A unique temple of Shiva in the sea is in Bhavnagar District,Gujarat.
Shiva Temple in the Sea
Koliyak is located at a distance of about 23 km to the east of Bhavnagar. It is said that Pandavas established Nishkalank or Nakalank Mahadev on a new moon night of the Indian calendar month of Bhadarva. The famous fair popularly known as ‘Bhadarvi’ is held on the new moon night in month of Sharvan, as per the Indian calender. An idol of god Shankar was established in an island, over the sea about 3 km to the east of Koliyak. This temple can be reached between 9.00 am to 12.00 pm on the day next to the new moon night. It has to be noted that the place gets inundated under the tide so the visitors should leave the place before 1.00 pm
Temple legend:
Pandavas killed all the Kuravas and won the battle. Pandavas were grief stricken knowing they acquired sins for killing their own relatives.
In order to find redemption for their sins, Pandavas met Lord Krishna.
To remove the sins, Krishna hands over a black Flag and a Black COW. He asks the Pandavas to follow it, when both Cow and flag turns white, they all will be pardoned.
Krishna also advises them to do penance to lord Shiva, after that.
The angst stricken brothers followed the cow wherever it went and carried the flag.
They walked for days, to different places and the color did not change.
Finally, when they arrived at the Koliyak Beach, both cow and the flag color turned to white. Pandavas were exalted.
And all the 5 brothers sat for deep penance, meditated on lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva impressed by the brothers showed up in lingam form to each brother.
As they meditated, each lingam appeared in front of each brother. In total there were 5 (Swayumbu) lingams that showed up on their own.
Pandavas were delighted to see this and they worshiped all the five lingams with great devotion.
Lord Shiva here is known as Nishkalan Mahadev. ‘Nishkalank’ has many meaning they are clean, pure, guiltless, to cleanse, to purify, etc.
It is said that Pandavas established Nishkalank or Nakalank Mahadev on a Amavasai of the Indian calendar month of Bhadarva.
The famous fair popularly known as ‘Bhadarvi’ is held on the no moon night in month of Sharvan (August), as per the Indian calendar.
An idol of Lord Shiva was established in an island, over the sea about 3 km to the east of Koliyak. Each lingam has a Nandhi facing it.
The lingams are spread across a square Platform.
There is a pond called Pandavas pond and devotees’ first wash their hands and legs and only then they visit the Lord Shivas shrines.
Devotees’ throng this temple during Amavasai (no moon day), it is to be noted here that the tides are very active during full moon day and no moon day, yet devotees patiently wait for the tides to retrieve.
There is strong belief that when loved ones are cremated their ashes are immersed in these waters and by doing so, one attains salvation or moksha. Besides ash, milk, curds and whole coconut are offered to the lord here.
The temple festival is initiated by hoisting the flag by the clans of Maharajas of Bhavnagar.
This flag is on for 364 days and is changed only during the next temple festival. And for the records, the flag has never fallen down or washed away by the tides. It stands undisturbed by the ferocious tides and has seen the deadliest earth quake that killed more than 50,000 people in 2001.
This is a wonder beauty. The devotees worship not many temples that are buried under the sea. However, this temple stands as an exception. Please visit this temple at least ones in a lifetime to experience the spirituality that resonates from this temple!
Namo hiranyabahave senanye dishan cha pataye namo
namo vrikshebhyo harikeshebhyah pashunam pataye namo
namah saspijncharaya tvishhimate pathinam pataye namo
namo babhlushaya vivyadhineannanam pataye namo
namo harikeshayopavitine pushhtanam pataye namo
namo bhavasya hetyai jagatam pataye namo
namo rudrayatatavine kshetranam pataye namo
namah sutayahantyaya vananam pataye namo namah
Namo rohitaya sthapataye vrikshanam pataye namo
namo mantrine vaanijaya kakshanam pataye namo
