THIRIPURA SAMHARAM BY SIVA

ACCORDING TO KANDHAPURANAM
PART II

SAKTHASRI
DR.S.JAYABARATHI



THIRUVIRKOLAM
TANJAVUR BIG TEMPLE MURALS

                The devas held a council and decided on the equipment.
                The Meru Mountain became the bow; Adhi sEshan became the bow string. Maha Vishnu became the tip of the arrow. Four among the best of the leading devas formed the arrow. The shaft of the arrow - Chandra; Agni - the arrow handle. Vaayu - the arrow vane(feather).
Vindya - the axle of the chariot
Kesara Giri - axle-hub
Bhumi - asana
Aakaasam - chariot interior
Sun and Moon - the wheels
The four vedas - the horses
Rishis - sooth-sayers
Kinnaras, Kimpurushas, Yaksha, and Siddhas - announcers
Garudas, Gandarvas, and Saaranas - praise-singers
The eight Maha Nagas, eight Kula Parvathas, Oceans, Clouds, etc., - the superstructure and ornaments. Manthras, Sixty-four saasthras, KaamadEnu, Thithis, Yaagas, karmas, dharmas, ages, eras, days, months, seasons, components of time - formed the miscellaneous parts of
the chariot like the nails, etc.

                Brahma was the charioteer. The Pranavam was the horse-whip. The devas and their leaders formed the army.

                When all this was ready, Nandhi went back to Kailaasam and told Siva about it.

                Siva arrived and ascended the chariot bearing the bow and arrows in His hands.

                But the chariot could not bear the weight and started to sink into the Paathala. Vishnu took the form of a bull and supported the chariot with the blessings of Siva.
                Following this, Siva and the devas performed puujai for VignEsvara.
                The Saint Arunagirinathar sings that because Siva and the others did not perform Vinayaka pujai before the war enterprise, Vinaayaka Himself caused the axle of the chariot to disintegrate.

'mupuuram eri seydha
achchivan uRai radham
achchadhu podi seydha
adhi thiiraa!'

                The chariot, then started with Vinaayaka and Murugan escorting on both sides upon their vaahanas.
                Because of the irreverant and irreligious lives of the asuras, all the divine riches that they possessed, vanished.
                When the specific time came, the three purams came together.
                Siva held the tip of the bow in one hand. He gazed upon the three purams with His three eyes.
                The three purams started burning and turning to ashes.
                He also waved His hand slightly.

THIRIPURANTAKA

                Seeing that Siva could burn the three purams with a mere smile of His, the devas asked Him to discharge the arrow also. Siva did so. The arrow struck home and the three purams turned completely to ashes.

THIRIPURA SAMHARAM
TANJAVUR BIG TEMPLE MURALS

                Because the asuras at one time were staunch worshippers of Siva, all of them became leaders of the Siva Ganas.

                The three brothers were not harmed when the purams burned. Unscathed, they came to see Siva.

                They worshipped Siva and Siva told them to ask for boons. But they asked Siva that they should become the door-keepers - Dvaara Paalas in Siva's personal chambers.
                Siva granted their wish and made them into Dvaara Paalas to His private chamber.

                And that is the 'Thiripura Samhaaram' or 'Thiripuraanthagam'.
                This is one of the 'atta viirach cheyalgaL' of Siva - The eight Valourous Acts of Lord Siva'.
                Eight Siva sthalas stand for each one of those virra cheyals of Siva.

Among the viira cheyalgaL, are the following-

Plucking of Brahma's head, anthakaasura vadham, thiripuraanthakam, kaala samhaaram, destruction of Kaaman, etc.

                Each of these sthalams stand for each one of these valourous acts.

                They are called 'Atta Viirattam'.

                Thirukkadaiyuur is the Viirattam where Siva destroyed Yama. In that sthalam, He is known as the 'Kaala Sammaara Muurththi'

                'Thiruvadhigai Viirattam' is the place where Thirunaavaukkarasarar received salvation - 'Thaduththu aatkoLLal'.

                His first ThEvaara padhigam's last lines calls out to Lord Siva of Adhigai Viirattam on the banks of the River Kedilam.

'aaRREn adiyEn
adhigai kedila
viirattaanaththuRai ammaanE!'

The eight 'atta viirattam's are:

KaNdiyuur
Kadavuur
Adhigai
Valzuvuur
PaRiyaluur
KOvaluur
KuRukkai
ViRkudi

                There is a sthalam called Thiru ViRkOlam.
                That is the place where Siva stood prepared for war with his bow and arrow.

                There is another place called 'AcchiRuPaakkam'. It was at this place that Vinaayaka caused the axle to disintegrate. It was also here, that Siva and others performed the VignEsvara puujai for victory in the endeavour.

                The place is otherwise known as Kuuvam. Kuuvam also means 'axle'.

                Thiru Kuuvam is one of the ThEvara sthalas. It has received a padhigam from Thirunaavukkarasar.

                The River Kuuvam is named after the place. It was not after all the giant sewer that people accredit to it.

                The Thiripura Sammaaram took place on a Thai Puusam. The Saivites hold it sacred on account of that.

                Murugan received His Sakthi VEl aayudham from Ambikai on Thai Puusam.
So, Murugan devottees hold it in esteem.

                "The Shaakthas hold it sacred because it falls on the Full Moon's day in the nakshatram of Pushya during the month of Magaram - Thai".

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