Sundarar worship Lord Yedaganathar from the boat in Vaigai

Yedga Natha Swami temple  Yedaga Natheswarar
Historical Name: Tiru Yedagam
City : Thiruvedagam
District :Madurai

The temple is closely linked with the history of Saivite Child Saint Tirugnana Sambandar and is praised in his Thevaram hymns.  This is the 4th Shiva temple in Pandya region praised in Thevaram hymns.

Lord Yedaganatha Swami is a swayambumurthi in the temple. Though the Shivrathri Puja is dedicated only to Lord Shiva in all temples, the fourth puja of the night is dedicated to Lord Bhairava in this temple, as followed in Kasi-Varanasi. Those lucky to have this Kala Bhairava puja on Shivrathri day derive the benefit of performing Ashwamwta Yaga.

Lord Vinayaka:  There is a sculpture on a pillar of a Vinayaka on the Moojuru vahan-belonging to rat family- in a different posture, called Hearing Vinayaka with ears open to listen to devotees’ prayers.   When Gnanasambandar placed his palm leaf with a verse on Lord Shiva in Vaigai River in a contest against the Jains, this Vinayaka stopped the leaf and was responsible for its reaching the bank of the river.  He took the form of four fishes in four corners, caught it and brought it to the shore on his trunk and sat on the steps.  Hence, He is also praised as Debate Winning Vinayaka – Vadhil (debate) Vendra (won) Vinayaka.  He is now in a separate temple outside the main temple.

It so happens in families that marriages have to be solemnized any day anytime due to some urgent reasons though not auspicious.  It causes mental agony and fear also about the future.  In such circumstance, the devotees carry a Patrika (wedding invitation card) and place it at the feet of Yedganathar-now Patrika Parameswara with betel nuts and invite Him to attend the marriage.  Then you can conduct the marriage with all peace of mind.

There is still a controversy about the place where Chattainatha Siddha attained Samadhi.  Seven places claim this honour.  During his visit to Thiruvedagam, he saw Shivalingas scattered on the way and was afraid to tread on the way.  Boys in the place use to simply carry him to the temple.  He changed the river sands into some useful things and offered them to the boys.  Chattai Nathar and his followers used to put the sacred ash in the water soaked rice (Neeraharam in Tamil) and cured stomach aches.  Following this example, even today people use to bring the water soaked Neeraharam to the Chattai Nadhar Adhistana (Samadhi), place it on the Linga there and consume it for stomach problems.  On the new moon day in the month of Aadi – Aadi Amavasya in July-August, Guru Puja is dedicated to Siddha.

The name of Mother Elavarkuzhali means that Her hair (Kuzhal in Tamil means hair) is naturally fragrant.  Devotees offer nivedhanas made of roots grown under the ground along with rice of buffalo curd and Ellu balls (Ellu is the seed from gingely oil is extracted) to Varahi one of the Saptha Madhas in the temple.  There are two Durga Mothers in the temple – one facing south and one facing north, a different and rare feature in this temple. There are two Rajagopuras in the temple, one at Lord and one at Mother shrine.

Sundarar, one of the four celebrated Saivite saints came to this place but was reluctant to walk to the temple.  He thought that would be unjust and a sin to touch the way with his legs sanctified by Saint Gnansambandar.   He was contended to worship Lord Thiruvedaganathar from the boat itself he was in on Vaigai River.  There is a sculpture in the temple depicting this event. 

Pandya kingdom with its capital at Madurai was under the rule of Koon Pandian (hunchback Pandiyan) then. Those were the days when Jainism was dominant in the kingdom with political support – king’s support.  Saivism and Shiva worship were almost routed out.  Child Saivite Saint visited the city in such a situation.  This created a fear in the minds of the Jain monks.  They set fire in the camp of the saint to eliminate him.  Knowing their evil design, Ganasambandar sung 10 verses directing the fire on the king who was their support then.  The effective verses had their impact on the king affecting him with severe burning small pox boilsin the whole body.  The Jain monks did their best with the mantras they knew, but in vain.  The king appealed to people to help him in his distress.

All merciful Gnanasambandar came to his palace, sung a Pathigam-10 verses- beginning with line “Mandhiram Avathu Neeru” meaning the best Mantra is the sacred ash on the Body of Lord Shiva, brought the ashes from the kitchen of Mother Meenakshi Amman temple and applied it on the body of the king.  The small pox disappeared miraculously immediately even with any of symptoms.  King began to think of the glory of Saivism. 

The Jains, shaken by the incident said that it was witchcraft work of the saint and challenged him to a contest and vowed that they would leave Madurai if defeated. 

The contest was that both will write a verse and place it on the floods of Vaigai River.  The victor will be the one whose song leaf swims against the current and reaches the banks.  If lost in the current, they will be the loser.

Jains wrote the verse beginning with the lines Athi Nathi.  Sambandars’ verse began with “Vazhga Andanar, Vanavar Aaninam”.  Jains’ leaf was washed away. Sambandar continued his song Vanniyum Mathamum and the verse leaf reached the shores establishing the Might and Glory of Lord Shiva.  Yedu in Tamil means the palm leaf used for writing in those days.

The place where the Yedu reached the shore came to be known as Thiruvedagam and the Lord Yedaganathar accompanied by Mother Elavarkuzhali.

Thirumurai 3.32

பாடல் எண் : 1 பண் : கொல்லி
வன்னியு மத்தமு மதிபொதி சடையினன்
பொன்னிய றிருவடி புதுமல ரவைகொடு
மன்னிய மறையவர் வழிபட வடியவர்
இன்னிசை பாடல ரேடகத் தொருவனே.

