Agni lingam of Arunachaleswarar temple , Thiruvanna malai
Compiled by
P.R.Ramachander
Thiruvannamalai
(Literally the divine brother’s
mountan) is a town in Tamil Nadu. The temple
of Arunachaleswarar , possibly the biggest
Shiva temple any where in the world is located here
on the foothills of Arunachala mountain. IT occupies an area of 10 hecatres and has its eastern Gopuram which is 66 meters tall. There is a thousand pillar mantapa there. There is a very interesting story behind this temple .It seems once Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma had
a difference of opinion about the
relative superiority of each other and they approached Lord Shiva to judhe. Lord Shiva stood before them as a column of fire and asked them to find either his feet or head.Lord Brahma took the form of a swan
and went to the top searching
for the head of Shiva and Lord Vishnu
took the form of a boar and went searching for the feet of Lord Shiva. After trying their
best , when Lord Vishnu admitted that
he failed in his task, Lord Brahma
said that he had seen the head of
Shiva and quoted a Thazham poo flower as the flase
witness .Lord Shiva then cursed
Lord Brahma that there should be
no temple for Lord Brahma in this earth and that Thazham poo flower should not be used for worship of God. Then Shiva stood as a
column of fire during Kritha yuga , was an emerald during thretha yugam , gold during Dwapara yugam and as a
stone in Kaliyuga. Carbon dating has indicated that the rock of Arunachala mountains is of very ancient origin.That stone is the present Arunachala
hills and a temple to Lord Shiva was
built for Shiva in the foot hills,There is a Sanskrit saying that
, you would get salvation if you see God of Chidambaram, , if you take birth at Tiruvarur , if you die in Benares and
just by thinking of Arunachalam.
Another sloka says , that all the stones of
Arunachala are Shiva lingas.The Goddess at this temple is called Apeetha Kuchambal
(Unna mulai amman.) ,Arunachala the mountain has been for
ages has been the place of stay and penance of very many great sages.
Arunachala Nadham
By
Muthuswami Deekshithar
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
Ragam Saranga
Thalam Roopakam
Pallavi
Arunachala Nadham smarami anisam,
Apeetha kuchambha samedham
Pallavi
I meditate on the lord
of Arunachala(Red mountain) without interruption,
Along with the
Goddess Apeetha Kuchamba. (Mother with unfed breasts)
Anupallavi
Smaranath kaivalyapradha charanaravindham,
Thaunadhithya koti sankasa Chidanantham.
Anupallavi
The lotus like fet which on remembering would
give salvation,
Which has the luster
of billions of young Suns and which is divinely joyous.
Madhyama Kala Sahithyam
Karuna rasadhi kandham saranagatha sura vrundham
Madhyama Kala Sahithyam
The flower full of juice
of mercy to which groups of devas surrender
Charanam
Apraakrutha thejomaya lingam
, athyadhbutha kara drutha sarangam,
Aprameyamaparnaabja brungam AAroodathunga vrusha thurangam
Charanam
The shining Linga which is not
natural , who holds in his hand a wonderful deer,
The unfathomable measure of lotus like Parvathi, who
rides on bull which travels fast.
Madhyama Kala Sahithyam
Viprothama visesha antharangam , veera guruguha thara prasangam,
SWapradheepa mouli vidrutha gangam , swaprakasa jitha somagni pathangam.
Madhyama Kala Sahithyam
God who is in the special mind of great Brahmins*,
who is the protector of the valorous guru Guha,
Who shines
with The ganges decorating his
head and shines
himself with the spark fire
and the moon
*this
refers to the great honour shown to
Thirujnana Sambandar at
this temple
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