly abode after 16 years of mortal life. We today know him variously as Hariharaputhran, Sastha, Ayyanaar and Ayyappan – the much beloved deity of Sabari.)

With Mohini at his side, Bhikshaadanar decided to roam around the sacred forest of Darukaavana, which reverberated with much peace and silence. The forest was home to a number of rishis and munis - sages who had taken a very different outlook to the existence of god. Over a period of time, they had come to believe that it is Karma (the fruit of one's actions) alone that is supreme and all-powerful, and that the worship of God in any of his countless forms does not yield any fruits. They had come to a conclusion that the Devas were bound by the power of the yagnas to grant them whatever they needed and accordingly, they immersed themselves in the performance of yagnas and meaningless-rituals, following their dogma of Karma endlessly. Their wives also took up their spouses’ view of Karma, and assisted the rishis in their daily rituals. Little did they realise the fact that these deeds could indeed yield the desired fruits only if there was someone to distribute the same? Their misconceptions had to be broken, and they had to be diverted onto the right path of both worship and Karma, else the results would be catastrophic. Shiva, who of course knew all this and much more, finally decided that the time was ripe to prick their balloon, and he set the ball rolling.

The bewitchingly beautiful Lord, accompanied by his equally charming companion, walked onto the streets of the Darukaavana aashramas, begging for alms with the kapala in his hand - the supreme Lord of the universe, who is worshipped continuously by Kubera himself, was begging for alms!!! And out came the rishipathnis (the wives of the rishis), bearing rice and vegetables in their dainty hands. They had been busy all day, preparing a feast for their husbands who were performing yet another yagna. With a haughty nod of their heads, they looked up at the beggar. Their one look at the charming form of Shiva was all that it took for them to give a reaction similar to the one that the Asuras and Devas had given for Mohini – a loud and heavy sigh of amazement and wonder. In a moment, their hearts were no longer with them and they started following the Lord down the streets like lost zombies, letting out deep sighs of yearning and loud shouts of admiration of his captivating form.

Meanwhile, Mohini went on to the yagnashala and danced and sang in front of the rishis. Her perfect movements and her mesmerizing beauty, took little time to distract the rishis from the yagna proceedings. Lust flared up in their little hearts. They abandoned the yagna fire and approached Mohini, their eyes unfocused and drooling by the litres. Just about then, the conglomeration of Bhikshaadanar and his enthusuastic admirers walked past the site of the yagna. The cacophony caused by the crowd of rishipathnis was enough to make the rishis snap out of their lusty trances and look up at what was going on. Their jaws fell open instantly, for they were dumbstruck with two sights- the extraordinary beauty of the Lord and the utter stupidity of their wives. To see one’s wife following another man, with a wild look of lust in her eyes, is any man’s worst nightmare. The rishis were similarly flabbergasted by the lack of virtues that their wives were so flamboyantly exhibiting. Angered by their behaviour, they called out to the leader of the procession. "Hey, you stranger! Why have you come to these woody regions, where we try our best to perform our karmic duties?" they questioned him.

Bhikshaadanar calmly walked over to Mohini and said, "Oh great saints, I too have come here to perform meditation and practice austerities with my wife." Now, that was another blow to the rishis. They had just come to know that their love-interest for the past few minutes was actually the wife of this vain man. "She is your wife?" they demanded. "Look at the way that she behaved in front of us rishis, with all her sensual dancing and cooing. Whatever happened to her vows of chastity?" Bhikshaadanar laughed again. "Look who is talking", he teased, "the rishis who left their yagnas and rituals to drool at my wife. My wife is so much better than all the womenfolk standing right behind me, who have shamelessly followed me. I was told that they were your wives. It is like the pot calling the kettle black." The rishis were dumbstruck at the quick wits of the charming man and had to be content with just glaring at their wives, while the celestial couple moved deeper into the forest.

Bhikshaadanar and Mohini then visited the aashrama of Vasishta, where  they were welcomed with much warmth and respect. Vasishta and his wife seated them on suitable mats and offered them food, water, betel leaves and cool sandal paste. Shiva and Vishnu were extremely pleased with their hospitality, and after blessing the rishi-couple, the divine beings then returned to their respective abodes.

