The 'pancha bhuta sthalas' are well known in South India. They are a set of 5 temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. In each of them, Lord Shiva is worshipped as one of the 5-elements. At Kanchipuram, Lord Shiva is worshipped as the very 'earth", at Tiruvaanaikaaval, as "water", at Tiruvannamalai as "fire", at Kaalahasti, as "air" and at Chidambaram, as "space". Shiva exists in and as the five elements in the universe.
We are now at Kanchi!
Ekamreshvara Temple in Kanchipuram is the prithvi kshetram, where Shiva is visualized as the "earth" principle. As Krishna says in the Geeta, "punyo gandha prithivyaan cha"..."I exist as the very earth, with its special quality of fragrance (gandha)".
The sthala puranam associated with this temple is interesting. Once upon a time, in a momentary lapse of discretion, Parvati playfully covers the eyes of Lord Shiva. When Shiva's eyes close, the entire creation comes to a close! To atone for this unintentional error in judgement, Parvati comes down to the earth. She reaches Kanchipuram, creates a sand lingam under a mango tree and propitiates Lord Shiva. River Kampa is in flood. Parvati embraces the sand lingam and protects the linga. We see this incident depicted in the temple. It also finds a mention in the Periya Puranam while describing Ekaamranaatha.
Hence, the name Ekamreshvara for Shiva in this temple. Fragrance of mango is special. It is fitting that the principle of earth, with its special quality of fragrance (gandha) is associated with the mango tree.
A pillar inside the temple beautifully captures the sthala puranam. A mango tree inside the temple premises lends credence to the above story. It is said that this mango tree is unique. It has 4 main branches signifying the 4 vedas. The fruit hanging off from each branch is supposed to have a different taste! We are reminded of the Geeta- "chhandaamsi yasya parnaani". If the universe is considered as a giant tree, the leaves (parnaani) on each branch (shaakhaa), which keep the creation going, are the Vedas (chhandaamsi).
As we walk up to this tree and climb up a short flight of steps, we see the idols of Shiva and Parvati. We can take a pradakshina around this tree.
Not to be missed is the glass-case housing a 3500 year-old trunk of the earlier mango tree. It is partially covered in a silver casing with the image of Parvati embracing the shiva-linga embossed on it.
There are no sannidhis for Devi at any of the Shiva Temples in Kanchi. She stays as Kamakshi, all by herself at Kamakshi Temple. At Ekamreshvara too, there is no sannidhi for Devi.
The gopuram is gigantic and looms tall and majestic. From the highway, when we take a turn into Kanchipuram, the gopuram which hits the eye is Ekamreshvara's.
The temple is huge and it takes a while to cover the entire premises. The sculptures on the pillars are exquisite- chiseled to perfection. The temple pond with its limpid waters and bordered with lush-green vegetation takes our breath away.
The story of Kamakshi does not end here. She proceeds to Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai and Sage Gautama expounds Shiva's glory to her. Thus, the prithvi kshetram and the agni kshetram are linked through this sthala puranam.
Dikshitar's pancha-bhuta kshetra kriti:
Muthuswamy Dikshitar has composed a kriti at each of the pancha-bhuta kshetras. We find interesting details in his compositions. For this kshetra, he has composed the kriti "chintaya maa kanda moola kandam" ("Reflect on that Lord at the foot of the mango tree") in the raga Bhairavi.
Moola in Dikshitar's song can be taken as "root" also (instead of the foot). The Lord is indeed the root of the tree-of-creation. We see this in the Geeta- "urdhva moolam" (where urdhva refers to the Lord who exists as the root of the creation). It's as if the ashwatta vriksha (peepul tree) imagery in the Geeta has been replaced by the mango-tree at Kanchipuram's Ekamreshvara. And at the root of this mango-tree-like-creation, is the eternal couple "Parvati-parameshvarau". We can look at it this way too.
As per the musician Vijay Siva, it is apt that Dikshitar has chosen the raga Bhairavi. His reasoning is the following- At Kanchipuram, Shiva and Parvati reside in separate temples. It is as though they are cross with each other, as if she is "bhairavi", in ugra rupa at Kanchi!
While in the other kshetra kritis, Dikshitar explicitly mentions Devi, in this kriti alone, he stays silent, in keeping with the story at Kanchi.
However, he weaves in Devi into the kriti deftly by embedding the name of the raga in the kriti. He says "bhairavi prasangam" (united with Bharavi). In addition, in this kriti, Shiva is called "somaskanda"- "sa uma skanda", the one who is with Uma (Devi) and Skanda. Thus, inwardly, Shiva is forever united with Uma, with Bhairavi.
The result for worship at this kshetra is stated by Dikshitar. He says it is saamraajyam. When we worship the Lord as "earth", the reward is also gain of the earth- prithvi saamraajyam now...and moksha saamraajyam later.
