Legend Of Arunacachaleswar Temple
There are many legends and myths associated with this temple. According to one such legend, there arose a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu as to who was superior amongst the two.Brahma considered himself to be superior as it was he who had created the five elements and all the living beings. Vishnu considered himself to be the superior one as it was he who was the protector of the whole universe.To put an end to their quarrel Lord Shiva appeared before them as a blazing mountain without a top or a bottom. It was decided that whoever returned first after seeing the head and the foot of the luminous pillar would be adjudged as the greater. Brahma in the form of a swan flew up in quest of the top while Vishnu took the form of a boar and dug deep into the earth to find out the bottom. Vishnu's efforts were of no avail and he returned without success. Brahma was about to return when he saw a Thalambu (a fragrant flower also known as Kethaki) coming down. He requested the flower to say that both of them came down after seeing the top. Meeting Vishnu, Brahma said that he was the winner and cited Thalambu as the witness. It was then that Shiva appeared before them and said that the flower and Brahma had told a lie. He then adjudged Vishnu as the superior of the two.Shiva, as the blazing mountain became a hill and a Lingam appeared at the foot of the hill. Thus came to exist the hill of Thiruvannamallai and Arunachalaeshwar. Every year during the Karthik period, Shiva appears at the top of the hill as a fiery deepak and hence the celebration of Karthigai Deepam. This is the story of the Lingothbavan. Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva According to yet another legend, Goddess Parvati in sport shut the eyes of God Shiva for a moment. The whole universe at once plunged into darkness and all the creation underwent untold sufferings. To purge herself of the sin, Parvati went to Kancheepuram to perform penance. Shiva blessed her and directed her to go to Thiruvannamallai and worship him there so that she could get her rightful place in the left half of his body (Vamabhaga). There she was instructed by Maharishi Gouthama to worship Shiva by going round Arunachala with deep concentration of his holy name. In the course of her penance Parvati encountered Mahisha Soora and she fought and killed him with his army. She was then advised by Shiva to found the theertham and bathe in it for getting rid of the Siva Linga, which adhered to her hand. Bathing in the waters, she was cleansed and the Linga, she installed on the theertham. Come and be united with Me". So saying Siva disappeared in the Hill. Uma (Parvati) then arranged for a Deva Yagna, commencing from Uttara Nakshatra and concluding on the Karthika day. She finished the Pradakshina and was united with Shiva.The Day of this consummation is the Karthigai Deepam day. On the Karthigai day Shiva appeared as a blazing light on the hill and asked Uma to go round the hill. When she accordingly did so he appeared on his white bull on the western side of the hill (now called Adi Annamalai or Adhi Annamalai) and blessed her. After she came round the hill on the north-western side He absorbed her in the left half of his body. Thus came the form of Ardhanareshwar. To denote this occurrence the Ardhanareshwar deity is brought out at the time of Karthigai Deepam festival.
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