This is the sixth in Sapta Vidanga sthalam. It is located at Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. This Padal Petra Sthalam is revered by Appar, Sundarar and Sambandhar.
Mulavar: Vedaranyeshwarar, Thirumaraikadar
Devi: Vedanayaki, Veenaveda vilasini
Kshetra Vruksha: Shami tree, Punnaga (karanja, Punnai in Tamil)
Sacred Tirtha: Manikarnika and Veda
Puranik Name: Thirumaraikadar
Present Name: Vedaranyam
District: Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu
The temple is about 2000 years old and located on the southern bank of Kaveri. To the east of the temple, we have the sea at about 1 km. The central shrine faces the east. There is a five tiered rajagopuram. The temple complex has three prakarams. The Shiva Linga is a swayambhu and is of granite. The Linga is located in the central shrine. The Vidanga is known as Bhuvani Vidanga and the dance performed is Hansa Natanam, dancing like Swan. The idols of Ganesha, Lord Muruga, Nandi and Navagraha are in the corridor leading to the sanctum. In this temple, we come across separate Dhwaja-stambha for Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha. The koshta murtis are Lord Dakshinamurti, Durga, Ganesha, Chandikeshwar, Bhairav, Lord Mahavishnu.
The Shiva Linga is an emerald linga (maragada). There is a shrine of Lord Ganesha at the western tower and is known as Veera Ganapati. In the outer corridor, we have a shrine of Devi Veena Vedavilasini. She is also addressed as Yaazhai Pazhiththa Mohiyal meaning the voice of Devi is sweeter and melodious than the musical instrument known as Yaazhai.
This is considered to be one of the Shakti Peetha. This shrine is to the left of Lord Shiva’s shrine. Adi Shankaracharya has praised the glory of Ambika in the 66th verse of Saundarya Lahari. He suggests this verse for gaining excellence in music.
The temple tank Manikarnigai is in the eastern parikrama and is considered as holy as Ganga, Yamuna, Kaveri, Saraswati, Sindhu and Narmada. A small shrine of Kalabhairava faces the tank. In the next parikrama we have shrines for Saint Sundarar facing Thyagaraja, 63 Nayanmars, Sthala Ganapati, Subramanya, Gajalakshmi, Saraswati and south facing Durga Devi.
The Navagrahas are in a straight line looking in the same direction. It is believed that they were looking at the newly wedded divine couple - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The idols of four shaiva saints are facing the supreme dance of Lord Shiva.
The sanctum is slightly on a elevated platform. The divine couple who gave darshan to Sage Agastya are behind the Swayambhu Linga Vedaranyeswarar. This is according to the promise made by Lord Shiva before his wedding in Kailasa to Sage Agastya.
In the shrine of Goddess Saraswati, she is without a veena. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, the image of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is depicted on the wall behind the Shiva Linga. The water in the surrounding area is salty but the water in the well inside the temple is very sweet.
This water is supplied to the village for drinking purposes. Of the sixteen sabha (i.e. darbars) this is twelfth known as Deva Bhakta Sabha. Saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga.
Kshetra Puran:
According to the Puran, the four Vedas had taken human form. They had stayed at a village called Vedapathi. They had gathered flowers from a nearby village Pushpavan and were worshiping Lord Shiva at this place. At the beginning of Kaliyuga, they realized that there was no place here for truth, honesty etc. After informing Lord Shiva they locked the gate of this place and left. It is believed that they transformed into trees, shrubs, plants, surrounding the place and still worship Lord Shiva. As the main door was closed and locked, people used to go to the side door of the temple for worship. Since Vedas worshiped the Lord here, the place got the name Vedaranyam. Later on, the shaiva saints Appar and Sambandhar came to Maraikadu to worship Lord Shiva as Vedas had worshiped at this place. They saw people entering the temple through the side door as the main door was locked. Sambandhar requested Appar to sing sacred hymns so that doors will open and they can have darshan of the Lord. Appar sang ten sacred hymns and doors opened automatically. They went inside and had the darshan of Lord Shiva. On the way back, Appar asked Sambandhar to sing a hymn so that the doors could be opened and closed forever. When Sambandhar sang hymn and doors closed indicating the greatness of the place and the Shaiva saints. Since the voice of Ambika was sweeter than Saraswati, Ambika got the name Yaazhai Pazhiththa Mohiyal. Hence Goddess Saraswati is a Tapaswini without Veena at this place but has the sacred scriptures in her hand.
Goddess Durga is a parivar devata. She is in a koshta facing the south. She is considered a guardian deity. She is in a standing position with an ugly face. This is one of the 64 shakti peeth known as Sundari Peetham. There are seventy three idols i.e. 63 Nayanmars and 10 Thyagaraja. The Sage Paranjyoti who (wrote, sang Thiruvilayadal puran) belongs to this place.
On the Shami tree, the raw fruits are long and thorny on one side and round without thorns on the other end.
Those who worshiped at this place: Manu, Mandhata, Dashrath, Shriram, Pandavas, Mahabali, Four Vedas.
According to puran, Lord Shriram is believed to have visited here as an atonement for killing Ravana (due to Brahmahatya dosha). The footprints of Lord Shriram are preserved in a nearby place known as Ramarpadam.
A rat had climbed to drink a ghee from a lamp. In the process, the wick got disturbed and the lamp began to burn brightly. This act was appreciated by Lord Shiva and he made the rat to be born as Chakravarti Mavali.
Prayer: The eastern side of the temple is known as Adi Setu. Bathing at this area once is equivalent to taking a bath in Rameshwaram 100 times.
Festivals:
- Masi Magam (May-June) - 29 days of Brahmotsavam. The temple doors are opened. Lord Shiva goes to the sea on Magha nakshatra. Procession of 63 Nayanmars and 10 other devas is taken out. The procession of Lord Shiva is taken in Kailash Vahan.
- Aadi (July-August) 10 day Adi Puram festival dedicated to Ambal
- Avani (Aug-Sept) Ganesh Chaturthi
- Aippasi (Oct-Nov) Skanda Shashthi
- Pradosha puja on every pradosha day
Special puja on Diwali, Sankranti, Tamil and Sanskrit new year days.
The temple has six rituals daily from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm. Weekly rituals are held on Mondays and Fridays. Monthly rituals (new moon day, full moon day). During the full moon day of Adi and Thai people have a holy dip in the sea.
Courtesy: Following sites
https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/ and
https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/
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