The Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam (; ) is a collection of sixty-four Shaivite devotional epic stories by the sage Paranjothi Munivar composed and collected before the 12th Century. They describe the actions of Shiva on earth in a number of disguises to test and help his devotees.
Contents
There are sixty-four stories in the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam. It is divided into three cantos, namely Maduraikandam, Koodarkandam and Thirualavaikandam. Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam is viewed to be one of the 18 thalapuranas. It is also revered as one of the Mahapuranas (Periya Puranam – the right eye of Shiva, Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam – the left eye, and Kanda Purana – the third eye). It was authored by Saint Paranjothi. It narrates the 64 Tiruvilayadals (Lilas in Sanskrit), loosely translated as the "playful miracles of god (Shiva) himself". It describes the legends and prevalent in the Pandyan Kingdom in South India and covers a period of more than 500 years during the reign of fifty-two Pandya kings and six other kings. Shiva and his consort Meenakshi gave salvation to the kings and commoners alike in these sixty- four episodes. Many of these events are found in earlier Tamil works like Cilappatikaram, Kalladam, Tevaram, Tiruvasagam and some other Puranic poetry.
Some of the stories in the text are versions of the original legend which may not mention the presents of Shiva:
1. The removal of Indra's crime Indra, the king of the devas and Svarga (heaven), was engaged in spending time with apsaras (divine female celestials) in his abode, when his guru (spiritual preceptor) Brihaspati came to see him. Indra did not pay proper attention to the guru, causing Brihaspati to depart in anger with a curse. Indra thus lost all his prosperity and the sympathy of his guru. Having no longer his former preceptor, Indra took a three-headed asura (similar to Trisiras) for his preceptor, but inducing him to make a sacrifice (yajna), he learned bitterly that the new guru purposed to destroy the gods and favour his clan. Therefore, Indra killed him whereby he incurred the sin of brahmahatya (crime of killing a Brahmin). The father (Tvashtr) of the deceased asura took revenge by making a yajna, from which Vritra sprang out and was ordered to kill Indra immediately. Indra came face-to-face with the asura, but finding that he could not kill him, hid himself in a lotus flower. He then went to Brahma and enquired why he could not kill the asura, whereby he was told that his weapon was not strong enough to kill the demon and was directed to a place where an old Brahmin named Tatichi had long been performing penance, and was advised to take his shoulder-bone, which would suffice for the object in view; since it was moulded of a good number of powerful weapons that were entrusted to him. The old Brahmin gladly gave up his life and Indra, taking his shoulder-bone by its aid killed the asura, hereby the brahmahatya was doubled; and in consequence of its burden, Indra again concealed himself in a lotus flower. The devas were thus left without a king, and Nahusha, an earthly monarch, who in order to arrive at the dignity had performed a hundred yajnas, became entitled to take the place of Indra. Accordingly, he sent word to Indrani, the consort of the Indra, that he was coming, directing her to prepare to receive him. On this message being communicated, she went in consternation to the guru, Brihaspati, to ask his advice, who directed her to sanction the coming of Nahusha in the palanquin of Indra, according to custom borne by the seen rishis. While Nahusha was thus going, owing to his hurry, he exclaimed to the rishis, "Sarpa sarpa", which means "quickly quickly". The rishis being displeased, put down the palanquin, and pronounced on him a curse "that he should become a serpent" (as "Sarpa" also means snake); in which shape he fell down again back to the earth. A council was held with Brihaspati, Agastiyar, and other sages, where they concluded in their meeting that Indra, in order to the removal of his sin, should go down to the earth to visit the sacred places and bathe in the holy rivers. Indra thus followed but found no relief until he came to a certain forest of lili (Kadamba) trees, where he suddenly he found his burden removed. Being surprised at this, he commanded a search to be made around, where a lingam (the emblem of Shiva) was found under a lili tree, to which he made puja (worship) to it. The forest's plants had no flowers with which to make garlands; but on search for them Indra saw a tank with lotus flowers of which he made garlands. By the use of its flowers, the tank obtained the name Pottamarai (the golden lotus).
2. The removal of the white elephant's curse Durvasa-rishi was once worshipping the said image in the Tilivanam, when he took lotus flowers, and after presenting it to the god, carried it with him to Indra's paradise, who was then riding on his white elephant, and going to encounter the giants. He respectfully gave it to Indra, who laid it on the head of the elephant between its tusks but the animal threw it down and trampled it under foot. Durvasa pronounced on it a curse, to the effect, "that it should become a wild elephant of the woods"; but as the animal implored mercy, the period was limited to a hundred years. In consequence, while the elephant was in the tili forest, it one day poured water over the lingam, which on enquiry, learning the nature of the case, told the elephant to place as Indra-lingam at Airavatham. Having done so, a messenger came to recall it to Indra's abode, and the proposition being declined on the plea of worshipping at this place, another messenger was sent in obedience to which recall, the elephant went and again became the vahana (vehicle) of Indra.