Back at Daarukaavana, the rishis were fuming at their recent embarrassment. They were furious at their wives, at Mohini, at Bhikshaadanar and at themselves. In the midst of all the fury, a single, totally insane thought struck their tainted minds - Why not kill the man who was responsible for this mess? The rishis unanimously agreed to perform an Abichaara Homa (Black magic sacrifice) to kill the Lord. In the burning fires of their yagna they poured in chilies and potent spices. Smoke, thick and black, rose from the fires with an overwhelming smell, as the rishis chanted in strange tongues. Out of the searing fires of the yagna emerged a snake, hissing loudly and spitting venom. It flew like an arrow at the Lord’s neck, egged on by the rishis. But Neelakantha, the drinker of Hala Hala, caught hold of it with a single finger and wore it around his slender waist as his belt. The infuriated rishis now raised a tiger from the fires, but alas the tiger was killed instantly with one quick movement of the Lord’s hand; its skin ending up around the Lord’s hip. Further angered thus, the rishis now sent out evil fire and a drum that produced an ear-splitting fatal noise. The Lord smiled calmly at the receiving end, as he caught both of them in his arms. The fire now glowed with an auspicious yellow tinge and the drum reverberated with the sound of Pranava (Om). The poisonous bee from the yagna became the official shruthi-box for Shiva's dance and the short-demon, Muyalagan, who was capable of inducing various diseases, became the foot stool for the Lord to dance on. Shiva smiled at the rishis once again; this time with mockery twinkling in his eyes. That’s when the rishis lost it all, and their fury burst out in waves. Jumping up, they poured a large volume of libations into their fires and called out to all the evil spirits to help them in their endeavor. The fires burnt tall and bright, licking up the libations that were being offered.

Suddenly, with a shudder that rocked the entire forest, the sacrificial fires finally threw up an elephant, black as the smoke. Large and fearsome, the elephant’s eyes glinted with anger. It thrashed its tail against the tall trees, bringing them down in an instant, and its restless legs created a mini-sandstorm. The rishis looked up at their creation and ordered the elephant to kill the man who was the cause of all their distress. The rogue pachyderm now charged at the Lord, who was standing as relaxed as ever, with his trident on one shoulder. With a vile look, the elephant rushed down, trumpeting madly, its tusks raised high to gore into the Lord. It came nearer and nearer, and the Lord showed no reaction, whatsoever. Finally, when it was barely a few inches from the target, in a flash, Shiva assumed a miniscule form and jumped into the trunk of the elephant. Instantly, the world was engulfed by suffocating darkness. All life and movement stopped abruptly. Neither did the winds blow nor did the seas churn. All was quiet. The Devas panicked and the rishis of Daarukaavana danced in joy. Parvathi, who was playing with baby Kumara at the moment, picked him up and began to run hither-thither - her motherly heart beating with anxiety, for the well-being of all her children as well as the reappearance of her beloved Lord. Back at Darukaavana, the elephant too came to a sliding halt, surprised by the totally unexpected victory.

A moment passed, perhaps two, and all of a sudden the rogue elephant started behaving strangely. It trumpeted loudly again, but this time it was a cry of pain and not of fury. Soon it was rolling all around the clearing, thrashing against the trees. Undoubtedly, the elephant was experiencing some excruciating pain - a continuous internal burning rather. Not being able to bear it any longer, it ran in search of a cool water body. At long last, spotting a pond, the elephant rushed towards it and jumped in with a loud splash.

Silence.

Gajasamhaarar, Art by Deepak Saagar

BOOM....Without warning, the waters suddenly flew up from the pond, like an explosion-of-sorts, and out came Shiva, bursting through the stomach of the rogue elephant. With six arms holding various weapons and two other hands holding the torn skin of the elephant, the Lord was terrific to behold. With one leg resting on the elephant’s head, the other leg lifted up, eyes glinting with fury and hair flying out, Shiva appeared as Gajasamhaarar. So frightening was the sight and so gory was the Lord’s appearance, that Shakthi herself was overcome with fear. Acting instinctively, she tried to remove herself from the spot, all the while restraining a restless baby Kumara, who was apparently super excited at the dramatic appearance of his short-lost father!!! 

Seeing the catastrophic results of the yagna, Veda-Purusha, who had stood by the rules of the yagna, took the form of a deer and surrendered at Shiva's feet, apologising profusely. Shiva took the deer in his left hand, and ordered it to whisper the Vedas into his ear at all times.

