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Madurai Chokkanathar Ulaa in English
English Translation by Kausalya Hart
புராண திருமலைநாதர் இயற்றிய மதுரை சொக்கநாதர் உலா
கௌசல்யா ஹார்ட் அவர்களின் ஆங்கில மொழிபெயர்ப்பு
- Acknowledgements:
Our Sincere thanks go to Dr. Kausalya Hart and Prof. George Hart of
the University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA for providing an e-version of this
translation and permission to publish the translation as part of Project Madurai etext collections.
© Project Madurai, 1998-2012.
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புராண திருமலைநாதர் இயற்றிய மதுரை சொக்கநாதர் உலா
கௌசல்யா ஹார்ட் அவர்களின் ஆங்கில மொழிபெயர்ப்புmaturai cokkanAtar ulA of purANatirumalainAtar
English Translation by Kausalya Hart- Dr. Kausalya Hart
Department of SSEAS
University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
April, 2012
Introduction
The Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam and the Thiruchokkanaathar Ulaa
The Thiruvilaiyaadal puraanam of the fourteenth century tells the sixty-three miracle stories of Shiva in Madurai. Through the stories the author tells us the genealogy of many Pandyan kings, the history of Madurai city and how it was constructed, many wars between the Chola and Pandyan kings, the three times when the deluge came, the establishment of the Sangam with forty nine poets in Madurai city and many other details.
The author of the Thiruvilaiyaadal puraanam is Paranjothi Munivar. He was born in the city of Thirumaraikkaadu in the Chola country. His father Meenakshisundara Desikar belonged to Vellala caste. The author learned both Sanskrit and Tamil and became a scholar in both languages. When he grew up he went to Madurai to worship the god Sundareswarar and goddess Meenakshi. Meenakshi appeared in his dream and asked him to write stories about the miracles of Lord Shiva and so he composed the Thriuvilaiyaadal Puraanam and read it in the assembly of Pandyan king. Scholars say that he lived in the 16th century CE.
Some scholars believe that the stories of Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam follow the Sanskrit “Haalaasyamaahaatmyam,” while others believe that Paranjothi Munivar’s work came first. The stories of Shiva in this book also occur elsewhere in Tamil literature in such works as Cilappathikaaram, Kallaadam, Thevaaram, Thiruvaasagam and others. Other works that describe the Thiruvilaiyaadals of Shiva are Perumpatrap Puliyur Nambi’s Thiruvaalavaay Udaiyaar Tiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam, the Kadambavana PuraaNam, the Sundara Pandiyam and others.
Thiruchokkanaadar Ulaa: This Ulaa describes the greatness of Shiva and his escorts in procession in the first part. In the later part of this Ulaa the seven types of women who see Shiva in his procession tell us the same sixty-four stories that are told in Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam. The author describes the beauty of each of these women and their love of Shiva in this prabandam.
The purpose of this translation is to make available to the western world one of the finest prabhandams in Tamil. I will be happy if this translation is useful to those scholars who are working on later Tamil genres and religion. I should convey my sincere thanks to George Hart for going over the English. I would also like to thank my student Gita Pai who awakened my interest in the various Prabandams about Madurai city. I would also like to thank all my students who give me encouragement in all my efforts.
- Dr. Kausalya Hart
MADURAI CHOKKANAATHAR ULAA
- Praise of Shiva, the ancient Lord
1, 2. Vishnu, the beloved of Lakshmi
who stays on the beautiful lotus,
and Brahma the creator of the world
who lives on a lotus dripping with honey
could not understand
the way, the deeds and the form of
Shiva the ancient Lord
3. Shiva is the incomparable one.
He is the first one.
He has no beginning or end.
No one can see his head or feet.
Such is his form.
His body is of limitless lustre.
4. Uma, the Goddess Gauri,
is the princess of the Himalayas.
The Vedas always search for her.
She is the creator of religions.
and the queen of everything.
5. She is as bright as a diamond creeper.
Her color is as green as an emerald creeper.
She loves music and protects it.
She loves Tamil and is a scholar.
6. Lord Vishnu has beautiful eyes like lotuses.
He praises his sister the fish-eyed goddess.
That Goddess of Madurai
embraces the chest of her beloved Shiva.
7. The sage Agastya, the great Tamil scholar
who composed poems like a pouring cloud,
showered down a cool and
fertile flood of Tamil poems
as he stayed on Potiya mountain.
8. Agastya praised god Shiva
with his divine songs,
and as lord of the Vaigai river, ?
Shiva accepted those poems
and gave his grace to the sage.
9. Shiva is the great king of the Pandya country
where the honey from groves
that touch the sky
flows to the fields and sugarcane.
10. Shiva is the king of the city of Madurai
where the sound of the Vedas being recited
and the singing of Tamil Sangam poems
fill the place.
11. Shiva’s chest is decorated
with shining golden ornaments
that spread light everywhere.
His garlands of blossoms
spread fragrance everywhere.
12. Shiva rides on a strong bull
that runs swiftly.
There is no comparison for his army
that is filled with horses,
elephants, flags and soldiers.
13. Shiva is our king.
He gave the Vedas to the world.
His scepter protects all lives with compassion .
He is the joy of Saivism.
14. Shiva is the chief praised
by the divine songs of the Vedas.
He is faultless.
He is unshakable
He is the one with dark neck.
15. Shiva protected Brahma
who sits on a lotus
when he created the world.
He gave power to Vishnu
to protect the world.
16. Shiva, the Thaanu
took the form of a snake
so that the man-lion form of Vishnu
stopped trembling and became calm.
17. Shiva burned the three forts
with a slight smile without anger
because all emperors who protected the lands
requested him to burn them.
Indra comes to the earth and consecrates a Shiva Lingam
18. When Indra, the incomparable one,
king of the country of Aintaru was cursed,
he made a flying chariot,
came to earth and consecrated
a Shiva lingam and worshipped it.
19. Indra called that Shiva lingam
with the beautiful name
“Azhakiya Chokkar.”
Lord Shiva accepted that name
with abundant love.
20. Shiva took away the bad karma
of the elephant Airavata
and the curse of Indra.
After that a rich merchant
who saw the gods worshipping
the Shiva lingam that
was consecrated by Indra,
came to the Pandya king
and told him about Azakiya Chokkar
who was worshipped by Indra.
The Pandya king builds a temple for Azhakiya Chokkar
21, 22. The Pandya king went to the place
where Azakiya Chokkar was
and built rich mandapams, patios and
raised mounds studded with cool pearls
and diamonds and windows.
23. The Pandya king also built
a lovely temple for the fish-eyed goddess,
with great walls, towers
decorated with lustrous jewels
and a place to collect flowers.
24. Many long streets were made.
Incomparable patios and
halls on the top of the palaces
touching the stars were raised.
25. Golden patios, hanging decorations,
mounds studded with diamonds,
and places to keep chariots were built.
Flower ponds were dug and
trees were planted for groves
surrounding the temple.
26 , 27. Everything that could beautify
the temple was built around the city.
The king built a temple on the south side
for the Goddess Suli who rides a deer,
on the north side a temple for the Goddess Kali
and on the west side a temple for lord Vishnu
who carries in his hand a pure, shining discus.
28. The pure water of the river Ganges
that removes all the sins of the world
and that flows on the Jata of the Lord
was sprinkled all over the city.
29. The Lord had ordered
the shining moon
to sprinkle its drops of nectar
all over the city.
30. That new lovely city received
the name ‘Maduraapuri’ and
the gods in the sky and
the people of the great earth
praised its name.
31. The king ordered servants
of many castes to serve the Lord.
Those who knew the divine Vedas and
those who recite the praise of the Lord
arrived at the temple
as required by the king.
32. Pujas were done according
to the religious rules of Saivism
for the Lord of Madurapuri.
33, 34. The king of Madurapuri,
the heroic king of southern land,
the best of the Veeramaaran lineage,
the most courageous man in the world,
found an auspicious day
according to the stars
and decided to do puja for the Lord.
35. Faultless true pujas were done
by orthodox priests.
After the beautiful festivals were finished,
the Lord went to see the palace
of his wife, the goddess.
Shiva and his escorts go to the Goddess’s temple.
36. On both sides,
his escorts went praising Shiva
with the lovely songs of Tiruvasagam,
Thiruvicaippaa, the sweet poems of Sangattamil,
and many Thirumandiram songs.
37. The devotees sang
the melodious Tiruviruttapaa poems
from the Periyapuraanam, that tells
the stories of the sixty-three Nayanmaars
who were blessed by the Lord.
38. Enchanting women were dancing.
Many bright lights were carried
to remove the darkness of the night.
39. The Lord graciously reached
the auspicious temple
where the fish-eyed Goddess stays
who takes away our troubles
and births.
40. The Lord gave permission
to all his devotees to leave;
but the beautiful loving women
who had the privilege
not to leave the Lord,
stayed there to serve him.
41. Fragrant garlands of blossoms and
pure pearl garlands decorated
the lovely thiruppalli room of the Lord.
The goddess and the Lord
entered their bedroom.
42. A sweet breeze from the hills
blew softly through the windows
and the smell of its fragrance
filled the room.
43. The Lord and the young Shakthi,
the goddess who creates
all living things in the world,
joined together and blessed
all lives to flourish.
44. Their forms and feelings
joined together as one.
By their sweet grace
all the creatures of the world thrive.
45. The sound of the Vedas
that gives excellent knowledge,
the sound of the conches,
the sound of the Veena
and the lovely sound of the yaaz
all joined together.
46. Shiva left the divine bed of Shakthi
fragrant with buds and blossoms,
and joined his beloved devotees.
47. With the sprinkling of flowers,
and the recitation of various manthras
Shiva was worshipped.
He accepted happily and
gave his grace to all lives to thrive.
48. Among the many
incomparable mandapams,
Shiva went to the one
called, ‘Aayan’ and sat
graciously on the seat studded
with diamonds.
Sages decorate the Lord for the procession
49. Many priests reciting the Vedas
began to decorate the Lord
who rides a bull
worshipping him and adoring him.
50. His lotus-like feet
worshipped by all the nine constellations
shone with heroic anklets studded
with nine types of beautiful jewels.
51. They decorated him
with bright clothes,
the excellence of which
could not be described.
The brightness of his garments
removed the darkness of all ages.
52. The radiance of the diamond sword
tied at his waist was so bright
it made the sun in the wide sky
look like the moon.
53. His red lotus-like hands
surrounded by singing bees
were decorated with shining
sapphire bracelets.
54. He wore bright diamond ornaments
on his handsome, strong arms,
that once closed the mouth of Vaasuki the snake
as it wound around the mandara mountain
when the gods and the Asuras
churned the ocean of milk.
55. The pearl necklace on his chest
that spreads light shone
like the Ganges river on our Lord’s Jata
flowing and spreading its waves
as if they were hands.
56. The bright chain on
his strong, handsome chest,
looked like the sun
rising from behind Meru mountain.
57. The priceless incomparable
golden chains studded
with many colored stones on his chest
appeared like a rainbow falling
from the middle of a coral mountain.
58. His chest was made beautiful
with golden ornaments
from the Karpaga tree and
garlands of fresh Kondrai flowers.
59. The fresh sandal paste on his chest
that had soaked in cool fragrant water
spread its fragrance all over the sky
and the earth.
60. The emerald chain
that decorated his dark neck
shone like the soft fingers
of the beautiful Shakthi
who is thin as a creeper.
61. When they saw the earrings
that shone on his two ears,
the hearts of those
who never melt melted.
62. The white ashes on his forehead
that has the power of
removing the numerous sins
of those who worship him
shone like the white moon.
63, 64. The golden lustrous
light of new Thiruvachi
that circles his diamond crown,
shone sweetly
like the rainbow in the sky
that circles the red
rising sun on the hills.
65. After Shiva was decorated
as if someone were decorating beauty itself,
the incomparable Lord,
the treasury of grace,
asked all the gods to come
and receive his grace.
66. Nandi, the servant of Shiva
went to the gods quickly
and told them that
it was time for them
to come to worship the Lord.
The gods, saints and devotees praise the Lord
67. All the gods in the sky,
the four-headed god Brahma,
Indra and great Vishnu
came and worshipped him
praising him and saying, “He is our father”.
68 to 72. Devotees surround the Lord and praise him, their hearts melting.
“You are the Lord of five actions.
You are the arts.
You are our minds.
You are knowledge.
You are words.
You are power.
You are the sky.
You do not give us pain
but bring us only strength.
You are our help.
You are Haran.
You are highest of all.
You are our body, life and feeling.
You love to dance
and you are the divine light.
You are the nectar
that comes from the ocean of Saivism.
You are the joy of Sakthi
whose fragrant hair swarms with bees.
You are the God
who stays in Thiruvaalavaay in Madurai.
Give us your grace.”
Shiva sets out to go on a chariot for his procession
73. Narada, carrying a tumpuru
played faultless music and
women thin as creepers danced.
74. The Lord who is our friend stayed sweetly
with Sakthi, beautiful as a golden creeper,
the princess of the divine Himalayas.
75. Brahma the god,
who lives on a fragrant lotus,
politely asked Shiva to go
on the incomparable procession
bowing to him.
76. The Lord rose and
went to the lovely and auspicious
entrance of the palace
with beautiful golden tower.
77. All the devotees worshipped,
praising the Lord and singing,
“May you live for ever and ever!”
The gods, great sages and all those who
recite the Vedas perfectly
praised the Lord.
78, 79. A golden radiant chariot
tall as a diamond-studded hill
was brought.
It appeared like twelve
crores of sun rising together.
It was a sight that
no one had ever seen before.
The Lord ascended the chariot
giving his grace to his devotees.
80. The brightness of the divine
white ash that his devotees wore
as they followed the paths of good
shone like an ocean of milk
flooding everywhere.
81. The fans made of pure gold
as they moved to and fro on the chariot
appeared like the waves of the ocean
breaking on a golden mountain.
82. The lovely canopy of the chariot
threw its light everywhere,
decorated with pearls
and supported on a long rod
studded with sapphires.
83. The white canopy shone
like the beautiful moon that
rests on the Jata of the three-eyed Lord,
its old sins forgiven as it showers
its divine light on the earth.
Saints, Kings and devotees escort Shiva
84. All the Vedas followed the chariot
of the lovely maiden Shakthi
who shows compassion
to the whole world.
85. The devotees forgetting their own work
went to serve the Lord and they
raised their hands above their heads,
worshipping the Lord with tears.
86. The poems of Sambandar,
floated above the water of the Vaigai river
when the Jain threw them there.
87. Sambandar converted the Southern Pandya king
from Jainism to Saivism.
Sambandar was the cause for the proud Jains
to die on the stake
and the cause for the Buddhist monks
to suffer.
The saint Sambandar, also called Kavuniyan,
escorted Shiva in the procession.
88. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the saint Thirunaavukarasar
who escaped from the ocean
when he was tied to a large stone
and thrown in the water by the Jains.
89. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the great saint Sundarar
who saved a child
from the mouth of a crocodile in a pond
blooming with flowers and swarming with birds.
90. A Buddhist monk who meditates
under a Bodhi tree
was defeated by Manickavasagar
in a debate in the temple of Thillai.
Manickavaasagar escorted Shiva in the procession.
91. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the devotee Sandesar
who knew his previous karma
by his insight and
who was a scholar of Vedas.
92. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the Chola king Thiruneetrucholan,
the blessed king
who covered with gold the tower
of the great Thillai temple
where our father the Lord
dances joyfully.
93. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the Chera king who went
on his strong horse
following Sundarar
who rode on a white elephant
as the gods in the sky praised him.
94. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the good Pandya king Nedumaaran
who became a devotee of Shiva,
receiving the grace of the Lord
when his humped back
was straightened by Sambandar.
95. Shiva was escorted in the procession
by the king Kulachirai who fought fiercely,
conquered the Jains,
and destroyed their cruel deeds.
96. All these saints and
numerous true devotees
who followed the righteous path in their life
came on their vehicles.
97. With his elephant face flowing with ichor,
the true and powerful Ganesa
who conquered the Asura army
and is like a Karpaga tree
as he fulfills the wishes of his devotees
came on a mouse in the procession.
98. Lord Murugan holding
a spear in his strong hand,
came on a peacock in the procession.
He destroyed the cruel Surapadma and
released the gods from the Asura’s prison
when they asked him.
99. Lakshmi the goddess of wealth,
the divine Vishnu,
and Brahma, the giver of four Vedas
who stays on the navel of Vishnu,
came on their vehicles in the procession.
100. Many Suns,
twelve Eswaras, eleven Rudras,
eight Vasus, and
the two great medicine men
came on their vehicles in the procession.
101. Indra, other gods
and eighteen Ganas
came in their own vehicles
and entered.
The musical instruments sound in the procession
102. Dundubi drums resounded.
The gods praised loudly.
Flowers were showered like rain.
Rain drops fell.
103. Conches blew.
Pipe instrument were blown.
Flutes were played.
104, 105. Numerous drums were beaten,
Various drums, the Muzavu,
Tudi, Paracu and Patalai
were sounded joining together
with the blowing of
the Valamburi and Sanjalam conches.
106. Musical instruments
that give prosperity were played.
The four Vedas were recited
in the front and
the back of the procession.
107. People of the earth, Kinnaras,
Sky dwellers, Vinjaiyas, Asuras
were all gathered and
fascinated to see the procession.
108. Everything in all directions,
earth, sky and anything
that was above
looked on in fascination.
109. The flags that were raised hid the sky.
The glow of the rays of the sun
could not be seen because of
those raised flags
110. The three-eyed Lord Shiva
came on the streets of Madurapuri
with his wife who is ancient
and eternally young.
A group of women come to see the procession
111. The young Kinnara girls,
the Apsara women
whose voices are sweet as parrots’
and young Gandharva girls
gathered in the sky
to see the procession.
112. The women of the earth
who had reached heaven
crowded in the sky to see the Lord.
The women on earth all
came to see the procession.
113. Numerous women beautiful
as lustrous valli creepers
stood and shone on the prosperous
small golden peaks of a high hill.
114. Some women stood on patios
where the bright moon shone in the night
looking like the dancing girls
of Indra’s world
who came out of the ocean of milk.
115. Some women arrived
on magnificent chariots
as if they were strong valorous women
coming on a vehicle in the sky.
16. They crowded the patios
on top of the palaces
looking like beautiful paintings
that came alive to see with love
the procession of the highest Lord.
117. The women who gathered
on the wide streets praised
and worshipped lovingly
the feet of the Lord. They said,
118. “The Lord grew angry with his wife
when she was born on the earth
with three breasts and fought with her.
Isn’t it a joke if our breasts
love to embrace his arms?
119. “When his beloved wife attracted him
and loved him, he also loved her.
Won’t that kind Lord
show pity on us?
120. “The saint Patanjali requested the Lord
to dance at his wedding
and the Lord did.
Does the Lord come
on this divine procession
only to see the love war of Kama?
121. “The Lord appeased the thirst
and hunger of Gundodharan
at his wedding.
Isn’t it his duty to give us
his grace who fell in love with him?
122. “The Lord created a pile of food
to appease Gundodharan’s hunger
and made the Vaigai river flow
to quench his thirst.
Won’t that kind Lord take away
this suffering of love?”
123. They praised the ancient
Lord’s divine smile.
Their hearts weakened
seeing the lustre of his lovely smile.
124. They worshipped
his strong, handsome chest.
They did not feel shy
seeing the marks of
the breasts of Shakthi on his chest.
They said,
125. “Does our clever Lord
need our clothes and beautiful bangles
to grow loose from the pain of love
to give his fragrant garland to us?
126, 127. “Indra worshipped
the Lord of Thiruvaalavaay
with fragrant flowers,
nectar and the water of Ganges river.
Won’t our tears be the water for his bath?
Won’t the bangles of our hands
become garlands for his bed?
Won’t our hearts be nectar for him?”
128. They went near him without fear.
They laughed impulsively.
They stood mesmerized.
They said, “The Lord who, like Kama,
kills us with love is coming.”
129. They stood as if they were going
to say something but they could not.
They learned from their friends
what they should say
to the omnipresent Lord
but they forgot it.
They were confused and worried.
130. They said, “Do our ornaments
grow loose,
offerings for the husband
of wonderful Shakthi,
who shines like a diamond creeper.”
131. They felt shy and
their clothes grew loose on their bodies.
They felt ashamed
when the flower arrows sent
from the sugarcane bow of Kama
covered their bodies.
132. Different types of women stood there
to see the procession.
The pethai, a young girl
who wished to help Kama,
was among them.
The Pethai
133. The pethai was young as a Puvai bird
that had not learned Kama’s scripture.
She was a creeper
not yet grown and spreading.
She was a garland
not yet dripping with honey.
134. She was a fragrant mango
that had not yet bloomed.
She was a diamond
that had not been worn.
She was a lovely baby cuckoo
that had not yet uttered its cry.
135. She was a vanji creeper
that had not yet branched.
She was a lovely breeze
blown from the hills.
She was a fresh fragrant grove.
136. She was a babbling parrot
that did not know
what was right to say
and what was right to do.
137. She was not yet grown
like the crescent moon.
She was a young swan
that does not yet know
how to separate milk from water.
138, 139. Her breasts shone like
lustre of many suns
that will rise at the end of the earth.
Those small breasts
did not know their power
of destroying the sky
and the earth.
140. 141.
The pethai’s hair was disheveled,
its strands loose and scattered
like the wandering senses of those
who lead false lives and are unable
to reach the lotus feet of the all-knowing God
who carries a bright axe
and rides on a strong bull.
142. Her eyes did not yet know how to make trouble.
They were like the minds of those
who are released
from the illusions of the world
surrounded with oceans.
143. Lord Shiva is God of gods.
He burned his enemies’
three forts as they flew in the sky.
He is the king of Madurai
that is praised by scholars.
144. The victorious Southern Pandya king
who wore fragrant garlands
gave abundant pearls
to people on the entrance of his palace.
The pethai went to that
lovely entrance with her friends.
145. Bringing abundant,
matchless pearls
she went to the pandal decorated
with coral pillars on the street.
146. She built a small dollhouse
with many types of pearls.
She cooked rice with pearls
without knowing how to cook at all.
147. She fed her parrot, mothers, friends
and the baby doll in her hands.
Such was her sweet nature.
148. She taught words to her Puvai bird,
the most marvelous among birds,
pretending that she instead was learning
words from them.
149. One day when her mothers went
to the pandal of Madhavi flowers
she also went with them.
Eight miracle stories of Shiva
150 - 153. The pethai listened
carefully and lovingly
to the stories of Lord Shiva’s miracles.
The story of Shiva
bringing the ocean
to please his beloved Shakthi.
The story of Shiva
giving moksha to Shakthi’s father
to please her who is decorated
with elegant bangles.
The story of Shiva
giving birth to their son Ukkira Pandyan,
who was born to please the earth.
The story of Shiva who carries an axe
giving his son Ukkiran
a spear, a discus and a sendu weapon.
The story of Shiva
destroying the strong forts
on the dark ocean with his spear.
The story of Shiva
breaking the crown of the god Indra
with a powerful discus.
The story of Shiva
imprinting the fish symbol
on strong, golden Meru
mountain in the north.
The story of Shiva
teaching the truth of the Vedas
to the divine Rishis.
154, 155. She with her puvai bird
and the parrots of the fields
listened with love the stories and
the thiruppatikams of the three saints
that give moksha to those who hear.
At that time musical instruments
were played to announce
the procession of the Lord.
156, 157. Musical instuments praise the Lord
“He is a marvelous dancer
He is the truth.
He is faultless.
He is eternal pleasure .
He never forgets his promises.
He is the Lord of northern Meru mountain
He gives boons to his devotees.
His paths are righteous.
He is pure.
He is compassionate.
He stays on the banks of the Vaigai river.
He is Abhisheka Chokkar.”
All the musical instruments
sounded praising Shiva
when he came in procession
on the rich streets.
158. She walked towards the procession
with her mothers and
her soft lotus feet grew red from walking.
159. She was happy and
fascinated to see the Lord.
She worshipped him
folding her two hands
and said to her mothers,
160. “Oh, swan, Oh Puvai bird,
Oh peacock of the forest,
Oh, beautiful parrot,
Oh doll, look at him here.
161. “Has the Lord
who loves the deer he holds in his one hand
and the parrot he holds in the other
come here wishing to join
and play with us?
162. “Does the Lord come near
my little play-house because
he wants to eat our food
or learn how to play the game of kalangu
that I have learned”
163. “Please tell me
what the Lord who cannot be
described by anyone intends.”
This is what she asked her mothers.
and they embraced her and said,
164. “Is it right if you say the highest Lord
who did sixty-four tiruvilaiyadals
will come to play with you?
165. “He does not take the sacrificial food
given to him by the Rishis,
who are excellent scholars of the great Vedas.
Will he come for the simple food
that you have cooked?
166. “Is it fair to say
the eternal one
who dances in the silver hall
will leave his important duties
and come here to learn
to play kazangu?
Wouldn’t that be a miracle?”
167. When the mothers said this
she who was lovely as a deer asked,
“Then why did he come here?”
168. They answered,
“Oh girl, lovely as a creeper!
The Lord who performs five surpassing actions
comes in the procession
to give joy and moksha to all lives.”
169. The pethai asked, “Please put me
on the radiant chariot
of the eternal lord
on whose red jata the Ganges flows.”
170. Her dark eyes shed tears
and her heart weakened,
like those who fall in deep love.
171, 172. The mothers said
“Are there any other women like her?”
The pethai removed her bangles
and some of her golden ornaments.
She shed tears washing away
some of the kohl in her eyes.
173. Lustrous as lightning,
she seemed a woman of forty years.
Seeing her all were surprised.
174. She stood rooted in place.
Her mothers embraced her and
took her inside their splendid palace.
Pethumbai
175. The pethumbai was a woman
who had reached the next age
after the pethai.
176. She was beautiful as a creeper
not yet fully grown.
Her breasts were like two lotus buds.
177. The power of her breasts
was like the flood with its underwater fire
come to destroy the world.
Seeing her, the sages who did great tapas
folded their hands to worship her.
178. Looking at her the cruel Yama
opened his eyes like blossoms.
Watching her, passionate men’s bodies
felt abundant joy.
Her soft breasts grew
larger like buds
opening into blossoms
179. Her waist became
thinner day by day
like the bad karma
of those who do tapas
and so gain good karma
180. Her eyes were
like the limitless poison
that came out of
the ocean of milk.
They stole
everyone’s heart.
181, 182. Her hair was tied up together.
Bees swarmed around
the garlands on her hair.
It looked like
the fearsome darkness
that covers the whole world
and helps kama to finish
all that he wants to do.
183. Neither the beauty of mullai buds
that grow tall
nor the feathers of peacocks
could compete
with her young proud smile.
184. She had grown up beautifully
as if lightning had taken a form
and glowed ever more and more.
She was sweet like honey.
185. She got up when the sun rose
and came leaving her bed
sprinkled with blossoms.
One of her beautiful maids
came, bowed to her,
folding her flower-like hands,
and told her.
186. “The beauty of your eyes could kill.
Come to see the divine pond
that has the water of the seven oceans.”
187. Crores of her friends
who had beautiful eyes
and dark hair came
together to the pond.
188. Decorated with bright ornaments
she came to the pond
in the fragrant flourishing grove.
189. One of her friends said to her.
“You are bright like lightning.
You are sweet as nectar.
You are like a flourishing crop.
You are a like a splendid red lotus.
You are lustrous as gold.
Come to this pond.
190. “Look at the beautiful season
that makes women fall in love
with the highest Lord as he comes in procession.
191. “See how the king swan climbs
joyfully on pure conches
in the pond and calls.
192. “See how the young female swan
welcomes with affection
the male swan that comes to join her.
193, 194. “See how the red lotus buds open up
as they feel the shining rays of the sun
like the hearts of the devotees
who love, understand and melt
in devotion for the Lord who has thick Jata
and comes in procession
195, 196. “See how the soft coral creepers
grow thick and embrace the beautiful naakaa trees
that look like the kings
who wish to embrace
the chest of the Lord of Madhurapuri
creator of the Vedas
who rides on a sky chariot.
197. “Come to this pond
where the water of
all the great oceans
has come together,
and bathe joyfully.”
198. After hearing her friend,
the pethumbai entered the water shyly
as her mothers smiled, came,
and bathed her with love.
199. Women surrounded her and praised her
saying that she was born
in the water of seven oceans
like Lakshmi, born in the ocean of milk.
200. After bathing, she went to the
fertile grove of Surapunnai trees on the shore
and sat on a lovely fragrant seat.
201. She wore fine ornaments
and sacred ash that protected her.
Her mothers with pleasant faces
blessed her.
202. A storyteller praised the pond
and then told the stories of Shiva
to the pethumbai decorated with
bright golden ornaments.
Eight miracle stories of Shiva
203. The story of Shiva
selling diamonds
for the world to flourish.
The story of Shiva
giving his grace to the large clouds
so that they could drink
the water of the ocean.
204. The story of Shiva
changing the name
of the capital city
with its gorgeous palaces
from Madurai to Kudal.
The story of Shiva coming
as an all-powerful siddha
205. The story of Shiva
making the stone
elephant of the Pandya king
eat a sugarcane stalk.
The story of Shiva
killing the rutting elephant
that approached him,
sent by the terrible Jains.
206. The story of Shiva
changing himself into many forms
that cannot be described—
an old man, a young man
and a child.
The story of Shiva
wearing the Athi garland,
dancing in Madurai
and raising his left foot.
