Sri Masilamani Eswarar Temple, Thiruvaavaduthurai, Mayiladuthurai - 275 Shiva Temples

36. Sri Masilamani Eswarar Temple, Thiruvaavaduthurai, Mayiladuthurai (Chola Nadu - South of Kaveri):

Names of God : Sri Masillamaniswarar, Sri Go Mukthiswarar
Name of Goddess : Sri Oppillamulai Ammai
Holy water (Theertham) : Gomukthi Theertham, Padma Theertham, Kaivalya Theertham
Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) : Arasu
Thevaram : Thiru Gnana Sambandhar ; Appar ; Sundarar ; Thirumoolar
District : Nagapattinam.
Location : Mayiladuthurai.
Timings : 06:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 04:00 p.m. to 08:00 p.m

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This is the 36th sthalam on the southern side of river Cauvery. Moovar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Masilamaniswara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, located in the village Thiruvaduthurai, located 22 km from the South Indian town, Kumbakonam and 14 km from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. The temple is reverred in the verses of Tevaram, the 7th century Tamil Saiva canon by Tirugnana Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar.

The temple is located 12 km away from Mayiladuthurai and 24 km away from Kumbakonam. The temple has a five tiered Rajagopuram with elevated stone walls separating the second, third and fourth precinct. The images of the presiding deity, Masilamaniswarar, in the form of Shiva lingam occupies the main sanctum facing east. The shrine of the consort of Masilamaniswarar, Oppilamulaiyar faces west. The third prakaram has a separate shrine for the saivite saint Tirumular. The temple has three water bodies located at various places inside the temple. The Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam is located in the premises outside the fourth precinct.

Important Features:

• This temple classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
• Iraivi worshiped Iraivan in the form of Cow.
• Nandhi is in big size.
• Shiva performed mahathandavam and the same is called as Sundara nadanam.
• East facing temple.
• There are no Navagrahas.
• Separate temple for Theyagesar and moortham for Thyagesar, Sempon thyagesar, Puthrathyagesar, Sornathyagesar.
• After conducting pooja to Thiru maligai thevar pooja to be done for Namasivayamoorthy.
• Kings Thirumaligai thevar and Narasingan was chased away by the Nandhis and hence there is no nandhi sudhai sirpangal on the walls.
• Thiruganasambandar received gold from Iraivan to perform velvi of his father.
• Sundarar got cured from a decease.
• This is the Nandhi Stalam of Thiruvidaimaruthoor’s parivara sthalangal.
• Child was born to Musukuntha King after praying Iraivan of this temple.
• Samadhi of Thirumoolar, Thirumaligai thevar is in this village.

This temple with 3 prakarams covers an area of about 10 acres and its entrance is adorned with a huge Rajagopuram; a gigantic Nandi and separate temples for Ambal and Tirumular adorn this shrine. There are no Nandis on the walls of the temple.Shiva is said to have revealed a vision of his Cosmic Dance under the Arasamaram, hence the name Bodhi Ambalam. Kochenkancholan is associated with this shrine.

Inscriptions from the period of Parantaka Chola I are found here testifying to the patronage extended. Mention is made in the inscriptions of several of the bronze images which were donated to the temple then, although these ancient images are not to be seen now. Based on temple inscriptions it can be inferred that a person by name Katralippichchan built much of the stone structure of the temple while Parantaka Chola I, provided for the rest of the construction. Images of several of the donors, such as Katralippichchan are carved within the temple.

Gallery Of Masilamani Eswarar Temple:

Please click on above images to enlarge.

History / Legend:

The Vimana above the sanctum is of Dwaidala design. Sri Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Lord Thunaivandha Ganapathi – Ganapathi coming to the rescue of devotee. There is a statue in the prakara showing a cow pouring milk on the Linga, worshipped as Gorupambika. Sani Bhagwan is nearby. There is no shrine for the Navagrahas the nine planets. There are Three Suns gracing the devotees together. This is a rare darshan for the devotees.