With both the Veda-Purusha and the Yagna-Purusha deserting them, the rishis of Daarukaavana started to experience the consequences of their sins against Shiva and Vishnu. They finally realised that it was the Lord himself who had come to teach them a lesson and they surrendered unconditionally at his feet, apologising for their blatant ignorance. The Lord, as quickly calmed as angered, forgave them instantly and granted moksha to the elephant. The rishipathnis also returned to their normal states and blushed with shame at their acts of lust. The rishis had thus finally learnt their lesson on the importance of self-less worship, and with the satisfaction of a mission well-accomplished, the Lord withdrew himself from Darukaavana.

Vazhuvoor Raja-Gopuram

It is believed that the Lord’s heroic feat of vanquishing the rogue elephant, was staged near the present day town of Vazhuvoor in Southern Tamil Nadu. Since this holy town has somehow always managed to slip (வழுவி - Vazhuvi, to slip ) away from any destruction at the times of Pralaya (Cosmic Deluge), it came to be known as Vazhuvoor. The place is also referred to as Veerattaanam in the puranas and is believed to be surrounded by Pippalavanam, Darukaavanam, Badharikaavanam and Sameevanam. The temple’s presiding deity is Ilankilainaayaki sametha Kiruthivaasar, a Linga swaroopa. The goddess is believed to be a granter of Santana-Bhagyam (the fortune of motherhood) to women who pray to her with true devotion. The moolavar Kiruthivaasar is a swayambhu of extraordinary beauty and is adorned lovingly with many serpentine ornaments (Nagabharanam). The temple has been visited by Jyeshta devi and the Sapthamathars, and the Lingas that they had worshiped can be seen even today.

Gajasamhaara Moorthi at Gnanasabhai

The main attraction of the temple is however, the Gajasamhaarar shrine, where the bronze idol of Gajasamhaara Moorthi is worshipped. The shrine is reverentially referred to as Gnanasabhai, or the hall of knowledge, similar to the Kanaka Sabhai in Chidambaram. The idol is of course, an exceedingly beautiful work of art. A peculiar feature of the idol is that the underside of the lord’s left foot is visible. This can be seen in none of the other 63 SadaaShiva Moorthams and is unique to the Gajasamhaara Moorthi. The foot is usually kept covered and is made visible at the time of ritual worship. The complete beauty of the idol can be realised only while circumambulating the shrine. One can then behold the elephant hide covering the back of the idol, the legs hanging loose by the sides, and the intricate depiction of the lord’s weapons - all flawlessly sculpted in bronze. Of particular interest is the intense expression of anger that has been brought out on the Lord's face by the talented sculptor. This idol is placed alongside an idol of Shakthi with Skanda in her arms. Shakthi is portrayed as trying to reluctantly run away from the spot, confused between her care for her husband and her apparent fright. Skanda, on the other hand, is depicted with his index finger pointing towards the Moorthi of Gajasamhaarar as though crying out, “Oh, there is dad, Mommy”. The whole set of bronze sculptures has a very lifelike appearance about it. Just like at Chidambaram, a powerful Yantra has been installed behind the moorthi of Gajasamhaarar. Special worship is often offered to this Yantra to negate the effects of witch-craft and black magic. The Gajasamhaara Taandava is considered to be a form of Oordhva Taandava (Dance of Fury) of the Lord and the Gnanasabhai is praised as one of the Lord’s nine famous dance halls.

Out of the 64 Maheshwara Moorthams, only the Gajasamhaara moortham and the Saha-Uma-Skandar (Somaskandar) moortham, portray the Lord in the presence of both Parvathi and Muruga. On a more esoteric note, the Gajasamhaara Moorthi represents the vanquishing of the untold miseries caused by ignorance and the realization of true knowledge. Skanda, though having originated from Shiva, acts as the middleman between  us and his father, by guiding us on the correct path to the absolute truth. It is to represent this that he sits on his mother's lap and points his finger towards his father in the Gajasamhaara Moortham.

Apart from these, there are separate shrines for Ayyappa (this is believed to be his birthplace), Vinayaka and other Parivara Devathas. Interestingly, at the Navagraha shrine  in the temple, the Planets are positioned in a strange manner. Guru, who is usually antagonistic towards Shani, is shown to be facing Shani here, hence making it a Grahamithra Kshetra. Shani also has a separate shrine dedicated to him, where he is shown to be bearing a bow. There is also a shrine dedicated to the bewitching moorthi of Bhikshaadanar and his companion, Mohini. The idols of Bhikshaadanar and Mohini are some of the other marvels in bronze that grace the temple of Vazhuvoor. 

