Lingodbhava - dwaraka

Have you been to Thirumayam? If you are a orthodox Vaishnavite, it is a revered divyadesam – one of the 108 holy shrines celebrateed by Alwars in their hymns. The Vishnu shrine here predates the famous Srirangam temple. The Ananta Sayani – Vishnu reclining on his serpent bed with Lakshmi beside him – is larger than that of the one at Srirangam.

Shaivaites also find significance in Thirumayam, home to a magnificent Siva temple. The consort of Lord Shiva here is beutifully named as Venuvaneswari. That means ‘Eswari of Venu Vanam‘ (bamboo forest). The temple is attached with an octagonal shaped uruni – the holy pond.

Satyagirisvara temple (Shiva temple), Pandian Ramaiah, 28 Feb 2010. *There are two famous rock-cut shrines, one of Siva [shown here] and the other of Vishnu, adjacent to each other.*

Historians will find Thirumayam brimming with centuries of historical facts. The cave temples are believed to date back to 7th century AD. From a chronology perspective, I need to highlight that work at Ellora caves might have started around this time. It features one of the Tamil Nadu’s largest inscriptions. The site witness the stories of colonial aggression too.

Thirumayam Fort, Pandian Ramaiah, 28 Feb 2010. Before reaching the town, one can see a fort atop a large hill. In past centuries, the fort was much larger than what now obtains; this is affirmed by the fact that the main entrance to the old fort lies about one kilometer south of the present-day fort. This extrance to the old fort still stands, it has a courtyard with pillared corridors and shrines of various deities. The sculptures on the pillars are truly beautiful. The Thirumayam fort, set in 40 acres, is of great historical importance. It was built by Sethupathi Vijaya Ragunatha Thevar, ruler of Ramanathapuram in AD 1687.

But I write this post to mention about one of the icons, that left a profound impression on me – Lingodbhava.

How ever this post focuses on a particular icon that deeply captivated me – the bas-relief of Lingodbhava.

It shows the supremacy of Lord Shiva. It begins with a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu over who is superior. To resolve this, Shiva manifested as a colossal pillar of fire, challenging them to find its beginning or end. Brahma transformed into a swan and flew upwards. Vishnu became a boar and dug downwards.

After a long search, Vishnu accepted defeat, recognizing Shiva’s greatness. In contrast, Brahma falsely claimed he found the top with the help of a tāḻampū – screw pine flower (or Ketaki flower in some version). Angered by this deceit, Shiva cursed Brahma to be un-worshipped, thazhampoo and Ketaki flower are banned from using it to adorn gods and declared that the Lingodbhava would symbolize his eternal presence.

Tamil revolutionary poet Bharati’s poem captures this.

Tamil: அடியும் முடியும் அறிய முடியான்
Diacritics: aḍiyum muḍiyum aṟiya muḍiyāṉ
Hindi: अडियुम् मुडियुम् अऱिय मुदियान्.
Meaning: The one whose start and end could not be found.

Usually Lingodbhava statue is found at the rear of Shiva sanctums. The one in Thirumayam, carved inside the 7th century cave temple, is truly inspiring. Rising from the floor to the ceiling, it is a colossal representation of the story. By the time I saw for the first time, it was breathtaking, unable to avert my eyes.

The entire cave temple was likely adorned with vibrant murals in the past. I can only wonder the splendor of the cave with its decorated walls and ceiling. Sadly, most of these murals are lost. mirroring the fate of similar paintings in Sittannavasal and Kanchipuram.

This Lingodbhava in Thirumayam is one of the earliest such artifacts in India.

Since that encounter, whenever I see Lingodbhava, it inevitably evokes the memory of the one in Thirumayam.

The realization of truth in life mirrors this philosophy. The more we dig, more we learn.

See you in another post. Thank you.

Pandian Ramaiah, 28 Feb 2010. *There is no connection between this picture and this post. It is the memory of the road and bus existed a decade ago, before taken over by National Highways.*

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