Kapaleeshwarar Kovil

Excerpts from the  Parthasarathy Mudaliar Endowment lecture by Chitra Madhavan on Kapaleeshwarar kovil. Mudaliar was very closely associated with this temple and was instrumental in construction of idols/figures in the temple gopuram. He's never missed a pradosham pooja at this temple, and his final days were at Varanasi, where he did pooja for 45 days and then attained jala samadhi in the Ganges!

 

 

 The temple's name is derived from the words kapalam (head) and "eeshwarar" - when Shiva plucked one head of Brahma. Later on Brahma did a penance and installed this lingam to please Shiva. And the other name with regard to Karpagambal is that Parvati is like the wish yielding Karpaga Tharu; and once when Parvati was not attentive to Shiva's upadesam and watching a dancing peacok, she was cursed to turn in a peacock and was instructed to worship Shiva to regain her normal form. The north east corner of the temple's block is the "Punnai Vana Nathar" shrine and we can see a representation of this legend on stone in a small Shrine under a Punnai tree (Sthala Vriksha).

 

Thiruvotriyur was a prime "Kapalika" cult town in earlier years - (The Kāpālika tradition practices the tantric form of Shaivism and these skull men carried a cranium begging bowl), and this cult might have had an influence on naming of this temple too.

 

Thiru Mayilai has been mentioned by Ptolemy, the Greek traveller as Millarpha and the seaport recorded as Mylar farm and did you know that its the birth place of Tiruvalluvar too? - The earliest Saivite saints of 7th Century, Thiru Gnana sambandar and Appar and two prominent Alwars (Peyazhwar and Thirumazhisai alwar) have all mentioned about the temple/place in their works.

 

One interesting observation was that the existing structure is not the original temple - The original 8th century shiva temple built by the pallavas was along the sea coast, referred from the hymns of Sambandar. Later on they say it was destroyed by the Portuguese and in that place they built the santhome church. The present temple was relocated before 350-400 years ago.

 

Amazing facts

 

1. The specialty of this temple is that it has 2 Dwajasthambams! - apart from a dwajasthambam in front of the main deity, there is one more in front of the Singaravelan sannadhi too.
2.  Vishnu Sharma taught Panchatantra to King Amarashakthi's sons (who is referred to as the king of Mylapore)
3.  The height of the sanctum of Singaravelar is a little higher than Kapaleeshwar, and the murugan sannidhi has a small opening directly. This seconds the fact that the relocation of the Kapaleeshwarar temple next to this
4.  The East Gopuram base is entirely Granite and the upper part is brick and stuttco, follows vijayanagar architecture and resembles Meenakshi amman temple gopuram.
5.  The notable sculptures in the temple gopuram include various kshetra natarajas, Heramba Ganapathy (riding a lion with multiple heads), Sage Bringhi with 3 legs, Ravana lifting Mount Kailash, Various roopams of Dakshinamurthy, Meenakshi Sundareshwar wedding, Kannapa nayanar story, Chandikeswarar story (who is the body guard of shiva and the head of his Ganas).
6.  In the Thirugnana sambandar shrine near the Dwajasthambam you can see his idol along with Poompavai. Sivanesa Chettiar, Poompavai's father wanted to get her married to Sambandar, but before he arrives, she dies. Her ashes are in the urn, during the 13 day period and Sambandar sings a pathigam to redeem her life back.
7.  Vaayila Nayanar (one who cant speak) - another saivite saint who built a golden temple for shiva in his heart to perform pooja, attained salvation here..

Kanyakumari Amman & Soundaryalahiri

 

 

Did you know that the monumental work of "Soundaryalahari" was composed by Adi Sankara at Kanyakumari?

 

The life-like image of Devi Kanyakumari with a smiling face is a combination of innocence, purity and beauty. Here Devi who stands alone continues her eternal penance and radiates sanctity all around. The lines in Soundaryalahari which read "O Goddess Jagadambal, you have given me the faculty of speech. I compose this poem in your praise and offer it to you"

 

The first part of 41 verses called `Aanandalahari' is regarded a `Mantra Sastra' describing the subtle forms of Devi and mode of worship of the Divine Mother;The remaining 59 verses contain an exquisite portrayal of the physical form of Devi from head to foot ending with a prayer for Her grace.

