Good morning.
Surya Koteeswarar Temple at Keels Surya Moolai near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district.
The legend has it that thle cosmic sun radiate the energy of millon of sun in the galaxy. Several years ago this concept was discovered by siddhas and they had claimed that the Sun God worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple to receive energy for his day-to- day activities. It is for this reason that Lord Shiva is worshipped in the name of Sri Surya Koteeswarar in this temple.
Sun God was sad that He could not participate in the Pradosha pujas dedicated to Lord Shiva. Pradosha time means evening when Sun has to be on duty and evening time is His setting time. He spoke to his disciple Sage Yagnyavalyaka who learnt all Vedas and Sastras from Sun. He prayed to Lord Surya Koteeswarar to bless his Guru-Sun God. He encased all the powers of Vedas in the Bhaskara Chakra he made and submitted it at the feet of Lord Surya Koteeswara. The lamps he lit with the Iluppai oil also helped Sun to have daily darshan of Lord without any breaks.
There was a sacred tree, iluppai tree, for the temple and He crushed oil from the seeds of the tree. He also created a forest of iluppai trees. From the oil crushed from these trees he lit 10 million deepas a day to worship Lord Surya Koteeswarar, which took place during the twilight hours coinciding with Pradosha time also. Sun God had the darshan of all these Deepas and derived the benefits of Pradosha worship. This puranic story happened in this place, named Keela Surya Moolai. The shrine of Lord is facing east and that of Mother Pavalakodi Amman, the south.
Lord Bhairava in the temple is praised as Swarna Bhairava. It is noteworthy that during Aarati, a small red ray appears on His neck, a thrilling experience. By the movement of the coral light on the neck, devotees believe that He relieves the adverse aspects of Sun and Moon Gods. People also pray to Lord Bhairava for relief from burdens. In some temples, the rays of Sun fall on the Lord during a few days in a year only. Here, it is a day-to- day happening. The shadow of Lord falls on the wall during the whole day. Durga in the temple has Her toe ring only in one leg. People perform abishek to Lord with green coconut for relief from adverse Surya aspects. Undertaking feeding in the temple satisfies our ancestors. Sun God is worshipping Lord Surya Koteeswarar each day from morning to dusk. The shadow of Lord falls on the wall as a proof of this belief. Devotees light lamps to Lord Surya Koteeswarar during the pradosha time, perform abishek and offer vastras.
The temple has shrines for Lords Ananda Dakshinamurthi, Shakti Vinayaka, Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai, Mother Durga, Nagalingam and Chandikeswara. Navagrahas with their vahans are in northwest corner shrine while Lord Bhairava and Sun God have their shrines in the northeast corner of Swami Mandapam.
Surya Koteeswarar Temple at Keels Surya Moolai near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district.
The legend has it that thle cosmic sun radiate the energy of millon of sun in the galaxy. Several years ago this concept was discovered by siddhas and they had claimed that the Sun God worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple to receive energy for his day-to- day activities. It is for this reason that Lord Shiva is worshipped in the name of Sri Surya Koteeswarar in this temple.
Sun God was sad that He could not participate in the Pradosha pujas dedicated to Lord Shiva. Pradosha time means evening when Sun has to be on duty and evening time is His setting time. He spoke to his disciple Sage Yagnyavalyaka who learnt all Vedas and Sastras from Sun. He prayed to Lord Surya Koteeswarar to bless his Guru-Sun God. He encased all the powers of Vedas in the Bhaskara Chakra he made and submitted it at the feet of Lord Surya Koteeswara. The lamps he lit with the Iluppai oil also helped Sun to have daily darshan of Lord without any breaks.There was a sacred tree, iluppai tree, for the temple and He crushed oil from the seeds of the tree. He also created a forest of iluppai trees. From the oil crushed from these trees he lit 10 million deepas a day to worship Lord Surya Koteeswarar, which took place during the twilight hours coinciding with Pradosha time also. Sun God had the darshan of all these Deepas and derived the benefits of Pradosha worship. This puranic story happened in this place, named Keela Surya Moolai. The shrine of Lord is facing east and that of Mother Pavalakodi Amman, the south.
Lord Bhairava in the temple is praised as Swarna Bhairava. It is noteworthy that during Aarati, a small red ray appears on His neck, a thrilling experience. By the movement of the coral light on the neck, devotees believe that He relieves the adverse aspects of Sun and Moon Gods. People also pray to Lord Bhairava for relief from burdens. In some temples, the rays of Sun fall on the Lord during a few days in a year only. Here, it is a day-to- day happening. The shadow of Lord falls on the wall during the whole day. Durga in the temple has Her toe ring only in one leg. People perform abishek to Lord with green coconut for relief from adverse Surya aspects. Undertaking feeding in the temple satisfies our ancestors. Sun God is worshipping Lord Surya Koteeswarar each day from morning to dusk. The shadow of Lord falls on the wall as a proof of this belief. Devotees light lamps to Lord Surya Koteeswarar during the pradosha time, perform abishek and offer vastras.
The temple has shrines for Lords Ananda Dakshinamurthi, Shakti Vinayaka, Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai, Mother Durga, Nagalingam and Chandikeswara. Navagrahas with their vahans are in northwest corner shrine while Lord Bhairava and Sun God have their shrines in the northeast corner of Swami Mandapam.
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