Mother of Prosperity

The glory of Lord of the temple is praised by Saint Gnanasamabandar in his Thevaram hymns.  This is the 56th Shiva temple on the southern banks of Cauvery praised in Thevaram hymns.

Lord Meganathaswami is a swayambulinga.  Those chanting Lalitha Sahasranama and Lalitha Navarathna Mala sitting in the Mother’s shrine are bestowed with all grace and prosperity in life.  This is the birth place of Garuda, Aruna the charioteer of Sun, Vali, Sugriva, Yama and Saneeswara.  Hence, people perform Ayush Homa and Mrutyunjaya Homa in this temple for longevity.  They also offer Pirandai Rice nivedhana placed on a lotus leaf to Lord and eat it for cure from diseases.

Sun worshipped in the temple for relief from a curse and got back His glittering power.  Mother Kali had worshipped Lord and Mother here.

Sage Kashyapa had two wives Vinatha and Karthru.  They prayed to Lord Shiva seeking child boon.  Lord gave them an egg each and asked them to keep it safe for a year.  Garuda was born from the egg of Vinatha.  Later Garuda became the Vahan of Lord Vishnu.  As nothing came out from her egg, Karthru hurriedly broke it only to find a disfigured child.  She sought the pardon of Lord Shiva for her hasty action.  Lord Shiva not only pardoned her and blessed the child to become the charioteer of Sun bearing the name Aruna and the Sun rise would be called Arunodhaya.  Aruna became a Shiva devotee and performed severe penance for His darshan.  Sun mocked at Aruna that one with physical defects cannot reach Kailash for Darshan.  Aruna did not give in his efforts and succeeded finally.  Lord Shiva granting darshan to Aruna, cursed Sun too to lose his shining.  Shocked Sun placed Lord Parameswara and Mother Parvathi on an elephant, worshipped them and got back his shining power.  That Lord Shiva is Lord Meganatha in this temple under the Gajabrushta Vimana designed as the back part of an elephant.  There are three Kalasas on the Vimana.  The name of the place Meeyachur has the story of Sun recovering his shining power.

Presiding deity Meganatha Swami is facing east.  Mother Lalithambika, also praised as Soundarya Nayaki is seated on the Sri Chakra throne majestically as an empress.

As Mother Meenakshi in Madurai and Sri Andal in Srivilliputhur, Mother Durga in this Meeyachur temple is holding a parrot.  Durga with a parrot is rare in temples.

Durga in Tirusuhula Nathar temple in Chennai Tirishulam and in Chinnamanur Manickavasagar Temple in Theni district have this feature.  Mother Durga with 8 hands in Tirumeeyachur temple is praised as Sukha Brahmma Durga Devi.  Proably, this name ought to have been derived after the name of Sukha Brahmma Rishi with a parrot nose, son of Sage of Veda Vyasa.  She looks all smiling though standing on demon Mahishasura – a Shanta Swarupini.  It is believed that this parrot is taking the message of the devotees to Mother Lalithambika through Durga Matha.  Even today, devotees can see a parrot flying from Durga shrine to Lalithambika shrine during evenings.

Lord Hayagriva is the disciple of Mother Lalithambika.  He taught the greatness of Lalitha Sahasranama to Sage Agasthya.  Sage asked Hayagriva which was the suitable place to chant this great hymn.  Lord said that the sage should visit a place on earth where Mother graces in the name of Manonmani.  Sage, with his devout wife Lopamudra came to Tirumeeyachur and chanted Lalitha Sahasranama before Mother Lalithambika.  Pleased with his devotion, Mother appeared before the sage and his wife in the form of Navaratnas-nine precious stones.  Sage Agasthya worshipped Mother with his own hymn Lalitha Navaratna Mala.

There are two Shiva shrines in the temple. Lord is in Linga form.  Saint Tirugnana Sambandar had sung the glory of Lord in the shrine under the Rajagopuram and Saint Tirunavukkarasar had praised the Lord in the Ilankoil in the north prakara of the temple.  This is a temple of Mother importance.

Yama the God of death and the deity of Sadhya Star worshipped Lord Shiva performing abishek with 1008 conches.  These conches have the power of granting longevity.  Yama brought the sacred plant Pirandai belonging to the creeper category to earth.  He offered rice nivedhana prepared with this pirandai to Lord.  This is followed now by devotees for relief from diseases and for longevity.