Bhikshaadanar - yet another bronze marvel

Popular belief has it that nearly 48,000 sages performed severe penance at this kshetra and were blessed with the highest of all knoweledge – the Brahma Gnaana. One of the many strange features of the temple is the location of the Theertham or the sacred pond. Usually, in Shiva temples, Nandi is found between the pond and the Linga. However, at Vazhuvoor, the theertham is found to be between the Nandi and the Linga. This theertham has five wells and is famously known as the Pancha Mukha theertham. Every new moon day sees many devotees having a dip in this theertham and worshipping the Lord.

The Vazhuvoor temple celebrates all the major festivals on the Shaivite calendar, but the grandest spectacle is the Gajasamhaara Thiruvizha that is held in the months of February-March (Maasi). It is a three day (on the Pusam, Ayilyam and Magha Nakshatras) celebration, with the actual Gajasamhaaram taking place on the evening of the second day. The first day sees the flag-hoisting ceremony and the beginning of the poojas in the yagna-shaala, followed by a procession of the Chandrashekhara Moorthi. On the second day, the beautiful idols of Bhikshaadanar and Mohini are taken to Rishithoppu, a dense woody area in the nearby village of Peruncheri. People believe that Rishithoppu was Daarukaavana in the times of yore. The divine couple stay there the entire day, and are worshiped with ritual bathing and lamps. They return to the temple in the late evening, and are then seated in the Vasantha Mandapa, facing each other. Amidst the chanting of hymns, the Deeparadhana is done to them both at the same time, and a beautifully adorned idol of Ayyappa is revealed. The ritual celebrates the union of Shiva and Vishnu, and the subsequent birth of Ayyappa.

Later in the night, the idol of Gajasamhaara moorthi is decked up with flowers and jewels, and brought outside to the banks of the Pancha Mukha theertham. This is believed to be the pond into which the rogue elephant had jumped after it had swallowed Shiva. The elephant is said to have jumped into the North-Western corner of the pond and Parameshwara gave darshan as Gajasamhaarar at the South-Western corner. Following the sthala purana, the Utsavar is taken to the north-western corner of the tank. The goddess is simultaneously carried to the south-eastern corner. Initially, a person runs towards the Lord, bearing a fire-pot in his hands, followed by others who carry a large snake fabricated from hay and paper. There is also a man dressed as a large demon and several  others, representing the various objects that came out of the rishis' Abichara yagna. Finally, a huge elephant enters the arena, crafted from colourful clothes and decked with bright flowers. The Lord’s dance of destruction begins as the palanquin-bearers move to the beat of the resounding drums. The elephant then rushes at the Lord and the idol of Gajasamhaara Moorthi is placed within the interiors of the cloth-elephant. With the disappearance of the Lord, all lights are turned off at every home and temple in the town, and the whole town is immersed in a pitch black darkness. Under the cover of darkness, the elephant is rushed to the south-western corner of the pond, where the cloth-elephant is torn apart and the Lord emerges from within. Lamps and camphor are waved before the Gajasamhaara moorthi and the lights are lit up again, bathing the town in brilliant colourful hues. The entire re-enactment of the Gajasamhaara episode, and the following celebrations, continue into the wee hours of the morning. The festival draws to a close the next day with the lowering of the temple flag and a ritual bath for the Lord in the Pancha Mukha theertham. This grand scale re-enactment of the divine feat is unique in itself and takes place at no other place except Vazhuvoor.

Hence, here did Shiva vanquish the rogue elephant and teach a lesson to the self-obsessed dogmatic rishis. Here did he come as Bhikshaadanar to charm the rishipathnis of Darukaavanam, and here he stays, blessing all the devotees, crushing the elephant like negative energies that may trouble them from time to time. Here at Vazhuvoor, in the hall of Knowledge, remains Shiva, the terrific and yet the benevolent, the Lord of Shakthi and the master of all.

முத்தீ கொளுவி முழங்கொ வேள்வியுள்

அத்தி யுரியர னாவ தறிகிலர்

சத்தி கருதிய தாம்பல தேவரும்

அத்தீயின் உள்ளெழுந் தன்று கொலையே

- திருமூலர் திருமந்திரம்

“They lit the Fires Three, the sacrificial blaze roared high.
From inside which arose an Evil Elephant, whose hide the Lord peeled.
Seeking to rival the Lord's might, the Heaven's beings performed a sacrifice unholy,
And all that from that fire arose, The Lord smote for the very fire to consume.”

-Thirumoolar Thirumanthiram