Friday, May 5, 2017

Kulashekharanatha Mahalingam Temple, Pathai – Legends

Kulashekharanatha Mahalingam Temple, Pathai – Legends
Kulasekharan got relieved of his Stomach Pain here:
Pandya King Kulasekharan was on his hunting spree in the forests along with his men. He found some sages erecting a tent and demanded the rishis to remove them as it was obstructing his way. The sages replied that a great yajna was scheduled to take place there and their Guru would not accept another venue. The angry king losing his right senses began to get the tents removed by force. The Guru came. His face grew red and said that the duty of the king was to help the animals and the rishis in penance to live in peace and if the king himself became arrogant and behaved otherwise, “he loses the right to be a king”. He cursed the king to suffer from acute stomach pain for ever.
King Kulasekharan was shocked and fell at the feet of Guru and begged for remedy. He was advised to build Shiva temples at places where he hunted caused troubles to the rishis and to pray to Lord and that his stomach pain would start reducing gradually. The king again fell at the feet of the Guru and began building temples for Lord Shiva. The last temple he built is the one at Pathai village. Fortunately, he got a Shivalinga worshipped by divine cow Kamadenu and installed it in this temple. His sufferings came to and worshipped Lord Aadhi Nathar here. Pleased with his worship, Lord granted Darshan to the king with Mother Parvati. 
The king begged the Lord that he be praised as Kulasekhara Nathar and to bless the devotees worshipping him. Lord granted the boon. He also made an idol of Lord in the darshan posture and installed it in the temple. In her hurry to follow Lord to grant darshan to the king, Mother Parvati came without her crown dressing the hair in a simple manner. She was praised as Sugantha Kundalambikai. The idol of Ambica has no crown. The king also arranged a school for teaching Thevaram hymns and all Saivite books. He also left lands for the maintenance and the daily pujas, according to epigraphic finds.
Rama’s Visit to this Temple:
The Sthalapuranam, or the history of the place, indicates that Lord Rama visited this temple en route to Lanka in search of his wife Sita.
Cow fell at the spot where Lingam got buried:
Local mythology says that the temple was covered in the forest in later years only to be discovered by a local ruler when a cow fell at the spot of the Lingam submerged in the land. When his men were clearing the area, hit something similar to a stone with his pick axe, resulting in blood gushing from it. The Lingam was found there and the local ruler built a temple, which transformed over the period of time to the present state.