Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Lord Siva took the tiger form and grace the hunter

This is the 48th sacred place in the northern bank of Kaveri consecrated by thevaaram.

The Lord of this place graces us as a swayambu moorthi. This place brought in the important Maha Sivarathiri festival, the festival of Siva temples. In this sacred temple, Lord Dakshinamurthi appears in the standing posture with a staff in his hand. Such an icon cannot be seen in any other place. Nandikeswarar is reversed and in the opposite side. There is no Navagraha sanctum in this temple. In the ardha mantapam, on both the sides of the door step, Lord Vishnu and Brahma stand as security guards, a feature that could not be seen anywhere.


This holy temple has no Rajagopuram.  In the front appears Vinayagar.  With five kalasams, the front door alone faces east.  On entering we can see the Nandhi turning faces us eastward.  If we enter the inner temple door, we can see and enjoy the Hunter story imaged in mortar.  In the outer prakaaram are the sanctum of Saptakannikas, Sundaramurthi Vinayagar sanctum and that of Lord Arumuga.

Worshipping Lord Vilvavaneswarar, our sorrows will vanish.  Those who long for marriage and offspring can worship this Lord.  The Lord will grant peace and serenity to those who pray to Him.  The Lord also readily grants the prayers of his devotees who pray for good job opportunities, business enhancement and promotion in job

The command of Ambal:   Valaikkainaayaki  (Sarvajana Rakshaki) of this temple is a powerful deity.  It is significant to perform pooja in the Tuesdays and Fridays between 6.00 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.  At that time, we should stand near the Sri Chakram opposite to Devi, voice out our troubles and worship.  We can feel that Devi talks with us.  While we are praying to Ambal, the priest would perform the ‘deepaaradhnai’ (showing camphor-light) to the Lord, come to the sanctum of Ambal, inform us about our prayer and also the duration of time for that to get fulfilled.  The devotees endorse this that things have happened as told by the priest.
Vedas in the form of Vilvam:  Legends state that the Vedas conduct their tapasya in the form of Vilvam.  It is believed that the Vedas realized that everything would be annihilated during deluge.  So they approached Lord Siva and asked Him the way to get protected from extinction.  The Lord advised them to do tapasya standing as the bael tree.  They did so and hence this holy place came to be known as ‘Vilva Aaranyam’ and the Lord was called ‘Vilvavaneswarar’. Here reside Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu and so the place is celebrated as the holy place of the Trinity.  Just as the bridal couple sit in a straight line during wedding, the sanctum of the Lord and Ambal appear in straight line.  The belief is that the ailments get dissolved either by taking bath in the theertham or by sprinkling that water on the body.  All doshas or curses will disappear.  In other places it is said that the Sapta Maathas had offered prayer; but here the Sapta Kannigaas (the Seven Virgin goddesses) are said to have worshipped. We can see the six-faced Shanmugar with the peacock and the sacred arc (thiruvacci) carved in single stone.  We can see clearly in the image the nails and the lines of the palm.  Another significant aspect is that the peacock stands turned towards left.

This temple has been consecrated by Saint Arunagirinaathar and also by the three nayanmar, and was erected by King Kulothunga Cholan.  At Tiruvaikkavur, the Divine Couple Siva and Parvathi joyfully stayed.  It remains as a holy place where fear of death is annulled.  The tradition is that only in this place ‘Sivarathiri’ was initiated.

When the sage Thavanidhi was doing tapasya, a hunter came chasing a deer. Since the sage gave protection to the deer, the angered hunter began attacking the sage. Lord Siva at once took the tiger’s form and began driving the hunter.  The frightened hunter ran and climbed on the nearby bael tree.  The tiger also stood under the tree.  The hunter had no other way and so stayed in the tree throughout the night. The hunter thought that he would fall down from the tree if he slept and so he plucked the leaves and dropped them down one after the other.  The leaves fell on Lord Siva in the tiger’s guise.  That was a Maha Sivarathiri day.  The hunter received unawares the grace of the Lord, worshipping Him without any knowledge, fasting and sleepless. The Lord appeared before him and sanctioned moksa (liberation) to him. As he had to die the next day early morning Yama, the Lord of Death came there.  Nandhi Deva discarded him and Lord Siva as Dakshinamurti drove Yama away with a staff in His hand.  He was also angry with Nandhi Deva for having permitted Yama in. Because of his fear to the Lord, Nandhi Deva stopped Yama controlling him with his breath.  Yama was then relieved after he surrendered to Lord Siva.  The legend says that he created a pond before the temple, worshipped the Lord and left the place.


Arulmigu Vilvavaneswarar Tirukkoil, Tiruvaikaavoor – 613 304, Thanjavur District.

