CHANDIKESYARA or Chandeshvara Nayanar– To the one whom everyone claps in Shiva Temple

 

Most of us would be clapping at a inconvenient corner sannidhi in big Shiva temples isn't it? Some even do a finger snap and just walk away.

Some say, we do it to mark attendance to this attendance Clerk,Some say it is not clapping or snapping. It is hand gesture we show that our hands are clean and we are not taking anything from the Lords temple when we step out.

Wondering how this clapping or snapping came into existence. may be someone deaf saw the action and he though we should also clap and people seeing him followed it?

The Sannidhi belongs to Chandeshvara Nayanar. Chandesha or Canda or Chandeshvara or CHANDIKESYARA is one of the 63 Nayanmars who is given that special post by the Lord himself. Lets see his story now..

Vichara Srumanar(who was later known as Chandesvara Nayanar) was born to Echcha Thathan in Thirucheynyalur, a famous village in Kumbhakonam known for preservation of Vedas and expansion of Vedic Cultures. He was born in the lineage of Sage Kashyapa. As glorious as his inheritance, Vichara Srumanar was mounted with abundance of knowledge in Veda, Sastras and Agamas at a young age. His parents performed sacred thread ceremony to their child at the age of seven. Immediately after, he was sent to learn Veda Sastras under the supervision of learned scholars. Vichara Srumanar himself was a master of all the Knowledge & Wisdom realized the presence of God in every living being. Soon his fervor towards Lord turned into untainted love.

One day Vichara Sarmar, with his friends, was walking along a road. He noticed a cowherd hitting a cow in the herd with a rod heavily. Vichara Sarmar could not bear this. He was greatly moved and spoke to the cowherd: ‘Oh ignorant man? Do you not know that the cow is worshipful and divine? The cows are the superior creatures of all in the world. All the holy waters reside in them. They give the five holy substances that the Lord likes the most for anointing. They give birth to the raw materials used for the preparation of the holy ash. They belong to the same family of the holy Bull Lord who carries the Lord always. All the Devas dwell in her. She is indispensable for all religious activities. It is our sacred duty to tend and protect the cows. Whoever harms the cow is hurled into the Naraka. Whoever worships the cow wins a place in heaven or in Siva’s Abode. You have committed a great sin today. Thinking of this greatness of cows, he told the Cowherd that from hereafter, you need not tend to the cows: I will do that myself.

He went to the village and called out all his neighbours and offered to take care of their cows himself free of cost. They were happy and agreed to it. He took the cows every morning to the places where they will get enough grass to graze. If there is not enough he would pluck and give them. After they get enough food and water he would make them sit in a cool shady place. He protected them from the attack of other animals. Under his supervision the cows lived in peace, multiplied and gave milk in huge quantities than one could expect. That made the people happy about him. The cows grew healthier. They liked Vichara Sarmar very much. The Brahmins who got more milk thereafter were able to fulfil their religious duties very well, and they were pleased with Vichara Sarmar.

Excited by his care the cows came to this child instead of their calves, and started giving milk automatically without anybody sucking it out. This became an indication to him for the anointment of the Lord who best likes the bathing in holy substances than anything else as worship. There was so much of surplus milk now. With the enthusiasm to worship the Almighty that gives the perennial bliss to the worshipper, Vichara Sarmar, who loved Lord Siva and His worship, he constructed a temple out of the sand and performed Abhishekam for Lord Siva wit the excess milk,

The cows gave the same amount of milk to their houses as well in spite of giving for the worship of the small but adorable devotee. This devotion and worship grew as the days grew. He used to sit under an Atti tree on the bank of the river, construct a temple from the mud, and also make a mud-image of Siva Lingam and offer the milk, to bathe the Lingam. Then he would perform Archana with the Atti flowers. The cows were giving plenty of milk both to Vichara Sarmar and to the Brahmins.