 

Adi Sankara exclaims, "O Mother your right eye being the Sun creates day and your left eye being the Moon creates night". The rising Sun and the setting Sun can only be seen at Kanyakumari simultaneously and not elsewhere. (And Chitra Pournami is special)

 

As a mark of his visit, a shrine of Adi Sankara was erected between the temple of Devi and the bathing ghat at the tapering end of Kanyakumari. There is an arch nearly 30 feet height in front of the shrine and on the top of the arch an image of Dakshinamurty is fixed; The main shrine contains the marble image of Adi Sankara with his four disciples. The holy feet of Sankara are also enshrined separately in the eastern side of the main shrine.

 

 

Amazing facts about Tirumala Deity

 

 

 Excerpts from Srivari Brahmotsavam publication of The Hindu..

1. The first reference to the heavenly abode of Lord Venkateshwara dates back to 2nd century in the Silappathikaram
2. Why is the annual festival called Brahmotsavam? - Lord Brahma himself descends on Tirumala to conduct the festival every year - A small blank chariot "Brahma ratham" moves ahead of the processions during the utsavam.
3. The day before the Brahmotsavam, the commander in chief of the Lord's army - Sri Vishwaksena goes around the temple town supervising the arrangments, and in the course of his inspection he collects the sacred earth "Mritsangrahanam" required for the yagasala inside the temple.
4. On the 6th night of the Brahmotsavam - only women are allowed to pull the swarna ratham!
5. The Brahmotsavam begins with Dwajarohanam when the sacred yellow flag with imprint of Lord Garuda is ceremoniously hoisled atop the dwajastahmabam
6. What are the seven hills? - Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Vrishabadri, Anjanadri, Narayandri and Venkatadri - and the temple is located on the seventh peak, Venkatadri,thus earning its name, Thiru Vengadam!
7. It is believed that Lord Mahavishnu directly descended and self-manifested himself(swayambu) to the Tirumala hills from his heavenly abode of Vaikuntham. The sanctum sanctorum which houses this awe inspiring idol is called Ananda Nilayam.
8. The Murthy stands directly beneath the Anandha Nilayam Vimanam and at any point of time the deity is decorated with no leass than 2 quintals of precious ornaments!

Thiruneer Malai

From Chitra Madhavan's lecture on Temples around Chennai : Thiru Neer Malai

அன்றாயர் குலக்கொடி யோடனிமா மலர் மங்கை யொடளப்பளாவி அவுணர்க் கென்றானு மிரக்க மில்லாதவனுக் குறையு மிடமாவது, இரும்பொழில் சூழ் நன்றாய புனல் நறையூர் திருவாலி குடந்தை தடந்திகழ் கோவல் நகர் நின்றானிருந்தான் கிடந்தான் நடந்தாற் கிடம் மாமலையாவது நீர்மலையே.

A glimpse of 2000 year old temple where The Lord appears in four forms - ...

1. In the foot hill as "Neer Vanna Perumal" (Rama) like Nachiyal Kovil
2. On the top of the hill as "Ranganathar, Trivikrama and Shantha Narasimhar" - Compared by Thirumangai Azhwar as - Ranganathar as in Sarngapani temple, Narasimhar as in Thiruvali Thiru Nagari (Near Sirkazhi) and Trivikrama as in Thiru Kovilur!

Interesting facts about the temple

- You can see the idol of Thirumangai Azhwar and his wife Kumudavalli
- Dwajastambam not alinged to the Sanctum
- Valmiki was blessed with Rama Darshan alongwith Seetha, Lakshmanan, Bharatha Satrugunan
- Ranganthar is four- armed (unlike Srirangam where he has 2 hands)

What you should not miss in this temple

- The Vijayanagar architecture outside and Chola architecutre inside
- The fluted pillar and the amazing Vijayanagar Mandapam on the top of the hill

What you should pray for?

