Thirukkadavur, the place from Lakshmi can not be moved from or will not leave is dedicated to Amirthakadeswarar, Shiva, who has Amirtha, nectar.
Those who worship Him would gain the liberation of the Soul.
As usual, the abstract meaning got lost and people throng this place for longevity.
Though it is granted, the real benefit is removal of Human ignorance that he is limited and mortal.
Here Shiva as Ishwara helps one transcend the fear of death and guides one in the path of Knowledge and Liberation.
People have their Shastiapthapoorthy/sathabhishekam ( completion of 60/ 80 years).
This is done throughout the year.
Interesting to note is that the Lord’s consort Devi called as Abhirami wields equal if not more power than Ishwara who stripped Yama, the God of Death of his power to take away Lives.
This to save Shiva’s Devotee Markandeya.
Markandeya became immortal and is among the Immortals of Hinduism.
Please read my post on the Immortals of Hinduism.
Devi Abhirami rushed to the rescue of her devotee Abhirama Bhattar by displaying Her Earrings in the sky because,In the Divine Ecstasy of watching Abhirami mentally, he declared a New Moon Day( amavasya) as Full Moon Day , Pournami!
Abhirami Bhattar had no male child.
His great great grandson through his daughter is working in the Temple.
This information is to show that the incidence relating to Abhirami and Abhirami Bhattar is not a story.
The Deity is my personal Deity and I visit her when I want to see Her.
No prayers , just to look at Her.
As a a spin off , I would find my problems or issues sorted out before I return home.
There is the old Smasana, the Burning Ghat where Shiva is present and one must not miss it.
The Temple is open between 6 am and 1230 om and between 4 and 8 pm.
For good Darshan you may contact Sri.Mahesh Kurukkal +91 75503 87058 or Sri.Arun, Temple Staff +91 97513 20392.They are not money minded .
How to reach. From Myladuthurai , Thirukkadavur is about 40 minutes by Car.From Kumbakonam 55 kms.
for those who abandon all actions and seek Refuge in Me alone.
He did not come to the aid of Draupadi,also called Krishnai,who was being stripped in an open Hall, though she was crying out to Krishna , at the same time holding on to her clothes.
He came to her when she freed her hands , threw her hands up!
When Tirunavukkarasar( Tamil Saint), called Appar, was thrown out into the sea with a stone tied around him, he sang,
சொற்றுணை வேதியன் சோதி வானவன்
பொற்றுணைத் திருந்தடி பொருந்தக் கைதொழக்
கற்றுணைப் பூட்டியோர் கடலிற் பாய்ச்சினும்
நற்றுணை யாவது நமச்சி வாயவே. 4.11.1 Thevaram. by Appar.
Even if you are thrown into the Ocean with a stone around you,
Nama Sivaya, the word of One, Who is,
The Protector of the Word, Vedas,
The Eternal Flame of the Heavens,
For those who worship His feet'
He, The Refuge ,Constant Companion.
This is Thirunavukkarasar's approach.
What does Abhirami Bhattar have to say on this?
'
அன்றே தடுத்து என்னை ஆண்டுகொண்டாய், கொண்டது அல்ல என்கை
நன்றே உனக்கு? இனி நான் என் செயினும் நடுக்கடலுள்
சென்றே விழினும், கரையேற்றுகை நின் திருவுளமோ.-
ஒன்றே, பல உருவே, அருவே, என் உமையவளே. Abhirami 30
அபிராமி அன்னையே! என் உமையவளே! நான் பாவங்களைச் செய்வதற்கு முன்பே என்னை தடுத்தாட் கொண்டவளே! நான் பாவங்களையே செய்தாலும், நடுக்கடலில் சென்று வீழ்ந்தாலும், அதனின்று காப்பது நின் கடைமையாகும். என்னை ஈடேற்ற முடியாது என்று சொன்னால் நன்றாகாது. இனி உன் திருவுளம்தான் என்னைக் கரை ஏற்ற வேண்டும் (பந்தபாசக் கடலில் இருந்து முக்திக் கரை ஏற்றுதல்). ஒன்றாகவும், பலவாகவும், விளங்குகின்ற என் உமையவளே!