Moolavar : Vilvavaneswarar
Amman : Valaikkainaayaki
Thala Virutcham : Vilvam (Bael Tree)
Theertham : Yama Theertham
Old year : 1000-2000 years old
Historical Name : Vaikaavoor
City : Tiruvaikaavoor
District : Thanjavur

Thirumurai 3.71

திருவைகாவூர்

பாடல் எண் : 1

கோழைமிட றாககவி கோளுமில வாகவிசை கூடும்வகையால்
ஏழையடி யாரவர்கள் யாவைசொன சொன்மகிழு மீசனிடமாம்
தாழையிள நீர்முதிய காய்கமுகின் வீழநிரை தாறுசிதறி
வாழையுதிர் வீழ்கனிக ளூறிவயல் சேறுசெயும் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 2

அண்டமுறு மேருவரை யங்கிகணை நாணரவ தாகவெழிலார்
விண்டவர்த முப்புரமெ ரித்தவிகிர் தன்னவன் விரும்புமிடமாம்
புண்டரிக மாமலர்கள் புக்குவிளை யாடுவயல் சூழ்தடமெலாம்
வண்டினிசை பாடவழகார்குயின்மி ழற்றுபொழில் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 3

ஊனமில ராகியுயர் நற்றவமெய் கற்றவை யுணர்ந்தவடியார்
ஞானமிக நின்றுதொழ நாளுமருள் செய்யவல நாதனிடமாம்
ஆனவயல் சூழ்தருமல் சூழியரு கேபொழில்க டோறுமழகார்
வானமதி யோடுமழை நீண்முகில்கள் வந்தணவும் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 4

இன்னவுரு வின்னநிற மென்றறிவ தேலரிது நீதிபலவும்
தன்னவுரு வாமெனமி குத்ததவ னீதியொடு தானமர்விடம்
முன்னைவினை போய்வகையி னான்முழு [ துணர்ந்துமுயல் கின்றமுனிவர்
மன்னவிரு போதுமரு வித்தொழுது சேரும்வயல் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 5

வேதமொடு வேள்விபல வாயினமி குத்துவிதி யாறுசமயம்
ஓதியுமு ணர்ந்துமுள தேவர்தொழ நின்றருள்செ யொருவனிடமாம்
மேதகைய கேதகைகள் புன்னையொடு ஞாழலவை மிக்கவழகார்
மாதவிம ணங்கமழ வண்டுபல பாடுபொழில். வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 6

நஞ்சமுது செய்தமணி கண்டனமை யாளுடைய ஞானமுதல்வன்
செஞ்சடையி டைப்புனல்க ரந்தசிவலோகனமர் கின்றவிடமாம்
அஞ்சுடரொ டாறுபத மேழினிசை யெண்ணரிய வண்ணமுளவாய்
மைஞ்சரொடு மாதர்பல ருந்தொழுது சேரும்வயல் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 7

நாளுமிகு பாடலொடு ஞானமிகு நல்லமலர் வல்லவகையால்
தோளினொடு கைகுளிர வேதொழும வர்க்கருள்செய் சோதியிடமாம்
நீளவளர் சோலைதொறு நாளிபல துன்றுகனி நின்றதுதிர
வாளைகுதிகொள்ளமது நாறமலர் விரியும்வயல் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 8

கையிருப தோடுமெய்க லங்கிடவி லங்கலையெ டுத்தகடியோன்
ஐயிருசி ரங்களையொ ருங்குடனெ ரித்தவழ கன்றனிடமாம்
கையின்மலர் கொண்டுநல காலையொடு மாலைகரு திப்பலவிதம்
வையகமெ லாமருவி நின்றுதொழு தேத்துமெழில் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 9

அந்தமுத லாதிபெரு மானமரர் கோனையயன் மாலுமிவர்கள்
எந்தைபெரு மானிறைவ னென்றுதொழ நின்றருள்செ யீசனிடமாம்
சிந்தைசெய்து பாடுமடி யார்பொடிமெய் பூசியெழு தொண்டரவர்கள்
வந்துபல சந்தமலர் முந்தியணை யும்பதிநல் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 10

ஈசனெமை யாளுடைய வெந்தைபெரு மானிறைவ னென்றுதனையே
பேசுதல்செ யாவமணர் புத்தரவர் சித்தமணை யாவவனிடம்
தேசமதெ லாமருவி நின்றுபர வித்திகழ நின்றபுகழோன்
வாசமல ரானபல தூவியணை யும்பதிநல் வைகாவிலே.