namo bhuvantaye varivaskritayaushhadhinam pataye namo
nama uchchairghoshhayakrandayate pattinam pataye namo
namah kritsnavitaya dhavate satvanam pataye namah
3rd Anuvaka
Namah sahamanaya nivyadhina avyadhininam pataye namo
namah kakubhaya nishhangine stenanam pataye namo
namo nishhangina ishhudhimate taskaraanaam pataye namo
namo vajnchate parivajnchate stayunam pataye namo
namo nicherave paricharayaranyanam pataye namo
namah srikavibhyo jighasadbhyo mushhnatam pataye namo
namo asimadbhyo naktam charadhbhyah prakrintanam pataye namo
nama ushhnishhine giricharaya kulujnchanam pataye namo namah
Namo ishhumadhbhyo dhanvavibhyashcha vo namo
nama atanvanebhyah pratidadhanebhyashcha vo namo
nama ayachchhadhbhyo visrijadbhyashcha vo namo
namo asyadbhyo vidhdhyadbhyashcha vo namo
nama asinebhyah shayanebhyashcha vo namo
namah svapadbhyo jagradbhyashcha vo namo
nam stishthadhbhyo dhavadbhyashcha vo namo
namah sabhabhyah sabhapatibhyashcha vo namo
namo ashvebhyoashvapatibhyashcha vo namah
Anuvaka 4
Nama avyadhinibhyo vividhyantibhyashcha vo namo
nama uganabhyastrihatibhyashcha vo namo
namo gritsebhyo grutsapatibhyashcha vo namo
namo vratebhyo vratapatibhyashcha vo namo
namo ganebhyo ganapatibhyashcha vo namo
namo virupebhyo vishvarupebhyashcha vo namo
namo mahadbhyah kshullakebhyashcha vo namo
namo rathibhyoarathebhyashcha vo namo
namo rathebhyah rathapatibhyashcha vo namo
namah senabhyah senanibhyashcha vo namo
namah kshattribhyah sangrahitribhyashcha vo namo
nama stakshabhyo rathakarebhyashcha vo namo
namah kulalebhyah karmarebhyashcha vo namo
namah pujnjishhtebhyo nishhadebhyashcha vo namo
nama ishhukridbhyo dhanvakridhbhyashcha vo namo
namo mrugayubhyah shvanibhyashcha vo namo
namah shvabhyah shvapatibhyashcha vo namah
Anuvaka 5
Namo bhavaya cha rudraya cha
namah sharvaya cha pashupataye cha
namo nilagrivaya cha shitikanthaya cha
namah kapardine cha vyuptakeshaya cha
namah sahasrakshaya cha shatadhanvane cha
namo girishaya cha shipivishhtaya cha
namo midhushhtamaya cheshhumate cha
namo hrasvaya cha vamanaya cha
namo brihate cha varshhiyase cha
namo vriddhaya cha samvridhdhvane cha
Namo agriyaya cha prathamaya cha
nama ashave chajiraya cha
namh shighriyaya cha shibhyaya cha
nam urmyayacha vasvanyaya cha
namah strotasyaya cha dvipyaya cha
Anuvaka 6
Namo jyeshhthaya cha kanishhthaya cha
namah purvajaya chaparajaya cha
namo madhyamaya chapagalbhaya cha
namo jaghanyaya cha budhniyaya cha
namah sobhyaya cha pratisaryaya cha
namo yamyaya cha kshemyaya cha
nama urvaryaya cha khalyaya cha
namah shlokyaya chavasanyaya cha
namo vanyaya cha kakshyaya cha
namah shravaya cha pratishravaya cha
Nama ashushhenayacha shurathaya cha
namah shuraya chavabhindate cha
namo varmine cha varuthine cha
namo bilmine cha kavachine cha
namah shrutaya cha shrutasenaya cha
Thiruvidamaruthur , A Saivite Kshetra, is located 8Km from Kumbakonam and about forty minutes drive from Myladuthurai.
The Temple is dedicated to Lord Mahalingam,Siva in Linga Form.
MahaLingam,Thiruvidaimaruthur.
It is one of the Panchakrosha Sthalas. The Ammbal Shrine is one of the Sakthi Bheetas. Chakkara Maha Meru is installed here.
Uma, Vinayaka Muruga, Thirumal, Lakshimi, Saraswati, (Deities), Vashista, Agasthya, Pattinathar, Badragiriyar, Romarishi, Kapila, Markandiya rishi, (Saints). Sivavakiya (Siddhar) Varagunadeva, Sukeerthi, Veerasena, Chitrakeerthi, Uvanasuvan, Maandada, Vasuman., Anjatthuvasan (Kings), Nandagan (Brahmin), Vedas, Airawatha (Elephant vehicle of Indra) and others are bestowed with grace by the Lord.
The saints Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavasakar and Sambandar visited and sung in praise of the lord.
Pattinathar and Karuvoor Thevar Sung Psalms about the Deity.
Usually, a temple will have a Linga in the sanctum and Parivara Devatas in the temple around. It is a peculiar feature in this temple that theParivara Devatas are at the following places.
Murti(Deity)
Place
Vinayaka
Thiruvalanchuzhi
Muruga
Swamimalai
Nataraja
Chidambaram
Surya(Navagraha)
Aduthurai
Dakshinamurti
Alangudi
Bairavar
Sirkazhi
Nandi
Thiruvavaduthurai
Somaskantha
Thiruvarur
Chandeeswara
Thiruvoypadi
The Sthala Vruksha is Marutham.
