Thirukadavur-The Grace That Lengthens Your Longevity

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The benignity of God takes shape in numerous ways in the interest of His devotees. We are often confounded by the fact as to whether we are stringed puppets in the hands of destiny submitting to its pull and push. So where then does God's grace find place in this patterned pleasures and pressures of life? The stories of Markandeya and Abirama Battar, though legends of the lore are testimonies of the Almighty's might that can asunder the cords of destiny succumbing to impeccable devotion. The stories emphasize the fact that the maker of the law can always break it as He is the sole distributer of the fruits of one's actions which is dependent on a superior power for the exercise of its counteractions.

The Legend 1
The presiding deities of Thirukadavur are Amrithagateshwarar ( Lord Shiva ) and Abirami amman or Abiramavalli ( Goddess Parvati ). Amrithaghateshwarar is said to be the manifestation of the celestial nectar that was obtained by the Devas when the heavenly ocean, Paarkadal was churned. Hence His name Amrithaghateshwarar

There are two stories that mark the significance of the temple Thirukadavur. Sage Mrikandu and his wife grieved about being childless and hence prayed to Lord Shiva for an issue. The merciful Lord appeared in their dream and asked them to choose between a wise child with a short span of life and dunce who will live long. The sage chose the former and thus Markandeya who was to live only for sixteen years was born. As foretold by the Lord, Markandeya grew up to be wise and virtuous. He developed a natural devotion towards Lord Shiva and engaged himself in the worship of the Lord. Days went by and the sixteenth year of his birth approached to the grief of his parents.

On his sixteenth birthday as Markandeya sat worshipping the Lord in the form of a Shivalinga, Yama, the Lord of death appeared and summoned him to go with him. Markandeya requested Yama to wait until the completion of his pooja. Thus they both entered into an argument with Yama growing furious and Markandeya replying calmly that he would not budge until his worship is done. Yama however grew irritated and threw the noose around Markandeya's neck. Markandeya sought the refuge of the Lord by hugging the Shivalinga when the noose rested on his neck together with the Shivalinga!

Lo and behold ! The Shivalinga burst open and a tempestuous Lord wild with rage emerged out of the Linga and kicked Yama hard on his chest and sunk His Thrishul ( Spear ) into his body! He thus vanquished the Lord of death, bringing death to the very fact of 'death' itself. He then blessed Markandeya with a long life on account of his sincere worship and steadfast faith. However on the imploring of the Devas and other heavenly beings, Shiva retrieved the Lord of death as the earth could not behold the mounting pressure due to the lack of death. Hence here Shiva is hailed as 'Kaalasamhaara Murthy' ( The Lord who had vanquished death).