There are five places where Lord Siva , legend has it, performed the Thandava, The Cosmic Dance.
Universe is Motion, in the ultimate analysis.
The developments in the field of Astrophysics and Astronomy will vouch for it.
The Motion is what sustains the Universe.
Please some images in this post under Images and Astrophysics to see Universe in Motion.
The Trinity of Hinduism represents the three states of Energy.
Brahma, Potential Energy,He produces as it were the Universe-Srushti,Creation, Unleashing.
Vishnu, Kinetic Energy, He sustains,Sthithi,Stability,Sustenance.
And Rudra, The Potentio-Kinetic Energy, He apparently destroys to recreate later-Samhaaram, Thirodhaanam and Anugraham,Apparent destruction, Concealment, and Grace.
Lord Siva is said to have performed Five types of The Cosmic Dance at,
Chitra Sabahai,Thirukkutralam, Assembli of Arts and at
Ratna Sabahai,Thiruvavaduthurai,Assembly of Gems.-Thiruvalangadu.
The place is about 16 kms SW of Mailaduthurai, on the banks of River Cauvery.The main Raja gopuram is of five storey and three prakarams inside.
Main Deity is Swayambu Lingam known as Arul Migu Gomuktheeswarar and his consort known as OPilA Ammai. Sthala vruksham is Palm tree. Teertham isGomukhi teertham.
Thruvalankadu Temple
Purana says Uma Devi worshipped Lord Siva in this place in the form of a cow. She was blessed by Lord Siva and she turned into her original form, and took her in him.
Importance: Devas and Muni’s requested Lord Siva, to bless them by performing his Siva Thandavam, in which they were interested. Lord Siva fulfilled their wish here under the Sthala Vruksham. Muni’s and Brahma got their Upadesam of Siva Gyanam in this place. Chittars were granted Athama Siddhi.
According to Sthala Puranam, Thiru Moolar composed 3000 hymns known as“Thiru Mandiram” in this place.
Thiru Gyana sambandhar, Sundarar, and Thiru Navukkarasar sang hymns on Lord Siva of this place.
The temple is under Thiru Kailaya Thiruvavaduthurai Adeenam. The building of Adeenam is adjacent to the temple.
They always appear with their Arms in all the Temples.
But not in Suriyanar Koil , located near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
Here all of them have laid down their Arms and are in the posture of Abhaya Hastham,Boon Granting, Refuge Granting Mode.
This is so for they have come to worship Lord Surya, The first among them all and who is regarded as the Perceivable manifestation of Reality.
He is called ‘Prathyaksha Brahman'( The Perceivable Reality).
So in front of him these Planets are present with out their Arms and each of them have a separate Enclave in this Temple.
Another interesting Feature is that Lord Surya, has, in front of him ‘Brihaspati’ (Jupiter) as one needs the Blessings and the Graceful eyes of The Guru (Teacher) for Prosperity.
Suriyan with Chaya and Swachalamba.
Location Map of Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu
“History:
Lord Siva, pleased with their devotion absolved them of their sins and decried that there will be nine sannadhis for the navagrahas in the Suryanar temple (this is the only temple where all the navagrahas are present with separate sannadhis) and those who pray here will get relief from their problems.
Those who suffer the ill effects of Kalathara Dosham, Vivaha Paribandha Dosham, Puthra Dosham, Puthra Paribandha Dosham, Vidhya Paribandha Dosham, Udyoga Padhibandha Dosham, Surya dasai, Surya bukthi would benefit from worshipping at this temple. Father, Athma, physical strength, right eye, governmental largesse are the beneficial aspects of this planet.
If one bathes in the nine ghats in this place continuously for 12 Sundays, they will be saved from sufferings and blessed with a happy and peaceful life.
Sree Surya Puranam When the world came into existence, the first sound that reverberated was ‘Ohm’. Surya was born from this ‘Omkara naadham’. Sree Markandeya Puranam has explained this factor. Suryan was the son of Sage Kashyap and was the grandson of Sage Maarisi. Surya married Soorvarsala, the daughter of Viswakarma. Vaivasvatha Manu and Yamadharmarajan were his sons and Yamuna, his daughter. It should be mentioned here that the chariot of Surya has only one wheel. It is drawn by seven horses in seven colors. Lord Surya, who is the chief of the grahams, appears with a lotus in his divine hands. Surya Bhagawan blesses his devotees with good health, fame and efficient management.
