Sri Piravi Maundeeswarar temple - Aswini Nakshatra temple

Moolavar: Piravi Maundeeswarar
Amman / Thayar : Brighan Nayaki – Periyanayaki
Old year : 1000-2000 years old
City: Tiruthuraipoondi
District: Tiruvarur
State : Tamil Nadu

Festival: Chithirai festival in April-May is grandly celebrated in the temple followed by Navarathri in September-October and Tiruvadhirai in December-January.

Temple's Speciality: Lord Shiva graces facing west, a tradition different from general system. That Lord Shiva is a Gajasamhara Murthy is an added importance and reputation of the temple. Lord destroys meaningless fear in the minds of His devotees. He also destroys arrogance and pride in men and women.

General Information: People belonging to Ashwini star are generally well to do and intelligent. They love debates and pomp and splendor. They are loveable and understand others. They have the characteristics of a teacher and teach others. They are interested in religious studies, epics, philosophy and astrology.

Prayers : Ashwini starrers pray here for relief from adverse planetary aspects. Others pray for happy wedding, child boon, and good education.

Devotees offer vastras with abishek to Lord and Mother.

Greatness Of Temple: Ashwini star has in it medical powers. Ashwini deities and deities attributed to medical powers pray in this temple every day. A wealthy life means a healthy life. According to our philosophies, birth by itself is an illness. Piravi (birth) Marundeeswarar helps devotees from the cycle of births and deaths and offers total salvation to Jeevatmas. Those born of Ashwini star naturally have the power of resistance from illnesses. In order to sustain that gift, they are advised to visit this temple and perform Dhanvantri Homa and Saneeswara Homa and worship planet Mars-Angaraka.

Gajasamahara Murthy: Sages of Tharukavana came to an arrogant conclusion that Lord Shiva gains power only through the Yagnas performed by them. Lord Shiva, to teach them a lesson, came to their place in the guise of a young beggar but in His alluring best. Their wives could not control their exciting comments on His handsomeness and followed him madly without noticing their dresses loosening. Meantime, Lord Vishnu too appeared before the sages as an enchanting angel whose beauty was beyond the power of words. They followed this woman as madly as their wives did after the young beggar.

Soon the Rishis realized that they had been fooled and became angry and wanted to revenge the Lord for the humiliation meted out to them. They created a ferocious elephant through a Yagna to kill Lord Shiva. Contrary to their expectations, the animal was killed by the Lord using its skin as a blanket to cover His body. Hence, the Lord came to be praised as Gajasamharamurthy. The sages shed their pride and surrendered to Lord.

Temple History:

Jallika, though belonged to the demon community, was a staunch Shiva devotee. She was good in nature. Her husband Virupakshan was all cruel and preferred human flesh for his food. A young boy was proceeding to Ganga to perform shrarda (an annual ritual performed in memory of departed parents by sons). When Virupaksha rushed to devour the boy, Jallika prevented him saying that killing and eating Brahmins would turn into a poison and kill him in turn. The demon husband pushed her aside and devoured the Brahmin boy and died instantaneously.

Jallika rushed to Lord Shiva in Tiruthuraipoondi and cried saying that her husband was truly wicked and begged the Lord to give him back to her as she could not live without him. She also prayed that the Lord created only wise and noble souls and not flesh seeking demons. Moved by her prayers, Mother Periyanayaki appeared before her and restored both the Brahmin boy and her demon husband to life. The boy asked the Mother what prompted Her to restore his life though his fate was otherwise, Mother said that Her grace would always rain on those who respectfully perform shrardha to ancestors and that She would grant the souls total salvation and place them in Heaven. She told Jallika that she would not let any woman deprived of her Mangalsutra wishing the welfare of the husband however wicked he was and promised to correct him.

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