Tiruvilaiyadal in Thiruppugazh: Part 3

Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the series.

1. Lord Shiva has danced as Nataraja at five temples–five sabhas–Chidhambaram, Maduarai, Thiruvilankadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam. Chidhambaram Nataraja Temple is known as Gold Sabha or Ponnambalam. It is believed that Lord Shiva danced in the golden hall on a Thiruvathirai nakshatra to fullfill the desire of his devotees Pathanchali and Sage Vyaghra Padar. The song avaguna viraganai describes this cosmic dance:
   மவுலியி லழகிய பாதாள லோகனு
   மரகத முழுகிய காகோத ராஜனு
   மநுநெறி யுடன்வளர் சோணாடர் கோனுட  னும்பர்சேரும்
   மகபதி புகழ்புலி யூர்வாழு நாயகர்
   மடமயில் மகிழ்வுற வானாடர் கோவென
   மலைமக ளுமைதரு வாழ்வேம னோகர    மன்றுளாடும்
   

2. The Madurai Meenakshi Sundaraeswar temple has the well known Velliyambalam - Rajatha Sabha or Silver Hall. In this temple, unlike in other temples, Lord Natarajar stands on His left leg with the right foot raised. The story goes that the Pandya king Rajashekaran who ruled from Madurai, was a great devotee of Shiva and except for the art of dancing, was adept at the other 63 arts. He started learning it, and realized that the posture of Lord Natarajar was very difficult and painful to stand for centuries. He went to the Silver Hall, and prayed the Lord to change His feet to ease His pain. But the Lord didn't and the dejected Rajashekaran took his sword and tried to commit suicide by cutting off his head. Appreciating the devotion the Lord obliged and changed His leg in the dancing posture to left foot. Only here Nataraja is depicted in standing on his left leg. Here's the reference to this story in the song seerana kola
   ஏராரு மாட கூட மதுரையில்
   மீதேறி மாறி யாடு மிறையவர்
   

3. Murugan as Rudrasarman: In Madhurai, forty eight poets wrote commentaries for 'iRaiyanAr agapporuL' that was composed by SivA as SokkanAthar at Madurai. A dumb boy called Rudrasanman (who was, in fact, Murugan himself) was selected the judge to declare whose commentary was the best of these. When the poets read their commentaries, Rudrasarman was unresponsive, but when Nakkeerar read his commentary, Rudrasanman responded by shaking his body, and declared that the true meaning was conveyed in Nakkeerar's work.

   • The song ezhuthigazh mentions this 'vilaiyadal'.
     வழுதியர் தமிழில் ஒரு பொருள் அதனை வழி பட மொழியும் முருகேசா

   • The song seerana kola:
     (சிவ பெருமான் இயற்றிய 'இறையனார் அகப் பொருள்' என்ற நூலுக்கு) ஏழேழு பேர்கள் கூற வருபொரு  ளதிகாரம்
     ஈடாய வூமர் போல வணிகரி
     லூடாடி யால வாயில் விதிசெய்த
     லீலாவி சார தீர வரதர  குருநாதா
     

   • The song mooputtru
     வாய்ப்புற் றத்தமிழ் மார்க்கத் திட்பொருள்
     வாய்க்குச் சித்திர முருகோனே
     

4. A a Murugan devotee raised the banks of the Cheyyaru river across which stands the temple of Lord Vedapureeswarar at ThiruvOththur to protect it from frequent floods and planted palm trees. None of the trees could bear fruit since all the trees were male and there wasn't a single female tree. On seeing this, a few jain monks started mocking at the power of Shiva. Thirugnanasambandar sung a Thevara Pathigam and in the end of the pathigam he sung "குரும்பை ஆண்பனை ஈன்குலை ஓத்தூர்". Immediately, all the male trees were transformed in to female trees and yielded the fruits.
   The song thavar vaaL says
   பவமாய்த் தாணது வாகும் பனைகாய்த் தேமண நாறும் பழமாய்ப் பார்மிசை வீழும்   படிவேதம்

5. The song arivazhiya
   சிவனைநிகர் பொதியவரை முநிவனக மகிழஇரு
   செவிகுளிர இனியதமிழ் பகர்வோனே