Sri Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai

Address

Sri Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai District -609001,PH:04364-222345

Diety

Mayuranathaswami, Mayuranathar Amman: Abayambigai

Introduction

Mayuranathaswami Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Mayiladuthurai Town in Mayiladuthurai Taluk in Mayiladuthurai District of Tamil Nadu. Presiding Deity is called as Mayuranathar / Gowri Mayuranathar / Gowri Thandavareesar and Mother is called as Abhayapradhambikai / Abhayambikai / Anjalanayaki / Anjalai. This temple is considered as one of the six temples along the banks of the Kaveri which are considered equivalent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.This temple is considered as one of the temples participating in Saptha Sthana festival of Mayiladuthurai. This temple is considered as one of the Pancha Dakshinamoorthy Sthalams around Mayiladuthurai. This Temple is considered as one of the shrines of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Thevaram hymns. This Temple is the 156th Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 39th sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. Arunagirinathar has praised Lord Muruga of this temple in his Thirupugazh Hymns. Thala Virutcham : Mango Tree Theertham : Idabam, Brahmma and Agasthya

Puranic Significance

The temple was built by the medieval Cholas. The original brick temple seems to have been reconstructed in stone by Sembiyan Mahadevi, wife of Gandaraditya Chola in 10th Century CE. The oldest inscriptions on the temple walls date to the time of Kulothunga Chola I. The presiding deity of the temple was called as ThirumayiIaduthurai Udaiyar in the ancient inscriptions. Mayuranathar: As per legend, Daksha, father of Mother Sati conducted a Yajna but intentionally failed to invite Lord Shiva to humiliate him. It is said that Daksha Yajna was performed at nearby Thiruppariyalur. Lord Shiva instructed Sati not to attend the Yajna. However, Sati attended the Yajna to correct her father despite being invited and disobeying the words of Lord Shiva. She was humiliated by Daksha. This enraged Lord Shiva who sent Veeerabadhra and Kali to desecrate the sacrifice conducted by Daksha. While the Yaga was being desecrated by Veerabhadra and Kali, a peahen used for the rituals got injured and sought asylum at the feet of Mother Sati. As she ignored the advice of Lord Shiva, She was cursed to become a peahen. Later, when Sati repented, Lord Shiva reduced this sentence.Mother Parvathi had to pray first at Mylapore and then at Mayiladuthurai for the entire month of Aippasi to reunite with him. Sati repented for not obeying the instructions of Lord Shiva. To wash off this sin, she entered the sacrificial fire. She took birth as a peahen came to this place. She performed severe penance to get back her Lord. When Uma Devi performed penance in the form of a peahen, she consumed the leaves of the Mango Tree. Pleased with her penance, Lord Shiva took the form of a peacock and danced with his divine consort Uma Devi. This divine dance is known as Gowri Thandavam (Mayura Thandavam). It is believed that the divine couple performed the dance on 25th day of Aippasi. She was restored back to her original form. As Lord came here as a peacock (Mayura / Mayil), he came to be called as Mayuranathar and the place came to be called as Mayiladuthurai. It is also said that the Lord Shiva convened a great assembly called Mahasabha here and married Uma Devi on 27th day of Aippasi month. In memory of the above event, Theerthavari is performed on all the 30 days in Aippasi, quite a unique feature. Also, all the devas who attended Daksha Yajna worshipped Lord Shiva here and got liberated from their sins. Thula Snana: Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi were quite dirty and ugly as people took bath in these rivers to wash off their sins. These three rivers approached Sage Kanva Rishi in Kasi. He advised these rivers to visit Mayiladuthurai during Aippasi (Thula) month for relief. As advised, they visited Mayiladuthurai, took bath (Thula Snana) in Cauvery and got relief from their sins. Also, they regained their beauty. Hence, it is considered auspicious to take bath at Cauvery here during the month of Aippasi. Especially, the last day of Aippasi, called Kadaimugam is considered the most sacred day to take bath here and get moksha. Lord Muruga visit to Mayiladuthurai: Lord Muruga visited Mayiladuthurai to invoke the blessings of Lord Mayuranathar and moved from Mayiladuthurai to Thiruvidaikazhi near Thiru Kadaiyur. Puranic References: Skantha Purana, Shiva Purana, Brahmanda Purana and Chidambara Purana extols the greatness of Mayiladuthurai and glorify the presence of Cauvery. Mudavan Muzhukku: Nadha Sharma and his wife Anavidyambikai were ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. They desired to merge themselves with the feet of Lord Siva. To realise their desire, they undertook a pilgrimage visiting several Shiva temples and finally reached Mayiladuthurai for the Cauvery bath (Thula Snanam) during the Kadaimugam but by the time they arrived it was too late. They sadly stayed at the night on the banks of the Cauvery worshipping Lord Shiva. Pleased with their devotion, Lord Shiva appeared in their dream and said he will extend the sacred period to the next day and asked them to take bath before the sunrise. Further, Lord Shiva assured that they would have full benefit of the Tula Snanam bath. Hence, the first day of Karthigai month before sunrise is called Mudavan Muzhukku and is considered as holy as Kadaimugam. Based on this, the practice of this bath continues even now on the first day of Karthikai month. As Lord Shiva froze the bath time for his devotee couple, this bath is called Mudavan Muzhukku (Mudakku means freezing & Muzhukku in Tamil means bath). Finally, the couple merged with the Lord Shiva. Nadha Sharma merged with the Linga on the left side of the sanctum. This Linga is facing towards west. Anavidyambikai merged with the Linga on the right side of the Mother shrine. This Linga is dressed in Red Sari only. It also indicates the oneness of male and female. It is customary for all devotees who visit this temple to offer worship first at the shrines of Nadha Sharma Lingam and Anavidyambikai Lingam before offering worship to the Lord Mayuranathar. It is believed that without worshipping these Lingas, they cannot please Lord Mayuranathar and get their prayers fulfilled.

