SLAYING OF THE LIMB

During the rule there was a school to teach sword fight. One elderly person was giving practical training to his students. His wife’s name was Manickamalai. She was a very beautiful woman. Unlike the elderly person, she looked very young with a beautiful face. One of the student was looking at her stealthily. His name was Siddhan. In the sword fight he excelled his own guru. His co students praised him his sword fight techniques. Normally one will be yearning for appreciation till he gets it. But once one starts receiving the appreciation then he will become a beast .He came to the conclusion that there is none in Madurai to excel him in sword fight With that arrogance he started another school in his name. He himself stated giving practice to the students personally to each one of them. Money poured in his chest. Because of this he became still more arrogant. He continued to look at Manickamalai. When the Guru was not there he started visiting her in her house. He started talking to that woman who was alone. She used to praise her by saying that none can excel her in  beauty. The wife of the Guru understood his motive and started to hate him. Days passed. One day when the Guru was not in the house, he entered the house with the bad intention of having  an affair with her. He locked the doors. Manickamalai was shocked.

He threatened herby saying “Are you going to agree to my desire or not?”. Manickamalai gave him proper advice. But that lustful person was not in a mood to listen them. He caught hold of her hands. She started raising alarms. Somehow he threw her down on the earth. She came out by opening the lock of the door. He also followed her and said “Today you might have escaped. But one day I am going to molest you. By saying so he left the place. Manickamalai wept. But she did not inform her husband about this incident. If she tell her husband he will go to him with a sword in his hand. It is possible that he may be killed in the ensuing fight. Or the shisya may be killed. What ever it may be it will bring discredit to him. In case the shisya the people may say “How can a guru do like this? Is it a wonder for a guru to win over his shisya?” At the same time if the Guru is defeated the very same people will say this old man was defeated by a very young lad, and discredit him. By hearing this comment he may even commit suicide. At this critical situation, she went and approached Goddess Meenakshi. She came to the Meenakshi temple  and said to Goddess Meenakshi “O” Mother Parasakthi whether such an injustice can occur during your rule at Madurai? Can a bad name occur to you by saying that chaste women have no place in Madurai. I am in a dilemma. Please relieve me from that scoundrel. Kill him”.

Then she went to the shrine of Somasundarar and said “O” King, It is your duty to protect me. Just give me protection from that lustful person. “O” Nataraja, Kunjithapatha, the one who make the world dance by lifting your one leg.” The weeping of that woman melted the heart of the God. As soon she left the place, he also started. He went under the disguise of the husband of Manickamalai to the school of Siddhan the shisya. On seeing the Guru the siddhan had a shock of his life. He was worried at the thought that Manickamalai might have told him all that had happened and he did not know what is going to happen to him. But Lord Somasundarar did not utter even a single word about that incident. But he started teasing him. “ Siddhar Two swords can not remain in a single cover. So I also do not like two schools remain in one town. You are an expert student. There is no doubt about it. Yet don’t forget that you got the training under me only. In case you feel that your school only should remain in this town, then come for a sword fight with me. Let us fight it out. In case you win let  your school may remain at Madurai. I will close down my school. The arrogant Siddha accepted the challenge. Let me finish the guru. Then at Madurai only my rule will prevail. Then I can grab his wife also.

The fight commenced. Right from the beginning only Somasundarar was in upper hand. When even very big demons can not stand against him, after all what an orddinaryhuman being can do?  Siddhan panted. His word flew away in the air. With great fury and wrath Somasundarar appeared before himand said “You the ungrateful one towards your guru, You wanted to molest Guru’s wife. You described her beauty in various ways to her. That tongue which described them should be cut now.” Saying so, he cut his tongue. Blood started gushing out. Unable to bear the pain he fell on the ground and started crying by rolling down on the earth. Swamy did not stop at that. “ You the ungrateful wretch. Did you caught hold of her hands? Is it this hand that caught hold of her hands and drew?. Is it this hand that tried to embrace her? “ Saying so he slayed his both hands. Siddhan cried loudly. Blood flowed like a river. He said my anger will not calm down even after cutting all the limbs of your body one by one and cut both his legs by further saying Is it not these legs that took you to the house of your guru. He quivered. Siddhan died. Then Lord Somasundararwho was undern the disguise of guru disappeared. People who watched this incident went to the house of the guru. He was not there. Not knowing where he would have gone, they went to the wife of the guru and told her that only just then the guru has slayed Siddhan with his sword. There after the guru was not to be seen. Did he come here? Manickamalai got panicked. He is not such a person. If a student committed wrong whatever it may be, he will not go to the extent of killing him. He was here till few minutes ago. When he was in the house at the time specified by you how can he slay him? He has gone to the temple. He will come now” While she was talking to them just then theGuru returned to the house.

People narrated to him all that has happened. He expressing his wonder told them “will I kill my student? I feel that since my shisya wanted to take revenge on me The Lord Somasundarar only had killed him. He has appeared in my form. The news about this incident spread throughout the town. It reached the ears of Kulothingan the king. He rushed to the house of the divine couple to see them. The couple prostrated at the feet of theking and welcomed him. He prevented them from doing so, and said “Both of you have received the blessings of Lord Somasundarar. He has fought on your behalf and killed the Siddhan. Having got the blessings of the Lord you have attained a status whereby all of us should worship you. I should only get your blessings.” Saying so, he fell at their feet as a mark of respect. Furter he donated lot of cows and fertile lands to them .He took out a procession throughout the streets of Madurai by placing them on the back of an elephant. After this incident The King Kulothungan crowned his son Anantha guna pandiyan. After living for some years he reached the lotus feet of Lord Somasundarar. Anantha guna pandiyan also inno way less in siva bhakthi. The Manthra “Sivaya Namaha  “ will always be reverberating in his heart. The mere sight of him with he sacred ash applied fully in his fore head will make people to worship him by clubbing both their hands .He was  wearing the rosaries made of Rudraksha beads. Being wondered about his shiva bhakthi, people started worshipping Lord Somasundarar further. Lord Shiva wished to test the bhakthi shown towards to HIM by both the king and his citizens.