The presiding deities are Puranavaradheeswarar and his consort Mangalanayaki. Surya is the Lord of Simma Rasi and occupies the central place amongst the navagrahas. The adidevatha is Agni, prathyutha Devatha – Rudran. His color is red and his vahana is a chariot drawn by seven horses. The grain associated with his is wheat; the flower – lotus, yerukku; fabric – red clothes; gem – ruby; food – wheat, rava, chakkara pongal.Suryanaar Koyil was built by the Chola kings….
Timing
According to Atharvana Veda, one who worships Surya Bhagawan will be relieved from diseases pertaining to the eyes and heart. This temple is open from 6 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on all days.
Festivals
Requirements for worshipping the Lord Flower – Senthamarai (Red Lotus)
Samith (sacrificial fuel ) – Erukku ( madar plant )
Dhaniyam (grain) – Wheat
Vasthram – Lotus red
Neivedhyam – Sakkarai pongal
Ratha Saptami in the Tamil month of Thai, and the first Sundays in the months of Aavani (Leo) and Kartikai(Scorpio) and Vijaya Dasami are celebrated in this temple.
Mantra for Sun – Aum hrim hrim suriyaye namah Aum
Temple Timings – 6 A.M. to 12.30 P.M. and 4 P.M. to 8 P.M.
‘Each of the graha has associations with various characters, such as colors, metals, etc. The following table gives the most important associations:(wiki)
The practice of Yoga bestows on one some special powers as an offshoot of the spiritual Discipline..
Those who want to advance in the Spiritual quest ignores them for they are an impediment to Spiritual Progress.
Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa admonished a a man who boasted to Ramakrishna that he had spent 12 years of sadhana,Spiritual Practice and acquired the ability to walk on Water by demonstrating it,
-You have wasted 12 years of your Life for a thing which can be achieved by paying Half anna (roughly 3paise)-in Dollar Terms, it is near Zero”
Those who discard them become great.
Arunagirinathar was a saint of recent Prigin and he was a Devotee of Lord Muruga.
He excelled in Bhakti Yoga(I shall write on him later).
We find the statue of Kashyapa Muni and Narada Muni in the hill temple along with sculptures of Arundhati and Vashishta. We also find the sculpture of Arumugan and Arunagirinathar on the pillars found on the way to the temple. The temple is located on top of the hill and can be seen from a great distance. A beautiful flight of steps along with mandapams for devotees to rest, take us to the top of the hill. At the foot of the hills the water tank called Saravana Poigai is located on southern side. On the eastern side there is a Srine for the goddess Maikannudaiyal. It is customary to worship this goddess before climbing up the hill.
On the way to the hill top we find the Idumban Sannidhi a small cave Srine for Meenakshi Sundareshwar and a mandapam called Sandana Kottam at the end of the flight of steps. Adjacent to the Sandana Kottam Mandapam we find the Navaratri and Shanmuga Moorty Mandapam.
Next to the Navaratri Mandapam we find the south-facing Raja Gopuram. In the Shanmuga Moorthy Mandapam of this temple with a single prahara the utsavamoorthy gives darshan together with devas. In the western part of the prahara we find the Srines of Vinayagar, Dakshina Moorthy, Agasthiyar and Arunagirinathar and in the northern side we find the Srine of Chandikeshwarar and Bhairavar.
The Srine for Navagraha is located on the way to the Maha Mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In the Maha Mandapam Natarajar, Sivakami, Manika Vinayagar and Srinivasa Perumal with consort await to bless the devotees. On the outer walls of the garbhagraha we find inscriptions. Inside the sanctum sanctorum Lord Muruga showers blessings upon the devotees.
Theertham
On the southern part of the foothill Saravana Poigai, the Sthala Theertham is located. It is also called Naga Theertham. The Sthala Vriksham in this temple is Kasi Vilvam.
Moolavar
The vision of the Lord inside the Garbhagraha is soul-stirring. The Lord is in the form of Arumugan, six-faced and with twelve hands seated elegantly on the peacock facing east. The divine consorts Valli and Deivannai stand on either side. As the Sivachariyar offers camphor the devotees can see the three faces at the back in the mirror which the other three can be viewed directly.’
