Vaidyanathaswami Temple

The Vaidyanathaswami Temple is located in Tirumazhapadi and is dedicated to God Vaidyanathaswami. In this ancient temple at Ariyalur, the presiding deity is Vaidyanathaswami with the goddesses Sundarambikai and Balambikai The holy tree is the Palm tree and holy water is found at Kollidam, Lakshmi and Sivaganga. Sage Siladha who lived in Tiruvaiyaru did penance asking God Shiva for a child. He heard a voice from heaven asking him to do the Puthrakameshti Yagna - but to plough the land first. He would then find a box. The box would have child in it - but this child would live only for 16 years. And so Siladha tilled the land and found his box. Opening it he found a child with three eyes, four shoulders and wearing the moon on the head. Shocked, he closed the box and opened it a while later to find a normal child, whom he named Jabesar. When the boy was 14, Siladha was sad, as his days would come to an end soon. Knowing this, Jabesar did penance and prayed to God Shiva standing in the river on one leg. Days went by the creatures in the water began to gnaw and eat his flesh but Jabesar did not move. Pleased, God Shiva appeared, healed the boy and gave him many boons. Sage Siladha had his son married to Swayamprakasai on the day of the Punarvasu star in Panguni. Jabesar remained devoted to Shiva, later became the chief of Siva Ganas and earned the right to be the security of the first entrance at Mount Kailash. Sri Vajrathampanatha temple at Thirumazhapadi, on the banks of the river Coleroon in Ariyalur district, 45 km from Tiruchi, has a rich and hoary past. The temple has been praised by the Nayanmars in their devotional hymns, and patronised by the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Hoysala, Maratha kings, besides the local chieftains like the Mazhavarayars of Ariyalur. This temple is known for Shiva`s Taandavam with the Mazhuvaayudam for Markandeyar. Purushamriga Munivar established a shrine for Shiva here and Brahma unable to remove it called it Vajrastamba Moorthy.