Tag: Avatars of Shiva

  • Poem Written By Lord Shiva Text Meaning

    Poem Written By Lord Shiva Text Meaning

    There is a school of Thought which considers that Lord Shiva was a Human being and He composed poems in Tamil.

    I am looking into the legend and verify whether there is any truth in this.

    This may sound ludicrous for rationalists.

    The point is that I do not consider me to be super intelligent,right and correct at all times and others ,especially my ancestors were fools to believe anything,spend time and money to build huge marvelous temples.

    I have , in my Life ,seen many things which defy my Logic.

    They make/made sense as I grew.

    Hence I do not dismiss anything offhand by sheer arrogance.

    The open approach has yielded good dividends in History in that it has brought to light many truths so far hidden because self-importance and intellectual arrogance.

    At the same time I do not belive or trust anything which is not supported by internal and external evidence.

    The proof of my labors lies in my posts in this blog.

    As to Shiva, I have noticed a lot of curious facts between Shiva in the South and the North, though they are the same.

    The Avatars of Shiva in the South were not reported in the North.

    Shiva as a family man with children is not as popular in the North as in the South.

    Mostly the legends of Siva in the North revolve around only the marriage of Shiva with Uma, and incidents connected with it, while in the South the information is more detailed and Shiva has been portrayed as lending a helping hand to people in distress.

    His avatars are different from the Avatars of Vishnu in that while Vishnu stayed in a womb Shiva is described as one who does not stay in the womb, Ayonija’; Tamil calls Him as  Unborn Eldest, ‘Pirava Yaakaip Periyon’.

    Yet He appears in a Flash , helps people in distress and disappears.

    Sixty four of his Avatars of this nature are recorded in Tamil literature, all in the City of Madurai.

    He is reported to have married a Pandyan Princess Meenakshi in the form of Chokkanatha.

    Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple is dedicated to Meenakshi and Shiva as Chokkanatha/Sundareswara.

    These sixty-four avatars have not been recorded in any north Indian legends though some of them are hinted in Puranas, especially in Linga and Bhagavatha Purana.

    In one of these Avatars Lord Shiva composed a Poem in Tamil.

    This is it with meaning.

    This appears as the second poem in Kurunthogai, a Sangam Literature.

    The author is given as Iraiyanar, a Name for Shiva.

    “Kongu ther vaazhkai” is a famous song populariased by a tamil movie. “thiruvilayadal”, legend says this poem is written by Lord Shiva.. This song is part of “kurunthogai”, (collection of short poems) part of the “Sangam literature”. dated around 2000 years back.
    “kongu ther vaazhkai anjirai thumbi
    kaamam seppaathu kandathu mozhimo
    payiliyathu kezhiya natpin mayil iyal
    seri iyarru arivai koonthalin
    nariyavum ulavo, nee ariyum poove”
    O! honey bee with beautiful wings, you live drinking nectar from selected flowers,
    tell me without bias
    look at my friend who resembles a peacock in beauty
    have you seen any flower that smells better than her hair?

    The Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam relates an incident involving Nakkeerar’s confrontation with Lord Shiva.[4] Once the Pandiyan king had a doubt as to whether the scent from a woman’s hair was natural or artificial. He announced a prize of 1000 gold coins for anyone to resove his doubt. A poor poet named Tharumi prayed to Lord Shiva to make him get the award. The Lord gave a poem to the poet and asked him to take it to the King. When this poem was read in the court, Poet Nakkeerar found fault with it and stopped the Pandiyan king from giving the prize. Tharumi’s grief grew and he again appealed to the Lord. He said he was not worried for not receiving the prize but he could not bear anyone finding fault with the Lord’s poems.[4]

    Thereupon, Lord Shiva himself came to the court and challenged Nakkeerar. But Nakkeerar was not moved. Though Lord Shiva asked him if the hair of Ganapoongodai, the consort of Lord Kalathinathar, whom Nakkeerar worshipped,did not have a natural scent,the undaunted Nakkeerar asserted that it was so. Shiva opened the eye in his forehead (Netrikkan) which emitted fire and looked at Nakkeerar to show the poet who he was. Even then, Nakkeerar persisted in his statement. As he could not bear the scorching heat emanating from the divine eye he jumped into the water of the Golden Lotus Tank. Then at the request of the other poets, the Lord took Nakkeerar out of the tank, forgave him and made him study under ‘Agasthiar’, the Tamil Sage. This story remains a popular legend.