Temple address:
Sri Shanmuganathan Devasthanam
Viralimalai
Tiruchirapalli – 621 316 India
There is a practice of Giving away one’s Son or Daughter to the Lord as a vow when one faces acute problems and the child is being taken back by Foster parents, normally Grandparents or Uncles.
The child is required to worship the Lord. apart from the Family Deity.
I will be posting on Family Deities.
(Daththu Koduthal)
It is a Belief problems are resolved..
Peacocks Abound around Viralimalai the Temple.
Related:
There is the concept of the Ashta Siddhi (eight siddhis) in Hinduism. These are:
Aṇimā: reducing one’s body even to the size of an atom
Mahima: expanding one’s body to an infinitely large size
The eight siddhis hinted at by Kapila in his Sutra – अष्टधा सिद्धिः ||१५|| –[6] are as explained in Verse 51 of Samkhyakarika:[7]–
Uuha: based on the samskaras of previous births the attainment of knowledge about the twenty-four Tatwas gained by examining the determinable and the indeterminable conscious and the non-conscious constituents of creation,
Shabad: knowledge gained by associating with an enlightened person (Guru – upadesh),
Addhyyan: knowledge gained through study of the Vedas and other standard ancillary texts,
Suhritprapti: knowledge gained from a kind-hearted person, while engaged in the spread of knowledge
Daan: knowledge gained regardless of one’s own needs while attending to the requirements of those engaged in the search of the highest truth,
Aadhyaatmik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain, disappointment, etc; arising due to lack of spiritual, metaphysical, mystic knowledge and experience,
Aadhibhautik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; arising by possessing and being attached to various materialistic gains,
Aadhidaivik dukkh-haan: freedom from pain etc; caused by fate or due to reliance on fate,
the attainment of which eight siddhis makes one become rid of pain-causing ignorance through gain of knowledge, and experience bliss. The aim of Samkhya is to eliminate all kinds of physical and mental pains and to receive liberation.
It , legend has it, is here Lord Yama, God of Death/Time, Rahu and Kethu(shadow planets) were absolved of their Sins after having had a dip in the Ganga Theertham( Temple Tank).
There is a separate idol and Sannidhi for Yama.
It is believed that people are rid of the Fear of Death and the ill effects of the malfeasance of Rahu and Ketu.
Sri Vanchiyam.Temple Tower.
Name of the presiding Deity Vanchinathar,
Goddess.Mangalambikai.
Sri Vanchiyam
One has to see Lord Vinayaka first, then Yama, Lord Vanchinathar, Mangalambika.
Preferable to have a dip in the Theertham (Temple Tank).
The Temple is closed between 12 and 40 pm.
Legend of The Temple.
People’s whose star sign is Leo ( Simha Rashi ) have to visit Vaanchinathar Temple – Tiruvaanchiyam (Srivanchiyam) in Tamil Nadu twice in an year or atleast once in an year. Should stay in the temple or premises for two and half hours.
“Tiruvanchiyam (Srivanchiyam), one of the Abodes of Lord Shiva is situated in the Cauvery basin near Tiruvarur (about 14 kms from Tiruvarur) and Nanilam in the state of Tamilnadu, India. Considered as a “Mukthisthalam” (land of attainment of salvation), Goddess Ganges is said to have bathed in “Gupta Ganga Theertham”, the holy pond in the temple, to wash away all the sins of those taking bath in Ganges. Srivanchiyam is considered holier than Varanasi (Kasi).
Sivaboga saram
Goddess Mahalakshmi is said to have prayed Lord Shiva to be united with Lord Vishnu and hence this place is called as “Sri Vanchiyam”. There is also a story that Lord Vishnu prayed to get united with Goddess Mahalakshmi. Taking bath in Gupta Ganga Theertham on Sundays in the Tamil month of Karthigai is considered sacred and is said to wash away all sins. Suriyan (Sun) had prayed Lord Shiva here to get rid of his sins and get back is shining best during Karthigai (Nov-Dec)
The temple is said to have withstood the period of great deluge and hence considered very sacred. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva known as Vanchinathan. The Shivalinga here is “swayambhu” and it faces on both the directions East and West. Hence pujas are conducted on both the sides of Shivalingam. Pujas are performed to Vanchinathan using sandalwood leaves. The sthala vruksham here is Sandalwood tree. Lord Shivas consort is known here as Mangalambika.