207. Hearing the stories of Shiva
and giving presents to the storyteller,
her mind and thoughts were immersed
in the love for
the pure Lord Shiva.
208, 209. The pethumbai, the best among women,
beautiful as Lakshmi
who sits on a lotus flower,
heard the miracle stories of Shiva.
Wishing to see
the procession of the faultless God,
she walked to the garden and sat.
210, 211 “Lord Shiva wears sacred ashes.
He carries a bull flag.
He is beloved of goddess Uma.
He, Chokkanaadar
of Kadamba forest, comes
in procession on a rutting elephant.”
Thus praising Shiva, the procession
of Lord Shiva was announced
with the beating of drums.
212. Her friends, precious as her heart,
went in front of the procession,
and she ran behind them.
Her heart was filled with abundant joy
when she saw the Lord.
213. Shiva’s arms became soft
when he embraced the breasts
of his beloved wife,
the princess of the Himalayas
who never stops giving
her grace to her devotees.
That marvelous Shiva
came in procession.
214. Shiva’s chest was beautified
with marks made by the
breasts of the goddess Uma,
whom the ancient Vedas praise and
whose beauty cannot be described.
That handsome Shiva
came in procession.
215. All worshipped
the divine feet of Lord Shiva
who does not differentiate
between his devotees.
The grace of the Lord of Thiruvaalavaay
takes away the bad karma
of his devotees.
That faultless Shiva
came in procession
216. The pethumbai saw the Lord
and worshipped him.
She tried to calm her excited mind
that was fixed to him.
She was shy.
217. She sweated.
She had never seen such
a procession before.
Seeing the Lord was a feast
for her eyes and thoughts.
218. She felt passion
she had never felt.
The love that she had for the Lord
made her beautiful
like buds opening into blossoms.
219. Her lovely eyes like Kendai fish
saw the procession unlike anything
they had never seen and
her heart felt joy
that it had never experienced.
220. Her mothers said,
“She could not think of
anything except our Lord.
Has she lost her chastity?
What can we say?
221, 222. “Her face, shoulders, breasts
and shining curly hair
seem to ask
Kama to come to fight,
and her heart gives her strength.
The king of love, Kama
does not stop
sending his fragrant arrows.
223. “The waist ornament
that we tied on her with love
is growing loose.
The bracelets that we put
on her beautiful arms
fall from her wrists.
224, 225. “As if she suddenly has grown more mature
her body has changed and is more
attractive than ever before.
Her beauty has increased
beyond what is suitable for her age.
Who knows why this happened ?”
226, 227. Before Kama sent
his flower arrows from his bow
and before her passion increased,
the mothers embraced her
whose curly hair
decorated with garlands,
swarmed with bees.
228. They went to their guarded palace,
put her on her lovely
flower-strewn bed
and consoled her so that
her passion would be calmed.
Mangai
229. There was a girl of the age of a mangai.
Her black eyes grew red with passion.
230. She was beautiful as a peacock.
Her mind always thought only of
the strong hill-like shoulders of the Lord
who carries the lustrous moon in his Jata.
231. The compassion of the highest God,
the Lord of Thiruvaalavaay
is like a flooding pond,
and she was like a lovely swan
searching for
that compassion of the Lord.
232. She was like a parrot
whose heart melted away
with love for the groves
of the Kadamba Forest
where the breeze is always blowing.
233 - 236. Her hair had grown thicker
and thicker than the attractive groves
of the love world
that Kama created.
234. The power of Kama was growing
and growing
as her long hair
grew more and more beautiful.
235, 236. Seeing her lovely hair, the
hearts of those who did tapas
grew weak and soft.
She gave a victory
that no one had achieved before to
Kama so that he could destroy
the strength of the sages.
237. Her shining eyes
had the power to end life,
as long ago when
the spear of Murugan
sailed to drink
the ocean’s crashing waves.
238. She wore shining
golden bracelets on her arms.
239 -242. Her breasts were like two
angry elephants that stir up water
then stand on the shore
crushing fragrant lotus buds,
and then climb on mountain forts.
243. Shiva shines
like a pure golden hill.
He is the tender shoot of Saivism.
He gives half of his body
to Shakthi, the fish-eyed goddess.
244. He is the Lord Chokkan,
who mesmerizes us.
Even the Vedas
that are with him always
could not find
that highest one.
245. The divine, compassionate Lord
gives prosperity to those
who worship and serve him.
He is the remedy for everything.
He is a companion for all souls.
246. Even though she saw
Lord Shiva in the procession
only that one day,
her heart felt great joy
as if it were a day of celebration.
247. She was divine as Lakshmi.
She went to worship the Lord
with crores of her friends
surrounding her on both sides.
248. She went to the mandapam
that was in the middle
of a flower garden
where divine fresh blossoms
were blooming near a pond.
249. She went to that pond
near the Vaigai River
where the poems written
on palm leaves by Sambandar
floated above the water
when they were thrown
there by the Jains.
250. She went and sat there
on a divine golden seat
studded with coral and pearls
like a swan that sits
on a lotus blossom.
251, 252. One of her friends told the mangai
that if she played on the swing
she would be happy.
She got up,
went to the shining swing
studded with diamonds
and sat on it.
Seeing her on the swing, kama
the king of love was intoxicated.
253. The sweat on her face
looked like the drops of sweet nectar
that bubble and drip from the moon.
254. The dark pupils of her
long spear-like eyes
as they went back and forth
distressed the hearts of the sages
wherever they did tapas
255. The bees that swarmed
on her thick hair
sang as if they were
crying out in happiness
after conquering
thick darkness
and the pouring rain.
256. Her beautiful hands,
as lovely as tender mango shoots
or red kandal flowers,
were decorated with
lovely bracelets
that jingled sweetly.
257. Her lovely kaanji ornament
jingled and sounded like the famous song
that the warriors sang when
they conquered lightning.
258. Her lotus-colored legs were proud
as if they had conquered swans
and beautiful lotuses.
The anklets on her lovely legs
sounded victoriously when they jingled.
The sixteen miracle stories of Shiva
A storyteller told
the sixteen stories of Shiva
to Mangai and her friends.
259. The story of Shiva
defeating Antakaasuran and
killing him with his trident.
260. The story of Shiva
kicking the chest of Yama
for Markandeya when Yama
came to take his life.
The story of Shiva
when he cut off one of Brahma’s heads
because his wife Uma embraced him
thinking that he was Shiva.
261. The famous story of Shiva
burning the three flying forts of his enemies.
The story of Shiva
when he crushed Ravana’s head
when Ravana carried
Kailasa mountain.
262. The story of Shiva
flaying the skin of an elephant.
The story of Shiva
burning Kama with the fire
from his third eye
when Kama shot
his flower arrows
to disturb Shiva’s meditation.
263. The story of Shiva
the matchless, omnipresent
god in all three worlds,
making the Pandya king understand
his mistake sending
his terrible messengers.
264. The story of shiva
giving grace and
forgiving a terrible sinner
who loved his mother
and killed his father
but became a devotee later
realizing his sins.
265. The story of Shiva
when he cut the part of ? body?
The story of Shiva
destroying the snake
that the scheming Jains sent
to kill him.
The story of Shiva
when he made a cow
obey and worship him
266. The story of Shiva
showing his handsome body.?
The story of Shiva
helping Dharmi by writing a poem
for the Pandya king
so that Dharmi would receive
a bundle of gold from the king.
267. The story of Shiva
selling bangles to women
beautiful as Lakshmi,
overwhelmed with love
when they saw him.
The story teller told
the sixteen stories of Shiva
to the mangai and her friends
and left.
268. One of her friends
came to her and made a request:
“Come and bathe.”
The mangai descended from
her beautiful swing
to go to bathe.
269. The mangai bathed happily
in the fragrant water of the Vaikai river
mingled with kaavi flowers
where the waves forever dash
on the banks.
270. After joyfully bathing,
she wore sandal paste,
flower garlands
and shining diamond
ornaments.
271. Enchanting women
whose teeth shone like coral
gathered in crowds.
The mangai’s beauty fascinated
those who saw her and
Kama was delighted to see her too.
272. She stood there
thinking only of embracing
the chest of the Lord.
Shiva in the procession
came in front of her
riding on a divine galloping horse,
the Vedas.
Escorting Shiva, the gods,
Indra, Vishnu and Brahma
praised the Lord loudly.
273. One of her friends,
loving the Lord,
her heart melting,
saw the procession and said,
“He is formless and he has a form.
He has great compassion
for his devotees.
He is splendor.
274. “He rides on a bull.
He dances in Thillai.
He came to protect the earth,
crowned as king Chokkanaathar.
He is faultless.”
275. Hearing the praise of the Lord
The mangai’s heart melted.
She was delighted and walked
towards the procession slowly
like a female elephant.
276 . The Lord is a treasury of compassion.
He is puranan.
He is joy.
He wears the moon on his Jata.
He came disguised as a soldier
to conquer an elephant.
277. She approached the procession.
She worshipped the Lord.
She praised him and
was amazed to see him.
Her heart grew weak.
278. Shiva, the husband of
the divine Shakthi
went on the street
riding his horse, which was the Vedas.
279. The mangai was lovely as a peacock.
She was a queen among women.
Her friends and those
who saw her suffering in love,
pitied her.
Her maidens embraced her
and entered the palace beautiful as lotuses.
280. They put her on a flower-covered bed
where the bees swarmed.
The Sun god who spreads
his red rays in the day
set in the west.
281. Coming before thick darkness
magical evenings confuse lovers.
Such an evening came
and bewitched her.
282. As she looked at the beautiful garland
that decorated her breast,
her heart was disturbed,
longing for the love of the Lord.
283. She said,
“The terrible one, the rising white moon,
shoots red fire at me.
How can my
weak woman’s mind bear it?”
284. Her eyes shed tears.
Her mind was longing
for the Lord’s love. She was tired.
She called her cuckoo bird.
Her body was burning.
285. She asked the king of bees to come
and then immediately told him to leave.
She called her lovely parrot
to give her a kiss.
She asked her friends and mothers
to bring the Lord’s garland
and give it to her.
286, 287. Her mothers seeing
her trouble consoled her.
They said, “You who are adorned
with beautiful ornaments,
we will go in the morning
and tell your love to the Lord,
for whom there is no comparison
so that you can embrace his handsome chest
and arms decorated with garlands.
Calm your passion
that rises like a swelling ocean.”
The mothers said these sweet words
and consoled her.
Madanthai
289. The madanthai gave a victorious
valampuri conch to Kama
so he would be victorious
as he kindled love.
290. She was the sugarcane
bow of Kama,
praised by the whole world.
She was the sweet nectar of Kama.
She was the strength of Kama.
291. She was a treasury of wealth
saved by Kama.
She was the sceptre of Kama.
She was the victorious
coral garland of Kama.
She was Kama’s crown
that was studded with pearls.
292. Her mouth was so red
that even a hundred crores
of red kumudam flowers
dripping with honey
could not compete
with the color of her mouth.
293. Her golden earrings were bright.
They swung like golden swings
as they enticed the minds of
all the people on earth,
making them fall in love with her.
294, 295. Her eyes were like cruel spears
more terrible than the cruel sceptres
of the unjust kings who did
evil deeds.
Those spear-like eyes disturbed
the minds of the learned scholars of Vedas
and the wise.
296-298. When he grew angry with the sages.
Indra carried mountains.
He raised his vajra weapon against them.
He performed sacrifices on the day
of the star of magam.
He was cursed by the sage Gauthama
and received a thousand eyes.
He rides on a strong elephant.
He wears a beautiful garland
made of buds and leaves.
The madanthai’s breasts that
were as strong as Indra
wished to destroy the tapas of the sages
like Indra when
he got angry with the rishis.
299. Her lovely, perfect waist
became more and more thin
like the hearts of those
who suffer and wander
in the land of tyrant kings.
300. Her lovely teeth
infatuated men
and looked like a chain
of precious cool pearls
blooming on a red lotus.
301, 302. She told her sweet parrot
adoringly,
“One half of his body
is his wife, lovely as a peacock.
He is our king.
He rules all the seven worlds.
He is the Lord of Thiruvaalavaay.
I long to embrace his divine arms.
Please go to him as my messenger.”
303. As she lay on her bed
and evening arrived
she was worried in her heart.
She was like a streak of lightning
that had been painted in a picture.
304. She worshipped the Lord,
unable to bear her sorrow,
and in her passion, she told her friends,
“I am alone,
who is there to console me?”
305. One lady wearing lovely ornaments,
excellent in playing
sweet music on the yaaz,
took the instrument and began to play
singing beautiful Tamil songs.
306. She told in her songs
many stories of Lord Shiva.
The story of Shiva
giving the knowledge of
perfect music to a woman.
The story of Shiva
opening the great golden door
for the Chola king.
307. The story of Shiva
giving water to thirsty soldiers
on the battlefield.
The story of Shiva
debating with the Buddhist sages
so that the troubles of his devotees
would be removed.
308. The story of Shiva
coming as a servant to the Chola king
to make him understand
the mistake he had made.
The story of Shiva
giving abundant paddy
to Sundarar when there was a famine.
309. The story of Shiva
coming to the court
disguised as a merchant’s in-law
to help him.
The story of Shiva removing
the sin of Brahmin-killing from the Pandya King.
The storyteller told all these stories
of Lord Shiva’s miracles
to the madanthai and her friends.
310. The sun who brings
day into the world
rose and shone
removing the sorrow in
people’s minds and their ignorance.
311. The madanthai, beautiful as a creeper,
walked to the pond like a swan.
After bathing she wore
ornaments and fragrance.
312. The Lord came riding
on a bull with beautiful eyes and
decorated with shining bells.
Sages showered flowers on the Lord.
The great Vedas praised the god.
313. Many musical instruments sounded
echoing like a mass of clouds.
Many conches were blown.
Numerous gods sweetly
praised the Lord.
314 - 318. The parrot messenger,
that the madanthai had sent
flew to see the Lord,
returned and told her,
“He is the Lord of Arunachalam hills.
He is unshakable
He is flawless.
He is unique.
He is formless
and yet has a form.
He is a beloved of two wives and
they both love him.
He is the ancient one.
He is the Lord of Madurai.
He is the chief of all the worlds.
He is the enemy of Kama in the war of love.
He is the happy lover of
the daughter of Himalayas.
He is the measureless one
who is divided
and yet is one.
He is the greatest.
His feet have the power of
taking away the births of his devotees.
He is the highest Lord.
He is the highest joy.
That Lord is coming on the beautiful street.”
319. Bees were swarming
around her lovely garland.
Fragrance was spreading
from her garland
when the breeze blew.
320. Her soft fingers were charming
like the tender shoots of trees.
The pale color of her body shone
like the blossoms of a mango tree? sudam
321. Jaadi flowers and Cherundi flowers
dripping with honey
decorated her hair,
making it beautiful like a
blossoming grove.
