Lord Siva as Paruthiyappar graced the sun

The temple is praised in the Thevaram hymns of Saints Tirugnana Sambandar (Thirumurai 3.104).

Lord Shiva in the temple is a swayambumurthy. Sun God dedicates his puja to Lord on Panguni 18, 19 and 20 in March-April with his rays submitted on Lord Shiva. This is the only temple where Sun stands before Lord enjoying His darshan. There are 3 Chandikeswaras in the prakara. Behind the goshta wall are Lord Maha Vishnu and Sri Anjanya side by side

This is the place where Sun was relieved of his doshas, hence noted for its importance to perform rituals for the ancestors.  Pithur dosha may fall on one due to the adverse aspect of any planet.  Those born on Karthika, Uthiram, Uthiradam(Sun Nakshatras) star days, those undergoing Sun main period in life(Dasa-Bukthi), those born under Leo ascendant and Rasi and in the months Chithirai (April-May), Aavani (September-October), Aipasi (October-November) and on the first day of any Tamil month, pray here on the first Sunday of the full moon fortnight to get relieved from all adverse aspects affecting them.

Sun God partook in the Yajna conducted by Daksha without the permission of Lord Shiva and was therefore punished by Lord Akora Veerabadra and incurred doshas.  For relief, Sun worshipped Lord in 16 Shiva sthalas.  Sankarankoil, Thalai Gnayiru,Suriyanar Koil and Tirumangalakudi in South and Konark in north are among these 16 places. 

This is also the shrine granting longevity to devotees.  It is believed that Sage Markandeya is worshipping the Lord even now formlessly.  Those suffering from prolonged and severe ailments draw benefit from praying to Lord Shiva in this temple.  People attaining the age of 60, 70 and 80 celebrate Ayush Homa (longevity worship) in this temple.  One Brhamma Shrama and his wife Susheelai incurred a curse to be born as eagle and parrot.  They worshipped Lord Shiva here and were relieved of the curse.

Once, Sun God known as Parithi in Tamil was affected by a severe disease.  He surrendered to Lord Shiva for relief.  Lord advised Sun to reach this place, create a holy spring, install a Shivalinga and worship Him.  Sun meticulously followed Lord’s advice and gained relief from the disease. As Lord Shiva graced the Sun, He is named Parithi Appar in Tamil and Bhaskhareswara in Sanskrit.

The other story is that Emperor Shibi, belonging to Lord Sri Rama’s Surya dynasty in the ascending order, renounced his royal life and set out on a pilgrimage of Shiva sthalas.  He is the king who rendered justice to a dove offering his own flesh.  During the pilgrimage, the emperor was relaxing at this place.  His escort was gathering grass for feeding the horse.  While he dug the land for grass, his instrument touched the Shivalinga below and began to bleed.   The king ordered for further digging and found the Surya Linga.  He performed abishek to the Linga and worshipped.  A scar on the Linga is still an evidence of this event, according to sthala purana.  The emperor learnt the origin of Linga from a sage.

The Linga installed by Sun was brought out to the world through one belonging to his own dynasty.  The rays of Sun fall on Lord during March-April (Panguni Tamil month on 18, 19 and 20).

                                3 Chandikeswarar

Lord is a swayambumurthy in the temple. The rays of Sun fall on the Lord on 18, 19 and 20 in the Tamil month of Panguni. He is in a standing posture before the Linga in the temple, a rare darshan exclusively in this temple. There are 3 Chandikeswaras in the prakara. Lord Maha Vishnu and Sri Anjaneya are in the goshta wall behind the sanctum.