Mother Abhirami,The One who appears as Many,
You have prevented me from committing Sins and taken over long back,
If I commit sins even now, and I fall in the deep ocean.
It is your Job to take care,
நன்றே வருகினும், தீதே விளைகினும், நான் அறிவது
ஒன்றேயும் இல்லை, உனக்கே பரம்: எனக்கு உள்ளம் எல்லாம்
அன்றே உனது என்று அளித்து விட்டேன்:- அழியாத குணக்
குன்றே, அருட்கடலே, இமவான் பெற்ற கோமளமே. Abhrami Andhadi 90
ஏ, அபிராமி! அழியாத குணக்குன்றே! அருட்கடலே! மலையரசன் பெற்றெடுத்த அழகிய கோமள வல்லியே! எனக்கு உரிமை என்று எப்பொருளும் இல்லை. அனைத்தையும் அன்றே உன்னுடையதாக்கி விட்டேன். இனி எனக்கு நல்லதே வந்தாலும், தீமையே விளைந்தாலும், அவற்றை உணராது விருப்பு, வெறுப்பற்றவனாவேன். இனி என்னை உனக்கே பரம் என்று ஆக்கினேன்.
Let auspiciousness strike me or that which is painful,
I have no idea nor I know of it,
It’s all yours,
For I have you given you all that is supposed to be Mine, including my Mind,
Abhirami, Daughter of The Himalayas,The Ocean of Graciousness,’
There are incidents in one’s Life which defy Logic.
We, those who have not experienced them, brush them aside , saying it is a coincidence,vivid imagination.
Full of Life, we make jest of such things.
But when one faces difficult circumstances, one tends to clutch even a straw.
The difference between Gnani and ordinary mortals is that the former learns and proceeds towards Realization; we ,though for a moment are moved, get on with our Lives as usual!
I have personal experience of such incidents,
I have narrated a couple of them as Posts.
I have a friend, who is running a Media Group in Tamil ,a Film producer,Political commentator and very much down to earth.
Though not an Atheist or an Agnostic, one can not say he is deeply religious.
I met him , on his personal invitation, (after reading my blog,) in Chennai in March 2015 for the first time.
I went to his office around 2 pm and we were discussing many things, mainly Politics, News till 10.30 pm.
As I informed my eldest sister-in-law and my wife that I would be back in about two hours, they were worried and kept on calling me.
Finally I returned home by about 11.30pm.
What did we discuss at length?
As we were discussing politics and other things, topic turned towards Philosophy and Religion.
In the course of our talks he narrated this incident.
Let me narrate it in his words.
‘By now, you know I am not strictly religious, though I Believe in God.
I have been associated with Kanchi Mutt very closely and now have distanced by self after the passing away of the Maha Periyava.
I was then running more Magazines , which were trend setters and I was kept busy .
During this period my wife fell ill and that too critically.
She was admitted to Apollo Hospitals ,Chennai.
She was on Oxygen and Doctors informed me that they had done their best and the rest is with God.
I was by her side for over eight days.
On the eighth day, I dozed off.
I had a vivid dream, where Goddess Abhirami bade me to come to Thirukkadavur.
I woke up.
I called my driver and proceeded towards Thirukkadavur.
It was Monson time in Tamil Nadu,July/August.
It was raining heavily.
With great difficulty we covered th distance in about ten hours and I reached the temple around 6 am.
The Sanctum had opened just then.
The Kurukkal, Archaka, was awaiting the arrival of Milk for morning Abhisheka.
Time wore by… 6.0..7… 7.30…
The archaka became restless as it was getting late and devotees have gathered and it was raining very heavily.
Then around 7.45 came a boy with an Aluminium Can of Milk.
The Archaka scolded him for being late.
The boy just smiled and went off saying that the Cows were sick.
The Abhishekam went on.
It was concluded by about 9 am.
Then came a man and asked the archaka for his forgiveness.
He stated that he could not provide the Milk that day as his cows were sick!
The archaka told him that a boy had come and delivered the Milk stating that the Cows were sick!
The man replied that he had no assistants!
..The Abhishekam over, Archanai began.
I started to offer details for the Archanai , but the Archaka kept on overlooking me and went on performing Archanai for the others.