    Citation.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakkeerar

    http://creative.sulekha.com/song-from-tamil-sangam-kongu-ther-vaazhkai_34464_blog

    http://www.tamilvu.org/library/l1220/html/l1220ind.htm

    thumbi – bee
    mayil    – peacock
    arivai    –  young lady
    koonthal – hair

    கொங்கு தேர் வாழ்க்கை அஞ்சிறைத் தும்பி!

    காமம் செப்பாது, கண்டது மொழிமோ:

    பயிலியது கெழீஇய நட்பின், மயில் இயல்,

    செறி எயிற்று, அரிவை கூந்தலின்

    நறியவும் உளவோ, நீ அறியும் பூவே?

    இயற்கைப் புணர்ச்சி புணர்ந்தவழி, தலைமகளை இயற்கைப் புணர்ச்சிக்கண் இடையீடுபட்டு நின்ற தலைமகன், நாணின் நீக்குதற்பொருட்டு, மெய் தொட்டுப் பயிறல் முதலாயின அவள்மாட்டு நிகழ்த்திக் கூடி, தனது அன்பு தோற்ற நலம் பாராட்டியது. – இறையனார்.

  • Pre Sanatana Dharma Shiva In South Predates Sanatana Dharma?

    A study of the Sanatana Dharma and Tamil throws some interesting questions.

    The Vedic Dharma seems, it has been held, to have originated in the North of Vindhyas, Sarasvati valley.

    Shiva as a Yogi.jpg Shiva as a Yogi.

    Recent studies, excavations of archeological sites relating to Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma around the world, from Australia to South America,Europe, Africa, Russia,China and information on the practices of the aborigines in various parts of the world,indicates that the Sanatana Dharma was prevalent in one form or another in all these places,

    Western scholars used this to invent the Aryan Invasion Theory, that is a Group called Aryans, invaded India thought the Khyber Pass in the Northern part of India and had influenced the thought processes of the people living in India.

    This Theory, deliberately floated by the British mainly, to subjugate India , now stands discredited.

    Please read my detailed Post on The Aryan Invasion Theory, Myth.

    The Aryan theory could not explain the references to the Sanatana Dharma in Tamil Literature, South India.

    Tamil language dates back to thousands of years and the Vedas quote them and they, in turn quote Tamil.

    The oldest Tamil site has been found in Pallavaram, Chennai .(dated around  a Million years.)

    ‘Archaeologists have discovered India’s oldest stone-age tools, up to 1.5 million years old, at a prehistoric site near Chennai. The discovery may change existing ideas about the earliest arrival of human ancestors from Africa ‘.

    https://ramanisblog.in/2015/06/01/million-year-tamil-site-pallavaram-chennai-dated-report/

    Lord Krishna participated in the Tail Sangam as an Invitee.

    Please refer my Post on this.

    He married a Pandyan Princess and had a daughter through her, and got his daughter arrived to a Pandyan Prince , gave her a dowry of one hundred Yadava families to provide her and her children with Milk and Curds.

    The Chera King Perunchotru Udiyan Neduncheralaathan participated in the Mahabharata War as the provider of food to both the Kaurava and Pandava armies.

    He had Tharpana performed for those who died in the War.

    Now comes the curious part.

    Lord Rama ‘s ancestor Satyavrata Manu migrated fro the Dravida Desa(South of Vindhya Mountains) with his sons and his son Ikshvaku founded the Ikshvaku founded the dynasty, named after him, Lord Rama Belongs to this dynasty.

    https://ramanisblog.in/2014/12/30/manu-ramas-ancestor-migrated-from-south-india-5000-bc/

    Shiva and His son Ganesha left, during the Great Flood, the time when Satyavrata Manu migrated to North, through the Middle east, traveling through europe, Africa,South America, North America((US), Central America, finally landing in the Arctic, where the Rig Veda was composed.

    Please refer my Post on this.

    Then they returned to India, then called the Bharata varsha and this entry was used to be denoted as the entry of the Aryans.

    The Artifacts, archeological finds, cultural similarities, Languages of the found around the world indicates this.

    Please read my posts on this.

    Now Six avatars of Vishnu are from the South.

