Vilamal Pathanjali Manoharar Temple in Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, holds significant fame in the mind of Hindu devotees. It is revered as the place where Lord Shiva displayed his left foot. The shrine is unique for its main deity, a sand shivling, which is said to subtly reflect the light during the deeparadhana (worship with lamps). It is also where Shiva performed the Ajapa Natanam (a specific divine dance form) for the benefit of the sages Patanjali and Vyaghrapadar.
Vilamal Temple Temple History and Story
Patanjali Muni meditated to witness Lord Shiva's dance.
Pleased, Shiva first showed his dance in Thillai (Chidambaram), which was
witnessed by Vyaghrapadar as well.
The two sages requested Shiva to grant them perpetual vision
of his Ananda Nadanam (Blissful Dance), Ajapa Nadanam, and Rudhra Thāndavam,
and also to grant his sacred foot darshan to his devotees.
Shiva instructed them to go to Thiruvarur, known as Sripuram,
where they would see his dance and sacred foot.
Upon arriving in Thiruvarur, they saw Shivlings everywhere.
Patanjali transformed his body into a serpent, and Vyaghrapadar transformed his
feet into tiger paws and worshipped Kamalambal in Thiruvarur.
Following her guidance, Sage Patanjali molded a Lingam out
of Vimalaka Vairam, a celestial sand, at a place called Vilamal and worshipped
it.
Pleased with the worship, Shiva appeared, performed the Ajapavan
Nartanam (a form of dance) and granted the darshan of his sacred foot
(Thiruppaadham).
This Shiva is called Patanjali Manoharar (The one who
pleased Patanjali).
The sacred foot shown by Shiva during the dance is called Rudhra
Paadham.
The place where he danced was called Vilamal, which means Thiruvadi
(Sacred Foot).
This darshan was witnessed by Vishnu, Brahma, King
Muchukunda, and other Devas.
To this day, special daily pujas are performed for the Rudhra
Paadham shown by Shiva.
Thus, the temple is hailed as Thiruvadi Kshetram, Thiruvilamal,
and Sivapada Sthalam.
Three Darshans In Main Sanctum
In the main sanctum, devotees can see three
forms of Shiva in one shrine: the Lingam at the center, Natarajar (Dancing
Shiva) behind it, and Shiva's sacred foot in front. It is believed that seeing
the face of Thyagaraja in Thiruvarur and the sacred foot of Shiva here on the
same day grants pirava-nilai (freedom from rebirth).
Other Unique Features:
- King Dasaratha (father of Rama) is said to have worshipped here for a child boon.
- The temple does not have a Navagraha (Nine Planets) shrine as Shiva showed his sacred foot here.
- The Nandi faces the northeast direction, where Lord Shiva performed his cosmic dance.
- Bhairava is present as the Kshetrapalaka (Guardian of the Temple) and the Lord of the Nine Planets, hence no separate Navagraha shrine.
- Vinayagar (Ganesha) holds a Matthaka Mani (gem from an elephant's forehead) in his hand.
- Vishnu's head bears Shiva's sacred foot (Thiruvadi).
- Yama Chandikeswarar is seated in a unique posture.
- It is believed that lighting a Moksha Deepam for those near-death grants liberation (mukthi).
- Mahalakshmi is seated in a unique posture, flanked by the elephant Airavata on both sides.
- Annabhishekam and Pitru Tarpanam is performed here on all Amavasya or no moon days.