பாடல் எண் : 11

முற்றுநமை யாளுடைய முக்கண்முதல் வன்றிருவை காவிலதனை
செற்றமலி னார்சிரபு ரத்தலைவன் ஞானசம் பந்தனு ரைசெய்
உற்றதமிழ் மாலையீ ரைந்துமிவை வல்லவ ருருத்திரரெனப்
பெற்றமர லோகமிக வாழ்வர்பிரி யாரவர்பெ ரும்புகழொடே.

though it is a throat choked with phlegm though the devotees may not sing slowly so as to understand the meanings of the poems.
devotees who are not endowed with much intelligence.
is the place of Civaṉ who rejoices in the words of the poems combined with music which they are capable of, and sung out of love whatever defect there might be.
when the tender coconut matures into a seed falls on the areca-palm.
scatters the rows of cluster of areca-nuts the plaintain fruits which shed and fall and get soaked.
is vaikāvil in which the fields are fall of mire of plaintain fruits.

Having the mēru mountain which touches the sky as a bow, the god of fire as an arrow, and a serpent as the bow-string the place which is desired by Civaṉ who is different from the world, and burnt the cities of the enemies.
entering into the big lotus flowers fields in which they play and in all the big tanks surrounding the place.
the bees to hum like the attuned pitch for music.
is vaikāvil where in the gardens the Kuyils of exquisite beauty sings in a low tone.

being without any defect devotees who have done superior penance to be rid of the cycle of birth and death, and having studied sacred work teaching the truth and assimilated their contents.
to worship standing for a long time to increase their spiritual wisdom.
is the place of the chief who can always grant his grace to them.
in the fields which are fit for cultivation.
by the side of the fertile tanks surrounding them.
in every garden is vaikāvil where the long raining clouds come close, along with the beautiful moon that shines in the sky.

It is difficult to know with one`s own intelligence the particular form, the particular colour of Civaṉ Civaṉ who has is an ascetic whose form is all the virtues the place where he stays with his grace.
the Karmams done in previous births having been removed.
the sages who try to comprehend the Lord by the proper means is vaikāvil having fields which they reach and worship joining together day and night to blessed with eternal life.

having learnt the vētams and excelling in performing the several sacrifices.
the place of the unequalled one who is always there to be worshipped by the brahmins who are considered to be tevar in this world and who have studied the works of the six religions and assimilated their teachings.
the eminent fragrant screw-pines, mast woodtrees, fetid cassia, common delight of the woods which are very beautiful spread their fragrance.
is vaikāvil which has gardens in which swarms of bees hum like music.

Civaṉ who drank the poison as nectar and stationed it is his neck.
and the chief who is the source of all spiritual wisdom and who accepts us as his protege the place of Civalōkaṉ who concealed in his red caṭai water of kaṅkai the beautiful lamps, the six mantiram of six words and musical compositions having the seven notes, being innumerable is vaikāvil of fields, where young people and many ladies gather after having worshipped god.

daily with many songs.
with wisdom and flawless flowers according to their humble capacity.
the place of the light who grants his grace to those who worship so that their shoulders and hands may derive pleasure.
when the mature coconut falls down from the thick cluster of the coconut trees which grow in every garden to a great height.
when the scabbord leaps.
is vaikāvil having fields in which the flowers blossom for the honey to spread its fragrance the cause for the flowers to blossom is the leaping of the scabbard fish.

the place of the beautiful god who pressed simultaneously the ten heads, to make the body confused, with the twenty hands of the cruel Irāvaṇaṉ one who lifted the mountain.
is the beautiful vaikāvil where all the people of this world combine together in many days considering as the times of worship evening and pleasant morning carrying flowers in their hands.

when these Ayaṉ and Māl the place of Civaṉ when they praise and worship him as the last of all that have ends and the beginning of all that have a beginning, the chief of the immortals, a great persons, our father, and master, who grants his grace to them, staying permanently is the good city of vaikāvil which the devotees who sing his praises with devotion and other devotees who besmear their bodies with holy ash, reach that place with beautiful flowers competing with one another to be earlier than others.

the place of Civaṉ who does not enter into the minds of the buddhists and amaṇar who do not speak praisingly about Civaṉ as one who pervades everything, great one, our father who accepts us as his protege and Īcaṉ.
people of all the country as a whole together, praise in the second person.
is the city of vaikāvil where they scatter many fragrant flowers fit for worship and approach the god whose fame is everlasting.

about tiruvaikāvil of the god who has three eyes and who accepts us as his protege in all ways.
those who are able to recite all the ten Tamiḻ verses which are like garlands and which were composed by Nyāṉacampantaṉ, chief of Cirapuram which is full of wealth of every kind.
will get the name of Uruttirar will live long in the Civalōkam they will live there with the pleasure of having obtained external bliss, without leaving that world.

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