Though Mother Lalithambika was dressed with all jewels as an Empress, one jewel,  anklets at Her feet were absent.  A devotee woman had a dream as if she was fixing the anklet to Mother. She immediately offered the anklets to mother.  Following this incident, now, devotees seeking wedding, child and education boons offer anklets to Mother Lalithambika.

The devotee can have the darshan of the shrines of Lords Brahmma,Vishnu and Lingodhbava (Shiva) standing in between the two Vimanas.  Lord Chandikeswara graces with four faces.  The sculpture of Kshetra Puraneswara is very beautiful.  The Mother part of the sculpture appears angry from one side and smiling and soft from the other side.

Dreaded demon Pandasura was harassing sages and Devas.  They surrendered at the feet of Mother Parasakthi for protection.  Responding to their appeal, Devi rose from a Yaga Gunda, mounted on the Sri Chakra Rath with the name Lalithambika, waged the war against the demon and destroyed him.  She was  very furious then.  Lord Shiva asked Mother to go to Earth, assume the name Manonmani and perform penance and shed her fury.   Mother came to this place and became soft and merciful.  She created Vak Devathas-deities ruling words- and asked them to sing Her praise with 1000 names.  This became the holy Lalitha Sahasraname beginning with the words, Sri Mathre meaning “Mother of prosperity”.

 Moolavar :  Meganathaswami
  Urchavar : Panchamurthi
  Amman / Thayar :Lalithambika, Soundarya Nayaki
  Thala Virutcham :Mandharai, Vilwa
  Historical Name : Tirumeeyachur
  City : Thirumeeyachur
  District : Tiruvarur

Sri Lalithambika-Meganathaswami Temple, Tirumeeyachur-609 405, Tiruvarur district.

Thirumurai 2.62 திருமீயச்சூர்

பாடல் எண் : 1

காயச் செவ்விக் காமற் காய்ந்து கங்கையைப்
பாயப் படர்புன் சடையிற் பதித்த பரமேட்டி
மாயச் சூரன் றறுத்த மைந்தன் றாதைதன்
மீயச் சூரே தொழுது வினையை வீட்டுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 2

பூவார் சடையின் முடிமேற் புனல ரனல்கொள்வர்
நாவார் மறையர் பிறையர் நறவெண் டலையேந்தி
ஏவார் மலையே சிலையாக் கழியம் பெரிவாங்கி
மேவார் புரமூன் றெரித்தார் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 3

பொன்னேர் கொன்றை மாலை புரளு மகலத்தான்
மின்னேர் சடைக ளுடையான் மீயச் சூரானைத்
தன்னேர் பிறரில் லானைத் தலையால் வணங்குவார்
அந்நே ரிமையோ ருலக மெய்தற் கரிதன்றே.

பாடல் எண் : 4

வேக மதநல் லியானை வெருவ வுரிபோர்த்துப்
பாக முமையோ டாகப் படிதம் பலபாட
நாக மரைமே லசைத்து நடமா டியநம்பன்
மேக முரிஞ்சும் பொழில்சூழ் மீயச் சூரானே.

பாடல் எண் : 5

விடையார் கொடியார் சடைமேல் விளங்கும் பிறைவேடம்
படையார் பூதஞ் சூழப் பாட லாடலார்
பெடையார் வரிவண் டணையும் பிணைசேர் கொன்றையார்
விடையார் நடையொன் றுடையார் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 6

குளிருஞ் சடைகொண் முடிமேற் கோல மார்கொன்றை
ஒளிரும் பிறையொன் றுடையா னொருவன் கைகோடி
நளிரும் மணிசூழ் மாலை நட்ட நவினம்பன்
மிளிரும் மரவ முடையான் மீயச் சூரானே.

