Religious significance of Kumbhakonam

Mahamagam tank and its religious significance

This tank is at the center of the town and covers an area of 6 acres and has 16 entrances. There is a Lord Shiva shrine at each of these entrances. These shrines are collectively known as Shodasha-Mahalinga Swami. 

These 16 shrines are as follows:

• Brahmateertheswarar
• Mukudhteertheswarar
• Thaneshwarar
• Vrishabheshwarar
• Baaneshwarar
• Koneshwarar
• Bhaktikeshwarar
• Bhairaveshwarar
• Agastishwarar
• Vyaseshwarar
• Uma-Maheshwarar
• Niruktishwarar
• Brahmeshwarar
• Gangadeshwarar
• Muktishwarar
• Kshetrapaleshwarar

Mahamagam teertham was known as: 

Brahma teertha in Krita yuga; Papanodam during Treta yuga; Mukti teertha in Dwapara yuga and it is known as Kanya teertha in Kali yuga.

 

It is believed that there are 20 teerthas in the Mahamagam tank dedicated to Indra, Agni, Naag, Tirutti, Varuna, Vaayu, Kubera, Eshanya, Brahma, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, Saraswati, Kaveri, Kumari, Biyoshini, Sharayu, Kanya & Deva.

When the kalash was broken by the arrow from Lord Shiva, the Amrut spread in all directions at that place and wherever it got stagnated, they became sacred teerthas. Amongst all these teerthas, the most important one is the Mahamagam tank. The importance of this can be understood by the fact that this was the creation of Lord Shiva and that too with Amrut. It is believed that the nectar from the kalash also got spilled into a golden lotus (potramarai in Tamil) tank during the pralay. Lord Brahma himself decided that the Tamil month of Maasi to be the best month for the darshan of Kumbheshwarar. Hence he is considered as the architect of starting the Maasi Maga festival. In the month of Maasi, on the day of Ashwini nakshatra in Shukla Paksha, the Maga festival was started by Him and it continued for the next ten days till the nakshatra of Maga. And it was started in the teertha in the agneya direction. This is the puran associated with Mahamaga tank and Mahamaga festival. According to the astronomy this is the day on which planet Jupiter is in the Simha raas (this happens once in twelve years) on the Maga nakshatra and full moon day with Sun in the Aquarius is considered as the auspicious Mahamaga day. As this comes once in twelve years, lakhs of people congregate towards Kumbhakonam and take bath that with the feeling that they will not have rebirth and wash all their sins at the same time. The festival is held for ten days. Twelve temples mentioned earlier are associated with this festival. The twelve temples are 

• Kaashivishwanathar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Aadikumbeshawrar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Someshwarar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Naageshwarar (Bilva-vaneshwarar) temple, Kumbhakonam
• Kaalhastishawarar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Gautameshwar (Upaveeth nathar), Kumbhakonam
• Koteeshawarar temple, Kottaiyur
• Amrutkalashnathar temple, Sakkottai
• Baanapurishawar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Aapimukeshwarar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Aadikampattanathar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Ekambareshwarar temple, Kumbhakonam

At the same time five Vaishnava temples in Kumbhakonam also participate in the festival. This festival is held in the river Kaveri instead of Mahamagam tank. The five Vaishnava temples are 

 

• Shri Sarangapaani temple
• Shri Chakrapaani temple
• Shri Ramaswami temple
• Shri Rajagopalaswami temple
• Shri Aadivarah Perumal temple

There are seven temples associated with Aadikumbeshwarar temple and are together known as Saptasthanam temples of Kumbhakonam. They are:

• Shri Aadikumbeshwarar temple, Kumbhakonam
• Shri Amritkalashnathar temple, Sakkottai
• Shri Aavudayanathar temple, Darasuram
• Shri Kapartheeseshawarar temple, Thiruvalanchuri
• Shri Murugan temple, Swamimalai
• Shri Kailashnathar temple, Malakkaveri
• Shri Kotteeshwarar temple, Sakkottai

There are five temples associated with Kumbhakonam which are known as Panchakroshi stalams. 

• Shri Mahalingaswaminathar temple at Thiruvidai Maruthur
• Shri Sundareshwarar Shiva temple and Pettikaliamman Kovil at Koranattu Karuppur
• Shri Naganathswami temple at Thirunageshwaram
• Shri Swamimalai Murugan (Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar) temple
• Shri Airavateshwarar temple at Darasuram

According to Puran, the Nava-Karnikaas take a dip in the golden lotus tank and bathe in Mahamaga tank during the Mahamaga festival (the main day). According to Puran, once the Nava-Karnikaas (rivers) namely Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Saraswati, Godavari, Kaveri (Ponni), Bayohinni, Sharayu and Kanyakumari did penance towards Lord Shiva requesting Him to remove all the sins that the human beings leave in them and they are unable to bear the weight of these sins left behind by the human beings. They wanted a remedy by which they can get rid of these sins and become pure. Lord Shiva made them aware about a sacred teertha at Kumbhakonam known as Mahamaga tank for which Lord Bramha was responsible and advised them to take bath once in twelve years on the day decided by Lord Brahma to get rid of these sins. The nava-karnikaas first stayed at Kashi and then came to Kumbhakonam and took bath as per directions by Lord Shiva. But they were so enchanted by the teertha, that they were unable to leave the place and hence they stayed inside the tank as nine more teerthas. Besides these nine, there are eleven more teerthas created by the sages and the Gods so that there are total twenty sacred teerthas in the Mahamaga tank. From this we can understand the importance of the Mahamaga tank and festival. 

Another important feature from the puran is that Goddess Parvati came to help Lord Shiva when he was preparing the Shiva Linga and poured water and Amrut while mixing the mud. Hence this particular place gets more importance due to the presence of Lord Kumbheswarar and Goddess Mangalambika. 

Mantrapeeteshwari

Lord Shiva shared half of his body with Goddess Parvati thereby he gave half of his 72 crores of Mantra shakti i.e. 36 crores of Mantra shakti to Her. Hence She is addressed here as Mantrapeeteshwari. Hence this place is also considered as one of the Shaktipeethas. 

Aadivinayaka

Lord Vinayaka arrived here well before Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Hence he is known as Aadivinayaka. 

Lord Kartikeya 

Lord Kartikeya received mantra upadesha from His mother, Goddess Parvati at this place before going to war with demon Surapadman.

Conical shape Linga

The Shiva Linga at this place made by Lord Shiva is formless. It is broad at the base (aavudaiyar) and the top is needle shaped i.e. conical in shape at the top. 

Moorkanayanar

One of the 63 nayanmaars is believed to have offered food to the devotees before attaining salvation. 

Lord Vishnu worshipped Lord Shiva at this place and obtained the disc (Chakra). Hence he is known as Chakrapaani. He also obtained a sarang (bow). Hence he is known as Sarangpaani.

Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Kamadhenu, Sage Kashyap and Hemarishi worshipped Lord Shiva at this place.