RE: [Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Chidambaram

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Thanks Indu for your posting.

 

Adding to your message, Chidambaram is also referred other names such as

Thillai, Puliyur, Chittambalam, Vyaghrapuram and Pundareekapuram. During 'pooja'

the curtain hung at the entrance is drawn aside and 'araathi' is shown. There

are no images inside but only a garland of golden 'vilva' leaves is seen. This

represents the 'Chidambara Rahasyam' representing the Lord in the form of space.

Chidambaram thus represents one of the five elements (ether) and is called

'Aakasa sthalam'.As you stand in front of the 'Chitsabah' at the entrance to the

inner circuit you can see the South facing Nadaraja moorti and the East facing

Govidaraja Perumal (Vishnu). There is no other temple in the south where you can

see both the Saivite god Shiva and the Vaishnavite god Vishnu from the same

spot. It is a near-similar representation of 'Hari-Hara' aspect of the divine.

 

There is a very beautiful legend connected with the origin of 'Vyaghrapuram' &

it goes like this ----

 

Rishi Madyandinar had a son. He, under the direction of his father, came to the

forest of Thillai and worshipped the 'Lingam', which had appeared there. He

usually got up early before daybreak to collect flowers with which to perform

his pooja. One morning he could not collect the flowers early as it was dark and

cloudy and he could not see the flowers. After daybreak he went to collect the

flowers and found that the flowers had been polluted by the bees and was grief

stricken. Lord Shiva on seeing his devotee grief stricken took pity on him and

gave him the eyes and limbs of a tiger so that he could see in the dark and

climb trees easily to collect the flowers. Thus he came to be known as

'Vyagrapadar' and the forest where he lived as 'Vyagrapuram' or 'Puliyoor'

('Puli' is a term Malayalees/Tamilians use for Tiger/Leopard).

 

During this time the rishis living in the forest known as 'Tharukavanam' became

very arrogant as they had mastered all the 'Vedas', 'Agamas' and 'Shastras' and

could raise powerful creatures from the sacrificial fires to do their bidding.

Lord Shiva wished to show these rishis their limitations and appeared as a

handsome mendicant with Vishnu as his wife 'Mohini'. This created chaos in

'Tharukavanam' as the wives of the rishis fell under the spell of this charming,

handsome mendicant while the youthful rishis fell for the allure of Mohini. The

older rishis became very angry and wanted to destroy the pair. They raised a

sacrificial fire ('Homam') from which appeared a tiger which was directed at the

pair. Lord Shiva killed the tiger, peeled off its skin and tied it around his

waist. Then the rishis produced a poisonous serpent, which Lord Shiva caught and

wore around his neck. The rishis also sent a demon 'Muyalakan' against Lord

Shiva whom he crushed under his feet. Then the rishis sent the sacrificial fire

against him which he put on his left hand. The rishis having lost the fire sent

the vedic 'mantras' which the Lord wore around his ankles. At this the rishis

conceded defeat and the Lord revealed himself by dancing the 'Oorthava

thandavam' with his matted hair unfurling in all eight directions and the world

reverberating to his steps. Lord Vishnu described this incident to Adishesa, the

serpent on which Lord Vishnu reposes. Adishesha wished to see this dance and

taking leave of Lord Vishnu went and prayed to Lord Shiva to grant him the

honour of witnessing his dance. Lord Shiva advised Adhishesha to go to

Vyagrapuram where he would one day perform this dance. Adishesha was then born

on this land and was given the name Pathanjali. Pathanjali approached

Vyagrapadar and told him of his quest. As Vyagrapadar himself was eager to see

the Lord's dance he was delighted to receive Pathanjali and accompanied him to

the temple of Lord Shiva and prayed for the Lord's appearance. On an auspicious

day the celestial beings arrived at Thillai along with other Rishis, and sages

and assembled where Vyagrapadar had his temple. The heavenly musicians too

arrived. Then Lord Shiva appeared with one of His right hands beating the drums

and the other hand bestowing grace. With His left hand holding the fire and the

other pointing to his right leg trampling Muyalakan under the foot, He appeared

with His left leg raised in a dancing pose.

