Thiruvanaikaval - Jambukeshwarar

Jambukeshwarar temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Tiruchirapalli district, Tamil Nadu

• Meditation: I meditate on Devi Parvati performing penance in Thiruvanaikaval worshipping Lord Shiva under a Jambu tree.

• Jambukeshwarar: Jambukeshwarar temple of Thiruvanaikaval is a Pancha Bhoota Sthalam associated with the element of Jala (Water). It is also a Paadal Petra Sthalam whose glory is sung by the Nayanmars.

• Penance of Devi Parvati: Jambukeshwarar temple is associated with the legend of Devi Parvati worshipping Lord Shiva. According to this legend, once Devi Parvati approached Lord Shiva for clarification of a doubt. Lord Shiva directed Her to perform penance at Thiruvanaikaval. The Devi made a Jala Lingam out of the water of river Kaveri and started worshipping the Lord. At a proper time, Lord Shiva gave darshan to the Devi and cleared Her doubts. Devi Parvati is shown here facing Lord Shiva in the posture of taking upadesha.

• Worship of Lord Shiva by an elephant and spider: According to another legend, once there were two devotees of Lord Shiva in Mount Kailash known as Malyavan and Pushpadanta. Each wanted to excel the other in the devotion of Lord Shiva. In due course, due to a quarrel they cursed each other. Pushpadanta became an elephant and Malyavan a spider. When they approached Lord Shiva, He advised them to go to the present Thiruvanaikaval. Accordingly they started worshipping the Shiva Lingam under a Jambu tree. The elephant used to worship the Lingam by pouring holy water over it. The spider used to construct a canopy over the Lingam with cobweb to prevent dry leaves from falling over it. The elephant did not like the cobweb and used to destroy it. The spider became angry and one day went inside the trunk of the elephant and bit it severely. The elephant out of great pain dashed its trunk on the ground. Both of them died in this fight. Lord Shiva was pleased with their devotion and gave them darshan. The elephant got liberation. The spider was born as the son of Chola king Subhadeva and was named Kosenkannan. He remembered his previous birth and constructed a Shiva temple near the Jambu tree where he in his former birth worshipped the Shiva Lingam as a spider. Since an elephant worshipped Lord Shiva in this place (and got liberation), the place came to be known as Thiruvanaikka which means "grove of the holy elephant".

• Jambukeshwarar temple is located in Thiruvanaikaval in the Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu.

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