One of the rare deities in Tiruvanchiyam is “Yoga Bhairavar”. Pujas are performed to Yoga Bhairavar using “Vanni” leaves. It is believed that one gets cured of nervous disorders and diseases if he consumes daily, the powder made from vanni leaves that are used for puja. Yoga Bhairavar is worshipped here to get rid of all evils directed towards a person. Pujas using “red arali” flowers for 6 Krishnapaksha ashtami days (eighth day of waning moon) are performed to beget children. Special prayers on Amavasya days (new moon days) offering Curd Rice, Coconut Rice and Honey helps one to be victorious in all his deeds and to gain profits in business. To get married soon, pujas are performed during Rahu Kaalam on Sundays offering vada made of lentils and ghee.
One is said to have “Kalasarpa dosham” if all the planets are positioned in between Rahu and Kethu in ones horoscope. Srivanchiyam is a lesser-known parihara sthalam for Kethu and Kalasarpa dosham. Pariharam for Rahu is also done here. Rahu-Kethu is here in a single form and known as “Chanda Rahu”.
I have been posting on Temples ,India, on the bond that exists between Man and God.
Here is a Temple where the Temple Priest , Daily, at the stroke of Noon , dresses up like the wife of Lord Siva, Akilandeswari, and performs the Middy Pooja(Ucchi Kala Pooja).
Priest Performing Go Pooja, dressed up as Goddess Akilandeswari.
Thiruvanaikaval (Tamil: திருவானைக்காவல்) (also Thiruvanaikal, Jambekeswaram) is a famous Shiva temple in Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple was built by Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola), one of the Early Cholas, around 1,800 years ago. It is located in the Srirangam island, which has the famous Ranganathaswamy temple.
Thiruvanaikal is one of the five major Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu (Panchabhoota Sthalams) representing the Mahābhūta or five great elements; this temple represents the element of water, or neer in Tamil.[1] The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground water stream and in spite of pumping water out, it is always filled with water.[2]
Akila, The Temple Elephant.
It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where all of the four most revered Nayanars (Saivite Saints) have sung glories of the deity in this temple. The temple has inscriptions from the Chola period.
..
Thiruvanaikaval Temple Pra
There were two Siva Ganas (Siva’s disciples who live in Kailash): ‘Malyavan’ and ‘Pushpadanta’. Though they are Shiva Ganas they always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. In one fight ‘Malyavan’ cursed ‘Pushpadanta’ to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram and continued their Shiva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted ablution to the lingam under the Jambu tree (Eugenia jambolana) daily. The spider constructed his web over the lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent sunlight directly falling on it. When the elephant saw the web and thought it was dust on lingam. The elephant tore them and cleaned the lingam by pouring water and the practice continued daily. The spider became angry one day and crawled into the trunk of the elephant and bit the elephant to death, killing itself. Siva, in the form of Jambukeswara, moved by the deep devotion of the two, relieved them from the curse. As an elephant worshipped Shiva here, this place came to be known as Thiru Aanai Kaa (thiru means holy, aanai is elephant, kaa (kaadu) means forest).[2] Later the name ‘Thiruaanaikaa’ become ‘Thiruvanaikaval’ and ‘Thiruvanaikoil’.
In the next birth, the spider was born as the King Kochengot Chola (kotchengannan cholan meaning red-eyed king) and built 70 temples and this temple is the one among them.[2] Remembering his enmity with the elephant in his previous birth, he built the Shiva Sannathi (sanctorum) such that not even a small elephant can enter. The entrance on the sanctorum of Jambukeswara is only 4 foot high and 2.5 foot wide.[2]
Jambukeswarar, Thiruvanaikaval.
Legend behind king’s red eyes
There was a story behind the king’s red eyes – When he was in his mother’s womb the palace astrologer predicted a sacred time to give birth to enable the newborn’s well being. The queen went into labor early, before the time predicted by the astrologer. The queen hence told the servant to hang her upside down for the time to come so that she could have a wise and virtuous son who could head the kingdom righteously. This waiting time inside the womb made the baby’s eyes red. After becoming the king, he build the temple for Siva and Goddess Akilandeswari in the name of Aanaikka (elephant protected) later days it changed to Thiruvanaikovil.