322. She was wearing a lovely
pearl chain on her neck
that was as soft as
a branch of the Kamuka tree.
323. Her growing breasts
shone like gold.
They were as sweet as nectar.
They were round and large
like two fine, soft coconuts.
324, 325. The madanthai’s heart was filled with joy.
Her sweet words were musical
like the song of a cuckoo.
Seeing her all the people were delighted.
She came to worship the Lord who
burned Kama when he
disturbed his meditation.
She came gently like Spring.
326. She saw the wonderful procession.
She loved the graceful form of the Lord.
Her heart melted and grew weak.
327. One of the madanthai’s friends,
seeing her suffering in love
and wishing to console her,
went to the Lord
who is an ocean of joy
and spoke to him.
328. “Which is larger,
the high hill where you live or her breasts?
Come here today to find out.
329. “Which makes people happier,
the crescent moon
that you keep on your jata or
the forehead of the madanthai,
who is lovely as a creeper?
Come here today to find out.
330. “Which is darker?
The terrible poison
that you drank to help the gods
or the dark hair of this woman
who is as beautiful as a peacock.
Come here today to find out.
331. “Which is more lovely,
the eyes of the deer
that you carry on your hand
or the charming eyes of this woman?
Come here today to find out.
332. “Which is thinner,
the narrow middle of the small drum
that you carry in your hand
or the small waist of this woman
whose words are as sweet as honey?
Come here today to find out.
333. “Which is more golden,
the shining kondrai garland
that you wear on your jata
or the light color of the body of
this madanthai who is as bright as
a golden creeper?
Come here today to find out.
334, 335. “You are the siddha
that no one can describe.
You are the eternal one.
You are the highest knowledge.
You are immortal.
You are faultless.
You are Chokkar of Thiruvaalavaay.
Please do as I ask.”
When her beautiful friend said this,
the madanthai came near her and prayed to the Lord.
336. The Lord graciously granted her
the boon of seeing his divine form.
She was pleased in her heart
and returned.
The Arivai
337. The arivai crowned Kama
with a shining crown
as the sages on earth
praised her.
338. The ocean of milk gave nectar
when the gods and
the Asuras churned it.
Yet it is not only the ocean
that yields nectar for the world
but the arivai also.
339. She was a priceless pearl
on the earth.
She was a faultless diamond.
She was a cool lotus.
She was precious wealth.
340. She was as divine as a goddess.
Her hips were so wide
that all the lands in the directions
of the earth could not be
as wide as they were.
341, 342. Her forehead was like the bow
that Kama carries and
her hair was decorated
with a lovely, fresh garland
that was like Kama’s flower arrows
and so her dark hair, buzzing with bees,
was like the form of that god of love.
343. If she wore shining
golden ornaments on
her breasts they would look
like two golden Meru mountains.
344. If she wore chains studded
with diamonds and
pearls on her breasts
they would look like two silver hills
345. If she wore bright diamonds
on her breasts that
attract hearts of everyone,
they would look like
two burning suns rising
on two hills.
346. Looking at her breasts
the hearts of sages throbbed,
Kama danced and
even Yama was entranced.
347. Her breasts swelled with pride
melting the hearts of everyone
and straining her thin waist
even more than before.
348. Her eyes were like arrows
sent by strong warriors
to tear the chests
of their enemies in battle.
349. Without any weapons,
her long, big dark
eyes wandered
all over the world
like the messengers
sent by angry Yama.
350. Her eyes brought trouble.
poisonous and inimical.
They had the power
to take away the life of anyone they saw.
They were wide and
gave pleasure to all
who saw her.
351. Her eyes were like
the tandam weapon
of cruel Yama
that takes away the lives
of those who live in this world.
352. She wanted the divine garland
of the God of Thiruvalavaay.
The love that
she had for that garland
made her pain even harder to bear.
353. One day she came
to a garden blooming with lovely flowers.
She was surrounded by Kama
who carries flower arrows
and many crores of her friends
354. She saw the Themaa tree and felt happy.
She asked her friends,
“Why do I feel happy
when I stay in the shadow of this Themaa tree?”
355. Her adoring friend
who was as tender as a flower,
told her, “Lovely one!
You are as precious as our life.
You are like sweet nectar.”
356. “A long time ago,
the Lord embraced his wife
the goddess Uma, lovely as a deer,
and the mother of all seven worlds,
under this Temaa tree
357, 358. “and her breasts and her bracelets
marked the faultless chest of the Lord.
Don’t you know, that is the reason
that you are drawn to this tree
whose flowers drip honey.”
Listening to this the arivai
became shy and was filled with shame.
359. She asked her friend,
“Do you know any other trees
where the generous Lord likes to stay?”
Her friend said,
360, 361, 362. “My friend, you who have have dark fragrant hair,
the Lord likes to stay in many trees—
the banian tree, the Makiza tree,
the lovely Thillai tree, the Aatti tree, the Kuraa tree,
the Marutu tree, the Paalai tree, the Palaa tree,
the white naaval tree, the Paadalam tree,
and the beautiful MarukkonRai tree.
The Lord Chokkanadar stays beneath
the sacred Kadamba tree
in the city of Thiruvaalavaay,
praised by all.”
363. When her friend told the arivai
all the trees beneath which Lord Shiva stays,
the arivai’s heart and her long wide
lotus-like eyes were pleased.
364. She went near the Kadamba tree and
asked for refuge under it.
She worshipped the tree
and said with love,
365. “The Lord is escorted
and worshipped
by the gods Vishnu and Brahma.
The great Vedas praise him.
The scholarly sages rejoice to see him.
366. “Your blossoms decorate his Jata.
You have the fortune
that he stays beneath you.
You are equal to Shiva’s abode.
367. “Kama, the incomparable one
is shooting his flower arrows at me.
My love is growing and I am exhausted.
Let me tell you the sacred acts of Lord Shiva.”
368. The story of Shiva
selling firewood without any fault ?
to appease the anger of ?
The story of Shiva
granting his divine presence
to the Chera king.
369. The story of Shiva
giving
to the singer Paanapathran.?
The story of Shiva
hearing the wonderful music
of Virali the wife of Paanapittiran
and appreciating it.
370. The story of Shiva,
feeling compassion
for the piglets and
giving them milk from his breast.
The story of Shiva
making the piglets
ministers to the Pandya king.
371. The story of Shiva
teaching the small bird
to be brave
and fly without fear.
The story of Shiva
giving Moksha to the crane.
372. “Compassion means
showing pity without
expecting anything back.
Will the God give us his grace?
Or will he leave
without having pity on us?”
373. While she was speaking,
the drum were beaten to announce
that the Lord was coming
in the procession.
374. Her two eyebrows were
like two victorious bows.
Her precious ornaments
shone like lightning.
375. Her dark hair decorated with blossoms
was like a clusters of clouds
as abundant honey dripped
from the blossoms like rain.
376. Her neck, eyes, hands
and nose were soft and lovely
like karuvilai flowers
and kandal blossoms.
377. Her breasts decorated
with shining pearls
and strings of chains,
looked like hills
as waterfalls drop from them.
378. She came on the street
like the rainy season arriving,
blooming with fragrant flowers
nourishing the crop of love.
379 - 382. Shiva is our father.
He is all the arts.
He has no lineage.
He has the beautiful moon on his jata.
He is the lover of Uma and he is praised by Indra.
He destroys the enemies of the gods.
He wears a garland of skulls.
He burned the three forts.
He is the highest of all.
He is the ancient Lord.
He is worshipped by the hunter Thinnan.
His eyes shed grace.
His body is the color of red coral.
He is skilled and clever.
He is the king of Madurai city.
He is the master of all the sixty-four arts.
He is our God.
He is the highest Lord.
He wears a garland of bones.
The Lord who stays in the silver mountain
came on his strong bull in the procession.
383. She adored Shiva
and worshipped him.
She who was timid,
grew bold enough to express her love
and began in a few words
to describe what she felt.
384, 385. “People bring you
a garland of kuvaLai flowers,
and say its fragrance is for you.
They bring sweet-smelling water
and say it is for your bath.
Oh, Lord, why won’t you tell me
how I can be bold enough
to serve you?
386. “Yesterday the strong breeze
came and made my desire for you
even greater.
If it comes again as it did yesterday
how could I bear it?
387. “The rays sent by the moon
are hot fire to burn me.
The sandal trees on the hills
burn me with fragrance they send.
Even the cool pearls
on my body burn me.
388. “Is this suffering only for me,
or do all others feel the same way?
You wear golden kondrai flowers
and are proud that you possess gold.
389. “Look at me. Do not laugh.
If you do not give me your grace,
Kama will come and fight with me.
Do you think I am strong enough
to fight with him?
390. “You have made my bangles loose.
You have stolen my beauty and my heart.
I am exhausted
and people gossip about me.
If only this fatigue could go away.
390. “If only this love for you would go away!”
She spoke in the presence of the Lord
as he went in procession and stood there.
Therivai
391. The therivai was lustrous like lightning.
She was sweet as nectar.
She fascinated everyone.
392. She gave sovereignty over
all the fourteen worlds
to Kama who carries a sugarcane bow,
so they were all ruled under on umbrella.
393. Her eyes were sharp like spears
that pierce people’s hearts.
and hurt like strong poison
that has no remedy.
394. She taught Yama
who was not easy to approach
the art of killing.
She was an accomplished scholar of
the book of love written by Kama.
395. Her eyes wandered all over
like the tempestuous oceans that
rise at the end of the age
to destroy the world.
396, 397. The therivai’s long, thick, dark hair
was like the cruel bond Yama uses
to bind people,
threaten them,
and take their lives.
398 - 399. Vishnu sleeps on the snake bed.
He married the beautiful Lakshmi.
As Vamana
he measured the world.
He showed Yasodha
the world in his mouth
when he came to the earth
as the child Krishna.
He gave sweetness
to the world as Krishna
with his mischievous play.
400. The therivai’s breast were
decorated with lovely ornaments
like Vishnu.
As sweet as nectar
they gave joy to others.
They were round and majestic as hills.
401. Her ample breasts were fragrant,
smeared with a mixture of
sandal paste
and perfumed water.
402. Not even a faultless and skilled painter
could paint her waist,
because it is so small.
403. The sun, praised by all
set in the west
and the beautiful
moon rose in the east.
404. She went to the divine
and magnificent mandapam
where a pleasant breeze blew gently.
Many of her friends surrounded her
and adored her.
405, 406. She sat there attracting,
and mesmerizing the minds of the others.
Because she was afraid that Kama would start
his war of love,
she did not tell her feelings
to her friends whose mouths are red
as kovai fruits.
She talked to her Puvai bird
as if she was instructing it.
407. She told of the glory of Shiva,
the God of gods, the ancient one,
the king of beautiful Thiruvaalavaay.
408. The story of Shiva
when Madurai received
the name Thiruvaalavaay.
The story of Shiva
destroying with his strong arrows,
the army of the Chola king
who carried a shining sword.
409. The story of Shiva
giving the Sangappalahai to the poets
so they would receive fame.
The story of Shiva
composing a poem
‘konguter” for Dharmi a poor man
so he could receive gold
from the Pandya king.
410. The story of Shiva
arguing with the great poet Nakkirar
because Nakkirar found fault
with his poem, ‘konguter.’
The story of Shiva
listening to Tamil poems
from the sage Nakkirar.
411. The story of Shiva
making Rudrasanmar, who was dumb
speak in Tamil
and become a poet in the language.
The story of Shiva
going to North Madhura
to help Idaikkaadar.
412. Listening to the stories of Shiva,
she was happy.
The sun, lover of lotuses, rose
from its mountain, praised by all.
413. The darkness that entirely
covered the world dispersed.
Her face showed happiness.
She was as lovely as a painting,
as she arose from sleep in the morning.
414. She approached
the pond of the temple
blooming with golden lotuses
in the Kadampa forest
that is praised by scholars
who have learned all three branches of Tamil,
prose, music and drama.
415. She saw that wide pond
and wondered how large it was.
She was captivated by the pond
and said lovingly to her friends,
416. “This pond is beautiful,
filled with diamond-like blue water.
that looks like the dark hair of girls,
and is cool like
the happy minds of women
who fall in love with the highest one.
417. “The blooming lotuses in the pond
remind us of the happy faces
of the women who love the Lord.
The pond is filled with pearls,
like the women, ornamented with pearl necklaces,
who fell in love with the eternal one .
It is filled with conches
like the hands of women,
decorated with conch bracelets,
who love the magnificent Lord.
418. “This pond is like the women
who received the garland of Shiva
that buzzed with bees,
satisfying their desire
and making them happy.
419. “This pond is like the women
who are in love with the Lord in all these ways.”
This is what the therivai said to her friends
as she fell in love with Shiva.
420. She said, “Oh, Lord, you have satisfied
my desire just as you took away
the bad Karma of the god Indra
who has a thousand eyes.”
421. She bathed and decorated herself
with precious clothes and ornaments.
She went to the bank of the pond.
The Paanan who played
lovely music on his yaaz
came, bowed to her and said,
422. “You shine like lightning.
You are lovely like the victorious
goddess of the Lord, the king of dance.
Today the Lord will come in procession.”
That is how the Paanan announced
the procession of the Lord.
423. She gave silk clothes
and precious ornaments
to the Paanan who said
kind words to her.
She went to the beautiful palace
and sat on her seat.
424. One of her friends
wearing lovely bracelets
came near, bowed to her.
and said,
425. “If you wear golden ornaments
you will look like the goddess
Lakshmi who sits on a lotus
near Vishnu her husband
as he escorts
the faultless God of Kudal city
in the procession.
426. “If you wear
exquisite diamond ornaments,
you will look like the goddess Saraswathi
who gives learning to all.”
427. She was wearing new emerald ornaments
that shone like the faultless
rays of the sun that rises in the morning.
428. Her friends decorated the therivai,
whose face was as bright as the moon.
They gave in her flower-like hand
a bunch of alli and kuvalai flowers.
429. Her gentle, beloved friends
were wearing golden chains
studded with diamonds
and strings of pearls.
430. She asked them
to stand around her.
Looking at the Paanan, she said,
“Please find a simile for how I look.”
431, 432. “You look like the goddess Parvathi,
the mother of the worlds,
the daughter of Himalayas
sitting majestically surrounded
by the goddesses --
Lakshmi sitting on her lovely red lotus,
Saraswathi resting on her white lotus,
Mandahini, the Ganga and all the Apsaras.”
433. The Paanan played
sweet music on the yaaz,
melting everyone’s hearts.
He stood in front of the therivai
and described how beautiful
she was, as she sat before him.
434. The Lord Shiva dances
raising his left foot
for the Pandya king of the south.
He is the origin of all things.
He is the creator of the Vedas.
He is the Lord of Kudal city
filled with abundant palaces.
435. The therivai was sitting majestically
like a lovely women in a painting,
and she was falling in love with the Lord,
plunged into the thought of him.