One day, when Vichara Sarmar was doing this Puja, a villager happened to pass by, and he watched all this. He reported the matter to the owners of the cows, and complained that Vichara Sarmar was pouring precious milk on mud and river sand. The town counsil enquired Echhadattan about this. Nobody realized the presence of the Lord in the sand form nor the devotion of the young prodigy nor about the respect they have to give to the worship and not even the fact that they were getting more milk than they used to get before after the Vedic young boy took over that job. They passed the complaint on to him in rather strong terms. The father was naturally shocked. He came home, but did not speak to Vichara Sarmar. He wanted to find out for himself. So, the next day, he followed Vichara Sarmar at a distance without his knowledge.

With the truthful bhakti Naayanaar made the form of the lord and his abode out of the sand as he did every day, put the flowers and leaves on the head that is ornated by bones and skulls and started anointing with the milk that cows gave out of affection. Unable realize the dedication of his young son and appreciate it, he saw only through the mask of his own defined duty. When Vichara Sarmar began pouring milk on the improvised Siva Lingam, the father, without understanding the son’s wonderful devotion, hit him with a stick. But what Naayanaar was doing was not just a kid's play. It was the THAPA that is full of love and devotion. He knew then nothing but Shiva, the milk that he enjoys. The beating never pained him. He was well out of bodily feelings and was in the state of bliss. He was so much absorbed in his Puja that he did not even feel pain. The father got irked by this act of Naayanaar knocked the milk-pot down that he was pouring on Lord's head. It was then that Vichara Sarmar realized that his father was interfering with his worship and had committed an unpardonable offence against Lord Siva (Siva Aparadham).

But in complete neutrality he realized that it is the God who wears the water in His head to be the only relation for the real "I" (pashu). When a person does a sinful deed against the Lord it should not matter what the relationship is, but misdeed is misdeed. That great young boy whom the world salutes took a stick that lied nearby and by the will of the Lord the stick was transformed into an axe. He threw it on Echhadattan, which cut his legs that did the sinful deed and disturbed the worship. He fell down on the sand. The loveful devotee was so engrossed in the worship, that he did not mind what had happened and continued the worship.

The Lord Shiva immensely delighted by the impartial behaviour of Vichara Sarmar’s devotion and love came on the holy bull accompanied by Parvathi with the praise of the sages and the chanting of Vedas. Vichara Sarmar prostrated before the Lord. The Lord embraced Vichara Sarmar and fondled him. Mahaadeva took, hugged and kissed him with his holy hands. The Lord said: ‘My child, you cut your own father’s leg for my sake. Now, I am Your Father“.

The importance he gave to the service of the Lord made the God who trancedes everything to be his father. By age he was young, but he taught the entire world the lesson of service. The child who was touched by the Lord of luminent form appeared with the luminance of thousands of Suns. The Lord of universe made him the head of His devotees and said, "Everything the vessels of food, the ornaments and dress that are offered are for you after my usage, and you are given the great name "chaNdIshan" " and crowned his shining hair with the konRai garland with the crescent in it. (He got a form of liberation called sArUpyamwhere the liberated soul gets the appearance of the Lord with three eyes, crescent crown, axe and deer and bull vehicle.)

Echa Dattan and Pavithrai also assumed divine forms and ascended the heavens – the fruit ofbeing parents of Vichara Sharman.

The fruits of our prayers (Prasadam)always pass through Chandikeswara who gets the first worship after the Lord.  He is not offered any new clothes or flowers except those that adorn the Lord first. Chandikeswara is always in deep contemplation and hence we should not disturb him. When we complete our worship in the main shrine and are given the Prasadam by the priest, we should take the prasadam to the shrine of Chandikeswara and offerthe same to him and then only take the same. We should not disturb him from his meditation and hence it is customary to only chant Shiva Shiva clapping our hands gently three times (thala thraya)

In the Tamil month Thai – Uthiram is widely celebrated as Guru Puja Day to commemorate the above incident.

Thanks to :

http://www.shaivam.org/nachande.html
http://bramhagnanam.blogspot.in/2011/09/chandikeswarar.html
http://eshwarthegod.blogspot.in/2015/02/history-of-chandesvara-naayanaar.html