Moolavar : Nanundeswarar
Urchavar : Chandrasekharar
Mother / Thayar : Parvathi
Old year : More than 1000 years old
District : Mysore, Karnataka
Sri Veerabadra in the temple is considered very important and famous. He is holding bow, arrow, sword, dagger and danda. Traditionally Mother Badrakali is the main deity with Lord in Veerabadra temples. Here, Mother Dakshayani occupies the prominence holding lotus bud in Her hand in standing form. Daksha, father of Dakshayani is right of the Lord. All the three are standing on a lotus shaped Peeta.
For total eliminations of sins following from past birth, for pardon for wrongs done unknowingly, devotees perform Panchamirtha abishek, offer betel leaves garland and perform archanas with vilwa. They offer curd rice as nivedhana. Also those affected by poisonous bites and suffering from prolonged illnesses pray here.
Devotees perform special abishek to Lord and Mother and do Angapradakshina.
Daksha with an intention of humiliating Lord Shiva, did not invite Him for a yajna he conducted. Mother Dakshayani, his daughter went to Her father furiously and demanded to stop the rituals but Daksha insulted her too. With a view to stop the Yajna, Dakshayani fell into the fire pit. Lord Shiva created Veerabadra from His fury and sent him to destroy the Yagna totally. Veerabadra not only destroyed the Yajna but took off the head of Daksha. Not satisfied, Veerabadra took Mother Dakshayani from the fire pit and danced ferociously keeping Her on his shoulders.
Daksha’s wife Prashudda Devi fell at the feet of Lord Shiva and begged for the life of husband Daksha and daughter Dakshayani. Lord Shiva, with all kindness to her prayer, restored both to life and granted Darshan to Daksha and Prasuddha Devi. Remembering this event, Sri Veerabadra graces darshan with Dakshayani in the temple.
The scar caused by sage Parasurama is visible on Shivalinga. As a tradition, rice abishek to Lord Shiva is performed only in the month of Aipasi-October-November, but it is a daily performance in this temple to Lord Nanjndeswara. It is said that Annabishekam is performed to Lord to reduce the venom element in Him as He destroyed a highly poisonous demon.
Also a medicine called Suganditha Sarkarai made of dry ginger, butter and sugar is offered to the Lord. It is believed that Sage Gautama performs midday puja to Lord in this temple. As Lord Nanjundeswara offers cure to all diseases of devotees, He is praised as Raja Vaidya – Royal Physician.
Mother Parvathi is in a separate shrine right of the Lord. In between the shrines of Lord and Mother, is the shrine of Lord Narayana whose wedding festival is celebrated in the month of Aavani-August-September. Lord Shiva conducts the marriage of Lord Narayana. Similarly, Shiva-Parvathi wedding is conducted by Lord Narayana. During summer, Lord and Mother visit the top floor of Vimana and go round. It is noteworthy that there are two Vilwa trees on both sides of the Vimana.
According to belief, Lord Shiva is facing Northeast direction-Eesanya corner. Hence, Nandhi the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva, to have the view of the Lord, is just on the side of northeast. As the very tower of the temple is regarded as Shiva Linga, there is a Nandhi outside the temple also. The third, Alankara Nandhi in the prakara is facing outside. Special pujas are performed to Aalankara Nandhi on Pradosha days (13th day of both new moon and full moon fortnights).
Lord Dakshinamurthy graces in the temple with His 14 disciples. There is a Nandhi in this shrine also.
The 24 forms of Lord Shiva, Maragatha Linga (emerald Linga) installed by Tippu Sultan, Vennai Ganapathy (butter Ganapathy), Lord Muruga in the midst of serpents, Lord Chandikeswara in standing form and the Navagrahas (9 planets) with weapons on a lotus peeta are the shrines a devotee cannot afford to miss.
A demon, Kesian by name and terribly venomous was harassing the Devas the subjects of the celestial world. They appealed to Lord Shiva for protection. Lord advised them to conduct a yajna in this place of confluence of three rivers Kapila, Koundini and Manikarnika and throw the demon in the fire pit when he came there. Devas followed the instructions of Lord. When the demon came there, they pretended to welcome him and threw him in the fire. Lord appeared there in the form of Agni-Fire and destroyed him. As prayed by the Devas, Lord stayed in the place in the name of Nanjundeswara as He destroyed the demon poison personified. Nanju means poison.
In the days that followed, this Linga disappeared. Sage Parasurama, seeking relief for the sin he committed by killing his mother Renukadevi, came here to install a Shiva Linga for worship and began curing the place. When the sage was removing the bushes, he found a Linga bleeding. For causing the injury to Lord, he was about to end himself, when Lord appeared and granted darshan. Parasurama raised the temple in the place.