Her soul was an ornament for him.
436. The Lord crushed Ravana’s chest
who carried the Kailasa mountain
and fought with him.
There is no one equal to the Lord.
He is the king of dance.
437. The feet of the Lord kicked
Yama and conquered him
when he came to take away
the life of Markandeya
438. He is the god Brahma who has four heads.
He is the god Vishnu himself.
He is the god of destruction.
He is the king of Madurai.
He is the beloved of Goddess Uma.
439. He came in procession
on his vehicle, a lovely golden Karpaga tree,
that shed abundant flowers as
the Vedas praised him.
440. Seeing the the highest one
on the street she fell in love with him.
As she hurried and ran to the street,
both of her eyes were filled with happiness.
441. The Lord who is adorned with
a kondrai flower garland
fragrant with marukkozuntu
swarming with bees
directed his charming smile to her.
She was proud and shivered.
442. Her forehead was as beautiful as
the sugarcane bow of Kama.
Her face was as lovely as
a fragrant red lotus.
443. Her white moon-like teeth
shone like jasmine blossoms.
Her soft body was lovely like
the tender leaves of Ashoka tree.
444. The light color of her golden body
was like yellow Mango blossoms.
Her dark, happy eyes lovely
as kuvalai flowers reached to her ears.
445, 446. Her diamond earrings
swayed like the shark flag of Kama.
The therivai, precious and ornamented
stood in victory over Kama,
the king of beauty,
because of the grace of Shiva
who conquered Kama when he
disturbed his meditation.
447. The Lord Shiva has Shakthi, the goddess,
as half of his body.
He dances in the beautiful
silver hall in Madurai.
His procession moved
from that place.
Perilam Pen
448. The perilampen was a fortune
that Kama, the king of desire
who always wins the war of love
received because of the great austerities
he had performed
449. For Kama she was like a commentary
on the book of love
that gives happiness to all.
She was a flood of love.
450. She was as beautiful as Lakshmi
born in the ocean of milk.
Her smile was lovely.
Her face was as tender as a kumudam blossom.
She was thin and fragrant as a creeper.
451. The perilampen was like
newly played music.
She was like a goddess
who gave beauty to the world.
452. She was the drone sound
for the music that Kama plays.
She spread her knowledge everywhere.
453. She came to see the procession
and even the goddess Lakshmi born
in the milky ocean
praised her lovely form.
454. Her sharp eyes destroyed
the strength of the great ones.
They moved like a spear
a king raises to fight
his enemies.
455. They took away people’s lives
like the trident of the Lord
that kills his enemies.
456. Kama who has a sugarcane bow
and a beautiful chariot and
Yama who carries
a spear in his strong hands
became her servants
because of the power
of her long sharp eyes.
457. Her breasts were
decorated with garlands.
They were smeared
with fragrant sandal paste.
Beautiful ornaments studded
with diamonds covered them.
458. Even though her breasts
were round and heavy
they did not pain her waist
so thin you could not even see it—
her breasts took care
that her waist not be hurt.
459. She despised the ornaments on her arms
and her bracelets
because her arms and hands
wished to embrace the Lord
continually and lovingly
and she feared
they would hurt his body.
460. She despised the jewels
on her body because
she thought that they were hiding
her lovely light color.
461. She went to the marble mandapam
of the palace surrounded with high walls
that touched the dark clouds of the sky.
462. She went happily
to the front part of the mandapam
where the cool moon spread
its bright light like a flood of water.
463. Her numerous friends resplendent with
their lovely golden faces
and long hair surrounded her
like many bees
swarming around a lotus blossom.
464. Her golden earrings
studded with diamonds,
and her long beautiful eyes
moving like fish
touched her lovely ears
soft as Vallai creepers.
465. The two breasts held by her tender waist
that one could not see
were like two growing buds
on the stalk of a lotus flower.
466. Her neck was like beautiful conch
and her smile was like precious pearls.
Her clothes shimmered like waves.
467. The porch looked like
a pond with waves
because of the bright
white moonlight
that fell there.
468. She sat on a beautiful coral seat
like a swan resting on a red lotus
in a pond blooming with flowers.
469. She praised the Lord to her friends
“The Lord is our friend.
He is incomparable.
He rules us.
470. “If his devotees think
of the Lord when they are troubled,
our great Lord grants them
the fragrant lotus seat of Brahma,
the milky ocean of the gods
and the land of Indra with karpaga tree.
471. “Why did our great Lord makes the hot sun
take away the darkness of the night
instead of the moon?
Can you tell me the reason?”
472. After the perilampen
said this to her friends,
a virali holding the yaaz
folded her lovely hands together,
bowed to her said,
474, 475. “The Lord is compassionate.
He is the king of the kadamba forest.
His beautiful mouth is like a red lotus.
His shining teeth are like jasmine flowers.
His beautiful eyes are like sahoraa birds.
His arms are bright like the sun and moon.
You have the right to embrace his arms. This what I must tell you”
476. Hearing what the Virali said,
the perilampen replied,
“You are decorated with precious ornaments.
I would like to listen to the music
of your yaaz sweet as nectar.
Please play.”
477. Taking the faultless tandiri yaaz
the virali played.
All the worlds hearing the music melted.
Listening to her music Gandarva women
in the sky were delighted.
The virali told the perilampen
miracle stories of Shiva.
478. The story of Shiva
coming as a fisherman,
falling in love with a woman
who was born in a fisherman’s family
and marrying her.
The story of Shiva
granting enlightenment
to Manickavaasagar.
479. The story of Shiva,
selling foxes to the Pandya king,
telling him that they were horses,
and then asking him to release
Manickavaasagar who was imprisoned by him.
The story of Shiva
bringing a flood to the Vaikai river
one day.
480. The story of Shiva
coming as a laborer and
working for Vanthi, an old lady,
to receive pittu, a sweet, as his wage.
The story of Shiva
curing the terrible disease
of the southern Pandya king.
481. The story of Shiva
making the Jains to die
on sharp impaling stakes.
The story of Shiva
bringing a Vanni tree and
a well to prove
the chastity of a merchant woman
who was a devotee of Shiva.
482. The virali sang wonderful songs
about the miraculous deeds
of Lord Shiva in Tamil.
Her music was like a boat
that floated over the ocean of darkness
and brought travelers
to the bank where there is light.
483, 484. As Lord Shiva came in procession
the darkness of the night dispersed.
All the roosters crowed in the morning
and the bees on the flowers buzzed.
Honey dripped from the blossoms.
The Rakshasas were destroyed.
Crops flourished.
The works of men flourished.
485. The sun rising in the east
came on yoked horses spreading his light.
486. Many strong elephants trumpeted
and beautiful conches
were blown.
487. The melodious music of the yaaz
and the eternal heavenly recitation of
Vedas sounded.
488. All the suffering and the poverty of
the creatures of the world
were removed in an instant.
489. The lotus-like faces
of the good people
and their flower-like
hearts that never know hatred
found joy.
490. The lowly religions
that teach wrong doctrines
could no longer contend with truth.
Bounteous rays of knowledge
shone forth and imparted goodness.
491. He is the Lord who grants the rays of knowledge
to all the world so that ignorance will disappear.
492. He came on the streets of Maduraapuri
and reached the perilampen and her friends.
493. Her friends were beautiful as dolls,
and they had the power to attract everyone.
494. Surrounding her, her friends praised her.
She walked near the king of Maduraapuri
and worshipped him.
495. The fascination she felt seeing the Lord
was indescribable.
496. One of the perilampen’s friends
ran near the Lord,
who is the king
of the scholars of elegant Tamil
and said,
497. “We cannot understand
why the heat of the bright moon
makes our moon-like faces
and hearts suffer.
498. “We cannot understand
why our wide ocean-like eyes
suffer without sleep because
the ocean roars so loudly.
499. “We cannot understand
why the sandal paste
on our breasts decorated
with pearl garlands
cannot dry.
500. “How can I explain
the way my arms shiver
listening to the sound of the flute
as cruel as Yama.
501. “If your procession crosses this street,
she will suffer terribly.”
Her friends said these things
to the Lord and bowed to him.
502. The perilampen felt relieved
and her suffering was calmed.
She said to the Lord,
“You destroyed the pride of the gods who do not respect you.
You destroy the sacrifice of tyrannical Dakshan.
503. ‘You burned Kama’s body.
You destroyed the garland of Indra,
crushing his arms.
504. “You made the strength
of moonlight grow weak at night.
You have put out
the cruel fire of my passion.
505. “You gave pain to those friends
who did not respect you.
You cut off the head of Brahma
who decides the fate of everyone.
506. “Yoga, they say, takes away the suffering of love.
Will you not calm
my suffering by giving me the power of yoga?
507. “You gave your grace
to Sundarar who fell
in love with Paravaiyaar in Thiruvaarur.
You grant boons to gods and others.
508. “You gave them all gold
so that they could survive.
But you only gave me pallor
that has the color of gold.
How am I to live?
509. “The goddess embraces
your chest lovingly.
If you embrace us also,
the mark of her body
on yours may disappear.
510, 511, 512. “You wear a flower garland
on your Jata that belongs to Ganga
and a flower garland on your left side
that belongs to Uma, and because of them
those two goddesses quarrel with you.
Give them both to me,
513. “and I will put them on my breasts,”
The perilampen said.
Her heart was tired,
her body weak.
514. All the seven women who saw the Lord
in the procession fell in love with him.
The Lord protects
and rules all the three worlds
Nothing can be compared with him.
515. He is the king of Madurai city.
The Pandya king
Sundara Maaran and the gods of heaven
praised and worshipped him.
516. Our father, the king who gives us grace
and keeps his compassionate wife Meenakshi
as the left side of his body
came in procession.
Subham.
The stories of Sages, kings and gods that are described when Lord Shiva came on the Ulaa in Thiruchokkanaathar Ulaa. All of the following devotees escorted Shiva in his procession.
1. The story of Thirunyaana Sambandar. The Jains threw the poems of Thirunyaana Sambanda Nayanaar in the Vaikai river and the poems floated above the water by the grace of Shiva. The Pandyan king killed the Jains.
2. The story of Thirunaavukkarasar. When the Jains threw Thirunaavukkarasa Nayanaar in the sea tied to a stone, the stone floated on the water and he survived by the grace of Shiva.
3. The story of Sundaramurthi Naayanar. When a young boy was caught by a crocodile, Sundaramurthi Nayanaar released him from the crocodile’s mouth and saved him by the grace of Shiva.
4. The story of Manivaasagar. Manivaasagar debated with a Buddhist in the golden temple of Chidambaram and conquered him by the grace of Shiva.
5. The story of a sage who cut off his father’s legs.
6. The story of Thirunetrucholan. The Chola king Thirunetrucholan who covered the Chidambaram temple with gold and later went to heaven by the grace of Lord Shiva.
7. The story of a Chera king. A Chera king followed Sundaramurthy Nayanaar when he ascended to heaven on a white elephant.
8. The story of Pandyan Nedumaaran. The Pandyan king Nedumaaran whose crooked back was cured by the grace of Thirunyaanasambanda Murthi Naayananaar.
9. The story of Kulachirai Naayanaar. The king Kulachirai Naayanaar killed the Jains who did cruel deeds to the Saivaites.
Summary of the stories told in Thiruvilaiyaadal Puranam and Thiruchokka Naathar Ulaa
Note: The first number on each of the stories indicates Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam. At the end of each story the number indicates the Ulaa.
1. The story of Indra’s curse: Indra the king of gods fought with Vrudhraasuran and killed him. Because of that he was cursed. He went on many pilgrimages and finally came to kadamba forest. He consecrated a Shiva lingam and he called it ‘Azhakiya Chokkanaathar’ He worshipped Lord Shiva for a long time and he was released from his curse and went to his world. (1)
2. The story of the curse of Airavadam, the elephant of Indra: Indra was going on his white elephant Airavadam one day. The sage Durvasa saw Indra and gave him a lotus flower. Indra was very proud and put that flower on the back of the elephant. The white elephant threw the flower on the ground and crushed it. The sage Durvasa grew angry and cursed him. He said, “A Pandyan king will kill you because you commit a sin against Shiva. Your proud elephant will become a forest elephant and wander in the forest..”Indra requested the sage to forgive him. The sage forgave him and Indra was released from the curse. His elephant went to the Kadamba forest and worshipped Shiva. The elephant was released from his curse and returned to Indra to serve him. (2)
3. The story of Maduraapuri. In the city of Manavur there was a merchant named Dananjeyan. Once in the Kadamba forest the merchant saw gods praying at night to a Shivalingam. He went and told what he had seen to the king. The king wanted to build a temple for the Shiva lingam in the Kadamba forest and constructed a beautiful temple. He also built temples for the goddess Kali and the Goddess Parvathi. Many buildings, ponds and other things that beautified the temple were built around the city. Shiva asked the moon on his Jata to sprinkle nectar with the water of the Ganges on the city. The city was called, ‘Maduraapuri.’ (3)
4 and 5. The story of the birth and marriage of Thadaathagai. The Pandyan king and his wife Kanchanamaalai had a baby girl and named her Thadaathagai. The girl was born with three breasts. She grew up and became the queen of Maduraapuri and ruled that country. Thadaathagai conquered many kings on the earth and went to Kailaasa to fight with the gods. There she met Shiva and fell in love with him. Shiva and Thadaathagai were married. (4. 5)
6. The story of Shiva dancing and lifting his left foot: All the gods, kings and sages went to the wedding of Shiva and Parvathi. The sage Pathanjali and the sage Vyagrabaatha asked Lord Shiva to dance lifting his left foot, imitating how he danced in the golden temple of Thillai lifting his right foot. The Lord danced lifting his left foot and all the gods and sages saw the dance of the Lord and were pleased. (6)
7. The story of Gundodharan: All the guests ate the wedding feast but there was abundant food left over. When Thadaathagai went to her husband and asked him to take care of food, Shiva called Gundodharan his servant and asked him to eat the food. Gundodharan ate it all. (7)
8. The story of river Vaigai. After he ate all the food, Gundodharan was thirsty. He drank all the water in the ponds, wells and the springs in the city of Maduraapuri, but his thirst was not satisfied. Shiva asked the Ganges that was on his Jata to come down to earth and flow. Gundodharan drank all the water he wanted and was satisfied. The river that came down is called Vaikai and that is the river that runs in Madurai city now. (8).
