DIVINEINFORMATION PART 39 There are 1523 words in this posting counted bythe computer. Approximately 152 sentences
Respected friends, While going through one of my external memorydevice, I came across some good information storedfrom websites. I thought of sharing interesting ones from them as aseries. In part 39, I am starting with 136TH item in this posting. Kindly note the series is a compilation. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 23-6-21 136 Andakaasura vadam - Slaying of thedemon Andaka Thislegend relates to the slaying of the blind demon Andakaby Shiva. There are eight such legends narrating Shiva's role as the destroyerof evil. Shiva'sconsort Parvati, onceplayfully covered his three eyes with her hands from behind. Lo and behold, theentire universe was plunged into total darkness. Drops of sweat fell from Shiva's forehead and turned into afrightful demon. This demon was known as Andakaasura - given his state of blindness(Andaka). Andakasuranperformed severe penances towards Bhrama, andsought the boon of immortality. His penances were rewarded the the boon of immortality was rewarded tohim, subject to the caveat that he would lose his life, if he would lust after his ownmother. Blindednow by power, Andaka, ravaged the universe causing untold suffering to itsinhabitants. Hethen came across Parvati, and not knowing that her playful act had resulted inhis being born, lusted after her. A battle between him and Shiva ensued,at the end of which, Shiva impaled him with his trident; at the brink of death,Andakaasuran implored Shiva to let him be reborn as his devotee. Shiva thenturned him into a Shiva Gana - Bhringi. A beautiful bronzeimage of the Andakaasura Vada Moorthymanifestation of Shiva is enshrined at Tirukkovilur (near Tiruvannamalai - Tamilnadu), in the Veeratteswarartemple. This temple is one of the 8 temples celebrating Shiva as the destroyerof evil forces. 137 Tripura Samhaaram - Destruction of thethree evil citadels Thislegend relates to the destruction of the three evil cities Tripura, byShiva. There are eight such legends narrating Shiva's role as thedestroyer of evil. Thedemon Taraka hadthree demon children Taarakaaksha,Kamalaakshaand Vidyunmaali. These demon princesperformed severe penances towards Bhrama and won the gift of immense power. The boon that they received, granted themthat they would livefor a thousand years in three invincible, moving cities or forts (Tripura) and that they would bedestroyed only by a cosmic arrow that would merge the three forts into one, and set them to fire. Thedemons, armed with this boon, wreaked havoc on the universe. At the end of thethe stipulated time period, Shiva created a bow and an arrow and a charriotwith the various gods and goddesses and components of the universe. With Bhramaas the charioteer, he sped across, and shot a single arrow of fire which destroyed thethree cities. Tripurantaka,is the manifestation of Shiva as the destroyer of the Tripuras. Tripurantakais enshrined at Tiruvatikai near Chidambaram. TheVeeratteswarar temple here is one of the 8 Veerata stalas celebrating Shiva asthe destroyer of evil forces. Tripurantaka is also enshrined at Tiruvirkolam(Koovum) near Chennai. 138 Jalandaraasura Samhaaram - Slaying ofthe demon Jalandara Thislegend relates to the slaying of the demon Jalandaraby Shiva. There are eight such legends narrating Shiva's role as the destroyerof evil. Jalandarathe demon was born, whenShiva directed his rage, in the form of fire from his third eye, into the ocean(hence the name Jalandaran). Jalandaraasurangrew to be a powerful demon, and dominated the world. He married Brinda,a pious woman. The demon he was, Jalandaraasuran lusted after Shiva's consort Parvati; this resulted in a battle betweenhim and Shiva. Shivacreated a chakra (wheel)in the waters and challenged Jalandaraasuran to lift it. This disk, severed thedemon's head. Theslaying of the demon Jalandaraasuran is celebrated and enshrined in the Veeratteswarar temple at Tiruvirkudi(near Thanjavur - Tamilnadu). Tiruvirkudiis one of the 8 Veerattatemples celebrating Shiva the as the destroyer of evil forces. Jalandaraasuran's widowBrinda is enshrined in a samadhi at Tiruvirkudi. It is believed that shetook the form of a Tulsi plant.Unlike in other temples, Tulsi is offered to Shiva at Tiruvirkudi. Shivalater on gave his discus (chakram) to Vishnu. Vishnubears the Chakram as one of his attributes. The legend of Shiva gifting Vishnu with the cosmic discus is held at Tiruveezhimizhalai near the above mentioned Virkudi and at Tirumalpur near Kanchipuram. 