Thirumurai 3. 104 திருப்பரிதிநியமம்

1. விண்கொண்ட தூமதி சூடிநீடு விரிபுன் சடைதாழப்
பெண்கொண்ட மார்பில்வெண் ணீறுபூசிப் பேணார் பலிதேர்ந்து
கண்கொண்ட சாயலொ டேர்கவர்ந்த கள்வர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பண்கொண்ட வண்டினம் பாடியாடும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

2. அரவொலி வில்லொலி யம்பினொலி யடங்கார் புரமூன்றும்
நிரவவல்லார் நிமிர்புன் சடைமே னிரம்பா மதிசூடி
இரவில் புகுந்தெ னெழில்கவர்ந்த விறைவர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பரவவல் லார்வினை பாழ்படுக்கும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

3. வாண்முக வார்குழல் வாணெடுங்கண் வளைத்தோண் மாதஞ்ச
நீண்முக மாகிய பைங்களிற்றின் னுரிமே னிகழ்வித்து
நாண்முகங் காட்டி நலங்கவர்ந்த நாதர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பாண்முக வண்டினம் பாடியாடும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

4. வெஞ்சுரஞ் சேர்விளை யாடல்பேணி விரிபுன் சடைதாழத்
துஞ்சிருண் மாலையும் நண்பகலுந் துணையார் பலிதேர்ந்து
அஞ்சுரும் பார்குழல் சோரவுள்ளங் கவர்ந்தார்க் கிடம்போலும்
பஞ்சுரம் பாடிவண்டி யாழ்முரலும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

5. நீர்புல்கு புன்சடை நின்றிலங்க நெடுவெண் மதிசூடித்
தார்புல்கு மார்பில்வெண் ணீறணிந்து தலையார் பலிதேர்வார்
ஏர்புல்கு சாய லெழில்கவர்ந்த விறைவர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பார்புல்கு தொல்புக ழால்விளங்கும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

6. வெங்கடுங் காட்டகத் தாடல்பேணி விரிபுன் சடைதாழத்
திங்கள் திருமுடிமேல் விளங்கத் திசையார் பலிதேர்வார்
சங்கொடு சாய லெழில்கவர்ந்த சைவர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பைங்கொடி முல்லை படர்புறவிற் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

7. பிறைவளர் செஞ்சடை பின்றயங்கப் பெரிய மழுவேந்தி
மறையொலி பாடிவெண் ணீறுபூசி மனைகள் பலிதேர்வார்
இறைவளை சோர வெழில்கவர்ந்த விறைவர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பறையொலி சங்கொலி யால்விளங்கும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

8. ஆசடை வானவர் தானவரோ டடியா ரமர்ந்தேத்த
மாசடை யாதவெண் ணீறுபூசி மனைகள் பலிதேர்வார்
காசடை மேகலை சோரவுள்ளங் கவர்ந்தார்க் கிடம்போலும்
பாசடைத் தாமரை வைகுபொய்கைப் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

9. நாடினர் காண்கிலர் நான்முகனுந் திருமா னயந்தேத்தக்
கூடல ராடல ராகிநாளுங் குழகர் பலிதேர்வார்
ஏடலர் சோர வெழில்கவர்ந்த இறைவர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பாடல ராடல ராய்வணங்கும் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

10. கல்வள ராடையர் கையிலுண்ணுங் கழுக்க ளிழுக்கான
சொல்வள மாக நினைக்கவேண்டா சுடுநீ றதுவாடி
நல்வளை சோர நலங்கவர்ந்த நாதர்க் கிடம்போலும்
பல்வளர் முல்லையங் கொல்லைவேலிப் பரிதிந் நியமமே.

11. பையர வம்விரி காந்தள்விம்மு பரிதிந் நியமத்துத்
தையலொர் பாக மமர்ந்தவனைத் தமிழ்ஞான சம்பந்தன்
பொய்யிலி மாலை புனைந்தபத்தும் பரவிப் புகழ்ந்தேத்த
ஐயுற வில்லை பிறப்பறுத்தல் அவலம் அடையாவே.

wearing on the head the white crescent which has the sky as its place.
the long, loosened and ruddy caṭai to hang low smearing on the chest which has a lady, the white sacred ash begging alms without minding it to be a despicable act.
the place of the Chief who stole the beauty along with the tenderness that captivates the eye.
is Paritiniyamam where the swarm of bees which hum like music and dance round the flowers.