The interested reader can look up this composition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99FSoIHWlY
So....when are you making your trip to Ekamreshvara? Let us start.....and now!!
We are now at Kanchi!
Ekamreshvara Temple in Kanchipuram is the prithvi kshetram, where Shiva is visualized as the "earth" principle. As Krishna says in the Geeta, "punyo gandha prithivyaan cha"..."I exist as the very earth, with its special quality of fragrance (gandha)".
The sthala puranam associated with this temple is interesting. Once upon a time, in a momentary lapse of discretion, Parvati playfully covers the eyes of Lord Shiva. When Shiva's eyes close, the entire creation comes to a close! To atone for this unintentional error in judgement, Parvati comes down to the earth. She reaches Kanchipuram, creates a sand lingam under a mango tree and propitiates Lord Shiva. River Kampa is in flood. Parvati embraces the sand lingam and protects the linga. We see this incident depicted in the temple. It also finds a mention in the Periya Puranam while describing Ekaamranaatha.
 |
| Pillar with Parvati playfully closing Shiva's eyes! |
 |
| Parvati protects linga from the raging waters of the Kampa River |
Hence, the name Ekamreshvara for Shiva in this temple. Fragrance of mango is special. It is fitting that the principle of earth, with its special quality of fragrance (gandha) is associated with the mango tree.
A pillar inside the temple beautifully captures the sthala puranam. A mango tree inside the temple premises lends credence to the above story. It is said that this mango tree is unique. It has 4 main branches signifying the 4 vedas. The fruit hanging off from each branch is supposed to have a different taste! We are reminded of the Geeta- "chhandaamsi yasya parnaani". If the universe is considered as a giant tree, the leaves (parnaani) on each branch (shaakhaa), which keep the creation going, are the Vedas (chhandaamsi).
As we walk up to this tree and climb up a short flight of steps, we see the idols of Shiva and Parvati. We can take a pradakshina around this tree.
 |
| Mango tree with the shrine for Shiva and Parvati |
Not to be missed is the glass-case housing a 3500 year-old trunk of the earlier mango tree. It is partially covered in a silver casing with the image of Parvati embracing the shiva-linga embossed on it.
There are no sannidhis for Devi at any of the Shiva Temples in Kanchi. She stays as Kamakshi, all by herself at Kamakshi Temple. At Ekamreshvara too, there is no sannidhi for Devi.
The gopuram is gigantic and looms tall and majestic. From the highway, when we take a turn into Kanchipuram, the gopuram which hits the eye is Ekamreshvara's.
The temple is huge and it takes a while to cover the entire premises. The sculptures on the pillars are exquisite- chiseled to perfection. The temple pond with its limpid waters and bordered with lush-green vegetation takes our breath away.
The story of Kamakshi does not end here. She proceeds to Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai and Sage Gautama expounds Shiva's glory to her. Thus, the prithvi kshetram and the agni kshetram are linked through this sthala puranam.
 |
| The temple pond |
Dikshitar's pancha-bhuta kshetra kriti:
Muthuswamy Dikshitar has composed a kriti at each of the pancha-bhuta kshetras. We find interesting details in his compositions. For this kshetra, he has composed the kriti "chintaya maa kanda moola kandam" ("Reflect on that Lord at the foot of the mango tree") in the raga Bhairavi.
Moola in Dikshitar's song can be taken as "root" also (instead of the foot). The Lord is indeed the root of the tree-of-creation. We see this in the Geeta- "urdhva moolam" (where urdhva refers to the Lord who exists as the root of the creation). It's as if the ashwatta vriksha (peepul tree) imagery in the Geeta has been replaced by the mango-tree at Kanchipuram's Ekamreshvara. And at the root of this mango-tree-like-creation, is the eternal couple "Parvati-parameshvarau". We can look at it this way too.
As per the musician Vijay Siva, it is apt that Dikshitar has chosen the raga Bhairavi. His reasoning is the following- At Kanchipuram, Shiva and Parvati reside in separate temples. It is as though they are cross with each other, as if she is "bhairavi", in ugra rupa at Kanchi!
While in the other kshetra kritis, Dikshitar explicitly mentions Devi, in this kriti alone, he stays silent, in keeping with the story at Kanchi.
However, he weaves in Devi into the kriti deftly by embedding the name of the raga in the kriti. He says "bhairavi prasangam" (united with Bharavi). In addition, in this kriti, Shiva is called "somaskanda"- "sa uma skanda", the one who is with Uma (Devi) and Skanda. Thus, inwardly, Shiva is forever united with Uma, with Bhairavi.
The result for worship at this kshetra is stated by Dikshitar. He says it is saamraajyam. When we worship the Lord as "earth", the reward is also gain of the earth- prithvi saamraajyam now...and moksha saamraajyam later.
The interested reader can look up this composition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99FSoIHWlY
So....when are you making your trip to Ekamreshvara? Let us start.....and now!!
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