The moment I thought of praying to Lord Shiva, I was reminded of something about the Padmanabha Swamy temple. Nowhere it is seen as how it is in this temple.
In every place where there is a Vishnu temple, there will be a Shiva temple for He is the Kshetra Palaka of Perumal temple. The entire rights, whatever happens within the temple, to protect, are some of the duties of Kshetra Palaka. This is a rule by God.
All four corners of Padmanabha Swamy temple resides Shiva. Not many pay attention to this.
I began to think about where to go and where to start. One day I went to the Shiva temple on the Southern side. Out of the four, the Southern one was the nearest and so I frequent here. I get answers to my questions too, in unexpected but surprising ways.
The temple priest and the management staff were inside. The Deepa Aradhana for the evening was over and so there wasn’t anyone. I went in, stood before the Lord and placed my request.
While getting the Prasada and returning, I thought I may sit inside the temple and go. I did a Pradakshina, sat down in the left side of the Lord. I closed my eyes on seeing the clear Shiva Linga and began to chant Om Namah Shivaya. I do not know how long I was meditating but I felt someone going inside the sanctum crossing me and going out.
I got up, prayed to the Lord and came out. As I began walking, I heard, “Thiruchitrambalam”. There was an old man. I placed my hand in my chest, bowed down and said ‘Shiva Chidambaram’ (this is a practice like saying Ram Ram in northern India).
“If I go this way, will I be able to get Padmanabha’s darshan?” – he asked pointing to the South entrance.
Yes, I said.
He was wearing a white veshti and angawastram. A long white beard. I thought he may be a Vasi yogi.
“Did you get the answer?” – he asked!
“No”
“Why roam here and there? Read the Shiva Purana, especially the part before the Shiva Parvathi wedding. You will get the answer, and also know what is Shiva Chintanai” – he turned and walked fast towards the temple.
I thanked him by nodding my head and kept looking at the direction he went. I could not even think who he was. I was only reminded of Guru Agastya’s words, “If God wants to give you answers, somehow He will.”
In the coming week, research began with my friend’s help on Shiva Purana, Periya Purana, Siva Manjari, and Rudra Prasnam. I understood many a thing. As a short summary as much as this self understood:
“It was Shiva who declared Bharatha Kanda as ‘Karma Bhoomi’. He sat in Kailasha in the North-East (Ishana). He wanted someone equal to Him to be seated in the Kanni Moolai (South West). The Karma Bhoomi grows only through Karma, and slowly. The evil forces that tries to destroy it will enter only through North East and South Western directions. So Lord Narayana sat in the South-Western direction.
Guru Agastya was sent from Kailasha to the South with a number of tasks. To build a temple for Narayana in Ananthan Kadu, to make Thamirabarani river, in all the places where the Lord showed His wedding, He made temples there and sat there, to remove the obstacle of Vindhya Mountain, many come in these tasks. He came to Panchesti and did five different types of yagna and reached Podhigai.
It was Guru Maha Agastya who did Aradhana to the Thiruvattaru Adhi Keshava Perumal, explained God’s will to the king who ruled Padmanabha pura, and made a temple in Anandha Kaadu. The puranas say that it was the start of Kali Yuga when Lord Narayana sat on Ananthan Kadu.
When carrying out the deeds of the Lord, He made golden Sri Chakra and Sudarshana Chakra, and shared His power of penance on to these, placed it underneath Padmanabha, and made His Samadhi. It is His power of penance and the Lord’s will which is protecting the Bharatha Kanda.
~ stay blessed!
Featured image courtesy: Wordzz