SHOWING SIVA LOKAM TO VARA GUNA PANDIYAN

Once varakuna pandiyan started  for hunting. He was returning back through the forest on horses back along with his soldiers. It was pitch dark. On the way a Brahmin was sleeping. Vara guna pandiyan did not notice him. His horse tread on him and the Brahmin died by making a loud cry. Nobody noticed  it because of  the galloping sound made by the horses. But a few among the  other Brahmins who came to the forest to collect small dry wigs for homam, noticed it. They took the dead body of the Brahmin and informed the king that the Brahmin died because the horse treaded on him. Vara guna pandiyan became very sad. Killing a Brahmin is a heinous crime and sin, said the king. He assured his family that gold and money will be provided to their family till the end of their life span. He did lot of charity. But the Brhma haththi sin caught him. ( a sin that will fall on murderers.)There was no end for the sufferings encountered by him after this. He consulted the elders on this matter and sought their advice.They all advised him to ward off the effects of  the sin that occurred because of this he should circumambulate 1008 times for ten days the temple of Sundareswarar. The king started the atonement for the sin committed by him immediately. At the end of the tenth day he heard a divine voice.

“Varaguna, I accepted your prayer. When you were coming to the temple for every step that you took you will get the benefit of having done one aswametha yagam. I am going to perform a divine play(Thiruvilayadal in Tamil) for the removal of your sin. Kaveri chozhan will wage a battle against you. You oppose him. When he retrests and run back, you will reach a place called Tiruvidaimaruthur. You worship me there. Your Brahmahaththi sin will vanish from you. Pandiyan king who felt happy on hearing these words of the Lord, was waiting  in expectation for the chozha king to come. He had already kept his army ready. He opposed the Chozha army with joy. The chozha army did not expect this unforeseen attack. They retreated back and ran. Chozhan army was driven away. Pandiyan king came to Tiruvidaimaruthur. On seeing the temple tower, he forgot himself and worshipped the same. By this time the Chozha king ran away. When he entered the eastern tower and went inside the temple the Brahmahaththi sin left him and stood separately. It thought of catching  him once again when he comes back again through that eastern tower. But once again a divine voice was heard. It said “Pandiya king you come out of the temple through the western gate.” Pandiyan king came through the western gate as per the advice and reached Madurai. {Even today it is believed that Brahmahaththi is standing on the gate of the eastern gate}. He made arrangements to construct a tower on the western tower.  He prayed Lord Shiva that HE should show him sivalokam. Lord Shiva came to know of his prayer through Nandhi Devar and showed him the Sivalokam. Not only that He in the company of Goddess Parvathi,and their children Vinayakar and Murugan blessed him.