திருவிடைமருதூரில் லிங்கத் திருமேனியில் ஆசீர்வதிக்கும் சிவன் – தலபுராண நோக்கில் ஓர் ஆய்வு
Shiva Blessing from the Linga Form in Thiruvidaimarudur: A Study from the Perspective of Sthala Purana
Keywords:
Thiruvidaimarudur, Mahalingaswamy, Sthala Purana, Advaita, Adi Shankara, Lingodbhava, TevaramAbstract
In the Shaivite temples of Tamil Nadu, the tradition of Linga worship extends beyond a purely formless (arupa) state of worship; it is described in many sacred spaces through local legends (Sthala Puranas) as a vibrant, living relationship between God and devotee. This paper focuses on the research of the Sthala Purana legend of 'Shiva Blessing from the Linga Form' at the Arulmigu Mahalingaswamy Temple located in Thiruvidaimarudur, Thanjavur district.
According to the temple legend, when Adi Shankara questioned Mahalingaswamy about the truth of his Advaita philosophy, the Linga split open, a hand emerged, and blessed him by proclaiming "Advaitam eva Satyam" (Advaita alone is the truth). This narrative is presented as a unique theological event where a manifest (sarupa) blessing emerges from within the formless-form (arupa-rupa) symbolic structure of the Linga.
This paper comparatively analyzes such puranic stories of divine blessings (including legends related to Markandeya, Varaguna Pandyan, and Chandra), explaining the philosophical message of Advaita they present and the role they play in the Sthala Purana tradition of Tamil Nadu. Drawing upon 15 recent research papers, this article evaluates the unique significance of this sacred site by linking it with current research trends in Tevaram literature, the genre of Sthala Puranas, and Chola temple architecture.
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