    Matsya is from the Ocean and as such we can not ascribe a location on the earth.

    Kurma is in the Ocean again, but there is a Temple where Kurma avatar took place.

    Kurmnatha is housed in Sri Kurmam Temple, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh.

    Vamana Avatar was in Kerala and the place where Bali had his kingdom was on the banks of Narmada, where the capital of Bali was situuated.

    The place Varaha killed Hiranyakasipu is in Nepal, V(B0araha Kshetra), yet there is legend that Varaha is from Tirupati which is Adivaraha Kshetra.

    Narasimha is from Ahobilam ,Andhra Pradesh.

    Parashurama Avatar is from the South, Kerala.

    Kalki is expected to manifest in the South.

    https://ramanisblog.in/2014/08/20/six-vishnu-avatars-in-south-confirm-south-sanatana-dharma/

    Later Avatars from Lord Rama are from the North of Vindhyas.

    Now Shiva is not mentioned in the Vedas excepting in the Sri Rudram,

    ‘Nama sivaaya cha, Siva dharayacha’

    No special Sukthas directly addressed to Shiva are found.

    Shiva means Auspiciousnees , as he etymology goes.

    There is not much reference in the North of Vindhyas  of Shiva as much as Vishnu or Rama, Krishna.

    Shiva is considered to be Chief deity among the Tamils, though the early Tamil Literature has Gods assigned for each landmass as Murugan, Krishna, Kotravai(Durga)Varuna and Indra.

    But Shiva is taken as the First Siddha, followed by Agastya and others.

    The Thirumandiram of Thirumoolar contains the Yoga thoughts, Advatita and Tantric practices  that are unique.

    And this is much earlier to Ramayana and Agastya is referred to have founded Tamil , being handed over by Lord Shiva.

    Ravana entered into a treaty with a Pandya King.

    Many of the Tamil practices were incorporated by Apasthamba in the Vedic rituals, like the Mangalya Sutra.

    Though there are common factors between the Sanatana Dharma and the Tamils, yet there is a uniqueness in Tamil practices, which are, curiously enough, not against the Vedic practices but reinforces them.

    Many of the Avatars of Shiva have not been reported in the Literature of the North of the Vindhyas, though Puranas, mention Shiva avatars in the South,

    Shiva is described as Piravaa Yaakaip Periyon,The Eldest, though Unborn.

    He is considered as the First Guru, Adi Shiva, the First Siddha, the First Yogi.

    The sixty-four avatars of Shiva in Madurai are not mentioned in the North.

    The Agamas which came later to Vedas specified rules for the construction of Temples, though Temple worship is not mentioned in the Vedas.

    Tamil Kings followed this and one finds ancient temples, both for Vishnu and Shiva in the South in the Agama style.

    These temples, though the Agamas started with out the authority of the Vedas gained currency and helped Hinduism.

    Considering all these facts, I tend to think the worship of Shiva in the South preceded the Sanatana Dharma of the North.

    And one may note that the Rig Veda was composed in the Arctic.

    Sanatan Dharma in the south, Dravida seems to have preced the Sanatan Dharma fro the North of the Vindhyas.

    Inputs welcome.

  • Shiva Divine Acts  64 Thiruvilayadal List

    Shiva Divine Acts 64 Thiruvilayadal List

    As I indicated in my earlier posts, the essential difference between an Avatar of Shiva and Vishnu lies in the fact ,in the case of Shiva, He does not stay in a Womb, called Ayonijaha (though this epithet  is used for Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranama, I do not recall any instance where Vishnu seems to have appeared  from nowhere and disappeared), in the case of Vishnu He is born as Humans in a womb, undergoes the trials and tribulations of  a Human Being.

    Play of Shiva, Murals in Madutai Meenakshi Temple.jpg
    64 Thiruvilayadal,Sacred Play of Shiva, Murals in Madutai Meenakshi Temple.

    Probably an Avatar is different from Leela, an Avatar is the coming down of God, Avatara means ‘coming down’,whereas Leela can be translated loosely as ‘play,playful’.

    Lord Shiva’s Leelas where He had appeared, done His job and disappeared are mentioned in the Tamil Classics, more vividly in the Thiruvilayadal Purana by Paranjothi Munivar, 6th Century AD.

    These Avatars, Leelas of Shiva are 64 in number.