3. Discovery of Shiva to the locals; building the town Of Madurai and the reign of the first king In the time of Kulashekhara Pandya, who ruled in Manavur, a merchant named Tanan-shayen, in the course of his journeys on commercial business was benighted in a forest of Kadamba trees; and being unable to proceed further took up his abode at the foot of one of them. He was surprised at the sight of an unusual splendour; and going to look, was favoured by the god with the view, as he had been very virtuous in his former birth. As it was Monday, the gods were performing homage and anointing the image, as though it had been the night of Shiva. The merchant bathed in a tank and worshipped; when the gods had disappeared, he saw the stone image only; and the next day went and told the king and told what he had seen. The god also appeared to the king the following night by a vision, in the form of a religious ascetic, and commanded him to build a temple in the aforesaid wilderness. The king finding the vision and the statement of the merchant to accord, went to the place and had the forest cleared. Being uncertain how to build the temple and town, he had another vision which the god appeared and gave instructions, in obedience to which, workmen were employed, having a king's street, Brahmin's street and also choultries, mandapams, tanks and do on. The whole being splendidly finished, with a palace also for the king on the North-East quarter, an embarrassment arose as to how these numerous buildings could all be purified preparatory to residence at once, so as to ensure an entrance on an auspicious day; the difficulty the god Shiva was pleased to remove by causing Ganga, abiding in the hair on his head to pour forth copious streams on the whole place: and the god was pleased to give it the name of Mathura (or sweetness), and he then disappeared. The king placed guards at the four cardinal points of the city, four of them being devas. Afterwards a son was born to him, named Malayadhvajan, who on the King's death succeeded to the throne.
4. Incarnation of Meenakshi, the goddess of the temple Malayadhvaja-Pandyan although he had many wives, the chief of them being Kanjana-malai, daughter of the Chola king, had no child. In consequence he offered ninety-nine ashvamedha (horse) sacrifices, when Indra, becoming alarmed (since another sacrifice, would entitle the king to the Indra's throne), appeared to him and said, "Why do you give yourself this trouble? Perform the appointed sacrifice for obtaining a child before the temple of the god Shiva, and your wish will be granted." While the king was making the sacrifice, a young girl named Meenakshi of three years, covered with ornaments, was formed from the flame of the sacrificial fire pit. The king took up the child, and gave it into the hands of his wife Kanjana-Malai. On her applying the infant to her breast immediately milk for its nourishment first manifested itself. While bringing up the child it was found that she had three breasts, on which the foster-parents being afflicted, the voice of the god was heard from heaven, bidding them to give the child the same education as for a man, and adding, that when her appointed husband would come, then the third breast would disappear: when she was grown up they had her formally installed on the throne, and then Malayadhvajan died. Having performed, in becoming manner, the funeral rites for her foster parent, and worshipped in the temple, she afterwards ruled the kingdom in a proper manner.
5. Marriage of Meenakshi with Shiva, by the name of Sundaresvara When the above woman, Tadatakai (or Invincible) was ruling, her foster-mother represented to her the property of marriage, to which she replied, that she would assemble an army and go to fight with neighbouring kingdoms, in order to discover among them her destined husband. Accordingly, her minister, Sumati, assembled a very large army, with which she went and conquered all the neighbouring kings. She next conquered Indra, and then proceeded to attack Kailasha (the abode of Shiva) in front of which she was met by Narada, (the messenger of the god.) whom she forced to retreat. He left and reported the same to Shiva. The god who arose and went forth. As soon as he appeared, the before mentioned sign occurred, at which the Shakti, being ashamed, dropped her weapons, and the minister said, "This has to be your husband." The god told her to return to Madurai, where he dwelt, and on Monday he would come and marry her; desiring all preparations to be made. All was arranged accordingly and the other deities came bringing presents. She was seated beside Shiva on the marriage on a throne, when Vishnu joined their hands, and afterwards the marriage ceremony was performed, amidst the praises and adorations of the rishis and others present. The god then had a new stone image made for the pagoda, as he became a king; and afterwards ruled over Madurai by the name of Sundara.
6. Shiva's dance in the silver hall After the marriage, the Gods, rishis, and others who were assembled were about to be feasted, preparatory to which they all bathed in the Pottamarai-tank, (the tank of the golden lotus) when one of the rishis said, "Unless we see the god dance we will not eat." The god replied, "How can you expect to see one dance, whose form is that of the seven superior and seven inferior worlds, and whose members are the places most famous for their shrines and temples? But, as this place is chief of all, since you wish it, you shall see me dance." The god thus danced, while the guests present sang praises and songs to him.
7. The insatiable Kundotharan