Civaṉ who was able to raze to the level of the ground all the three cities of the enemies with the sound of the bow-string which was a serpent, the sound of the bow which was the mountain, Mēru, and the sound of the arrow which consisted of the air, Māl and fire.
wearing a crescent on the erect and ruddy caṭai.
the place of the Lord who entered into my house at night and stole my beauty.
is Paritiniyamam which itself makes the good and bad acts, of those who are able to praise it, barren.

to make the lady who has shoulders like the bamboo, has long-eyes like the sword, long tresses of hair and a bright face, to be frightened.
covering the body with the skin of a black elephant which has a long face.
the place of the master who stole my feminine qualities by appearing to be shy before me.
is Paritiniyanam where the swarms of bees which have music in them hum and wander everywhere

reaching the burning ground which is like the hot desert and desirous of playing there.
the loosened and ruddy caṭai to fall low.
collecting alms having the pūtams as his companions in the dark night when all people are asleep and in the noon.
the place of Civaṉ who stole the mind of ladies, their tresses of hair to fall low by loosening.
is Paritiniyamam where the bees sing the melody type pañcuram and hum like the music produced in yāḻ.

to shine on the ruddy caṭai to which water is attached.
wearing a white and long crescent adorning the chest on which there are garlands with white sacred ash.
collecting alms to fill the skull.
the place of the god who stole the imposing appearance and gentleness which is always on the increase.
is Paritiniyamam which is eminent by the ancient fame that has spread throught the world.

desirous of dancing in the hot and fearful cremation-ground.
the loosened and ruddy caṭai to hang low.
and the crescent to shine on his head.
obtains available alms in the several directions.
the place of Civaṉ who is the first caivaṉ, and who stole the bangles made of conch, gentleness and beauty.
is Paritiniyamam where the creeper of green mullai spreads in the forest tract.

the red caṭai on which the crescent is waxing to shine on the back.
holding a big battle-axe.
singing the vētams with their proper accents smearing himself with white sacred ash, obtains alms in the house, the place of the master who stole the beauty to cause the bangles worn on the wrist to slip off.
is Paritiniyanam which is eminent by the sound of the drums and conches.

the devotees praise with desire along with acurar and the celestials who approach Civaṉ as their support.
smearing himself with the white sacred ash which has not the slightest blackness.
will obtain alms in the houses.
the place of the god who stole the mind, to cause the girdle worn on the waist set with gems, to slip off.
is Paritiniyanam where in the natural tanks the lotus flowers with green leaves are staying.

not being available to Piramaṉ of four faces and Tirumāl who could not see Civaṉ though they searched for him, and playing with them when they praised imploring Civaṉ.
obtaining alms daily assuming the form of a youth.
the place of Civaṉ who stole the beauty of cause the flowers with petals worn on the tresses of hair to fall down.
is Paritiniyanam where devotees pay homage to Civaṉ singing and dancing out of ecstasy.

Devotees of Civaṉ!
Let you not think that the wicked words of the buddhists who dress themselves in the robe dyed in red ochre and amaṇar who hold in their hands bowl from which food is taken and devoured and who are like stake for impaling criminals, are having any substance.
bathing in well-burnt sacred ash the place of the master who stole beauty to cause the good bangles to slip off from the hand.
is Paritiniyaman which is surrounded by the forest tract where the arabian jasmine which blossoms like teeth, is growing.

on Civaṉ who desired on one half a lady, and who dwells in Paritiniyamam where malabar glory lily is thriving which blossoms like the hood of the cobra.
if one praises singing Civaṉ`s glory in the second person, with the help of the garland of tamiḻ verses which do not contain any falsehood and adorned by Ñāṉacampantaṉ who had deep knowledge of tamiḻ.
there is not the slightest doubt that they root out being born again.
suffering will not go near them.