Among
the six holy hill temples-'Arupadaiveedus' of shanmuga,
the commander-in-chief of Devasainya, palani claims a much-coveted
place and it is unique in several aspects. Although the
other five temples like swamimalai, where he thought pranava
mantra to paramasiva,his own revered father; palamudicholai-the
stadium for demonstration of his boyhood sports; Tiruchendur
the scene of action of his dauntless war against padmasura;
Tirupparakundram-the holy spot of his wedding with lovely
doughter of Devendira; and tiruttani-the calm, sequestered
place of scenic beauty, he chose for quite retirement have
established for themselves special niches in the temple
that Bharat mata is, Palani takes pride of place and its
pretty sivagiri after a pretty quarrel with this parents
for giving 'Gnanaphal' to vinayaka, his own elder brother,
who by his matchless vivek-wisdom obtained it in the contest
held on the occasion of Narada's presenting the Gnanaphal
to lord siva, deeming him the only right and fittest person
among gods to receive it.
Despite
going round the world on his mount muyura with a velocity
matching his craze for winning the trophy, he did not get
the desired; for the scriptural wisdom unmistakably and
loudly proclaims that father and mother are the living gods
on the earth and going round them making pradakshana tantamount
to completing the bhupradakshana.
Unable to stomach the defeat, he accused his parents and
settled down here permanently much against the persuasion
of his loving parents. And for the sake of fruit he left
kailas and made this as his abode, this sacrosanct place
was fittingly named Palani after him, for he was himself
a 'phal' as said by his own father now listen.
Hurling
harsh words- "the judgment is partial; parents hear
less; the audience nerveless' the rat-borne vinayaka worthless
and does not deserve anything, the irate subramaniya set
out for a calm pleasant place to live penance Despaired
parents rushed to the spot and tried their level best to
basify their angry kid justifying their action, but he was
adamant.
At
the end said lord siva drawing him close to his bosom-"Muruga,
my darling! why care about that ephemeral fruit, which can
be consumed in a trice, you are yourself the gnanaphal fruit
of the knowledge, which lasted for ever and illumines the
words by dispelling agnanathimira-darkness of ignorance;
You are the phal-phal-nee".
This
trisyllabaled word that fell from the devine lips of lord
mahaswar is treasuring up priceless wisdom, though seemingly
simple in the combination of two words 'phal-nee' its impact
was instant and complete. It subsided anger and ended in
making muruga realize life in its full perspective and mystic
philosophy of existence. Contended with the reasoning, he
answered that his anger was appeased and would live here
for ever. It was accepted by his loving parents.
Thus
came into being the name 'palani' then, and attained supreme
unparalleled supremacy with the passage at time, due to
his illumining the adorers with boundless gnana, and relieving
them from the clutches of satanic forces fermenting. These
events happened some millenniums before and later by the
soul pour of sage Bhogo; its spiritual eminence started
spreading for and wide fills the entry of powerful rulers,
who build a magnificent temple for the adoration of devotees.
UNIQUENESS
On
account of demonstrating divine sports and drawing people
to his sannidhi for emancipation, this muruga kshetra
perched at on enviable place and made other age-old shrines
pale into insignificance; for it was to this place, celestial
dignitaries like surya, Aagni together with mother Laxmi
accompanied by Parvathi descended once to whorship him
for tiding over their difficulties and gain illumination;
it is this lord considered as the Gnanapandit; it is this
Muruga famed as the custodian of Tamil culture and literature;
it is this lord renowned as the prince charming among
the gods' it is this dountless warrion, who subdued and
destroyed all the danavadhamas; who caused night mares
to Devendra. and celestials; it is this lord's compassion
boundless that transformed Surapadma, the formidable demon
into his vehicle-mayura occording to death wish; it is
the temple along among the six hill temples providing
the old and infirm devotees with haulage winch service
for reaching his sannidhi; it is this temple's emergence
coincided with sage.
Agasthya's south-words journey with his disciple. Idumbar,
who fought dreadfully only to become his sentinel at the
end; it is this spot at his setting foot first after leaving
kailas now goes by the name of Avinankudi; it is at this
holy place Muruga held his royal court of all gods and
saints and emancipated them; it is here decided to put
on saffron dyed cloths and deer skin in token of eschewing
worldly possessions; it is here in the vicinity lies the
Saravana Poigai-a sacred step-well tank that destroys
the accumulated sins of any person with a mere dip, or
even by symbolic use of its water sprinkling over the
head; it is this Avinankudi temple finding a place in
legends as the third Padai Veedus and it is this temple's
annual income through Hundi collecrion etc, crossing crosses
enabling the temple management undertaking several humanitarian
services, like founding of premier educational institutions,
running of service organizations and with many commendable
features supreme, this Muruga kshetra earned on unenviable
reputation among the temples of South India in general
and Murugan Thirukoils in particular.
Its
monumental contribution to the promotion of devotion and
spiendid record of achievements for excel those of the
Yogas-old temples that is igniting jealousy in the minds
of veteran organizers of religious institutions striving
for the spiritual upliftment of mankind.
Does
this not tempt the reader to think of probing a little
about the birth and upbringing of this field-marshal of
Devasainya, whose unprecedented generalship relieved the
entire Devaganas from the eternal physical fortune and
mental torments inflicted on them by the diabolical acts
of sadist danavadamas? Legends and literacy accounts on
all genres and languages abound in rich corps of information.
Though
there are innumerable versions of his birth , growth etc.,
the three that passes through them emphasizes his parents
and protectors. And the authors too are of no mean distinction,
who presented a colorful picture at his mutidiment personality.