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the pedai
1. The story of Kanchanamaalai bathing in the ocean: Kanchanamaalai, the mother of Meenakshi wanted to bath in the river Ganges. The sage Gauthama told her that if she went to an ocean where all the rivers join that should be the best place to bathe. She went to her daughter Thadaadagai and told her that she wanted to bath in the ocean. Thadaadagai told her mother’s wish to her husband Lord Shiva and Shiva brought all the seven oceans to Madurai. All the seven oceans in seven colors came to a pond that was in the east of Madurai and joined with the water of a temple pond.(9)
2. The story of Kanchanamaalai going to heaven: When Kaanchanamaalai went to bathe in the pond, the brahmins who were there told her that she should join her hands with her husband, only son, or the tail of a cow and bathe in the pond. At once Shiva brought Malaiyathuvajan, the husband of Kanchanamaalai who was in Indra’s world, to the pond and the couple bathed in the pond holding each others’ hands. They both went to Kailasa, the heaven of Lord Shiva in a divine flying chariot. (10)
3. The story of the birth of Ukkira Pandyan: Thadaathagai wanted a son and told that to her husband Somasundara Pandyan (a form taken by Shiva). Shiva granted her wish, saying that Murugan would be born to her. Subsequently, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son on a Monday under the Thiruvaadirai star. They named him ‘Ukkira Pandyan’. (11)
4. The story of Shiva giving a wheel, chendu weapon and spear to Ukkira Pandyan. Sundarapandyan wanted his son to marry Ganthimati the daughter of Somasekharar in Manavur. Shiva appeared in the dream of Somasekharar and told him to give his daughter in marriage to Ukkira Pandyan.
Somaskeharar happily accepted. Ukkira Pandyan and Ganthimathi married and lived happily. Sundarapandyan gave a wheel, a spear and a chendu weapon to Ukkira Pandyan and told him, “Indra, Varuna and Meru mountain are your enemies. Throw the wheel and Indra’s crown will fall. Release the spear on the ocean and it will dry up. Hit the Meru mountain with the chendu weapon and it will obey you..”He also crowned Ukkira Pandyan at that time as the king. (12)
5. The story of Ukkira Pandyan conquering Varuna: Ukkira Pandyan ruled the Pandya country and did ninety six Ashvameda sacrifices. Indra was jealous of the king and told the god Varuna to destroy the Pandya country with a titanic flood of water coming from the seven oceans. A huge flood started at midnight. Shiva came at once in the form of a Siddha to Ukkira Pandyan and told him to throw the spear, stop the flood and protect the country. Ukkira Pandyan went quickly and threw his spear and stop the flood. Shiva and the goddess Uma graciously appeared on Nandi, the bull that is Shiva’s vehicle, and blessed the Pandyan king and his country. (13)
6. The story of Ukkira Pandyan conquering Indra: Once, there was no rain in Tamil Nadu and the people suffered. At that time sages did tapas for the rain to come on Mondays and then went to Indra. Indra only granted rain to the Chola and Chera countries and not to the Pandya country. Ukkira Pandyan became angry and imprisoned the four clouds that belong to Indra. At that, Indra started a war with the king. In the fighting, Ukkira Pandyan sent his wheel and destroyed Indra’s crown. Indra sued the Pandyan king for peace and said that he would give rain to Pandya country if the Pandyan king released Indra’s clouds. Ukkira Pandyan released the clouds and Indra granted him the rain, making the people of the Pandya country happy. (14)
7. The story of Ukkira Pandyan fighting with Meru mountain: Ukkira Pandyan and his wife Ganthimathi had a son and named him Veera Pandyan. At that time, once again there was no rain and the king prayed to Shiva to give rain. The god Somasundarar (a form of Shiva) came to him in a dream and told him, “In a cave in Meru mountain there is a great treasure. Go and fight with Meru mountain and bring it..”The Pandyan king went to Meru mountain and struck the mountain with his Chendu weapon. He engraved the Pandyan emblem of a fish on the hill. A bhutham with eight hands and four heads carrying a white umbrella came and said, “Oh, king, every day I pray to Somasundarar and Meenakshi in this form. Today I was late for my worship because I was fascinated with a woman. You came and released me from that sin..”He gave much gold to the Pandyan king. When the Pandyan king was returning the kings of Mathiyam, Viraadam, Maalavam and Thelungam welcomed him and showed their hospitality. The king gave all the gold to his citizens and they were happy and there was no famine in Pandya country. After a while, the stars changed, rain poured in the Pandya country and the land became fertile. Ukkira Pandiyan went to Kailasa after crowning his son Veera Pandyan. (15)
8. The story of Shiva Teaching the meaning of the Vedas to the sages: The Vedas were created by Shiva. The sage Kanvar and others could not understand the meaning of the Vedas. They went to Madurai with the sage Arapathar and prayed to the god Dakshinamurthy (a form of Shiva). Disguised as a sixteen-year-old brahmin boy, the god taught them the meaning of the Vedas. He took them to the Shiva Lingam in the temple of Madurai and told them, “This Shiva lingam itself is the Veda and the meaning of Vedas. The Veda and the meaning of Vedas are the same thing..”He taught them much holy lore such as the beginning of the Pranava manthram, Jnaanam, Karumam, Vaideekam and Vaideekasaivam.”. (16)
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the pedumbai
1. The story of Shiva selling Diamonds: The Pandya King Veera Pandyan had many mistresses and many sons from them. He also had one son Abhisheka Pandyan from his queen. Once when Veera Pandyan went hunting, he died in the forest. His mistresses and their sons took all his wealth and his queen’s son did not have anything. Veera Pandyan’s minister wanted to help Abhisekha Pandyan and took him to the temple and prayed. Shiva came as a diamond merchant and gave the Pandyan king many diamonds and pearls. He told the ministers to crown Abhisekha Pandyan and he ruled the country. (17)
2. The story of the clouds that came and drank water from the flooded Vaikai river: In the month of Chitrai on the day of the star Chitra, Abhisheka Pandiyan did special pujas to the god Somasundarar (a form of Shiva). Indra also did puja on the same day for Shivam but was unable to perform his puja at the correct time because the Pandyan king was doing his puja at the same time. Indra decided to return to his world. On the way Varuna saw him and asked him, “Why do you worry about doing pujas for Shiva. Do you think Shiva has the power to take away my stomachache?.”Indra said, “Lord Shiva has the power to take away the cycle of births. Don’t you think he could cure your stomachache?.”Varuna decided to test the power of Shiva. To cure Varuna’s stomachache, Shiva ordered the ocean to destroy Madurai city. People saw the flood, were terrified and went to Abhisheka Pandyan. The Pandya king prayed to Shiva, who sent the four clouds that were on his Jata to help the Pandya country. The clouds drank all the water in the flood and the country was saved. The gods and people praised Shiva with devotion and songs. (18)
3. The story of Kudal city: Varuna became angry and ordered seven clouds to destroy the world. The clouds roared, grew full of water and became very dark. Adishesh, the snake of Vishnu, and the elephants of the eight directions trembled. It was dark everywhere. Abhisheka Pandyan went to Shiva and asked him to help the Pandya country. Shiva ordered his four clouds to become four huge roofs and cover the whole city of Madurai. Feeling defeated and ashamed, when Varuna went to the temple pond his stomachache was cured. He bathed in the pond and worshipped. Shiva was happy that Varuna was praying to him and asked, “What would you like me to do?.”Varuna replied, “My stomachache was cured even before I arrived at the temple pond. You show your grace even to people like me who do evil acts. I do not want any wealth, manthram or any medicine. Please forgive my faults..”Shiva gave all the boons he wanted and Varuna went to his world. Because the four clouds that came from the Jata of Shiva protected Madurai, the city was called ‘naan maadakudal’ (19)
4. The story of Shiva coming in the disguise of a siddha: Shiva came to Madurai in the disguise of a siddha. He went everywhere and performed many miracles. He made the older people young and the young people ones old, he turned men into women and women into men, he made barren women give birth, he made the dumb speak, he gave sight to the blind, he made bitter Etti trees ripen with sweet fruits. The people of Madurai were surprised when they saw the siddha’s miraculous deeds. The king Abhisheka Pandyan heard about the siddha and asked him to come to see him but the siddha refused. (20)
5. The story of a stone elephant eating sugarcane: Abhisheka Pandyan went himself to see the siddha, whom people were treating as a beggar. The king politely asked him where he came from and what he wanted. The siddha proudly answered him that he came to see all the temples of Shiva and he did not want anything from the king. The king was angered by the siddha’s arrogance and asked him, “There is a stone elephant here. Can you feed it a stalk of sugarcane?.”When the siddha offered a stalk of sugarcane, the elephant ate it and then took the king’s garland from his chest. When the people there were angered by this and went to strike the siddha, he turned them all into stone statues. The king requested the siddha to forgive them and the siddha brought them back to life and disappeared. The elephant became a stone elephant again. Abhisekha Pandyan had a son and named him Vikrama Pandyan. Then he prayed to Shiva and went to Shiva’s world. (21)
6. The story of an angry elephant sent by the Jains: Vikrama Pandyan helped Saivism flourish in the country and he did gave little attention to Jainism. A Chola king in Kanchipuram who wished to conquer Vikrama Pandyan approached some Jain sages and told them that if they killed Pandyan king, he would give half of his country to them. The Jain sages burned many parts of the Pandya country and destroyed the ponds that hold water. They performed a sacrifice and an angry elephant came out of it. It destroyed many parts of the city and then came to the Pandyan king’s palace. When the Pandyan king went to the temple and prayed to Shiva for help, Shiva asked him to build a mandapam. When it was built, Shiva stayed in it waiting for the elephant. When the Jain’s angry elephant came, Shiva killed it with an arrow. The king and the people were happy. (22)
7. The story of Shiva changing his form into an old man, a young man and a baby: A brahmin named Virupaakshan had a daughter named Gauri who spent most of her time praying to the goddess Parvathi. One day a Vaishnava bachelor came to Gauri’s house and her father gave her in marriage to him. Her in-law’s family followed Vaishnavism and did not treat her well because she was praying to Parvathi. One day Lord Shiva came to her home in the form of an old man and asked for food. Gauri cooked food and served him. After eating he became an young man. At that time her relatives came home. Seeing the relatives Shiva changed himself into a baby. When the relatives asked her who the baby was she said it was her friend’s baby. They said angrily, “You should not have a Saivaite baby in this house.”and sent her out of the house with the baby. She prayed to the goddess and the baby changed into Shiva. Gauri also became a goddess and Uma and Shiva took her to Kailasa. (23)
8. The story of Shiva dancing and lifting his left foot: Vikrama Pandyan crowned his son Rajasekhara Pandyan and went to heaven. Rajasekhara Pandyan learned classical dance because he wished to compete with a Chola king who danced well. As he was learning dance, he realized how difficult it was to learn that art. When he went to the temple he saw that lord Nataraja dancing, lifting his right leg always, he thought it must be painful for Shiva and prayed to Shiva to lift his left foot instead when he danced. Lord Nataraja did as he asked. Rajasekhara Pandyan worshipped Shiva and asked the god to dance always lifting his left foot in Madurai in the silver hall. Shiva accepted and and did as Rajasekhara Pandyan asked. (24).
The sixteen miracles of Shiva in the section of the mangai
1. The story of Anthahaasuran: Shiva fought with Anthahaasuran and killed him with his trident.
2. The story of Markandeya: Shiva gave a boon to Markandeya that he would be always sixteen years old and no one could kill him. When Yama the god of death came to take Markandeya’s life, Shiva came, kicked Yama and saved Markandeya.
3. The story of Brahma and Shiva: Once Brahma went to see Shiva and waited for him in Shiva’s garden. At that time both Shiva and Brahma had five heads. Parvathi came to the garden and embraced Brahma from behind thinking he was Shiva because both he ans Hiva had five heads. Shiva became angry and cut off one of the heads of Brahma. At that, Brahma angrily cursed Shiva, saying that he should beg and and that the head he had cut off Brahma would not fall from Shiva’s hand until it became full. From then on Brahma only had four heads and Shiva wandered about begging, with Brahma’s head stuck to his hand. Finally, when Vishnu cut his finger and filled the head of Brahma with his blood, it fell.
4. The story of the three flying forts: Shiva burned the three forts of his enemies with the fire that came from his forehead eye.
5. The story of Ravana carrying the Kailasa mountain: Once Ravana, the king of Lanka, took Kailasa mountain on his shoulders and everyone on the mountain trembled. Shiva put his feet on Ravana’s shoulders and pressed him to earth. Ravana put down the Kailasa mountain and worshipped Shiva.
6. The story of Shiva’s elephant skin: Shiva killed an elephant and used its skin as his garment.
7. The story of Shiva teaching a small bird: When Rajaraja Pandyan his son Suguna Pandiyan ruled the country, a man who had done evil deeds in his previous birth was born as a karikkuruvi, a small bird. The bird was afraid of other stronger birds, flew to the forest and hid. One day it saw a sage who told the bird that if it worshipped Shiva, he would help it. The bird prayed asking the God to give him strength so that other birds could not hurt it. Shiva made him a very strong bird called, ‘Valiyaan,’ The small bird became strong and helped all the other small birds so that they would not be hurt by other strong animals and birds. (47)
8. The story of Shiva burning Kama: Once when Shiva was meditating for a long time, the gods concerned that the maintenance of the world would stop, asked Kama to disturb Shiva’s meditation. Kama decided to help the gods, went to where Shiva was meditating and sent his flower arrows. Shiva angrily opened his forehead eye and burned up Kama. Later he restored Kama to life when Rathi, Kama’s wife, came and asked him to forgive Kama.
