#DoYouKnow -The place where
Lalitha Sahasranamam -1000 names of Devi originated.

It is in Lalithambigai temple -Thirumeeyachur,Near Mayiladuthurai,TN

There is a Legend #story & it is related to this beautiful #sculpture of Kshetrapuraneswarar & Ambal Lalithambigai #Thread 👇

Heard about a Marathan run that is conducted as part of Maha Shivarathri celebrations -Shivalaya Oottam

Marathan run by devotees covering 12 Shiva Alayams/ Temples chanting Govinda..Gopala...

This practice is related to an legend #story of #Mahabharata

Do read this #Thread

Devotees dressed in khawi/safforn cloths,will run /walk to one Shiva Alayam to other,covering 12 Shiva Alayams in Kanyakumari district by foot & total distance is abt 88 Km.
First temple is Thirumalai Mahadevar Temple,Munchirai
During the run,they take holy dips in temple tanks.

Devotees who cover the distance by foot observe Vriddham for a week.During fasting they eat tender coconut,Nungu &Tulsi water.Those who cannot run this distance,visit all 12 temples in vehicles.
After darshan in Thirumalai temple,they go to 2nd temple Tikkurichi Mahadeva Temple.

Followed by darshan at Thirunandikarai Shiva Temple,Ponmanai Thimbilankudi Mahadevar Temple,Thiruppanri Bhagam Shiva Temple,Kalkulam Neelakanda Mahadevar Temple, Melangode Shiva Temple, Thiruvidaikodu Mahadevar Temple.Lastly to Thirunattalam Sankara Narayan Temple.

All these shiva temples,have separate sannathi for Vishnu.
Interestingly,in each of these temples,prasad is Vibuthi or bhasma & at Thirunattalam Sankara Narayan Temple the prasad is sandal paste/Chandan symbolic of unity of Shiva &Vishnu.

Legend #story 👇

A #story from #Thiruvilayadal puranam- one of divine leelas of Bhagwan Shiva

#threadseries #madurai

Koodal Kaandam

Story 21 - it is about how stone elephant came to life and ate sugarcane - When Raja Abhisheka Pandyan met Ellam Valla Siddhar

கல்யானைக்கு கரும்பருத்திய படலம்

Raja Abhisheka Pandiyan went ahead to meet Ellam Valla Siddhar on the premises of the temple.On seeing the arrival of Raja, people surrounding Siddhar moved back. Abhisheka Pandiyan introduced himself to Siddhar &asked about his whereabouts.Also his purpose of visit to Madurai.

Raja asked why he performed magical acts, does he expect anything from him or people of Madurai.

Siddhar laughed & replied to Raja that he was from Kasi. He had heard a lot about Madurai in Kashi.Also told that this place is a Mukti Kshetram,so he had come to stay here.

Siddhar asked Raja if he has the capability &power to give anything that he asks for. Siddhar told King that he has power to do things even if he think of it.Siddhar asked King to ask whatever he wants & it would be provided, whatever these people had asked, they were granted.

Abhisheka Pandyan was shocked to receive such a reply from Siddhar,& he decided to test the power of this Siddhar. By that time, Raja saw a person in crowd having Sugarcane.

Raja took Sugarcane from that person.

Margabandhu Stotram - #Thread

"Shambho Mahadeva deva
Shiva Shambho Mahadeva devesha Shambho
Shambho Mahadeva deva...

By reciting this stotra one can have Bhagwan Shiva with them as Marga-bandhu(travel companion) written by Sri Appayya Dikshitar.

This stotra was written praising Sri Margabandheswarar, Virinjipuram,Near Vellore,TN - Magnificent &very ancient temple famous for its compound wall/ Madhil azhagu-has minute stone carvings all around.This place gets its name-Virinjipuram as Brahma(Virinchi)worshiped Siva here

It is said that ,Dhanabalan a pepper merchant lost his loads to thieves.He prayed to Shiva &,he came as a soldier on a horse & retrieved pepper loads but also accompanied Dhanabalan on his journey.Due to this he is called Vazhi Thunai Nathar in Tamil & Margabandu in Sanskrit.

As per sthala purana,Brahma was born as Shivasarma here in archaka family. When Shivsarma’s father died,he had to undertake pooja responsibilities as a small boy.Shivasarma’s mother prayed to Margabandeeswar.Shiva came as an elderly person & conducted Upanayanam Brahmopadhesam

Small boy was then paraded on an elephant with the holy water pot and the temple door opened automatically.While he attempted to do abhishek for Margabandheeswarar,as a small boy,he was unable to reach the head of the lingam,so he surrendered to Shiva stating his inability.