பாடல் எண் : 7

நீல வடிவர் மிடறு நெடியர் நிகரில்லார்
கோல வடிவு தமதாங் கொள்கை யறிவொண்ணார்
காலர் கழலர் கரியி னுரியர் மழுவாளர்
மேலர் மதியர் விதியர் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 8

புலியி னுரிதோ லாடை பூசும் பொடிநீற்றர்
ஒலிகொள் புனலோர் சடைமேற் கரந்தா ருமையஞ்ச
வலிய திரடோள் வன்க ணரக்கர் கோன்றன்னை
மெலிய வரைக்கீ ழடர்த்தார் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 9

காதின் மிளிருங் குழையர் கரிய கண்டத்தார்
போதி லவனு மாலுந் தொழப்பொங் கெரியானார்
கோதி வரிவண் டறைபூம் பொய்கைப் புனல்மூழ்கி
மேதி படியும் வயல்சூழ் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 10

கண்டார் நாணும் படியார் கலிங்க முடைபட்டைக்
கொண்டார் சொல்லைக் குறுகா ருயர்ந்த கொள்கையார்
பெண்டான் பாக முடையார் பெரிய வரைவில்லா
விண்டார் புரமூன் றெரித்தார் மீயச் சூராரே.

பாடல் எண் : 11

வேட முடைய பெருமா னுறையு மீயச்சூர்
நாடும் புகழார் புகலி ஞான சம்பந்தன்
பாட லாய தமிழீ ரைந்து மொழிந்துள்கி
ஆடு மடியா ரகல்வா னுலகம் அடைவாரே.

Civaṉ in the most exalted place fixed in his ruddy and spreading caṭai Kankai which came rushing down, and destroyed Kāmaṉ who had a beautiful body.
(People of this world!
) destroy all your Karmams by worshipping Miyaccūr of the father of the one who cut the cūr of treacherous nature in the past.

Civaṉ bears water on his caṭai coiled into a crown, which is full of flowers, and holds fire.
chants vētams with his tongue.
wears a crescent.
holds a white skull filled with intoxicating liquor.
converting the mountain into a bow for fixing arrows, drawing from it the excessive fire as an arrow;
Civaṉ in Mīyaccūr burnt the three cities of the enemies.

Civaṉ wears a garland of golden koṉṟai, rolling over his chest;
the god in Mīyaccūr who has many caṭais which are shining like lightning.
those who bow their heads to Civaṉ who has no equal.
it is not difficult for them to reach that world of the celestials which is fit for them.

covering with a skin to frighten the elephant of must, speed and beauty.
being a half with Umai.
to sing songs of praise.
Civaṉ who danced having fastened a cobra on his waist.
is the god in Mīyaccūr surrounded by gardens against which clouds rub when moving.

Civaṉ has a flag on which the forms of a bull is drawn.
has the appearance of a crescent shining on the caṭai.
sings and dances surrounded by the army of pūtam.
wears a garland of koṉṟai which the male bee with lines reaches with its female.
Civaṉ in Miyāccūr has the gait like that of a bull;

Civaṉ has a shining crescent and beautiful koṉṟai on his cool caṭai which is coiled into a crown.
the pearless one.
Civaṉ who practises dance bending his hand in the cool evening when there is light everywhere.
the Lord in Mīyaccūr has a shining cobra.

Civaṉ has a blue neck.
is tall.
has no one else to be compared to him.
no one can understand the idea of his assuming many beautiful forms.
wears kaḻal on his leg.
has the skin of an elephant.
has a battle-axe.
has a crescent on his head.
creates everything.
is in Mīyaccūr

Civaṉ wears as a dress the skin flayed from a tiger.
smears himself with a fine powder of holy ash.
concealed on a single caṭai the water which makes a big sound.
as Umai was frightened the Lord in Mīyaccūr crushed under the mountain the king of the arakkar, who was cruel and has round shoulders, to languish.

Civaṉ wears a shining mens` ear-ring in his (right) ear.
has a black neck.
assumed the form of fire which shot up, to be worshipped by Piramaṉ in the (lotus) flower, and Māl the Lord in Mīyaccūr surrounded by fields where buffaloes rest plunging into the water of the natural tank where in the flowers the bees with lines hum loudly pecking into them for honey.

camanar who have bodies that make on lookers to feel shame.
and buddhists who have a robe soaked in the bark of marutam, as their dress.
people with superior doctrines will not approach the words of those two people.
has a lady as one half.
the Lord in Mīyaccūr burnt the three cities of the enemies with the big mountain as the bow

where the Lord of many forms dwells.
meditating on Civaṉ and reciting all these ten tamiḻ verses composed by Nyāṉacampantaṉ who is native of pukali and who desires mīyaccūr which has great fame.
devotees who dance out of joy will reach the extensive heaven after life in this world.