This is Rishi Bhringi depicted with three legs, pointed beard and having a skeleton-like body.
A great devotee of Bhagwan Shiva.
Pic 1 - one of the pillars in mandap of Thirupporur temple.
Pic 2 -sculpture from Kapaleeshwarar Temple Gopuram
1/n
Story of Bhringi Rishi and why he has 3 legs is an intresting one as it explains the importance of
ShivaShakthi & also teaches Shiva and Shakthi are inseparable.
One day Bhringi along with several other Rishis visited Kailash.All the Rishis worshipped both Shiva & Parvati,did pradakshina around them.
But Bhringi Rishi prayed ,did pradakshina and bowing to Bhagwan Shiva,ignoring Goddess Parvati.
3/n
Same practice continued whenever Bhringi Rishi visited Kailash.Annoyed by his actions, Goddess Parvati wished to teach him that, Shiva and Parvati are one.
Nxt time when rishi came,Parvati sat on left lap of Shiva to avoid him to do pradikshna only around Shiva.
4/n
Seeing this,Bhringi took the form of a bird & flew around Shiva’s head & left Kailash.
Next time when he visited Kalish-Shiva &Shakti together took form of Ardhanarishvara(Shiva’s half as Shakti).On seeing this,Rishi Bhringi used his yogic powers & turned into a beetle/bee.
5/n
He as bee bore hole through navel of Ardhanareshwara & went around Shiva’s half only, avoiding goddess again.Thus the name Bhringi, meaning bee/beetle. Bhringi devotion towards Shiva & ignorant attitude towards goddess enraged her to curse him.
6/n
Even after repeated attempts to make him understand that Shiva &Shakti as one failed.Parvati cursed him to lose the parts of his body received from his mother.
So rishi had lost his blood & flesh ,left with a bare skeletal form.
7/n
Seeing Bhringi unable to support himself,Shiva granted him third leg.Bhringi then realized the fact that Shiva & Shakti are one, apologized to Parvati for his actions.
Seeing merciful nature of Shiva for granting 3rd leg,Bhringi danced out of joy & praised both Shiva &Shakti 8/n
📸 - credit to resp.owners
Source text - based on details abt Bhringi Rishi in hinduismoutlook and TeamGsquare websites
Tulasidas was jailed as he refused to bow down to Mughal Ruler Akbar.
Akbar came know from his ministers about the miracle of reviving a dead man by Tulasidas.
So Akbar had summoned Tulsi Das to his court.He was asked to perform a miracle there by Akbar.
Tulasi Das told he doesn't know to perform any miracle,he only knows Bhagwan Shri Ram. So,Akbar imprisoned TulasiDas at Fatehpur Sikhri.He composed Hanuman Chalisa for forty days & on 40th day, suddenly an army of big monkeys descended upon Fatehpur Sikhri.
ArudraDarisanam/Thiruvathrai-an important hindu festival celebrated mostly in TamilNadu & Kerala.Shiva as Nataraja performed Ananda Thandav for Vyaghrapada&Patanjali Rishi
Do you know why Kali is made as Naivedyam/offering for Bhagwan Shiva on Thiruvathrai..see Story #Thread 👇
It is related to incidents happened in the life of a devotee of Bhagwan Shiva - Senthanar who lived in Chidambaram. He used to sell firewoods for his earnings.Using the money earned by selling firewood,he used to feed atleast one sivanadiyar once a day,before having his food.
Bhagwan Shiva decided to test devotion of Senthanar.One day it rained heavily &all the firewood he got wet.As firewood was wet he couldn't sell.So he didn't have much cash to buy rice for that day's meal.He managed to prepare Kali with
Chandeshwara/Chandikeshwara is regarded as custodian of Shiva Temple's wealth&most of Shiva temples in South India has separate sannathi for him.
His bhakti for Bhagwan Shiva elevated him as one of foremost among Nayanmars.
He gave importance to Shiva Pooja&protection of cows.
There are series of paintings, illustrating the #story of Chandikeshwar in the premises of
Sri Sathiyagireeswarar #Temple at Seinganur,near Kumbakonam,TN
Chandikeshwara's birth name
is Vichara sarman.He was born in the village of Senganur on the banks of River Manni.
Story 33- it is about how Bhagwan Shiva as Sundareswarar gave Astama siddi Upadesham to Karthigai Pengal
அட்டமா சித்தி உபதேசித்த படலம்
Once 6 Karthigai Pengal/women - Nitharthani, Aparakhendi, Magendi, Vardhayenthi, Amba & Tula who took care & brought up Karthikeya/
Subrahmanya from time of his birth came to Mount Kailash.
At that time Bhagwan Shiva was sitting under a tree & Devi Parvati was also there.
Karthigai Pengal worshiped Bhagwan Shiva and requested him to give Astama siddi Upadesham.Bhagwan Shiva advised Karthigai Pengal to worship Devi Parvati to realise the 8 (Ashta) great mystic powers.But due to ill fate,Karthigai Pengal ignored the words of Bhagwan Shiva.
Bhagwan Shiva as Guru sitting under Kurunta tree giving Upadesham to Manikkavasagar (Vadhavooran)
Athmanatha Swamy Kovil,
Avudaiyarkoil,TN - Dedicated to Shiva - was built by Manikkavasagar who was earlier a minister of Raja Arimarthana Pandyan
Also known as Thirupendhurai Kovil.Manikkavasagar(Vadhavooran) had built this temple with
money that the Raja had entrusted him for purchasing Arabian horses.Vandhavooran was a shiva bhakt & was thinking of finding a Guru to get proper Upadesham.
He had to pass by a place called Tirupperunthurai.As he was passing by place,he heard chants of Vedic hymns & was drawn to it.He saw an old man sitting under a Kuruntha tree,that very moment he felt, that person was his Guru.
Story 31- is about how Bhagwan Shiva granted undepleting pouch of gold to Kulabhooshana Pandyan & about importance of vedic rituals.
உலவாக்கிழி அருளிய படலம்
Kulabhooshana Pandyan ruled Madurai Kingdom & was a great Shiva Bhakt.He took care of people needs & all were happy.He was very proud about himself &started to ignore & disrespect the brahmins who performed yagnas & vedic rituals. As a result,the rainfall declined.There was water
shortage.So people were suffering for water & food.Also no yagnas were performed.People started migrating to other places.Pandyan was not happy with the happenings.He went to Alayam &worshipped Sundareswarar to help his people as they are suffering because of drought.