கொடிநெடு மாளிகை கோபுரங் குளிர்மதி
வடிவுற வமைதர மருவிய வேடகத்
தடிகளை யடிபணிந் தரற்றுமி னன்பினால்
இடிபடும் வினைகள்போ யில்லைய தாகுமே.

குண்டலந் திகழ்தரு காதுடைக் குழகனை
வண்டலம் பும்மலர்க் கொன்றைவான் மதியணி
செண்டலம் பும்விடைச் சேடனூ ரேடகம்
கண்டுகை தொழுதலுங் கவலைநோய் கழலுமே.

ஏலமார் தருகுழ லேழையோ டெழில்பெறும்
கோலமார் தருவிடைக் குழகனா ருறைவிடம்
சாலமா தவிகளுஞ் சந்தனஞ் சண்பகம்
சீலமா ரேடகஞ் சேர்தலாஞ் செல்வமே.

வரியணி நயனிநன் மலைமகண் மறுகிடக்
கரியினை யுரிசெய்த கறையணி மிடறினன்
பெரியவன் பெண்ணினோ டாணலி யாகிய
எரியவ னுறைவிட மேடகக் கோயிலே.

பொய்கையின் பொழிலுறு புதுமலர்த் தென்றலார்
வைகையின் வடகரை மருவிய வேடகத்
தையனை யடிபணிந் தரற்றுமின் னடர்தரும்
வெய்யவன் பிணிகெட வீடெளி தாகுமே.

தடவரை யெடுத்தவன் றருக்கிறத் தோளடர்
படவிர லூன்றியே பரிந்தவற் கருள்செய்தான்
மடவர லெருக்கொடு வன்னியு மத்தமும்
இடமுடைச் சடையினன் ஏடகத் திறைவனே.

பொன்னுமா மணிகளும் பொருதிரைச் சந்தகில்
தன்னுளார் வைகையின் கரைதனிற் சமைவுற
அன்னமா மயனுமா லடிமுடி தேடியும்
இன்னவா றெனவொணான் ஏடகத் தொருவனே.

குண்டிகைக் கையினர் குணமிலாத் தேரர்கள்
பண்டியைப் பெருக்கிடும் பளகர்கள் பணிகிலர்
வண்டிரைக் கும்மலர்க் கொன்றையும் வன்னியும்
இண்டைசேர்க் குஞ்சடை யேடகத் தெந்தையே.

கோடுசந் தனமகில் கொண்டிழி வைகைநீர்
ஏடுசென் றணைதரு மேடகத் தொருவனை
நாடுதென் புகலியுண் ஞானசம் பந்தன
பாடல்பத் திவைவல்லார்க் கில்லையாம் பாவமே.

Civaṉ has a caṭai in which leaves of indian mesquit, datura flowers and a crescent are concealed.
the permanent residents of ētakam, brahmins to worship the holy feet which are valuable as gold, with fresh flowers.
the unequalled god is in ēṭakam where the votaries sing songs with sweet music.

shout with excitement and love paying homage to the deity in Ēṭakam where the high mansions with flags resemble the cool moon in colour and towers which seem to touch the moon join together.
the acts which are terrific like the thunder will go away from you and be completely destroyed People of this world!

the youth in whose ear the men`s ear-ring is shining.
ēṭakam, the place of the great god who has a bull whose bells make a sound when it runs in the place for training it, and who wears a white crescent and koṉṟai flowers on which bees hum;
as soon as one sees and worships with joined hands one`s anxieties and diseases will disappear.

the residence of the youth who is seated on a beautiful bull and gains beauty by being united with a lady on whose tresses of hair is smeared the unguent for perfuming the hair of women, is ēṭakam the place of good conduct where, sāl trees, common delight of the woods, sandal wood trees and champak trees are flourishing.
approaching that shine is itself wealth.

the good daughter of the mountain who has streaks in the eyes to become bewildered in mind.
Civaṉ with a black neck flayed an elephant.
the great god.
the temple in ēṭakam is the dwelling place of the god who is fire and who is male, female and who is neither completely male nor completely female.

in ēṭakam which is situated on the north bank of the river vaikai where the balmy southern breeze which carries the fragrance of the fresh flowers growing in the tanks and gardens, fillsup the place.
people of this world!
shout with excitement paying homage to the feet of the father.
attaining salvation is easy as the cruel and not easily curable diseases which are crowded, are destroyed.

fixing firmly the toe to press down the shoulders to destroy the pride of the arakkaṉ who lifted the big mountain.
Civaṉ later taking pity on him granted his grace.
Civaṉ who has on his spacious caṭai Kaṅkai in the form of a lady, yarcum, leaves of indian mesquit and datura flowers, is the Lord in ēṭakam.

on the bank of the river vaikai where the waves dash prishing along with them gold, big gems, sandal wood and eagle-wood trees and leave them deposited.
the unequalled god in ēṭakam is indescribable as this is his form even though Ayaṉ who transformed himself into a swan and Māl who changed himself into a pig, could not find his feet and head.

camaṇar who carry an ascetic`s pitcher in their hands and tērar buddhists who are not good natured, both of them who are stupid and increase the size of their paunch, have not the good fortune to pay homage.
Civaṉ our father who is in ēṭakam and in whose caṭai he combines in the circlet koṉṟai flowers on which bees hum and leaves of indian mesquit.
is the syntactical link

on the unequalled Civaṉ in ēṭakam where the strip of a palmyra leaf with a verse written on it reaches in the water going upstream in the river vaikai which flows taking in it tusks of elephants sandal woods and eagle wood.
there will be no sins to those who are capable of reciting these ten verses, of ñāṉacampantaṉ pukali in the south desired earnestly by all.
The anecdote suggested is an internal evidence;
the details are given exhaustively in periya purāṇam, ñāṉacampanta nāyaṉār purāṇam, verses 846-851.