Emperor Mushukunda Chakravarthi was much annoyed as he had no child. He was worshipping Lord Thyagesar presented to him by Indira. Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and advised to come to this place for worship to get a child. The emperor was blessed with a child following Lord’s directions. It is the faith of the devotees that they would be blessed with a child if they pray here. Lord Thyagesar shrine is at the right of the sanctum.

The procession deity is named Anaithu Irundha Nayakar-Lord embracing Mother. Though so called, the idol is such that the hands of Lord do not touch Mother Ambica. Couples pray here for marital unity.

Saint Tirugnanasambandar was staying in this place for a while with his father, Shivapada Hru dayar. He wanted to perform a yajna in Sirkali and asked his son saint to get him the wherewithal for the purpose. Sambandar sung a Pathigam-ten verses praying to Lord for gold and other materials needed for the yajna. Lord Shiva placed a purse of gold on the peeta through His Ganas. Shivapada Hrudayar conducted the yajna in Sirkali. The peeta still exists in the temple with the Ganas around. It is believed that praying in this spot in the temple would bring prosperity to the devotees.

Reputation of Nandhi: Thirumaaligai Thevar, a staunch Shiva devotee and one among the celebrated Nayanmars was serving Lord here. Believing some baseless allegations as true, the king sent his men to attack him. Mother Ambica urged Lord to protect Thevar. Lord sent an army of Nandhis and drove them away. All the Nandhis merged together and became one too big in size. Deducting the height of the peeta-platform, the actual height of the Nandhi is 14 feet, 3 inches made with many stones. There is also a small Nandhi before the big one. Maha Abishek is performed during the pradosha time. There is also an Adhikara Nandhi with a small one. Of the various remedial shrines around Tiruvidai Marudur, praying to Nandhi Baghwan here is considered very effective.

Thirumoolar: A Shivayogi called Sundaranathar came to Earth from Kailash the abode of Lord Shiva. He was visiting Shiva Temples in the country. He found a shepherd Moolan by name lying dead and the cows around him were in grief. Sympathizing with the cows, he entered into the body of the shepherd with his yogic powers – Parakaya Pravesam, entering into the body of those dead for some noble purpose - took the cows to their homes. He began his penance on Lord Shiva in this place. (Original) Moolan’s wife asked him to return home. Her relatives said that he had attained the divine wisdom, hence she too returned home.
The saint came to be known as Thirumoolar. He would wake up from his penance once a year and sing a song with a high philosophic content and go back to penance again. Thus he produced 3,000 songs sung in 3,000 years. This is edited as Thirumoolar Thirumandhiram. His shrine is in the prakara where he merged with Lord Shiva.

The shrine for Lord Thyagesa with Mother Kamalambika is on the right of the presiding Lord’s shrine. It is said that Lord Shiva taught the 8 yogic powers (Ashtama Siddhis) to Navakoti Siddhas including Bogar from this holy land. There are separate shrines for Thirumaaligai Thevar whose 4 pathigams (40 verses) form the 9th Tirumurai (Thiruvisaipa) of the 12 holy saivite devotional literature (Panniru Thirumurai) and Namshivayamurthy Swamigal. The place is also praised as Nandhinagar and Gomuktinagar.

Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi were playing the dice in Kailash. At the end of each game, Lord Shiva was successively winning the game. As Parvathi grew angry, Lord cursed Her to become a cow on earth. Lord said that the curse would end at this place where she should perform penance. Ambica did penance as a cow here. Go in Sanskrit means cow. Mukti means relief. As the cow got the relief from the curse here, Lord Shiva is praised as Gomukti Easwarar – Lord who relieved the cow from its past curse.

Location: This sivasthalam temple is located 20 Kms from Mayiladuturai en route to Kumbakonam.

Temple Address & Contact Details:

Sri Masilamani Easwarar Temple,
Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam,
Thiruvavaduthurai,
Nagapattinam district,
Pin code: 609 803.
Phone: +91 4364 - 232 055.