Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu

Sthala Puranam

Birthplace of Chandesa Nayanar

Tiru-Seingyalur is the birthplace of Chandesa Nayanar, the first and foremost of the 63 Nayanmars. It was here that a divine soul named Visarasarmar was born to the pious couple Yechaththan and Pavithrai. From a tender age, Visarasarmar immersed himself in the profound wisdom of the Vedha Agamas, mastering their esoteric teachings and cultivating a deep appreciation for the sacred arts. One fateful day, while with his fellow scholars in a pasture, he witnessed a herdsman strike a cow. Moved by compassion, he gently admonished the herdsman and took upon himself the noble task of tending the cows. Under his loving stewardship the cattle flourished, their udders brimming with an abundance of milk.

Inspired by this bounty, Visarasarmar crafted a Shiva Linga from the silken sands by the banks of the river Manni, beneath the sheltering canopy of an Aththi tree, and reverently anointed it with the cows’ milk. A misguided onlooker reported this to the cow owners as wasteful, and they summoned Yechaththan. The following day, Yechaththan trailed his son and, enraged at the sight, raised his staff and struck him. Visarasarmar, lost in the rapture of his Shiva puja, remained wholly oblivious. Further inflamed, Yechaththan kicked the Shiva Linga — a grave Shiva aparatham. Recognising the gravity of the transgression even in his own father, Visarasarmar cast the staff before him; it miraculously transformed into an axe and severed Yechaththan’s leg. Undeterred, Visarasarmar completed his puja with single-minded focus. Moved by this supreme devotion, Lord Shiva manifested before him, enfolded him in a divine embrace, declared himself his father, and bestowed upon him the exalted title of Chandesa. In a gesture of ultimate grace, Shiva removed the garland from his own braided locks and placed it upon Visarasarmar, who thereafter became known as Chandesa Nayanar. Of all the 63 Nayanmars, Chandeshwarar Nayanar is the only one who has the suffix ‘Eeswarar’ attached to his name. The nearby temple of Tiru-Aappadi, where Visarasarmar worshipped the Shiva Linga and attained liberation, is in the vicinity.

Muruga and the Sarvashankara Weapon

Sathyagireeswarar Temple holds great significance as it is closely associated with Lord Muruga. According to legend, when Lord Muruga came to destroy the demon Suran, it was here that he received the powerful Sarvashankara weapon and the Rudra Pasupatha from his father Lord Shiva, in order to defeat Suran. The name “Sei” in Seingyalur refers to Lord Muruga, and the village itself was named “Sei-Nal-Oor” meaning the town that was auspicious for the divine child Muruga. Over time, the name evolved into its present form of Senganur. In the Vazhi-Nadai-Padalam of Skanda Purana, the unique features and importance of the Seingyalur temple are described in great detail. A large, separate shrine dedicated to Lord Muruga within the temple complex highlights his pivotal role in the temple’s history and the village’s name.