9. The story of the messengers of Yama: After crowning his son Kulothunga Pandyan, Rajasekhara Pandyan died and went to Lord Shiva’s world. One day a brahmin and his wife were going through a forest. The brahmin went to get some water and his wife was killed by an arrow that fell from the tree. The brahmin saw a hunter near the tree and thought he had killed his wife. The brahmin went to the king and complained about the hunter and the king imprisoned the hunter. The hunter told the king that he did not kill the brahmin’s wife and he did not know who could have done so. The king believed the hunter but did not know what to do. He prayed to Shiva to show him a way. Shiva came to the king in a dream and told him that if he went to a wedding he would understand the truth. The king and the brahmin went to the wedding. When they were in the house where the wedding was conducted they heard two messengers of Yama talking. One of the messenger asked the other, “We have to take the bridegroom today to Yama’s world. How can we do that?.”The other messenger said, “Did you remember the other time, we made the arrow fall from the tree and kill the brahmin’s wife. In a similar way we will make a cow go mad and kill the bridegroom.” The brahmin understood that it was not the hunter who killed his wife. The king gave money to both the brahmin and the hunter so that they would live happily. Then he went to the temple and worshipped Shiva. (25)
10. The story of the great sinner: There was a brahmin in a city called Avanthi who lived with his wife and his son. His son was a bad man and was sleeping with his mother. One day when the brahmin saw the mother and son together and became angry. The son killed the father, took his mother and ran away to a forest. In the forest some thieves took the son’s money and his mother. The son felt lonely and wandered all over. Then he went to Madurai and prayed to Shiva. Shiva and Parvathi came to him disguised as a hunter and his wife. Shiva told him, “You should beg and eat only one time. Every day you should feed the cows. You should serve Shiva’s devotees. You should bathe in the water of the temple and go around the temple for 108 times every day. If you do this your sins will go away and you will be my devotee..”He did as Shiva told him and attained Moksha. (26) 11. The story of Shiva killing a student: There was old man who taught sword fighting to students. One of his students learned from him and started his own school. He attracted the students of the teacher and they all became his students. Because the teacher did not have any students he became poor. The student who had started a new school also tried to seduce his teacher’s wife. The wife prayed to Shiva to help her. The god, disguised as the teacher, went to the student and challenged him to a sword fight. The student thought Shiva was the old man and agreed to fight. Shiva fought and killed him. After that the teacher and his family praised Shiva and lived happily. (27)
12. The story of Shiva helping the Pandyan king to kill a bhutham: After the rule of Kulothunga Pandyan the king Ananthaguna Pandyan became king. He was devoted to Lord Shiva. The Jain did not like the Pandyan king and performed a sacrifice. A bhutham came out of that sacrifice and the Jains asked it to kill the king and destroy the Pandya country. The bhutham took a form of a snake and came to the city. The king prayed to Lord Shiva to help him. By the grace of god the king was able to fight and kill the bhutam. (28)
13. The story of the Jains sending another bhutham: The Jains were angry that the Pandyan king killed the bhutham. They performed another sacrifice and sent another bhutham to the king in Madurai in the form of a cow. Shiva, wishing to help the Pandyan king and his people, ordered his vehicle, the bull Nandi, to go and kill the cow. Unable to do anything to Nandi the bhutham changed into a mountain. Nandi’s body also became a mountain and his soul went to Kailasa to serve Shiva. (29)
14. The story of Shiva helping the Pandyan king: Kulabhushana Pandyan became the king after Ananthaguna Pandyan. The king had an army general named Sundarasaamanthan. One time a hunter chieftain came to fight with the king. Since the king’s general was a devotee of Shiva he had spent all the funds he had in the services of Shiva and did not have enough soldiers to fight with the hunter chieftain. When the king found out that there was no army to oppose the chieftain, he ordered the general to bring soldiers immediately. The general prayed to God to help him. Shiva came disguised as a warrior and brought an army, making the Pandyan king happy. At that time one of the king’s spies came and told the king that the hunter chieftain had been killed by a tiger in the forest. The king’s general also collected an army and came there. Shiva disappeared from there with his army. Realizing that it had been Shiva who came as a warrior, the king, the general, and the subjects praised the Lord. (30)
15. The story of Shiva giving a pot of gold : In the reign of Kulabhushana Pandyan, the people suffered because there was a drought and famine in the Pandya country. The king went to Shiva and prayed for his help. Shiva told him, “You did not respect brahmins and the Vedas. If you show them the proper respect, the rains will come and the famine will disappear..” Shiva also gave him a pot of gold and told him that that pot would be full always. The king gave gold to the brahmins for their religious expenses and he covered the chariots of Lord Somasundarar and the goddess Meenakshi with gold. The famine went away and the Pandya country flourished. (31)
16. The story of Shiva selling bracelets: Shiva came to Dharuka forest where sages and their wives lived. He came in the form of a handsome beggar. Seeing the handsome Shiva, all the sages’s wives fell in love with him. They grew thin with lovesickness and their clothes grew loose and their bracelets fell from their hands. The sages who saw their wives in this condition became angry and cursed them to be born in the families of merchants on the earth. The wives asked the sages to forgive them. The sages said, “If the god Shiva comes and touches your hands, you will be released from your curse..”They all were born in merchants’ families on the earth. In an other story Shiva came as a bangle seller and put bangles on the hands of the sages’ wives. Since he touched the hands of the wives, they were released from their curse. (32)
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the madanthai
1. The story of Shiva teaching eight siddhis to sages: One day Shiva was teaching dharma to sages and his attendants. At that time the Karthigai women who had raised Murugan came and asked Lord Shiva to teach them also the eight siddhis . Saying, “If you serve the goddess Parvathi, I will teach you the eight siddhis,.”he taught them, but forgot the manthras he had told them. Shiva angrily cursed them to become stone statues for thousand years. When, after thousand years they were released from Shiva’s curse and received their own forms, Shiva once again taught them the eight siddhis. They went to the goddess Uma and served her. (33)
2. The story of a Chola king who came to worship Lord Shiva: A Chola king who wished to go to the Madurai temple and see Shiva prayed to the god. Shiva came in a dream and told him to come to the Vaikai river. The Chola king went to the Vaigai river he saw there was a flood. By Shiva’s grace, the Vaigai river dried up and Chola king went into the temple through the northern entrance and worshipped the god. Shiva worried that if the Pandyan king knew the Chola king was in Madurai, he might think the Chola king had come to fight with him. Therefore Shiva locked the northern door and put his bull emblem on it. The Pandyan king saw the next day the bull emblem and understood that it was the play of Lord Shiva and worshipped him. The Chola king also saw Lord Shiva and prayed to him. (34)
3. The story of Shiva giving water to warriors: Once Rajendra Pandyan went to fight with a Chola king. Since the battlefield was very hot the warriors became thirsty. The Pandyan king prayed to Shiva to come and help him. The god came, established a water pandal and gave water to the warriors of both the Pandya and Chola sides. Even though the Pandyan king defeated the Chola king, he gave him back his kingdom and sent him back to his country. (35)
4. The story of Ponnanaiyaal making a golden statue of Shiva : A woman named Ponnanaiyaal wished to make a golden statue of Shiva. Because she did not have enough money she made it from another metal. One day Shiva came to her home in the form of a siddha and asked her to give him all the pots and pans that she had. The siddha told her, “Put all these in fire tonight and they will all change to gold.” She did so and made a Shiva statue with the gold and worshipped it. (36)
5. The story of Sundaresa Paadasekhara Pandyan conquering a Chola king: Sundaresa Paadasekhara Pandyan’s army was small. He spent all his money in the services of Shiva and the temple. When a Chola king, Aayiram Parikkor Sevakan came to fight with Sundaresa, the Pandyan king prayed to Shiva and asked for help. As Somasundara, the god joined the small Pandya army and made it look like a large one in the eyes of the Chola king. The god fought with his spear and the Chola army retreated and the Chola king died in battle. The Pandyan king was happy and always served the God of Madurai with devotion. (37)
6. The story of Shiva giving a kottai that was an eternal source of wealth: In Madurai, there was a devotee named Adiyaarkku Nallan. He and his wife Dharamasheelai would always give food to people. God wished to test him. He made the devotee very poor. The devotee sold what he had and spent the money he received serving the people and Shiva. God made him even poorer but he borrowed money and continued to do his devotional duties. Finally, when he could not even get a loan, he and his wife decided to die. Lord Shiva appreciated their devotion and gave them a ‘kottai’ in which wealth always would grow. The husband and wife did much service to the Lord and finally went to Kailasa.(38)
7. The story of Shiva coming disguised as an uncle: In Madurai a merchant named Dhanapathi lifed with his wife Susheelaa. They did not have a child and adopted his sister’s boy and raised him. The sister continually scolded Susheela for being childless. The merchant was distressed at this, gave all his wealth to his adopted son and went to the forest with his wife to do tapas. The relatives of Dhanapathi took all the wealth and the merchant’s sister became poor. She went and prayed to Lord Shiva and Shiva came in a dream and said, “Tomorrow bring all your relatives to the village assembly and I will come there and you will receive your wealth back.” The next day she asked all her relatives to come to the assembly. Lord Shiva came in the form of Dhanapathi there, argued for the merchant’s nephew, got all the wealth from his relatives and gave it to the nephew. (39)
8. The story of Varaguna Pandyan . Sundaresa Paadasekhara Pandyan crowned his son Varaguna Pandyan. One day when Varaguna Pandyan was riding on a horse, a brahmin was caught in the horse’s legs, fell and died, thereby making Varaguna Pandya guilty of a sin. Shiva ordered him to fight with a Chola king and he did. Because he did what God Shiva wanted, he was released from his sin. When he wished to see the world of Shiva, Nandi came and took him to places on earth where there were many devotees praising and worshipping Shiva. Shiva made Madurai city also like the world of Shiva and the king returned to his city and ruled the country.(40)
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the arivai
1. The story of Shiva selling firewood: In the rule of Varaguna Pandya there was a singer named Emanathan who played the yaaz. He came to Madurai from Northern part of Pandya country and lived there. The Pandyan king appreciated his music and gave him many gifts. The singer proudly proclaimed that there was no one as good as him in the whole country. The king asked Paanapathran, a singer in his assembly, to compete with Emanathan, but when that singer heard how well Emanaathan’s disciples sang on the street, he worried that Emanaathan would defeat him. He prayed to Shiva and went home. Lord Shiva decided help him by chasing Emanaathan away. The god came disguised as a seller of firewood seller. He sat on Emanathan’s patio and began to sing. Hearing Shiva’s divine music, Emanathan came out and asked him who he was. Lord Shiva told him that he was a humble disciple of Paanapathran. Emanaathan thought that if the disciple of Emanathan was a such good singer, he would not be able to compete with Emanathan himself. That very night, he ran away from Pandya country. When the king and Paanapathran realized Lord Shiva himself had come and sung, they were pleased, went to the temple and praised the god. (41)
2. The story of Shiva giving wealth to Paanapathran. Paanapathran spent all his time singing the praise of Shiva and did not do anything to make money. Shiva took wealth from the treasury of Pandyan king and gave it to Paanapathran. After some time, Shiva stopped and Paanapathran became so poor he did not even have enough money to feed his family. Shiva came in a dream and asked him to go to the Chera king Ceramaan Perumaan Naayanaar. Paanapathran went there and the king received him joyfully because he was a devotee of Shiva. Paanapathran lived happily in the Chera country and praised God with his songs.
3. The story of Shiva giving a wooden platform for Paanapathran to stand on in the night: Paanapathran went to the temple and sang night and day praising Shiva. One night when he was singing a great rain came and he could not go home. He was shivering but continued singing for Shiva. Shiva was pleased and gave a wooden platform to stand on. After standing on it and singing, the rain stopped and he went home. The king heard about Paanapathran’s devotion and granted him much wealth.(43)
4. The story of Paanapathran’s wife competing with another singer: The king Rajaraja Pandyan had a mistress. She was a good singer and did not like the singing of Paanapathran’s wife. She brought a singer from Lanka who played the yaaz and asked Paanapathran’s wife to compete with her. Those who heard them realized that Paanapathran’s wife was the better singer but when the king praised only the singer from Lanka everone agreed that the singer from Lanka was the better singer. Lord Shiva wished to help Paanapathran’s wife and came to the competition disguised as a singer. The king realized that God himself had come as a singer and worshipped him. The king declared that Paanapathran’s wife was the winner. Everyone was happy and the king gave presents to both of the singers. (44)
5. The story of Shiva giving milk to the piglets: Twelve bad sons were born to a good parent. When they grew up they gave caused a lot of trouble and suffering. One day they mistreated their Guru and he cursed them to become piglets. They wandered in the forest without any milk and suffered. Shiva saw them and felt pity for them. He disguised himself as a mother pig, came to the forest and fed the piglets. (45)
6. The story of Shiva making the piglets ministers: Shiva came in a dream of Rajaraja Pandyan and told him, “I have fed twelve piglets and they will become men with pig faces. They are good warriors and you should make them your ministers.” The king did as the god asked him. The ministers helped the Pandyan king and lived happily in the Pandya country. (46)
7. The story of Shiva helping a small bird. A strong man who had caused a lot of suffering was born as a small puny bird in his next birth. The bird was afraid of all the stronger words, worried that they would hurt it. It went to a forest and stayed on a tree all the time without going anywhere. At that time a sage came there and advised the bird, “If you go to Madurai, bathe in the lotus pond and pray to Sundaresar, he will help you.” The bird went to Madurai and worshipped Shiva, who came to him and changed him into a strong bird called, ‘Valiyaan’. The bird helped all other birds and served God. (47)
8. The story of Shiva giving Moksha to a heron. A heron lived in a pond. Once when there was no rain and the pond had dried up, the heron went to another pond in a forest where many sages lived, bathing in the pond and worshipping God everyday. Seeing them, the bird thought, “I should not eat fish from this pure water.” The bird gave up eating fish, went hungry for many days, and then went to the pond in the temple of Shiva. The god saw the bird and asked it wanted. The bird said, “I want to go to Kailasa, your world, live there and serve you. Also there should not be any fish in the temple pond..” Shiva granted the boon and took the bird to his world. (48)
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the therivai
