|
|
|
|
Other subsidiary deities at Thiruvengadu include Shiva Nataraja, Prathyathi Devatha Narayanan as Adhi Devatha with Visnu, Durga Ma, and Mahakali. The Kali deity is very odd, the goddess having a neck that is bent at an odd angle. It is said that she broke her neck in a divine dance competition with Shiva. This place, like Chidambaram, is one of the places where Lord Shiva performed seven of His dances: Tandavam (Ananda), Sandhya, Samhara, Tripuranta, Urdhva, Bhujanga and Lalita.
Agoramurthy Shiva The ruling rasi here is Budan, the Lord of Mithunam (Mercury) and Kanni Rasi, and he is facing northeast. Budan's shrine is located in front of the goddess Brahma Vidhyambigai's shrine. This temple is one of six temples dedicated to Mercury, known as the Budan Sthalam.
Budan (Mercury) Swedaranyeswarar Temple, one of the 51 Sakthi Peethas, is mentioned in Valmiki's Ramayana, and is said to be equivalent to Kasi. 'Swetha' means white, and the area of 'Venn kaadu' was Swetha Aaranyam. Swetaranya, means 'sacred white forest'. The temple is also known as the Great Budan temple, Suvedaranyar Temple, Jnana-aranya (forest of wisdom), Patala Kailas, Aadi Chidambaram, and Bhudhan Sthalam.
Brahmma Vidyambal Lord Swedaranyeswarar has been worshipped here by Lord Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, Surya, Chandra, Agni, Budhan, a white elephant, and many others.
Sri Swedaranyeswarar Temple In the pastime with Maruthuvan asura, it seems that he had gained a boon from Lord Brahma, but misused his potency to torture the Devas. They went to Shiva for protection, and Shiva instructed them to go to Thiruvengadu and live in disguise there. Shiva sent Nandi vahana to defeat the demon on his behalf. The demon performed some penance and got the trident (soolayudham), but proceeded to injure Nandi with it. (The marks are still visible on Nandi's murti here.) When Lord Shiva discovered that the demon had hurt Nandi he became enraged, converting his anger into the Agoramurthy form. On seeing this frightful image, the demon surrendered at his feet and begged for mercy. He also prayed that anyone who worships Agoramurthy would have no enemies.
Subsidiary deities When the saint Sambandar came to this temple as a four-year old child, he had a vision of the village as Shivaloka, a land full of Shivalingam. He refused to step into the temple, so Brahmma Vidyambal came out and carried the child in. Behind the Amman shrine, there is a rare murti of the mother goddess carrying a child.
Durga Ma There are three theerthams adjacent to the temple, each having a different temperature: Chandra, Agni, and Surya Kulam (Theertham).
Chandra Theertham Every month, a different festival is held at Swedaranyeswarar Temple. In the Tamil month of Masi (February-March) on Punarvasu star day, the raising of a flag marks the start of a continuous 10-day festival. It is said that when one makes offerings here for the ancestors, in addition to the family, their friends, servants and cows are all benedicted.
Temple Gopurams Here is a very nice video of Maha Periyava Jayanthi at Thiruvengadu, which shows pictures of the sampradaya saints, and part of the temple interior.
Part 2 - Pushkar, Rajasthan Part 3 - Chinch & Asotra, Rajasthan Part 4 - Eklingji, Udaipur, Rajasthan) Part 5 - Vasantgarh, Rajasthan) Part 6 (Rajasthan: Bijoila, Mewar; Chandravati, Sirohi; Kiradu & Sevadi, Jodphur) Part 7 (Khokhan, Himachal Pradesh) Part 8 (Tihri-Uttarsal, Himachal Pradesh) Part 9 (Una, Himachal Pradesh) Part 10 (Dudhahi, Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh) Part 11 (Gaya, Bihar) Part 12 (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh) Part 13 (Alampur, Andhra Pradesh) Part 14 (Kaleshwar, Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh) Part 15 (Sampradaya Acarya - Lingampally, Andhra Pradesh) Part 16 (Manthani, Andhra Pradesh) Part 17 (Gurramguda Village, Andhra Pradesh) Part 18 (Tirusulam, Tamil Nadu) Part 19 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 20 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 21 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 22 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 23 (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 24 (Syncretistic Forms of Lord Brahma) Part 25 (Thirupachur, Tamil Nadu) Part 26 (Pancheshti/Pancheti, Tamil Nadu) Part 27 (Pallavaram, Tamil Nadu) Part 28 (Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu) Part 29 (Mandagappattu, Tamil Nadu) Part 30 (Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 31 (Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu) Part 32 (Thirumukkoodal, Tamil Nadu) Part 33 (Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu) Part 34 (Thirunaraiyur, Tamil Nadu) Part 35 (Thirunaraiyur, Tamil Nadu) Part 36 Thiruvengadu, Tamil Nadu)
| |