    These have taken place in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

    These Avatars are called the Avatars of Somasundara,an amsa of Shiva, and the husband of Meenakshi, an avatar of Goddess Parvati.

    Meenakshi Sunadareswarar is in the Madurai Meenakshi Temple.

    Other than in the Tamil Classics, Shiva Purana and passing references to some of the instances narrated in the Thiruvilayadal Purana, in the other Puranas,I am unable to find references to these in the Sanskrit works.

    One can not brush these aside as figment of Tamil Imagination either as cross references abound Tamil and they are generally trust worthy of facts and there are temple inscriptions which check out with other Historical facts.

    The history of the Tamil Kings mentioned in these instances check out .

    Considering the fact that the ancestor of Lord Rama migrated from Dravida, there seems to be something I am missing here.

    Please refer my Post Rama’s ancestor from Dravida

    I am searching.

    Some of these instances seem to be prehistoric and may relate to Thenmadurai, where the First Tamil Sangam was held Thenmadurai was swallowed by a Tsunami.

    Please read my posts on Tamil Sangam dates.

    Readers may send in their inputs with source on this issue.

    The 64 instances where Lord Shiva appeared are listed below.

    You may read the instances at the link.

    Citation.

    http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_thiruvil.htm

    Thiruvilaiyadal puranam in English
    Sports No. kANtam Sports of God (thiruviLaiyAdal)
    0. ThiruvilaiyadalPuranam – Introduction
    1. Maduraik kANtam The removal of the crime of indra
    2. The removal of the curse on the white elephant
    3. Discovery of the god to mortals; Building the town of madura; and reign of the first king
    4. Incarnation of minatchi, the goddess of the temple
    5. Marriage of minatchi with siva by the name of sundaresvara
    6. God’s dance in the silver hall
    7. The insatiable dwarf kundotharan
    8. Ganga, at the command of the god, produced the river vaigai
    9. The god brought the seven seas together into one place
    10. Recalling malayadhwaja from the dead, and translation of kanjana-malai
    11. The incarnation of subramanyan in the form of ukkira-pandian
    12. The god sundaresvarar gets his son married and furnishes him with three weapons
    13. Varunan is compelled to retire by the casting of the spear
    14. Ukkira-pandian strikes off indran’s crown
    15. Ukkira-pandian struck mount meru and thence obtained wealth
    16. The god explained the inner meaning of the vedas
    17. The god provided jewels for the crown
    18. Varuna sending the sea to try the god’s power; The latter called four clouds to absorb the sea
    19. kUdal kANtam Varuna sending much rain, the god protected the place by a covering of clouds
    20. Sundaresar condescended to assume the form of a religious ascetic
    21. The sittar gave sugarcane to the stone-elephant
    22. The god killed the elephant which was born from the fire Of a sacrifice made by the chamanals (or jains)
    23. The god on account of gauri, became an old man, a young man, and a child
    24. Natarajar the dancing god altered his attitude, In the silver temple, at the request of the king
    25. The god relieved an innocent person who feared the avenger of blood
    26. The removing of the great crime
    27. The god punished the guilty disciple, by killing him
    28. The destroying of the striped serpent sent by the chamanals (jains)
    29. The god’s nandi conquers the cow sent by the chamanals
    30. The god came with a great army, on account Of savundra samuntan general of the pandian
    31. The god gave an exhaustless purse to the pandian
    32. The god came and sold bracelets to women of the merchant caste
    33. The god taught the eight great meditations
    34. The god opened north gate, and showed the Temple to the chera king, closing the gate afterwards With the bullock seal
    35. The god preserved the pandian’s army by the Miraculous appearance of a booth for giving away water
    36. The performance of alchemy by the god
    37. On the chera king making war, both he and The pandian fell into the lotus tank, from which The pandian was rescued
    38. The god gave a stock of paddy to a vellalan
    39. The god, coming as the maternal uncle of a merchant, settled a dispute
    40. The cure of varaguna pandian, and showing him the world of siva
    41. The god sold wood, and overcame the minstrel, named yemanathen in song
    42. The god gave to his votary, pattiren, A mandate, addressed to the chera king, requiring money
    43. The god gave to the minstrel pattiren, a golden board to sit upon
    44. The god, in the guise of a musician, Decided a contest in singing between two female performers, In the presence of the king
    45. The god nourished certain motherless young pigs, And endowed them partially with the human form
    46. The god made the twelve pigs ministers of state to the pandian king
    47. The god gave instruction to the little black bird
    48. The god gave paradise to the heron, And ordained that the lotus tank should produce no Living creature
    49. thiruAlavAyk kANtam The god showed the boundaries of the town after the place had been destroyed by a flood
    50. The god conquered the soren king, who came To make war against the pandian, which was done by arrows Having the name of sundaresvaren written on them
    51. The god gave a bench to the college of poets; And mingling with them contributed to the improvement of The tamil language
    52. The god gave to terami a purse of gold
    53. The god rescued nakkiran from the tank
    54. The god by means of agastyar taught narkiran purity of grammar
    55. When the bench of learned brahmins were disagreed concerning the merits of different books, the god, by means of A dumb child, settled the difference
    56. The pandian having treated idei-kaden with neglect, The god was pleased to remove and dwell at avada-mathurai
    57. The god came with a net as a fisherrman, And removed the sentence denounced on parvati
    58. The god gave instruction to a person belonging to vathavur
    59. The god turned jackels into horses on behalf Of manickavasagar, who had been instructed Bythe gurumurthi
    60. The god turned the horses into jackals, And being displeased at the subsequent treatment of Manickavasagan, made the river vaigai overflow
    61. The god came to carry mud as a cooly, And the sacred body was struck with a cane
    62. Sambantar, cured kun pandian of his fever
    63. The impalement of the jains
    64. The god called a vanni tree, a lingam, and a well, From tirupurambiyam to bear witness to a marriage
  • Avatars Of Lord Shiva List, Rudra Son Of Brahma