There are 3 temples having Maruda tree (anjanam) as their Sthala vrutshas. They are:
This place is named as Idaimarudur as it is in between Srisailam and Ambasamudram. It is also called Shanbagaranya, Saktipura, Tapovana, Muktipura etc.
The presiding Deity is Mahalinga (Great Linga) because Siva worshipped Himself. Her consort is Perunalamamulaiammai. She is Bruhatsundara Gujamabika. In her Shrine is a cell facing north. This is the temple of Mookaambika (in North Indian style). The Goddess is in the pose of doing penance. She is mentioned as Pidari Parameeswari in inscripitions. There are many Lingas in the Shrine. Agasthiya Linga, Kasyapa Linga, Chola Linga , Chera Linga, Sahasara Linga, Panchabhuta Linga, a cluster of 27 Lingas behind Chokkanatha are some.
Brahmahathi (Hathi- sin caused by a murder – Brahminicide) is found in the south wall (south torana vayil) with head disheveled and face immersed betwixt the knees. Varaguna Pandiya’s horse accidentally crushed a Brahmin and killed him. The sin followed wherever he went. The king came to this temple. The Brahmahathi could not enter and waited outside. The king went out by another entrance. The Brahmahathi is waiting outside still. The king was relieved of his melody. People inflicted with mental disorders go round the circumambulatory path and get redress.
There are two Puranam
Brahmahathi
Sthala purana written by Sivakkolundu Deshika of Kottaiyar
Marudavana Puranam.
There is an Ula written by Mahavidvan Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai. The Thevaram, Thiruvasagam, Thiruvidaimarudur Mummanikkovai, Thiruppazh, Thiruvidaimaurudur Pathirruppathanthathi, Thiruvidaimaurudur Kalambakam, Thiruvidaimarudur Nondi Natakam contain sufficient information about the temple. Kandapuranam, Lingapurana, Brahmavaivartham and Sivarahasya mention the glory of the Lord.
Pandiyan King, Varaguna, who, according to tradition, lived in the seventh century A.D. Once he went for hunting in a nearby forest and when he started back home, dusk had already fallen. The horse, fatiqued by the hunt, was anxious to get back to the stables,and literally flew over the path. Meanwhile an aged Brahmin, also travelling through the forest, had called it a day and was lying fast asleep under the shelter of a large tree. Unfortunately the path which the King’s horse took was led over the very place where the old man lay sleeping. The hooves of the horse crushed his chest, and he perished on the spot. So fast was horse that the King had no inkling of this terrible calamity. Only when the soldiers following him saw the dead Brahmin and informed him, did the King come to know of the tragedy. He lost no time in observing the penances and sacrifices ordained in the sastras for absolution from this sin; but the damage was done Brahmahathi (spirit of the dead Brahmana) clung to him all the more tightly. In despire, the King sought the help of Lord Sundaresvara of Madurai.
Such was the sincerity and devotion this grief-stricken King that one day as he was circumambulating the shrine, he heard a divine voice command: “Do not despair O King ! A Chola king will invade your Kingdom soon. Fight him and he will be defeated. As he flees back to his country, chase him without harming him. He will lead you to Thiruvidai-marudoor where Lord Shiva Himself worshipped His own image. There the sin which is clinging to you now will leave you”.
I may mention that the Abhijt Muhurtha is normally between 12 and 1230 pm and it is not necessary to look for an auspicious time for performance of auspicious events.
Each Nakshatra has a Lingam assigned to it.It is recommended that archana with Vilvam for the respective Lingam associated with the specific Nakshatra is performed.
In the Prharam, there is a small sannidhi dedicated to Lord Krishna(as a Crawling child) as revealed to Sage Kashyapa along with Lord Siva
Boarding or Lodging facilities are not upto the mark.
Suggest staying in Kumbakonam or Myladuthurai.
Nearest Airport is Tiruchi.
Though well connected by Trains, it is preferable to use Bus as the service is excellent and the frequency of Buses is admirable.
Related.
Abhijit Muhurtha.
According to Vedic astrology there is a special muhurat called abhijit. This muhurat is auspicious for any work. Abhijit muhurtha is not special to any particular condition but it is present every day. Astrologers say that a day’s 8th muhurat is called abhijit muhurat.
The duration of the abhijit muhurat lingers up to 48 minutes. 24 minutes before and after the sidereal time is called the abhijit muhurat. Basically it stays up to 48 minutes but the duration may reduce if the day is shorter. As the abhijit muhurat is auspicious people opt for this muhurat to perform their work. Abhijit muhurat safeguards a work even if the day is inauspicious.
Astrologers say that if in any condition an auspicious work does not have a good muhurat then natives can perform their works on the auspicious abhijit muhurat.
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