139 GajaasuraSamhaaram - Slaying of the demon Gajaasuran Thislegend relates to the slaying of the demon Gajaasuran by Shiva. There are eightsuch legends portraying Shiva as the destroyer of evil. Gajaasuran,a demon who had the form of an elephant (gaja) tormented the universe and terrified the gods and the humans. Continuingunchecked, he proceded to attack Shiva's abode. A terrified Parvati beseechedShiva to put an end to the attrocity, and Shiva obliged by flaying the skin of the demon andwearing it as a drape around him - and then danced the dance of victory. Asplendid bronze image of Gajasamhaaramurthy is held in worship at Vazhuvoor near Mayiladuturai inTamilnadu. Vazhuvoor is one of the 8 Veeratta temples celebrating Shiva as thedestroyer of evil forces. 140 DakshaYagna - Story of Daksha's sacrifice and Sati-Shakti Thislegend is associated with the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice and the originof the Shakti Peethasof India. This is one of the eight legends portraying Shiva as the destroyer ofevil. Sati, the consort of Shiva was the daughter of Daksha Prajaapati a descendant of Bhrama..*** Sati hadmarried Shiva against the wishes of her father. My note- Sati was married to Lord Siva byDaksha –I have read The vainDaksha performed a great yagna (with the sole aim of insulting Shiva), to whichhe invited all of the gods and goddesses except his son in law Shiva. Against Shiva's wishes, Satiattended this sacrifice and was insulted by her father. Unable to bear thisinsult, Sati immolated herself. Enragedat the insult and the injury, Shivathrough Veerabhadra,destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, cut off Daksha's head and replaced it with thatof a goat, as he restored him to life. Stillcrazed with grief, he picked up the remains of Sati's body, and danced thedance of destruction throughout the Universe. The other gods intervened tostop this dance, and the disk of Vishnu cutthrough the corpse of Sati, whose various parts of the body fell at severalspots all through the Indian subcontinent and formed the sites of what areknown as Shakti Peethas today. An image of DakshaaariMurthy, the slayer of Daksha is enshrined at Tiruppariyalur near Thanjavur. The Veeratteswarar temple here is one of the 8 Veerata stalas celebrating Shiva as thedestroyer of evil forces. 141 Kumaarasambhava - The birth ofSkanda Thislegend narrates the story of the destruction of Kaama by Shiva and the birth ofSkanda. Sati, theconsort of Shiva immolated herself at the site of the Daksha Yagna, which was later destroyed by Shiva. Sati was reborn as Uma, or Parvati the daughter of the mountain kingHimavaan (the Himalayas). Shiva withdrew himself from the universeand engaged himself in yogic meditation in the Himalayas. In themeanwhile, the demon Surapadma ravaged the earth and tormented its beings. It was realized by the gods that only the son born ofShiva and Parvati could lead the gods to victory over Tarakaasuran, Surapadman and their demon companions. Theyplotted with Kaama, the lordof desire, to shoot a flower arrow at Shiva, as he sat in meditation, so as to make him fall in love with Parvati. WhenKaama aimed his arrow at Shiva, he opened his third eye and burned him to ashesinstantly. Upon hearing the pleas of Kama's wife Rati, he brought back Kama to life, inflesh and blood for her sake, and in a formless state for others. Hispenance disturbed, Shiva fell in love with Parvathi. However, the sparks of thefiery seed of Shiva were unbearable; even the fire God Agni could not bearthem; this fire wasthen transported by the river Ganga into the SaraVanaforest, where Sara Vana Bhavawas born. He was raised by the six Kartika damsels.Parvati combined these six babies into one with six faces, ie. Shanmukha. Shanmukha, or Kartikeya the supreme general of thedevas, led the army of the devas to victory against the demons. The sixsites at which Kartikeya sojourned while leading his armies against Surapadmanare Tiruttanikai, Swamimalai, Tiruvavinankudi (Palani), Pazhamudirsolai,Tirupparamkunram and Tiruchendur. All these sites have ancient templesglorified by the tamil poems of Tirumurugaatruppadai of the Sangam period (prior to the 3rd centuryCE). Tirukkurukkai 9 , inTamilnadu near Thanjavur, enshrines Kaamari Murthy,the destroyer of Kaama, in theVeeratteswarar temple which is one of the 8 Veerattastalas celebrating Shiva as the destroyer of evil. I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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