 

The guardian of the forest in Thillai, Goddess Kali, refused to allow Lord Shiva

to dance in Her domain. Lord Shiva therefore challenged Her to a dance

competition on condition that if He won then She would be banished from that

area. The competition began. While Naradha played the veena, Nandikeswara played

the drums and other celestial musicians accompanied with their instruments Lord

Shiva danced with his hair flung in all directions. With the 'vedas' as his

anklets, the serpent as his waist band, the tiger skin as his attire with Ganga

and the crescent moon on his crest, He performed the 'Ananda thandavam'. At one

stage Lord Shiva took a pose with His left foot raised above His head but

modesty prevented Goddess Kali matching the same pose. Thus She lost the

competition and had taken residence in the northern end of Chidambaram in the

Thillaiamman temple. Every devotee who comes to Chidambaram after worshipping at

the Natarajar temple visits this temple too. Pathanjali and Vyagrapadar prayed

to Lord Shiva to remain at Thillai as the eternally dancing god 'Lord Natarajar'

so that all the earthly beings could witness his dance and receive his grace and

blessing.

 

The temple is open from 6 am to 12 noon and then from 5 pm to 10 pm.

 

It shud be the wish of every devotee to witness their most beloveds 'Shiva' &

'Narayana' together at the sacred Chidambaram.

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama

 

 

 

 

guruvayur [guruvayur ]On

Behalf Of Indu

Thursday, February 02, 2006 10:39 PM

guruvayur

[Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] Chidambaram

 

 

Chidambaram or more correctly-Chittambalam (the atmosphere of wisdom) is about

150 miles south of Madras and seven miles from the coast. It is in the South

Arcot district. It is a Railway station on Southern Railway on the main line. It

is chiefly noted for the most sacred and celebrated temple of Lord Nataraja.

 

 

 

The temple is in the midway between the Vellar river on the north and the

Coleroon on the South, the sea on the east and the Viranam lake on the West. In

days of yore the Pandya Kings, the Chola Kings and the Pallava Kings patronized

the temple. All the Tamil saints have sung praises of the Lord. The temple was

the chosen abode of saints and poets.

 

 

 

There is Akasa lingam in Chidambaram. Lord Nataraja, the presiding Deity of

the temple is in dancing pose. His left leg is raised. The idol of Nataraja is

enshrined in the Holy Sanctum, known as the Chit Sabha. There is a curtain

behind the idol of Nataraja. This is removed on special occasions of worship.

There is mere space which represents Nirguna Brahman, devoid of all names and

forms. This is the Chidambara Rahasya. Lord Nataraja has come out of the

attributeless Brahman.

 

 

There is a chakra (Chidambara Chakra) which contains the Panchakshara or

five-letters of Lord Siva-Nama Sivaya-on the wall to the back of this idol.

 

There are five courts or Sabhas in the temple viz., the Chit Sabha, Kanaka

Sabha, Raja Sabha or Durbar, the Nritta Sabha and the Deva Sabha.

 

 

Lord Nataraja danced in the Chit Sabha or the Hall within the temple. The five

steps that lead to the Golden pillared hall or Kanaka Sabha represent the five

letters-Nama Sivaya. The Raja Sabha is located within the thousand-pillared

Hall. The Nritta Sabha demonstrates the Oordha Tandava dance of Lord Nataraja.

 

Govindaraja, the presiding deity of a Vishnu temple also dwells within this

temple. The image of Nandanar, the Pariah saint is in a corner near the Nritta

Sabha.

 

The Dikshatar Brahmins do worship in the temple. There are 250 families of

Dikshatars.

 

Darshan of Lord Nataraja with intense bhav gives Mukti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Om Namo Narayanaya: