Ever since I started reading Thiruvasagam, my emotions started sublimating to deep devotion towards Lord Shiva. I started having deep gratitude towards Manickavasagar Peruman. It might take many life times by one's own effort to gain the wisdom which is expressed in Thiruvasagam. Very fortunate to be born in this land and in this culture.
For the past one year, I was thinking of going to Avudaiyar
temple built by St. Manickavasagar and I visited this temple on Oct-29-2016
(day after Deepavali festival). This is a
Shiva temple situated near
Aranthangi in the
Pudukkottai district of
Tamil Nadu. We started from Thanjavur after having breakfast
around 8.45am in a car and temple was about 115Kms from there. Weather was perfect with slight drizzle and
clouds. Thanjavur is known for rich delta area for agriculture and it is
delightful to watch lush green fields along the both sides of the road during
our drive. My uncle played an audio on Thirumanthira upadesam in the car which
set the mood & tone for our destination. Most of the remote Indian roads has
many pits & holes filled with rain water and I enjoy driving in them. First
we reached a town called Puthukottai, then Aranthangi and finally reached
Avudaiyar temple. We parked the car and had a nice hot tea in a tea shop before
the temple. Some people were chanting
Thiruvasagam inside the temple and it is broadcasted through loud speakers
outside the temple and we heard them while having tea. My heart became full just by looking temple
gopuram(tower) and the saying “Namasivaya vaazhga” at the top of the gopuram. Generally
I observe within myself that whenever I visit Shiva temple, temporarily I
become free from all of my wants and I become centered on peace and just
surrender to HIM. I don’t pray or request anything.
I recommend everyone to visit this ancient temple with rich sculptures and spiritual significance.
Temple History:-
Manickavasagar was the
prime minister in Arimarthana Pandyan Kingdom in Madurai and he was given huge
money and a task to buy horses for cavalry. So he left Madurai and reached a place
called Thiruperunthurai (now it is called as Avudaiyar Koil). Till this point
in his life, he was living a normal life. At this place, Lord Shiva came as
Gnana Guru (Wisdom Master) in human form and gave him three types of initiation
(or Dheekshai)
1.
Nayana Dheekshai -- Through eyes
2.
Sparisa Dheekshai – By touching through hands
3.
Thiruvadi Dheekshai – By touching through feet
As per Shaiva Siddhantha philosophy, God will manifest as
Master in human form to those who attain the peak of maturity. Instantly for
Manickavasagar, all the illusions fell apart and his body filled with
ecstasy. He sat there in Shiva yoga and
forgot about the task given to him by the king. He used the money given by the
king to build the temple here. Even as the temple construction was in progress,
King Arimarthana Pandian waited for days for the arrival of Manickavasagar and
the horses. Later, he realised that the money was already spent and commanded
Manickavasagar to bring along the horses without further delay. According to
tradition, Lord Siva transformed a pack of foxes into fine breed of horses. In
the night, the horses became foxes and let out a deafening howl. God appeared
before the king and explained he was behind the mischievous drama. The story of
‘nariyai’ (fox) ‘pariyakkuthal’ (horse) is still enacted during temple
festivals in Madurai, the capital of Pandiyas.
Manickavasagar penned Thiruvasagam
and Thirupalliyezhuchi while camping in this temple and referred to it as
Thiruperunthurai. Lord name is Atmanathar (Leader for Souls) and goddess
name is Yogambal (Form of Yoga). The
presiding deity is formless (Atmanathar
); there is no Shivalingam but only a pedestal {Avudayar} located in the sanctum,
hence the name Avudayar Koil.
As part of everyday ritual here
in temple, the priests will put freshly cooked rice in a platform which is
almost 30-40 feet away from the main deity during mid-day prayer. It is wonderful
to watch that the steam from rice goes to the deity without any air flow. It is
a symbolic representation that soul reaches God and both are formless.
It is believed that
Manickavasagar is the re-incarnation of Nandi and hence this is the only Shiva
temple without Nandi. Nandi
is the name for the bull which serves as the mount (or Vehicle) of the god Shiva and as the gatekeeper of Shiva and Parvati. In Hindu Religion, he is the chief guru of eighteen
masters (18 Siddhars) including Patanjali and Thirumular. Temples venerating Shiva display stone images of a
seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine. There are also a number of
temples dedicated solely to Nandi. Nandi is example for unlimited
patience and ever waiting without any conditions.
Among all the great people who
worshipped Shiva, Manickavasagar is very unique. Probably he is the humblest of
all and he cried that he doesn’t have any quality to see Shiva. This melted
Lord Shiva and he came down to enlighten him. We can see that in Thiruvasagam. Anyone who has little open mind reads
Thiruvasagam, it is certain that he or she will melt. Personally, I never found
any other book which is so rich and touching. There is a famous saying
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“
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" திருவாசகத்துக்கு உருகார்
ஒரு வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார்"
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”
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translating to "He whose
heart is not melted by Thiruvasagam cannot be melted by any vasagam(saying)".
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My dream come true :-)
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All the special features about the temple in Tamil
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Pillar with thousand carved pillars
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Temple guide(without shirt) and my Periyappa (or Uncle with shirt)
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Lord Shiva came to Madurai with horses
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