PENNADAM
PENNADAM:
As per the ancient Tamil History, Pennadam belongs to “Nadu Naadu” since it was in between Chola Kingdom Thondai and Naadu. CholaNaadu was familiar for Rice and Thondai Naadu was acclaimed for Virtues. Since Pennadam was adjourned by both these places, it was having both the wealth of rice and intellectuals. Pennadam is having very fertile land supporting the biggest sugar mill here. Kadanthai Tamil Association is one of the well known Tamil literary associations of those times. Kadanthai is the name of this place in Thevaram period. Eminent Tamil scholars like Thiru Vika, Mu Va, Maraimalai Adigal have visited this place for literary address. Even today VAN supports a Thirukural Maiyam.
The Siva temple here dates back to periods of Cholas who have contributed this temple. This temple belongs to the “Maada Koil “category which is rare. This temple has many unique features which cannot be seen normally. The kalasams on the top of the vimanam are in the rows in east west direction. The ‘Thala Puranam’ epics a story like this. Once the dancing beauties of Lord Indihra of heaven were moving in the sky and saw a beautiful Siva Lingam in this place. Being attracted by the beauty of it, they came down and started worshipping it, foregoing their duty. Indihra in search of these girls sent his cow Khamadenu. Having seen the beauty of the Lingam, cow also did the same thing by pouring its milk on it. Frustrated Indihra lastly sent his white elephant to bring forth girls and cow. But, as its friends, the elephant also last its sense on the beauty of the lingam and stood over it as a cover, facing east. That is why the vimanam today is like a back of an elephant and the kalasams are also on the east west direction. Since, girls (Penn in Tamil), Cow (Aavoo in Tamil) and elephant (Gadam in Tamil) worshipped this lingam, it is called as Penn+ aavoo+ gadam= Pennavoogadam, that is, pennagadam or Pennadam today!
Second uniqueness in this temple is that the Nandhi which will always facing west, faces east in this temple showing back to Siva Lingam. Here also, Thala Puranam gives a story. Once upon a time there came a flood, as if submersing the whole universe. Lord Siva ordered Nandhi to turn back and swallow the entire water and Nandhi did so. Humans were saved and hence the Siva is known as ‘Pralayakaleswarar’, meaning ‘God who has saved from flood.’ As a consequence of having drunken the entire flood, the Nandhi felt helpless to turn back to west and remained in the east direction!
The Name of the Siva Lingam here is also known as ‘SudarKozhunthuNaathar’, meaning light of the lamp. Since light is in the sanctum sanctorum, stone windows are provided on all the sides of the sanctum sanctorum so that one can see the lingam from all sides, since light has no faces or directions.
The stone inscriptions on the walls of the temple reveal that there has been an order for poor feeding every day by the kings of those times.
Viewers are requested to draw one clue here, leaving aside the stories of the Thala Puranam, that it is God’s will that an organization of Swamy Vallalar should be created here in Pennadam which could be easily inferred by the following this temple and the Sanmarga philosophy.
- When Thirunavookarasar came to this temple, he makes a plea to the Siva here that he should be awarded the deathless life and in token of that, the symbols of Tirisul should appear on his shoulder. He got it done so. Deathlessness is the prime benefit of Sanmarga which has been pre told in Thevaram.
- Vallalar proclaimed light is the form of God. In this temple, the sanctum sanctorum is called SudarKozhunthu which is light. That is why it is seen from all sides through stone windows.
- In Saiva philosophy, humans are depicted as Nandhi in the temples and that is the reason in all Siva temples Nandhi will be always facing Lingam (Thathuvamasi- That Thom Asi). Sanmargam doctrines that we all can become God by following Sanmargam. Once we attain deathlessness, we attain the Godly hood and hence in this temple, Nandhi is facing east attaining the similar posture of Lingam (Thomthatasi- Thom That Asi). It is the place to understand that the death in the body as a lost step comes through chillness or the sputum. Heat is the sign of life and the chillness is the sign of death. One has to overcome the chillness and that is the meaning of the Thala Puranam story. Once this is done, one attains deathlessness and becomes on par with God.
- Granite inscription says that in this temple, there was an ordinance for poor feeding every day. Vallalar indicates poor feeding as the primary form of worship in Sanmargam.
- As an outward impact of attainment is Sanmargam, one will feel the smell of camphor and eternal bliss. That is the name of the main Deity here by the name ‘Amodhanammal’ meaning fragrance and happiness.
It is told in many words in the foregoing paragraphs to emphasize that the essence of Sanmargam has been pre-told in the history of Pennadam with an indication that a an organization of Sanmargam would be established in latter part of history which has come true now in the form of VallalarAraNilayam. It is God’s will.