Mayuranathar temple, Mayiladuthurai

Mayuranathar temple is at the centre of the town and about one and a half km from the bus stand.  It is a very large temple occupying 350000 sq ft, which can be seen from the photo of the outer praharam and also the water tank in the temple.     It has 5 prakarams, a 9 tiered 165 feet high Raja Gopuram, pillared halls with interesting sculptural work as well as 14 vimanams with several stucco images.

Lord Aadhi Mayuranathar graces from a separate shrine in the prakara.  While the Presiding deity is in the form of Shivalinga, Ambica appears as a peacock worshipping the Lord.  Lord Muruga in the prakara is praised by saint Arunagiriar in his Tirupugazh hymns.  During the Skanda Sashti festival in Shiva temples, Lord Muruga would receive His "Vel"  from Mother Ambica.  Here, He receives it from Lord Shiva.  The Gouri Thandavam dance performance of Lord is celebrated as Mayura Thandavam – Mayura-peacock.  Lord Nataraja graces from a separate shrine.  The first puja in the evening is dedicated to Lord Nataraja.  Mayilamman shrine is opposite to Nataraja shrine where both Lord and Mother grace in the form of a peacock.  Two peacocks and two monkeys are depicted in the banyan tree above the Lord Dakshinamurthy sculpture in the goshta wall.   The Goddess is known as Abayambigai.  The Sthala Viruksham is Mango tree.

Muthusamy Dikshitar composed a song in praise of the Goddess and the video below is the song rendered by Vijay Shiva.

The song is given below:

pallavi

shrI abhayAmbA ninnu cinti~ncina vAriki

cintai kavalai yellAM tIrumammA

anupallavi

he abhayakare vare Ishvari k.rpatonu

endanai rakShikka idu nalla samayamammA

charaNam

nI atyadbhutashubhaguNamulu vini

nIve dikkani nera nammiti

madhyamakAla sAhityam

nIrajAkShi nijarUpasAkShi

nityAnandaguruguhakaTAkShi rakShi

There are sannidhis for Vinayaka, Nataraja, dakshinamoorthy, Lingothbhavar, Brahma and durga.

Daksha, father of Mother Parvathi conducted a yajna but intentionally failed to invite Lord Shiva to humiliate Him.  Lord Shiva did not want Parvathi too to attend the yajna.  Yet, with a view to correct Her father, Parvathi attended the function but was humiliated by Daksha.  Lord Shiva took the Veerabadra form and destroyed the yajna. As She ignored Lord’s advice, She was cursed to become a peacock.  She came to this place as a peacock and performed severe penance to get back Her Lord.   Pleased with Her penance, Lord Shiva appeared before her as a Peacock Himself and danced as a peacock – Mayura Thandavam.  Ambica was restored to Her original form.  As Lord came here as a peacock-Mayura, He is praised as Mayuranathar.      Tiruppariyalur Veerattam where the Dakshayagnam is believed to have been performed, is located at a distance from 8 km from this temple.