1. The story of Thiruvaalavaay city. After Suguna Pandyan, twenty-two kings ruled the Pandya country. At the time of the king Keerthibhushana Pandyan the seven oceans deluged the land with water. In Madurai, only the temple of Somasundarar and Meenakshi, Rishabja mountain, Yaanai mountain, Naaga mountain and Pasu mountain were not destroyed. After the flood stopped, Lord Shiva created the world again and the three Tamil kings—the Pandya, Chola and Chera dynasties—were created by Shiva from the gods Moon, Sun and Agni. After Keerthibhushana Pandyan, Vangiyasekara Pandyan ruled the country. He wished to build a large city but did not know what the boundaries of the city were before the deluge. He prayed to Shiva to show him the proper boundaries of the city. Shiva asked his snake to show by encircling the city and the snake did as the god wished. After that, the snake requested Shiva to name the city after him, and so it was called, ‘Thiru Vaalavaay city’. (49)
2. The story of Shiva helping the Pandyan king in the battle: At the time of Vangiyasekhara Pandyan a Chola king came to fight with him. As the Pandyan king’s army was small he was losing the war. He prayed to Shiva for help. The god came in the form of a hunter, joined the Pandyan army fought and killed hundreds of Chola warriors. The Chola king saw an arrow with the name of the god written on it and realized that Shiva was fighting for the Pandyan’s army. He left the battlefield and went back to his country. The Pandyan king gained victory and ruled his country happily. (50)
3. The story of Shiva giving the Sangappalahai: Once, the god Brahma went to bathe in the Ganges with his three wives, Saraswathi, Savitri and Gayathri. On the way Saraswathi stopped to listen to the sweet music of a Gandharva girl and Brahma bathed in the Ganges with his two other wives. Saraswathi was jealous that Brahma had not waiting to bathe with her. The god said angrily, “It is your fault that you did not come with me. You will be born as a human being on earth.” Saraswathi asked her husband to forgive her and he said, “Your body is made of fifty-one letters. Of those fifty-one, forty-eight will be born as poets in Kudal city and compose poetry. The chief poet will be the god Somasundarar himself. You will live in the hearts of those poets and give them power to compose poetry.” This happened as Brahma had ordered, with Somasundarar being the forty-ninth poet. The king built a Mandapam for the Sangam and asked Shiva to give a Sangappalahai for the poets. All the forty-nine poets, including Paranar and Kapilar, sat on that palahai. After that Vangiyasekara Padiyan crowned his son Sudaamani Pandyan and went to Kailasa. (51)
4. The story of Shiva helping Dharmi receive a bundle of gold: Vangiya Sudaamani Pandyan had a flower garden from which he took flowers to worship Shiva. One day his wife came to the garden and smelled a new fragrance there. The king wondered whether the fragrance was from the flowers or was a natural fragrance of the hair of women. He announced to the poets, “If any of you bring me a poem that will remove my doubt I will give him a thousand gold coins.” Many poets tried but none could help the king. There was a poor poet named Dharmi in Madurai and he went to the temple and prayed to Shiva to help him. Lord Somasundarar wrote a poem and gave it to the poor poet. Dharmi went to the king and read the poem. The king was happy and decided to give him the gold, but Nakkirar, a famous poet in the assembly objected that the meaning of the poem was not correct because women’s hair does not have any natural fragrance, only the fragrance of oil and flowers that women wear in their hair. Dharmi went to the Shiva and the god came to the court of the Pandyan king and argued with Nakkirar. When Nakkirar realized that God himself wrote the poem he asked for forgiveness. Shiva was angry and opened his forehead-eye. Nakkirar was burned, went to the temple pond and stayed there (52)
5. The story of Shiva blessing Nakkirar: The poet Nakkirar sang many songs and praised Shiva. Shiva and Parvathi came to him him and blessed him. Nakkirar joined the Sangappalahai and composed many poems. (53)
6. The story of Shiva asking Agastya to teach grammar to Nakkirar: Nakkirar joined the Sangappalahai and composed many poems. Shiva thought he did not know Tamil grammar well and asked the sage Agastya to come from Pothiya mountain and teach grammer to Nakkirar. Agastya came down from Pothiya mountain and taught gr Nakkirar. After learning Tamil grammar Nakkirar taught other poets. (54)
7. The story of Shiva making peace among the Sangam poets: The forty-nine poets in the Sangam were proud of their own poems and boasted. They prayed to Shiva to reveal to them who the best poets were. Lord Shiva came to the Sangam disguised as a poet and told them, “There is a boy named Rudarasanman who is the son of Dhanapati and Gunasaalini. He is dumb and cannot speak. If you read your poems to him, he will tremble and shed tears when he hears a good poem. Then you will know who are the good poets.” The poets did as Shiva had asked, reading their poems and finding out whether they were good by Rudrasanman’s reaction. This took away their pride, and afterwards they worked hard to compose good poems. (55)
8. The story of Idaikkaadar: After Shanpaga Pandayan’s rule, fifteen kings ruled the Pandya country. At that time of Kulesa Pandyan, Idaikkaadar, a friend of Kapilar, composed a poem, came to the king and read it, but the king did not show respect to the poet. Idaikkaadar went to the temple, worshipped and told Shiva what had happened. The god left the temple with his wife and stayed under a banian tree on the north side of the Vaigai river. When the king did not see the gods in the temple, he worried and ran to the tree and the god told him that he should respect Idaikkaadar. The king asked the god and Idaikkaadar to forgive him. Lord Shiva and Parvathi returned to the temple and after that the king treated all the poets with respect. (56)
The eight miracles of Shiva in the section of the perilampen
1. Shiva catching a whale: One time when Shiva was reading the Vedas, Uma did not listen. Shiva became angry and cursed her to be born in a fisherman’s family. When Uma asked the god to forgive her, Shiva said, “I will come and marry you when you reach marriageable age.” Uma was born as a daughter to a fisherman. When she had grown up, her father was searching for a bridegroom for her. At that time, Nandi deva came to the earth as a whale and caused problems for the fishermen. The father of Uma announced that he would give his daughter in marriage to any man who could catch the whale. Shiva came in the form of an young fisherman and caught the whale. The whale became Nandi and went to Kailasa. Uma’s father gave Uma in marriage to the young fisherman. The bridegroom and the bride changed their forms to Shiva and Parvathi and blessed all the fishermen. (57)
2. Shiva giving his grace to Manivaasagar: When Arimarthana Pandyan ruled the Pandya country, he had a minister named Thiruvaadavurar. Once the king gave some gold to Vaadavurar and sent him to buy horses. On the way in Thirupperundurai, Vaadavurar saw Shiva in the form of a teacher with his disciples. He stopped at the school and sang praising lord Shiva. Shiva was pleased and gave him the name Manivaasagar. Manivaasagar spent all the money that the king had given for horses on service to Shiva’s devotees. When the king did not get his horses he sent a letter asking Manivaasagar why his horses had not come. Manivaasagar asked Shiva for help, and, advised by the god, he sent a letter to the king assuring him that he would receive his horses soon. (58)
3. Shiva changing some foxes to horses: Angry that he had not received the horses he sent Manivaasagar to buy, he imprisoned Manivaasagar. Shiva changed some foxes to horses and took them to the king’s palace disguised as a horse seller. Shiva told the king, “You take all the horses. Once I give you these horses they are yours. Release Manivaasagar from the prison now.” The king did as Shiva asked. (59)
4. Shiva changing the horses to foxes: In the night all the horses that Shiva brought changed into foxes and ran all over the city. People suffered and worried. The king angrily asked his servants to throw stones at Manivaasagar. Shiva decided to save Manivaasagar and the Vaikai river flood all over Madurai. The king could not control the flood and asked the people of the city to carry sand and put it in the river to stop the flood. At that time Shiva came to the river disguised as a worker. (60)
5. Shiva carrying sand for Vanthi, the old lady: There was an old lady named Vanthi who made pittu and sold it for a living. When she could not carry sand to put it in the river, the king’s servants threatened her. Vanthi prayed to Shiva to help her. The god disguised himself as a worker, came and told her, “If you give me some pittu I will do the work for you.” Vanthi happily complied. Shiva ate the pittu and went to sleep. When the king came there, saw Shiva sleeping and hit him with a stick, all the people of the Pandya country felt the stick strike them. The god appeared to the king and said, “You imprisoned my devotee Manivaasagar. You should realize that he spent all the money you gave in my service and release him.” The king released Manivaasagar and asked him and Shiva to forgive him. After that Manivaasagar went on many pilgrimages and praised Shiva with his beautiful songs. (61)
6. Shiva curing the disease of a Pandyan king: A Pandyan king named Kun Pandiyan who had conquered the Chola and Cera kings married the daughter of a Chola king named Mangaiyarkkarasi. The Chola king sent his minister Kulachiraiyar to stay with Pandyan king with his daughter. When the Pandyan king adopted Jainism and caused trouble for devotees of Shiva, the god gave a disease to the king. The queen and the minister were devotees of Shiva and asked Thirunyaanasambandar to come and cure the king. Sambadar accepted and when Jain sages prevented him from coming to the Pandya country intervened so that he could come to Madurai and see the king. Sambandar praised Shiva and asked him to cure the king’s disease. The god did so and the Pandyan king became a devotee of Shiva and did great service for Lord Shiva (62)
7. Shiva helping Sambandar in the debates that he had with the Jain sages: The queen and the minister asked Sambandar to stay in the Pandya country and spread Saivism. Jain sages asked Sambandar to compete with them by seeing whose poems would remain unharmed. The Jains wrote some spells on palm leaves and put them in a fire, but they burned. Sambandar put his poems in the fire and they did not burn. Then the Jains put their spells written into the water of the Vaikai river and they all sank into the water. When Sambandar put his poems in the water they all floated. Since the Jains were defeated, they died. After that Sambandar went on many pilgrimages and praised Shiva with his songs. (63)
8. Shiva helping a woman to protect her chastity: A merchant decided to marry his uncle’s daughter in his village and was taking her back to his village. On the way they slept under a Vanni tree where there was a Shivalingam under a tree. There was a well nearby. The merchant was bitten by a snake and died. Sambandar came there and saw the merchant and his wife. He prayed to God, restored the merchant to life and told them to get married in front of the Shiva lingam. They did so and went to the merchant’s village.
The merchant had married another woman before he married his uncle’s daughter. That first wife tormented the younger wife saying, “Who knows who you are? How do we know you are married to my husband?” The younger wife went to the temple and prayed to Shiva, “Oh, Lord, the Shiva lingam, the vanni tree and the well where we were married were witnesses of our marriage. Please make them appear here to prove that we are married.”All the three came to the east side of the temple. The people saw them and praised the chastity of the younger wife. She lived with her husband happily after that.(64)
Appendix.
Pandyan kings who are mentioned in Thiruvilaiyaadal puraanam.
Kulasekhara Pandyan - The king who consecrated ‘Azhahiya Chokkar.’ in Kadamba forest.
Malayathuvaja Pandyan - Son of Kulasekara Pandyan, Father of Thadaathagai Piraatti..
Sundara Pandyan - He married, Thadaathagai piraatti. (i.e. Shiva)
Ukkira Pandyan. - The son of Sundara Pandyan and Thadaathagai Piraatti.
Veera Pandyan - The son of Ukkira Pandyan.
Abhisheka Pandyan - The son of Veera Pandyan. At the time of this king, the name of Madurai city became Kudal and the city suffered a deluge.
Vikkirama Pandyan - Abhisheka Pandyan’s son who fought with Jains and conquered them.
Rajasekhara Pandyan - The Son of Vikkirama Pandyan. Shiva dances with his left leg in Madurai temple.
Kulothunga Pandyan - The Son of Rajsekhara Pandyan.
Ananthaguna Pandyan - The Son of Kulothunga Pandyan. When Jains gave troubles to this Pandyan king, Shiva helped him.
Kulavibhishana Pandyan - The Son of Ananthaguna Pandyan.
Rajendra Pandyan - The Son of Kulavibhishana Pandyan.
Rajakesa Pandyan - The Son of Rajendra Pandyan
Rajakambhira Pandyan - The Son of Rajakesa Pandyan.
Vamsa deepa Pandyan - The Son of Rajakambhira Pandyan.
Purantharasiddhu Pandyan - The Son of Vamsa Deepa Pandyan
Pandya vamsa pathaaha Pandyan. - The Son of Purantharasiddhu Pandyan.
Sundaresa paada sekhara Pandyan - The Son of Pandya Vamsa Pathaaha Pandyan
Varaguna Pandyan - The Son of Sundaresa Paada Sekhara Pandyan.
Rajaraja Pandyan - The Son of Varaguna Pandyan.
Suguna Pandyan - Rajaraja Pandyan
After Sugna Pandyan his son Chitra Pandyan ruled. After Chitra Pandyan twenty-two Pandyan kings ruled the country.
Ankiya Sudaamani Pandyan
Arimarthana Pandyan
Chitra Vratha Pandyan
Chitra Bhushana Pandyan
Chitra Dvasa Pandyan
Chitravarma Pandyan
Chitrasena Pandyan
Chitravikrama Pandyan
Rajamarthana Pandyan
Rajasudaamani Pandyan
Raja Chaarthula Pandyan
Dhvi Saraasa Kulothama Pandyan
Ayothana Praveena Pandyan
Rajakunjara Pandyan
Paraviraja Bhayankara Pandyan
Ukkirasena Pandyan
Chathrunjaya Vimarathana Pandyan
Veera Paraakrama Pandyan
Pirathaaba Maarthaanda Pandyan
Vikkkirama Kaanchana Pandyan
Samara Kolaahala Pandyan
Athula Keerthi Pandyan (22 Pandyan kings)
Keerthibushana Pandyan - The son of Athulakeerthi Pandyan. In the time of Keerthibhushana Pandyan, a terrible deluge arose from all the seven oceans and destroyed the world. Only the god Somasundarar’s vimaanam and the Meenakshi temple were not destroyed. Also Rishabha mountain, Yaanai mountain, Naaha mountain, Pasu mountain and Pandri mountain were not destroyed. Shiva created the world again. Shiva also created the three Tamil kings, Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras from the Sun, Moon and Agni dynasties. The new city of Madurai created by Shiva was called Thiruvaalavaay city.
Vankiya Sekhara Pandyan - At the time of this king Shiva established the third Sangam. There were forty-eight poets in it and Shiva was the forty ninth one as its chief poet. Shiva also created the bench for the poets of the Sangam.
After Sanbhaga Pandyan fifteen Pandyan kings ruled and the last one among them was Kulesa Pandyan.
Prathaapa Suriya Pandyan
Vankeesa Dhuvasa Pandyan
Ripumarthana Pandyan
Seeravanki Saanthaka Pandyan
Paandivanki Kesa Pandyan
Vankichironmani Pandyan
Pandichura Pandyan
Kulathuvasa Pandyan.
Vankeesa Vibhushana Pandyan
Somasudamani Pandyan
Kulasudaamani Pandyan
Raaja Sudaamani Pandyan
Bhupa Sudaamani Pandyan
Kulesa Pandyan
Arimarthana Pandyan - the story of Manivaasagar.
Kun Pandyan - the story of Thirunyaana Sambandar.
The Gods, sages and others who are mentioned in Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam
Indra - the king of gods.
Viyaazan - Guru of gods.
Dvashtar - Guru of the Asuras.
Sage Thatheesi - He gave his back bone to Indra for a weapon.
Sage Durvaasa - Son of Ashti Rishi.
Kaanchanamaalai - Malayathuvaja Pandyan’s wife.
Kaanthimati. Ukkira Pandyan’s wife.
Virupaakshan - a Brahmin.
Subhavrathai - Virupaakshan’s wife.
Gauri - Virupaakshan’s daughter.
Thattan. - a Saivaite brahmin.
Sundara saamandan - an army general.
Sethiraayan - a hunter.
Kaadu vettiya cholan. - A Chola king.
Panayaal - a dasi (courtesan) who lied in Thiruppuvanam.
Aayiram Parisukkor Sevakan - a Chola king.
Adiyaarkku Nallaan - a Vellala from Madurai.
Dharmaseelai - Adiyaarkku Nallaan’s wife.
Dhanapathi - a merchant in Madurai.
Susheelai - Dhanapathi’s wife.
Emanaathan - a yaaz player from northern part of Tamil Nadu.
Paanapathran - a yaaz player from the Pandya country.
Cheramaan Peruman - Chera king who gave wealth to Panapathram.
Sukalan - A Vellala from Kuruvinthathurai.
Sukalai - Sukalan’s wife.
Dharmi - a poor Saivaite brahmin poet.
Nakkirar - The chief poet of Sangam.
Rudrasanmar - The dumb son of Dhanapathi and Gunasaalini.
Idaikkaadar - A friend of Kapilar and a poet in Sangam.
Thiruvaadavurar - Arimarthana Pandyan’s minister.
Mangaiyarkkarasi - Wife of Kun Pandyan.
Vanthi - An old lady in Madurai, who sold pittu, a sweet.
Kulachirai - The minister of Kun Pandyan.
Ulobhamuthirai - wife of Agastya.
Vasishta - A sage who heard the Thiruvilaiyaadals of Shiva.
- Courtesy : Project Mudurai.
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