சிவன் கட்டளைக்காக அம்பிகை, பூலோகத்தில் மானிடப்பெண்ணாக பிறந்தாள். இங்கு காவிரி நீரில் லிங்கம் பிடித்து வழிபட்டாள். சிவன் அந்த லிங்கத்தில் எழுந்தருளி அவளுக்குக் காட்சி தந்தார். அம்பிகையால் நீரில் லிங்கம் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட தலம் என்பதால் இது, பஞ்ச பூத தலங்களில் “நீர்’ தலமானது. பிற்காலத்தில் ஜம்பு என்னும் முனிவர் சிவனை வேண்டி இங்கு தவமிருந்தார்.
சிவன் அவருக்கு காட்சி கொடுத்து, நாவல் பழ பிரசாதம் கொடுத்தார். பழத்தை உண்ட முனிவர், அதன் புனிதம் கருதி விதையையும் விழுங்கி விட்டார். அவர் விழுங்கிய விதை வயிற்றுக்குள் முளைத்து, தலைக்கு மேலாக மரமாக வளர்ந்தது. அவர் சிரசு வெடித்து முக்தி பெற்றார்.
நாவல் மரத்துக்கு “ஜம்பு’ என்றும் பெயருண்டு. அம்பிகையால் அமைக்கப்பட்ட நீர் லிங்கம் இந்த மரத்தின் கீழ் அமைந்தது. பக்தராகிய ஜம்புவுக்கு முக்தி தந்ததால், சுவாமி “ஜம்புகேஸ்வரர்’ என பெயர் பெற்றார்.
தலபெருமை:
சிவன் வடிவில் அம்பாள் அம்பாள் வடிவில் சிவன்!: பிரம்மா, ஒருமுறை தான் படைத்த பெண்ணையே அடைய விரும்பினார். இதனால் அவருக்கு “ஸ்திரீ தோஷம்’ உண்டானது. தோஷ நிவர்த்தி பெற சிவனை வேண்டினார். அவருக்கு அருள சிவன் கைலாயத்திலிருந்து கிளம்பினார். அப்போது அம்பிகை, தானும் வருவதாக கூறினாள். சிவன் அவளிடம், பிரம்மா பெண்கள் மீது மோகம் கொள்பவர் என்று சொல்லி அவளை உடன் அழைத்துச் செல்ல மறுத்தார். ஆனால், அம்பிகை சிவனிடம், “”நான் உங்களது வேடத்தில் வருகிறேன், நீங்கள் சேலை அணிந்து என் வேடத்தில் வாருங்கள்!” என்றாள். சிவனும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள இருவரும் மாறுவேடத்தில் சென்றனர்.
சிவமும், சக்தியும் ஒன்று என்பதன் அடிப்படையிலும் இந்த திருவிளையாடல் நிகழ்ந்தது. பின்னர் பிரம்மாவுக்கு இருவரும் பாவமன்னிப்பு வழங்கினர்.இங்கு நடக்கும் பிரம்மோற்ஸவத்தின்போது சிவன், அம்பாள் இருவரும் மாறுவேடத்தில் பிரம்ம தீர்த்தத்ததிற்கு எழுந்தருளி, பிரம்மாவிற்கு காட்சி தருகின்றனர். பிரம்மா அவர்களைத் தியானம் செய்யும் சமயம் என்பதால், அப்போது மேளதாளம் இசைக்கப்படுவதில்லை.
மாணவி அம்பாள்:
சக்தி பீடங்களில் ஒன்றான இத்தலத்தில், அகிலத்தை (உலகம்) காப்பவளாக அம்பிகை அருளுவதால் அகிலாண்டேஸ்வரி’ என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறாள்.
The airport nearest to Thiruvanaikaval is in Thiruchirappalli or Trichy. The airport is at a distance of about 5 km from the main city of Trichy and about 12 km from Thiruvanaikaval. There are many domestic as well as international flights coming to Trichy. One can take a private cab from outside the airport to reach Thiruvanaikaval.
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