Dear Jonas, Marion, and other Indologists, Many thanks for your replies. These are extremely helpful leads. If I may, I have one more question to add to the conversation.
When do we first find mention of Thilla Nataraja (Chidambaram), Ekambaresvara (Kanci), Jambukesvara (Tiruchirapalli), Arunacalesvara (Thiruvannamalai), and Srikalahasti (Kalahasthi) as the *pancabhutasthala*s (five elemental [Saiva] sites)? I have found references suggesting that these same temples are mentioned among the 200+ *padalpetrasthalas* in the medieval writings of the Nayanmars. Is the *pancabhutasthala* collection also mentioned in these (or other) medieval sources, or is it a later development? *Sincerely,* *Westin Harris* Ph.D. Candidate Study of Religion University of California, Davis https://religionsgrad.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris <https://religions.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris> 2021 Dissertation Fellow, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies Sarva Mangalam. On Fri, Feb 7, 2025 at 4:16 AM Rastelli, Marion <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Westin, > > > > The Divyasūricarita, a Śrīvaiṣṇava hagiography, describes a Koṅkana riding > on a flying tiger at the beginning of chapter 3. > > > > Best wishes, > > Marion Rastelli > > > > *From:* INDOLOGY <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of > *Buchholz, > Jonas via INDOLOGY > *Sent:* Friday, February 7, 2025 12:46 PM > *To:* Westin Harris <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [EXT] Re: [INDOLOGY] Konkaneswara, Konganar, & Brhadisvara > Mahatmya? > > > > *External Email*: please use links and attachments from trusted sources > only > > Dear Westin, > > > > I’m afraid I cannot really answer your question, but in just case you were > not already aware, Indira Peterson has worked on the *Bṛhadīśvaramāhātmya*. > I don’t know if she is a member of this list, but it might be worth > contacting her directly. > > > > For what it’s woth, the sage Koṅkaṇa also features in the origin story of > the Vīraṭṭāṉeśvara temple in Kanchipuram as it is told in the Śaiva > *Kāñcīmāhātmya* and its Tamil adaptation, Civañāṉa Muṉivar’s > *Kāñcippurāṇam*. There is, however, no mention of Koṅkaṇa riding a tiger > or of the other narrative elements that you mentioned. > > > > Best wishes, > Jonas Buchholz > > > > * > ____ > _____ * > > *Dr. Jonas Buchholz* > > Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities > > Project “Hindu Temple Legends in South India” > > > > Karl Jaspers Centre > > Voßstr. 2 | Building 4400 | Room 004 > > 69115 Heidelberg, Germany > > > > P: +49 (0)6221 54 4095 > > E: [email protected] > > W: https://www.hadw-bw.de/htl > > > > > > > > *From:* INDOLOGY <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Westin > Harris via INDOLOGY > *Sent:* Wednesday, February 5, 2025 4:36 AM > *To:* INDOLOGY <[email protected]> > *Subject:* [INDOLOGY] Konkaneswara, Konganar, & Brhadisvara Mahatmya? > > > > Greetings Indologists, > > > > I am looking for some help from the list's esteemed cadre of experts on > Tamil Nadu. Direct answers or references to secondary sources are both > welcome. > > > > If I am reading Gopalan's preface to Raghavan's edition of the Cola Campu > correctly, the Brhadisvara Mahatmya attributes the establishment of > Tanjore's Konkanesvara Temple to the siddha Konganar. Is this correct > (narratively speaking, not historically)? If so, do we have any reliable > dates for the Brhadisvara Mahatmya? > > > > At Konkanesvara, there are several images (paintings and statues) of an > ascetic riding upon a tiger. Local informants explained that this image > represents Konganar Cittar himself, and relates to a local legend in which > Śiva came to reside in Konganar's jatamukuta and Indra transformed into his > tiger mount. Can anyone corroborate these details? If so, is this legend, > particularly the tiger-riding element, attested in any written sources (of > course, not to imply that a narrative must to be written to be important)? > > > > Many thanks. > > > > PS. I'm writing from my phone so I apologize for the lack of diacritics. > > > > > > *Sincerely,* > > *Westin Harris* > Ph.D. Candidate > Study of Religion > University of California, Davis > > https://religionsgrad.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris > <https://religions.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris> > > 2021 Dissertation Fellow, > > The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies > > Sarva Mangalam. >
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