Thread by @sk_diary1

#sculpture #Story #Thread -

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.

He requested the old man to be his Guru.That old man was nkne other than Bhagwan Shiva & he blessed him with the Mantra&Shiva nama. Vadavurar plunged into deep meditation & singing hymns on Bhagwan Shiva.

Bhagwan Shiva was highly pleased with it,& called him ‘Manikkavachagar’ as the hymns sung by him were like gems in wisdom.Vadavurar forgot the purpose for which he started the journey from Madurai &spent all money in seva of Sivanadiyars.Also he built a temple at Thirupendhurai.

Meanwhile,Raja, at Madurai was waiting eagerly for horses to come but there was no news of that.He sent his spies in search of Vadhavooran ,he got shocking news that Vadhavooran had not gone any further than Tirupperunthurai,was constructing a temple and feeding the poor.

Raja got furious & asked his men to immediately bring Vadhavooran to Madurai.Only when the men told Vadhavooran about King’s order, he remembered his mission, was aghast that all money had been spent by him in charity & temple construction.

He went inside the temple to meet the old man (Shiva) &he surrendered to him. He told about mission & dilemma he was facing.Old man patted Vadhavooran and said,“Do not worry.Go back to your king & tell him that horses will arrive on Avani (Tamil month) Aug/sep Moolam(star) day

Vadhavooran told the same to Raja without even thinking how it would ever happen.Since an army of horses were supposed to arrive spies of Raja were looking for clouds of dust from afar since the galloping of so many horses.There was no sign of any horses,Raja thought he lied.

Shiva wanted to play some mischief,that very night,all foxes in jungles near Madurai got transformed into horses &suddenly out of nowhere,there were 100 very high class horses,being led by horsemen &a leader reached.Raja was puzzled ,but along with Vadhavooran received the horses

That night ,all those horses transformed back to foxes & ran away back to forest.Raja was told about the happenings & he was furious. He thought that Vadhavooran was practising some black magic & ordered his soilders to get him arrested immediately.

Bhagwan Shiva was ready with his next thiruvilayadal to save Manikkavasagar & to teach a lesson to Raja Arimarthana Pandyan. What happened next is a story for another day.

All pictures/ photos in this thread - credit to respective owners.
Source text -thiruvenkidapuram blog

Manikkavasagar Guru pooja today -
Thollai irum piravi, soozhum thalai neeki

Allal aruthu aanandham aakiya nae

Ellai maruva neri alikkum, vaadhavoar engon

Tiruvasagam enum thean, tiruvasagam enum thean……

Om Namah Shivaya 🙏

@soil_Legion @GunduHuDuGa
@bhargava_06 @cpraveentrader
@SriramKannan77 @Itishree001 @HiteshAwasthi89 @narayanagl
@vedicgyaanindia @GardenSpeed123
@punarutthana

@Jayalko1 @thiru_neeru

@Saffronkoffee

@BharatTemples_

@VIBHU_Tweet @BHARATIYASEEKER
@Sahasra388 @SaamaanyaJ