I t was 9.30.
I asked him to perform the Archana .
He told me that the next Abhishekam will start shortly and he will perform the Archana, afer the Abhshekam and the mandatory Kattali Abhishekam by some other party, which was scheduled for the day.
I waited.
The Abhishekam over , the Archanai began for the other party who had scheduled the Archana for the day.
I was totally dejected as my archanai was not being done as I felt it was a bad omen.
But I looked on.
The Archanai Sankalpam began.
The Nakshatra was Magha, my wife’ nakshatra!
The name was my wife’s.!
Then the daughter’s name and nakshatra were recited,
They were my daughter’s!
I had realized then,
It was Abhirami’s way of Blessing Me!…
I did not do the Archanai as It had already been done.
…Darshan over, I started for Chennai and it continued raining heavily.
The Driver found it difficult to drive.
In the meanwhile I was running a high fever and was shivering, feeling giddy.
I told the driver to park the Car in a safe place.
I was shivering with fever and was delirious.
The driver said that he would manage by driving carefully.
I had dozed off and after an hour I saw a small girl sitting in the front seat near the driver, talking to him.
She was wearing a Green Petticoat,( a dress worn by young girls in the south)
I was trying to shout at the driver not to pick up hitch hikers.
If he wanted more money I could give it to him.
But no words came!
I slept off.
As I woke up, the Driver was saying,
‘Sir, We are nearing Chennai, it is 5.30″
I asked him how it could be as I told him to wait and asked him.
‘Where is the girl whom you picked up?
He replied that the girl got down at the outskirts of Tirukkadavur saying that there would be no problem in reaching Chennai.
And that I and asked him to pick her up and was chatting with her!
He said he did not charge her.
We reached the Hospital.
My wife was looking normal and her oxygen had been removed.
She was able to talk and told me that some one who said he was close friend of mine gave her Kumkum prasadm from Thirukkadavur.
She asked me that who it was as she knew all my close friends.
I could not place him even after my wife’s description of him.
Then I remembered the Deity Abhiramai was wearing green Petticoat after the Abhishekam!
Sometimes,, when many temples are present in a city, all equally significant, as in Kumbakonam, many miss some temples because one temple is quite popular.
This is true of Thirukadavur where Goddess Abhirami is famous , as is Amirthakadeswarar, the place where Abhirami Andhadi was born and people have their Shashtiaptha poorthi celebrated.
What people are not aware is the fact is that this place is where Lord Vishnu cut the head of an Asura who sought Amirtha and the body parts became Rahu and Ketu, two shadow Planets.
Rahu and Ketu in Amirthanarayana Perumal Temple,Thirukadavur
It is lLocated 100yards south of the renowned Thiru Amirtha Kadeswarar -Abhirami temple is the ancient Amirtha Narayana Perumal temple in Thiru Kadaiyur, whose legend dates back to the churning of nectar and distribution to the Devas. Bala Anjaneya is a highlight here at this temple, which is entirely of ‘brick’ construction.
Moolavar : Amirtha Narayana Perumal in a Grand Sitting Posture
Thiru Kadaiyur is 20kms from Mayiladuthurai / Sirkazhi. Take Tharangambadi bound bus via Akkur cross road to reach the temple. Auto from Thiru Kadaiyur bus stand will cost Rs. 40.
Legend.
With the churning of the Nectar, Lord Narayana was all set to hand over the nectar to the Devas here at Thiru Kadaiyur but to his surprise the nectar disappeared and turned into a Shiva lingam (Amirtha Kadeswarar). Lord Narayana sought the permission of Goddess Abhirami (his sister) to help secure the nectar from Thiru Kadeswarar. She appeared before him here at Thiru Kadaiyur and helped devas regain their powers.
While the Devas received the nectar from Lord Narayana here at the Amirtha Pushkarani, an asura too secretly picked it up only to be struck down by Lord Amirtha Narayanan. Having consumed the nectar, the asura did not die but had his body cut into two pieces – Rahu and Kethu. In memory of this event, they are seen here together in a separate sannidhi – a special feature at this temple. This is said to be a parikara sthalam for liberation from Rahu-Kethu dosham.
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