Great Devotees of Lord Siva 15

April 1, 2006

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In Chandra Tirtha in South India there was a thick grove. In that grove under

a Jambul tree there was a Siva Lingam. A white elephant used to come there and

prostrate before the Lingam with offering bunch of

flowers everyday. A spider which was also devoted to Him, noticed that dry

leaves were falling on Him and to prevent this wove a web above the Lingam.

Both the creatures were doing in their love for the Graceful one, the service

and worship they can offer. The next day when the elephant came to worship,

he found the web, and, thinking that someone had polluted the place, tore the

web, offered his worship and went away. The spider came upon the scene, felt

sorry that his web had been destroyed, wove another web and went away. The next

day, as the elephant was pulling the web away, the spider which was present

there, gave him a sting: the elephant died of the poison on the spot. The

spider, too, was caught in the elephant’s trunk, and perished. Due to

His grace, this spider was born as the son of Suba Devan, the Chola king. He and

his dutiful wife went to Chidambaram and eagerly prayed to the Lord Nataraja for

a son. The Lord granted their wish. Soon Kamalavati conceived the child. The day

of delivery arrived. Astrologers foretold that if the child could be delivered a

few minutes later, it would rule the three worlds! The queen asked that she

should be tied to the roof of the room upside down, with a tight bandage around

her waist. When the auspicious time came, she was released and the child was

born. This was the spider reborn! The child had red eyes as he had remained in

his mother’s womb a little longer. The mother, looking into his eyes, said:

‘Kochekannano’ (the child with red eyes), and expired. Hence, he was named

Kochengat Cholan. When he reached the proper age, his father enthroned him

king, retired from the world and, after severe penance, reached the Lord’s

Abode.

Kochengat Cholan promoted Saivism. In Tiruvanaika he built a beautiful temple

and installed the Siva Lingam under the same Jambul tree! For more details of

Chola Kindom he built many shrines and mansions for the use of the three

thousand Brahmins of Tillai. He provided for regular worship at Chidambaran (a

great Saivite Temple). Finally he reached the Lord’s Abode. His glories were

sung by the poet Poygayar in his ‘Kalavazhi Narpathu’.

0cm 0cm 0pt"> Sivaya Namah

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