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117. Ambal Brahmapureeswarar Temple

Paadal Petra Sthalams

Ampal Brahmapureeswarar is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, the 275 temples revered in the canon. The temple is believed to be the last among the sixty maadakoil built by Kochengat Chola.

Sthalam

Brahmapureeswarar

Ambal Brahmapureeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Ambal in Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India. Now the place is known as Koilpatthu. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Brahmapureeswarar. His consort is known as Poonkuzhalammai.

The historical name of the place is Punnakavanam. Shiva is worshipped as Brahmapureeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Poonguzhalammai. Ampal Brahmapureeswarar is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, the 275 temples revered in the canon.

The temple is believed to be the last among the sixty maadakoil built by Kochengat Chola.

The temple has a three-tiered rajagopuram, the entrance tower and all the shrines are enclosed in rectangular walls.

The temple has four daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar, namely Margazhi Tiruvathirai during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December - January), Kodabisheakam during Chittirai (April - May) and Aipassi Annabishekam during Aippassi (October - November) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

As per Hindu legend, Brahma, one of the trinities in Hindu mythology, worshipped Shiva in the temple to regain his original form.

He was earlier cursed by Shiva to be a swan. Brahma is believed to been propitiated from his curse, after have taken a holy dip in Annam Poigai, the temple tank, before worshipping Shiva. As per another legend, Vinayaga in the temple is known as Patikkacupu Pillayar as he is believed to have offered a padi (a measuring tool) to the ruling king of the region named Nantan during a famine.

The deity is also believed to have been worshiped by Manmatha, the cupid.

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirugnanasambandar.

Vimana of the presiding deity

Tirugnanasambandar describes the feature of the deity as:

சங்கணி குழையினர் சாமம் பாடுவர்

வெங்கனல் கனல்தர வீசி யாடுவர்
அங்கணி விழவமர் அம்பர் மாநகர்ச்

செங்கண்நல் இறைசெய்த கோயில் சேர்வரே.

Puranam

As per Thirugnanasambandar, that this is one of the Mada temple built by the Chozha King Ko Chengat Chozha. Latter the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during early Chozhas period and extended during Pandyas, Vijayanagaras / Marathas.
Except Rajaraja’s 10th reign year inscription on the Somaskandar Temple, the rest are fragment inscriptions which are either damaged of incomplete.
The Rajaraja’s 10th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning two perpetual lamps to Uyyankondar Vallanattu Ambar Nattu Vaikavur alias Ethirili Chozha Nerkundram Ethirili Chozheeswararam udayar temple by a merchant of this place Ambar.
The Fragment inscriptions records the sale of Lands through auction, Kulothunga-III conquered Madurai, Sri Lanka ( Eezham ), Karuvur / Karur, Pandiyas crown and also mentions a place called Melur alias Arithuvaner kundram, exists during Chozha period.
As per the legend Amban and Ambasuran are the sons of sage Durvasa.

They were the ardent devotees of Lord Shiva and blessed with the various powers. They misused the powers by terrorizing the Devas. When this was brought to the notice of Lord Shiva, asked Ambal to to take action against them. Kali another form of Ambal took the form of an young girl with Mahavishnu as an old man went to Amban and Ambasuran.

On seeing Kali as an young girl, both Amban and Ambasuran started fight with each other for the young Girl. In the process of fighting, the elder was killed and Kali killed the younger brother. To get rid of the sin caused due to killing of Ambasuran, Kali came to this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva after making the Shiva linga on her own hands. The hand finger marks can be seen on the moolavar.

The place where Ambasuran was killed was called as “Ambagarathur”, which is near to this place.

It is believed that marriage obstacles will be removed after worshiping Lord Shiva of this temple for 5 Consecutive weeks. The devotees offer 2 garlands of which one will be returned to devotees, which should be used for the marriage.

This place obtained the name as Maakalam, since a sage Maakaalan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Hence this place is called Maakaalam. The sage also worshiped in four other places. They are Ambar Makalam, Irumbai Makalam, Mahakaal in Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh.

Soma yagna was performed for Somasimara Nayanar in this place and Lord Shiva also participated. Somasimara Nayanar express his wish of conducting a Soma yagna in which Lord Shiva wants to be participated to Sundarar. So he sought the help of Sundarar to bring Lord Shiva for the Yagna. Sundarar requested Lord Shiva to participate in the Somasimaran’s yagna. Lord Shiva readily accepted and participated. Lord Shiva and Parvati gave darshan to Somasimara Nayanar and Sundarar.

It is believed that Indra, Nagakanni, Vyasar, Durvasa, Saptarishis worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

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