Chidambaram-Panchabootha Sthalam

Faith Mysticism

-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 10:53

Chidambaram being one of the Panchabootha Sthalams (Five Elements Temple ) of Lord Shiva represents the 'Ether' of the five elements. It thus speaks of the limitless nature of the Lord. Perhaps the only temple of Lord Shiva that celebrates His formlessness, His un-manifested nature that elapses and eludes the grasp of mind. He is thus known as the Akasha Lingam here.

The Lord however adorns an endearing form of a cosmic dancer, Nataraja for the yearning eyes. A form that captures His five divine acts of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowal of grace in a blissful dancing pose. It is also one of the Pancha Sabhais or the 'Five halls' representing the 'Hall of Gold'.

Legend

It was the time when the learned gloated with pride of the supremacy of actions via rituals and mantras in the view of bringing the Lord under their control. It is said that Lord Shiva along with His consort, Mother Parvati strolled into the Thillai Vanam or Daruka Vanam (Forest with a species of mangrove trees) where a group of learned saints and rishis were engaged in rituals. The Lord assumed the form of a nude mendicant seeking alms with unusual resplendence and beauty which drew the attention of the wives of the group of rishis. The enraged rishis invoked a number of serpents through rituals against the Lord. The Lord adorned His matted locks, neck and waist with the serpents.

The Rishis' then invoked a fierce tiger to attack the Lord who tore it apart and donned its skin as a garment around His waist. The Rishis' whose anger reaching the peak, invoked a demon called Muyalakan with all their spiritual might whom the Lord effortlessly subjugated him under His feet by stepping on his back. At the conquest of the powers of the Rishis, the Lord performed the 'Aaananda Thandavam' or the 'Blissful dance' revealing His true form. The Rishis then realised that the Lord was beyond the control of actions and surrendered to Him.

The story of Sage Patanjali and Vyagrapaadar or Pulikaalmuni is yet another interesting aspect in the legend of Chidambaram. Adisesha, the serpent on whom Lord Vishnu reclines, on hearing of the Aaananda Thandava wished to see the Lord in the blissful motion. In accordance with the Lord's beckon, Adisesha assumed the form of Sage Patanjali and worshipped the Lord in the forest of Thillai. He was also joined by Pulikaalmuni who was blessed with the feet of a tiger to efficiently pluck bilva leaves on the tree for the Lord's worship. They adored the Lord in the form of a Shivalinga called Thirumoolattaneswarar . The Lord pleased with their worship feasted their heart and eyes with His 'Aaananda Thandavam'.

The legend also boasts of Lord Shiva emerging victorious in the dance duel with the competing Goddess Parvati by lifting His feet high up in a posture called the Urdhva Thandava, an out and out male gesture. The goddess demurely bowed down to the Lord of not being able to perform the pose. The dance was an outcome of the couple's teasing of one another during their amorous arguments. However, a variation in the story narrates about the dance between Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali.

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