Beliefs

Those seeking pardon for a wrong committed unknowingly pray to Lord for peace of mind after a bath in Cauvery. Also those aspiring mastery in dancing seek the blessings of Lord. Devotees, on realizing their wishes perform special abishek to Lord and Mother with vastras.

Special Features

The presiding deity is a swayambhu lingam or a self-manifested lingam, the symbol of the Hindu god Shiva. Shiva’s consort is known by the names Abhayapradhambikai, Abhayambikai, Anjalanayaki and Anjalai. There are three smaller shrines to the Hindu god Ganesha and another to Shiva as Nataraja or “Lord of Dance”.One of the sculptures in the temple represent Shiva embracing Goddess Parvathi. According to mythology, the goddess Parvathi, the consort of Shiva, once offended him. Shiva was so annoyed he cursed Parvathi to be born as a lowly peahen. The temple tank, Brahma Theertham can be seen immediately after the Rajagopuram on the left side. People travel in large numbers to Mayiladuthurai to bathe in this tank on the day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi (November December). This bath purifies a person of sins because the waters of the river Ganges and other Indian rivers mingle with the waters of the Kaveri River in this tank on this particular day. Kumara Kattalai Store Room can be seen immediately after the Rajagopuram on the right side. There is another three tiered inner gopuram at the entrance of the inner prakaram. Nandi, Balipeedam and Dhwaja Sthambam can be seen in the inner prakaram, facing the sanctum. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Mukha Mandapam, Maha Mandapam, Ardha Mandapam, Antrala and Sanctum. There is a south facing shrine for Nataraja in the Maha Mandapam. He appears in Gauri Thandava posture. This posture is celebrated as Mayura Thandavam (Mayura means peacock). The first puja in the evening is dedicated to Lord Nataraja. Presiding Deity is called as Mayuranathar / Gowri Mayuranathar / Gowri Thandavareesar and is facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Lord is a Swayambhu Moorthy (selfmanifested). The vimana above the sanctum sanctorum is known as Tridala vimana. Nardana Vinayaga, Nataraja, Mouna Dakshinamoorthy (Medha Dakshinamoorthy), Alinganamoorthy, Lingodbhava, Bikshadana, Brahma, Gangavisarjana and Durga are the koshta idols located around the sanctum walls. Shrines of Meenakshi Sundareswarar & Vinayaga, Madapalli and Kumara Kattalai Office can be seen in the third prakaram to the right side of Sanctum. There are also shrines for Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli & Devasena and Vinayaga in the third prakaram. There is a sculpture of a devotee trying to sever his head as an offering to the God on the temple wall. There is another sculpture represents Lord Shiva embracing Goddess Parvathi. There is a separate east facing shrine for Lord Aadhi Mayuranathar in the outer prakaram. This Shrine is situated in the north east corner of the outer prakaram. Balipeedam and Nandi can be found facing his shrine. Idols of Vinayaga and Subrahmanya can be seen in this shrine. Theerthams associated with this temple are Rishaba Theertham, Agastya Theertham and Brahma Theertham. Rishaba Theertham is the most important one. It is a big bathing ghat in the Cauvery river itself. Sthala Vriksham is Mango tree. There is a Vilva tree in this temple. The leaves of this tree have seven leaflets, instead of the usual three. The temple is running a Thevara Padasala for educating poor children on religious lines. The temple owns a big chariot and several vahanas made of silver & wood.

Festivals

On the day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi (November–December), religious Hindus have a ceremonial bath in the temple tank as it is believed to purify them from sins. An annual dance festival called the Mayura Natyanjali festival is celebrated within the precincts of the temple each year.