Chennakeshava Temple, Somanathapura, Karnataka.

This temple, not to be confused with the Belur Chennakeshava temple, was built during the Hoysala period by a Hoysala general named Dandanayaka Somanatha. The temple dedicated to lord Vishnu was consecrated in 1258.

Dandanayaka Somanatha established a village named Somanathapura on the banks of river Kaveri. He sought the permission of King Narasimha III, to begin construction of a grand temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu that would also showcase the might of Hoysalas.(1)

The temple rests on a high star shaped platform (jagati) with 3 sanctums (garbha griha) making it a trikuta, set in a square matrix oriented along the east west and north south axes.(2)

The western sanctum is dedicated to Kesava, the northern sanctum to Janardhana and the southern sanctum to Venugopala, all are forms of lord Vishnu.(3)

The sanctums share a common community hall (sabha mandapa) with many pillars. Above each of these sanctums rise the 16 pointed star shaped tower called vimana or shikara.(4)

LING PURANA: IMPORTANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

Reading Ling Purana provides bhog and moksha to the reader and listeners. It is about Shiva's sermon to Brahma when Shiva entered the Agni Ling and preached about Dharma sidhhi through the stories of Agni Kalp.

Vyasji divided this into two parts. This book is different from others and has eleven thousand shlokas which depict the glory of Shiva. This Puran is the summary about importance of Tridev.
It starts first with a questions. Then it describes the Shrishti in brief.

Then there is description of Yog and Kalp. Next is the evolution of Ling and its puja Vidhi. It consists of dialogue between Sanat Kumar and Shail etc. It also mentions the character of Dadhichi, the dharma representation of that yug, Bhuvan kosh description,

Chandravansh and Surya vansh. Next there is elaborate description of Shrishti, story of Tripur, Ling and Pashu Paash vimoksha, Vrats for Shiva, Discipline, Repentance, Arisht, description of Shri Shail. Next is the story of Andhakasur, Varah, Narsingh,

k¡lling of Jalandhar, Shiv sahastra naam, story of Daksha's yagya and its destruction, killing of Madan and marriage of Parvati.

Next is Vinayak katha, Shiv tandav, Ambrish katha and Upmanyu .

According to the #PadmaPurana; there are 8,400,000 life-form species, 900,000 of which are aquatic ones; 2,000,000 are trees and plants; 1,100,000 are small living species, insects and reptiles; 1,000,000 are birds; 3,000,000 are beasts and 400,000 are human species

and as per modern Science research till now they are able to find out only Over seven million species of plants and animals living on planet earth, according to the best estimates made by biologists, means Science is still behind in understanding the biological and multiverse

structure of almighty.But does that means every time we take birth in same earth in same human species  or in some other species in same universe ?, absolutely not, if we look deeply in spiritual reality. Our karmas decides where any being has to move through either in this

universe or in some other Universe and in which life form. It is difficult to understand in which world we take birth and which world we will move through, reason being Brahm-anda is composed of  so many multiverse universes within each of so Many inter- related
Brahmands

and in each of them, it has Many forms of trinity godheads are also present in each and every Universe. we can't imagine. This can be easily Understandable from Many of verses explained in Bhagwad puraan regarding parallel universe and Multiverse theory based on vedic cosmology

Today makes four years since I took my shahada and became Muslim, even though it feels like a lifetime ago.

Below are some reflections and advices I’d give to new Muslims and the greater Muslim community as someone who accepted Islam:

1) Remember what you got here in the first place: Allah. No one has an easy journey in this fleeting life. Remember when times get difficult that your Lord guiding you to Islam is a sign of His mercy. Let your actions be for Him alone, and you’ll see the blessings unfold.

2) Choose your company wisely: the Prophet ﷺ tells us good company is like the one who sells perfume and bad company is like a blacksmith. Surround yourself around people who will benefit you in your journey seeking Allah. Do not be around people who will hurt your akhira.

3) Be gentle: if you want guidance for your loved ones, don’t be harsh with them nor should you try and debate them. Speak kindly, treat them with honor, and allow your actions to be a representation of your faith. Remember the Prophet ﷺ was characterized as a walking Quran!

4) Seek knowledge, but take it slow: it’s easy to rush into things overzealously and be burnt out. Take things a step at a time, and in increments. You won’t ever be perfect, but strive for ihsan. Make it so that you feel like you’re falling in love with your deen repeatedly.