Sri Brahadambal Sametha Hari Theertheswarar Temple – A Must Visit Temple For Pooram Starers !!
Now, we are going to know about the temple that is auspicious for Pooram star. People who are born on Pooram star are generally of calm and pleasant nature. They are bound to succeed in whatever they do and they are known for their entrepreneurship. They have very good family life and children but they are prone to some health problems connected with gastric trouble. In order to overcome these issues and to have a blessed life, they are strongly advised to visit their Nakshathira (Pooram) temple at least once in a year.
Sri Brahadambal Sametha Hari Theertheswarar Temple is considered as the Pooram Nakshathira Temple. The temple is located in a place called Thiruvarangulam in Pudukottai District. The main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva and He is in the form of Suyambu Linga facing the East.
As per the Sthala Purana, once a Chola King named Kalmashapadan was very much worried and annoyed since He did not have any progeny even after long years of marriage. He appealed to the Sage Agasthiya. He advised him to go to Thiruvarangulam and worship the Shiva Linga. The king came to this place but could not find any Shiva Linga. He enquired the natives about the whereabouts of the Shiva Linga. They did not know about the Linga but they told that people carrying the pooja materials tend to fall down in a particular place. The King then dug the spot and the earth suddenly started to bleed. The King was shocked to see the Shiva Linga emerging out of the earth. He was very upset since he has caused injury to the Lord and he attempted to kill himself. Lord appeared along with Goddess Parvathi in His wedding form. Lord then gifted the king with a male child. This incident happened on a Pooram star Day. The temple was then built on this place.
There was a Golden Palm Tree in the outer corridor of this temple that was yielding golden fruits. It was said that Thiruvarangulam was once a jungle and a hunter was residing with his wife. While she was searching for food, she lost her way and struggled to go back to her place. A sage saw her and he helped her in finding her way home. Seeing their poverty the sage created a Golden Palm Tree near their house. The tree yielded one fruit a day. The hunter sold the fruit to a trader. The trader gave him very little money for the fruit that was much less than it’s worth. When the hunter came to know about the actual worth of the Golden fruit, he demanded his share from the trader. When he refused to give, the hunter took the matter to the king. The king was first surprised and he came to see the wonder tree. But he could see only the Shiva Linga at that place. On seeing this wonder, the trader realized his mistake and he used all his money to build the temple. Now, the tree is not there. But there is a pillar now. The temple was built before 12th Century and it was renovated by Cholas and Pandyas.
The main deity Sri Hari Theertheswarar is worshiped as the family deity (Kula Deivam) by a group of families who are residing in the places that are around 150kms from the temple. It was said that a woman named Periyanayaki (Brahadambal) came to this temple with her parents. She was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and she belonged to the lineage of Kattudayan Chettiar. She suddenly disappeared and a voice came telling that she joined Lord Shiva. Based on this belief, the women belonging to the community of Kattudayan Chettiar consider Lord Shiva as their Son-in-Law. So they worship Him by covering their head with their saree (Mukkadu). The Goddess Brahadambal graces her devotees with four hands and facing South.
The holy spring that is seen in the temple is believed to have come from the head of Hara (Hara means Shiva). Hence it is called Hara Theertham and the place is called Thiruvarankulam ( Thiru + Haran + Kulam). Apart from these significances, we do have another significance related to the shrine of Lord Dakshinamoorthy. Lord Dakshinamoorthy in the Prakara of the temple graces with a Veena on His hands.
The temple is dedicated to Pooram star. Those born in this star are advised to visit the temple as often as they could, on their birth star day or on Monthly star day or on Aadi Pooram day.