    The essential difference between the  Avatars of Lord Vishnu and Shiva is that while Lord Vishnu is born from the womb as in Ramavatar,Krishnshnavatar,Parashururamavatar and the like, as far as I know Lord Shiva is not recorded of having been born of a womb.

    Lord Shiva's Avatar
    Sixty Four Divine Plays of Lord Shiva.

    The explanation given is that Lord Shiva is ‘Ayonija’, one who does not stay in the womb.

    However there are Avatars of Lord Shiva,Sixty Four in Number are narrated in the Tamil Texts of yore, ‘Thiruvilayadal Puranam’

    I have not come across anything other than this in Texts.

    In all these instances, Lord Shiva is not born to any one;He appears, attends to the job on hand and disappears.

    I have found a list of Avatars of Lord Shiva in Koorma Purana.

    The Twenty eight Avatars of Lord Shiva are,

    1.Swetha.

    2.Sudhara.

    3.Madanan.

    4.Suhendran.

    5.Kanganan.

    6.Lokaakshi.

    7. Jai Kishhavyan.

    8.Daadhi Vaahan.

    9.Rishaban.

    10.Bhrigu.

    11.Ugran.

    12.Athri.

    13.Bali.

    14.Gauthaman.

    15. Vedashreeshan.

    16.Gokarnan.

    17.Kshishikandakan.

    18.Jatamaali.

    19.Attahasan.

    20.Thaarukan.

    21.Langaali.

    22.Mahayaaman.

    23.Muni.

    24.Shooli.

    25.Pindamuneeswaran.

    26.Sahishnu.

    27.Soma Sharma.

    28.Nakuleeswaran.

    I do not fond any reference to these Names in the Vedas.

    Some of the names mentioned here Pinda Muneeswaran,Muni are the names of the Grama Devatas or Gods protecting the Towns, who are generally described as belonging to lower Pantheon of Gods in Tamil Nadu.

    Source: Koorma Purana.

    There is again a mention of Lord Shiva’s Amsa, a reflection of Him in…as,

    Sun as Rudra,

    Water as Bhava,

    On Earth as Siva,

    As Pasupathy in Fire,

    As Esa in Air,

    As Bhima in Heavens,

    As Fire in the bodies of Brahmins and as

    Mahadeva, in Chandra, Moon.

    Normally the Vedas describe Lord Rudra as an Amsa of lord Shiva and here it is the other way!

    Again most of the references here are more in the nature of explaining the essentials of the Nature of the elements where Shiva is described to be residing in.

    And to top it all, Lord Rudra is described as the Son of  Lord Brahma.

    Source.Brahmaanda Purana.

    Contributions on this subject is welcome.