275 Thevara Shivasthalam !! Thirumayilai Thiru Kapaleeswarar Temple !!


Jai Sriman Narayana !!
 
 
 
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thirumayilai/Shukrapuri/Vedapuri is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.    In this temple Lord Shiva worshipped in the form of a self-manifested Linga.  It is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva referred as Mount Kailash ‘ Kaillaye Mayilai’ built during the 7th Century by the Kings of Pallava Dynasty, the Kings of Vijayanagara also have made abundance of contributions to this temple.
 
Presiding deity – Thiru Kapaleeswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Karpakambal            
 
Mangalasasanam – Thiru Gnana Sambandhar
 
Saint Arunagirinathar sung praising the glories of Lord Subramanya in this temple.
 
Worshipped by – Goddess Parvati, Lord Brahma, Lord Rama, Four Vedas, Sage Shukracharya,
 
Significance – Lord Brahma sanctified a Linga and worshipped Lord Shiva and got rid of his ego
 
Sage Shukracharya regained his lost eye after worshipping Lord Kapaleeswara in this temple.
 
Lord Subramanya was blessed with a spear by Goddess Sri Parvati before the battle against the demon Tharakasura.
 
Thirumayilai is the birth place of the famous Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar who wrote ‘Thirukkural’.
 
Goddess Sri Parvati transformed into a peacock and worshipped Lord Shiva on this sacred land.  She underwent severe austerities praying to Lord and envisioned Lord as Punnaivana Nathar under the Sthalavruksham positioned here.
 
Theertham – Kapali Theertham
 
Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Nandikeshwara, Lord Subramannya with his consorts Goddesses Sri Valli & Deivayanai, Lord Jagdeeswara, Navagraha, Lord Veerabhadra, Moovar, 63 Nayanmars, Bhairava, Saint Arunagirinathar, Punnaivana Nathar, Lord Shaneeswara, Poompavai,
 
Festivals – Panguni Uthiram, Panguni Brahmostavam, Masi Pournami, 63 Moovar Thiruvizha, Thirukalyanam, Maha Shivaratri,
 
Sthalavruksham – Punnai
 
 
There are several interesting myths associated with this temple.  The legend has Goddess Sri Parvati requested Lord Shiva to explain the essence of Panchakshara Mantra.  Lord Shiva earnestly narrated the nectar like quintessence of Panchakshara to Goddess Sri Parvati.  While the lecture was taking place, Goddess Sri Parvati’s attention got deviated and she fully engrossed in the loveliness of a peacock which was gracefully dancing before her.  This infuriated Lord Shiva and cursed her to turn into a peacock.  Goddess Sri Parvati was ashamed of her carelessness and requested Lord the ways to get rid of the curse and reunite with him.  Lord Shiva advised her to worship him on this sacred land.  Goddess Sri Parvati transformed herself into Peacocok followed the instructions of Lord Shiva and reunited with the Lord.  Thus, this place has got its name ‘Thirumayilai’.
 
 
Lord Brahma had five heads like Lord Shiva.  Hence, it’s added the proud of Lord Brahama with the thought that he is equivalent to Lord Shiva in all respects.  In fact, Lord Brahama’s life span ends at the end of each Yuga and a new Brahma originates to take up the responsibility of Creation.  But   Lord Shiva remains eternal without the beginning or the end.  Lord Shiva plucked one of the heads of Lord Brahma in order to enlighten him about the reality.  Thus, the presiding deity has got his name ‘Kapaleeswarar’ in this temple. 
 
Shivanesar was a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva lived in Thirumayilai.  He had a beautiful daughter Poompavai.  Shivanesar came to know about Thiru Gnana Sambandhar the passionate devotee of Lord and his self-less service.  He had the deepest desire to marry off her daughter Poompavai to Thiru Gnana Sambandhar.  Unfortunately, Poompavai died of snake bite while she was collecting flowers from their garden.  But Shivanesar’s earnest desire made no changes in him.  He kept the remaining of her ashes in a mud pot and kept it safely.  He felt that Sambandhar has the right to dissolve the remaining ashes of Poompavai in the sea.  
 
Incidentally, Sambandhar made a visit to Thiruvotriyur and met Shivanesar, he was inconsolable.  Shivanesar circumambulated Sambandhar with tears overflowing he kept the mud pot contains the residual of his daughter and explained the heart breaking story of Poompavai.   After listening to Shivanesar, Sambandhar fervently sang praising the glories of Thirumayilai Thiru Kapaleeswarar.   At the end, the mud pot broken into pieces and Poompavai gracefully walked out of it.    Shivanesar was in raptures at this mysterious incident and requested Sambandhar to marry her.    Sambandhar thoughtfully explained that Poompavai regained her life after a snake bite; Sambandhar gave second life to her, eventually he became father to her.  In this way, he turned down the marriage proposal of Poompavai, she remained unmarried in her whole life and continued to do self-less service to Lord. 
 
This temple remains open from 6.00 AM to 1.00 PM in the morning and 4.00 PM to 8.00 PM in the evenings. 
 

Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!


 

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