The Legends of Thiruvathavur - Part - 14 / The king Rajasekarapandian being blessed by Thirumarainathar

The sage Agasthiyar told his fellow vasistathi munis and the rishies that how the king of Madurai, Rajasekarapandiyan being blessed with lord Thirumarainathar (lord Shiva), who had been the key person for the changing leg posture in His cosmic dancing of lord Nataraja (lord Shiva), which had been held at Madurai, as called "Velliambalam", one of the five sabhas (temples) of lord shiva's cosmic dancing.

Lord Shiva's normal cosmic dance is that His left leg raised upwards while his right leg stand upon the dwarf demon, Muyalagan, where as in Madurai (velliamblam - Silver - sabha) the leg posture had been changed vice verse, that His right leg raised upwards while His left leg stand upon the dwarf demon, Muyalagan. This had been due to the humble and heartfelt request by the king of Madurai Rajasekarapandiyan. This is the story that now we have to see here.

In Hinduism, lord Shiva has been depicted as the destroyer, since He destroy our ignorance. Here lord Nataraja, as the representation of lord Shiva, has been portrayed as the cosmic dancer, who has been the cause for the "Dissolution and Renewal of creation".

He has been illustrated of having four arms, in which, the right upper hand holds a drum (udukkai in Tamil) from which the action of creation has taken place, as it tilt and make sound. Next, the upper left hand holds a lamp with fire which represents the dissolution, that is the destruction. Next His right leg which stand upon the dwarf demon, Muyalagan, represents that the soul has been bound with the bondages like sloth, confusion and ignorance with the earth, simply described as "Maya", an illusion of life. Next the uplifted left leg has been represented that the matured soul would be liberated from the bondage with the earth. Next the lower left arm gestures towards his left -lifted foot, depicts that he assures the soul released from the earthen bondage so as to give His shelter of Moksha (immortality). Next his lower right hand shows the "Abhaya" muthra, that he is telling 'Fear not', when He be with us. Next the circle of fire has been representing the cosmos energy and particularly the consciousness. The whole posture is known as "Mahakala", the "great time". The snake belt around his waist represents the "Kundalini" sakthi ( The soul releasing cosmic power) which has been found in sleeping position within every body.

The birth of the world, preservation, destruction, obscuration of the soul and liberation of the soul are the five acts of his cosmic dance.

The Pandiyan kings had ruled, the southern Tamil Nadu,having Mathuraiyampathi (now Madurai) as their capital. Among them, there came a king called Vikrama pandiyan, whose son was Rajasekarapandiyan. He was very fond of lord Somasundara (presiding deity of Madurai Meenakshiamman temple). He was master all arts except the traditional dance of Tamil Nadu called "Bharathanatyam", for he had arranged a teacher to learn that art of dance. While practicing that dance, he felt some pain in his legs.

He then thought that even the lord Shiva also had been in the dancing posture that he had raised his left leg upwards and held down His right leg on the dwarf demon, Muyalagan, for continously, he thought that lord Shiva would also feel pain in his legs.This made the king Rajasekarapandiyan feel very much. so he prayed the lord Somasundara to change his leg in order to raise His right leg upwards and His left leg be stayed on the ground (here on the dwarf demon Muyalagan). He appealed the lord Shiva to change His leg posture, otherwise he would starve and die. Having accepted the request of the king Rajasekarapandiyan, the lord Shiva also had changed his leg posture and performed "Paramanandha Thandavam", a special cosmic dance of creation as well as destruction.

One day to his royal court, there came a great sage called "Sathanandhar" and he received a warmth welcome. The king asked the sage that he should tell the king about an alternate Siva isthala, which should be as equal to Mathuraiyampathi.

On having delighted with the immense hostage, the sage told the king that there had been one Siva's isthala near Madurai, what he had expected, was Thiruvathavur. The sage said that it was the only isthala that had given us the "Immai, Marumai, Veeduperu" (here, heaven, moksha). Thiruvathavur had been the only isthala, even the supreme gods like lord Vishnu, lord Brahmah, lord Kalabairava and the heavenly deities like lord Vaayu, lord Agni, lord Yama and lord saturn and the great sages like Gauthama, Kapila and the fierce devotee like Araja and Nathasarma, had got their curse retrieval.

The sage ordered the king Rajasekarapandiyan that he should go there and should renovate the temple and the temple premises so that he could have the chance of being blessed by lord Thirumarainathar.

On being heard the words of the sage, the king Rajasekarapandiyan was pleased enough to reach that place Thiruvathavur, accompanied with his minister and other skilled workers of various categories.

He had renovated the corridors, hundred - pillars mantapam, the towers, and other mantapams and made them glittered with the fallen lights. He selected the well versed veda learned 'Brahmanas' and made them worship the lord Thirumarainathar as per the 'agamas'.

The lord became very happy enough to appear before him from the 'Moolalinga'. On having seen the 'dharshan' of lord Thirumarainathar, the king, having thought his soul could attain the moksha, had shed the tears of ecstasy.

The lord Thirumarainathar had asked the king that what the boon he had in need from Him? At once, the king, without having any reluctance, asked the lord that He should forgive all the sins of the persons who had come to Thiruvathavur, whether they made it known or by ignorance. Again he added that He should give them all the 'Siddhies' (wealth and fame), when they had been alive. The lord Thirumarainathar had also accepted the humble and peerless request of the king Rajasekarapandian.

Since it had been renovated by the king Rajasekarapandian, the place Thiruvathavur had also been called by another name as "Pandiyarpuram". The king Rajasekarapandian had got very good wealth and health and also had given birth a good son named "Kulothungan". At last he had gone to 'Sivapatham', that is the moksha - immortality.

Thus the sage Agasthiyar had explained the story of the king Rajasekarapandiyan and how he had attained the moksha.