In Hinduism, prayer is another form of positive thinking! Instead of "வேண்டாம்" one should pray for "வேண்டும்" -

This song is just one example from Vallalar's தெய்வ மணி மாலை, sung by him at Kandakottam temple at the age of 9 years!

Skanda Puranam..

During Skanda Shashti its auspicious to listen to "Skanda Puranam" - Skanda Puranam in Sanskrit is one of the largest puranams and Kachiappa Devar composed this in Tamil. He was an archakar at Kumarakottam temple at Kanchi and the starting words of Kandapuranam in tamil was initiated by Lord Muruga himself! (‘திகட சக்கர’). Everyday he composed 100 songs and used to leave the manuscripts at his feet, and Murugan used to review it and made corrections!

 Very powerful lyrics, here are some amazing poems. The first one gives a graphical description of how Murugan's avatharam came to be :

"அருவமும் உருவமாகி அனாதியாய்ப் பலவாயொன்றாய்
பிரமமாய் நின்றசோதிப் பிழம்பதோர் மேனியாகிக்
கருணை கூர் முகங்களாறும் கரங்கள் பன்னிரண்டுங் கொண்டே
ஒருதிரு முருகன் வந்தாங்கு உதித்தனன் உலகமுய்ய"

"மறைகளின் முடிவால் வாக்கால் மனத்தினால் அளக்கொணாமல்
நிறைவுடன் யாண்டு மாகி நின்றிடும் நிமல மூர்த்தி
அறிமுக வுருவாய்த் தோன்றி அருளோடு சரவணத்தில்
வெறிகமழ் கமலப் போதில் வீற்றிருந் தருளினானே "

"ஏலவார்குழல் இறைவிக்கும் எம்பிரான் தனக்கும்
பாலனாகும் குமரவேள் நடுவுறும் பான்மை
ஞாலமேல் உறும் இரவோடு பகலுக்கும்
மாலையான தொன்று அழிவின்றி நிற்குமாறெங்கும்"

இவ்வண்ணம் பாலகனாய்த் தோன்றிய முருகனை இறைவனும் இறைவியும் எடுத்துப் பாலூட்டித் தம்பக்கத்தில் இருத்தினார்கள். அவ்வண்ணம் எழுந்தருளிய மூர்த்தமே சோமஸ்கந்த மூர்த்தமாக அமைந்துள்ளது.

தெய்வீகச் சிறப்புடன் விளங்கும் முருகப் பெருமான் இறைவனிடமும் இறைவியிடமும் தலைமைத்துவத்தைப் பெற்று ஞான சக்தியாகிய வேற்படைக் கலத்தையும் அம்பிகையிடம் பெற்று சூரனை வதம் செய்து அருளினார்.

“முருகப்பெருமானின் திருவரலாறாகிய கந்தபுராணத்தைக் காதலுடன் இப்புவியில் படிப்போர், கேட்போர், நினைப்போர் யாவரும் இந்திரனைப் போலத் தலைமைத்துவமும் இன்பமும் மிக்க வாழ்வை வாழ்ந்து இறுதியில் பரமானந்த நிலையாகிய சிவபதப் பேறும் பெறுவர்

Nakkerar's vision of Murugan in Tiru-Ceer-Alaivai

How does Lord Muruga with his six faces and twelve hands as Shanmukha graces Tiru-Ceer-Alaivai ('sacred place of the everlasting waves') or Tiruchendur.?

 In his classic poem Tiru-murugarrupatai, Nakkeerar describes the coming in of Muruga borne by "Pinnimukam" the celestial elephant and of the special attributes of his faces and arms.

 

 Verses 78-88....
" Muruga comes "borne aloft on elephant, swiftly striding, irresistible as death, fleet as the risen wind, on whose brow, scarred deep with sharp goad, unfading wreaths and medals toss, and bells of alternate peal ring on either side, beauteous gems of changing sheen flash like lightning on His crown, five shapes in one and wrought consummately; bright pendant ear-rings of varied work shine like stars clinging around the moon, shedder of light on far lands."