The Rajarajeswara temple is a beautiful Shiva temple is located at Taliparamba in the Kannur district of Kerala, South India.
The temple is regarded as one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala. It has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, the devotees seek a solution in this Temple through a prasna, a traditional method of astrological decision making. The prasna is conducted on a peedha (a raised platform) situated outside the temple.
Lord Shiva worshipped in this sacred temple is known as Sri Rajarajeshwara The Emperor of Emperorsthe Lord Supreme. The name signifies the supreme transcendental power in the background of the mysterious drama of the boundless universe. The Jyothirlingam in the shrine is vibrant with spiritual power that bestows an enriching Divine Grace both in the material and spiritual level of the devotees. The celebrated ancient Sage Agasthya Maharishi is associated with the installation of the Jyothirlingam in the shrine.Rajarajeshwara Temple, Temples Kerala, Hindu temples, temples, god, Devaswom, pilgrim
Lord Shiva worshipped in this sacred temple is know as Sree Rajarajeswara, which means the Emperor of Emperors the Lord Supreme. The name signifies the supreme transcendental power in the background of mysterious drama of the boundless universe. That power is invoked here as Lord Rajarajeshwara. Devotees address the lord with such royal appellations as Perumthrikovilappan, Perum-chelloorappan and Thampuraan Perumthrikkovilappan.
This very ancient shrine is located in a quiet and picturesque region of Taliparmba in Kannur district of North Kerala. On the National Highway 17, Taliparamba is 23 Kms noth-east of Kannur town, the headquaters of the district. The place is located about 83 kms south of Kasargod town and about 133 kms of Managalore, the southern city of Karnataka state. The nearest railway stations are in Kannur and Payyanur (23 kms towards the north).
The Jyothirlingam in the shrine in vibrant with spiritual power that exerts an enriching influence both on the material and spiritual levels of the earnest devotees. The celebrated ancient sage Agasthya Maharishi is associated with the installation of the Jyothirlingam in the shrine.
The legends of temple are usually symbolic in character and are intended to convey deep messages to the spiritual inquirer and instill faith in the common man. The legends of Sri Rajarajeshwara Temple reveal the antiquity and the special significance of the Spiritual Presence.
A major legend about this temple begins with the visit of the Puranic sage Parashurama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Seeing there an ancient shrine of vibrant spiritual power in a dilapidated condition, the sage was grief-stricken and wanted to know its history. Thereupon, sage Narada appeared there and related to him the story of the temple. According to it, sage Sanaka and others, the sons of the creator Lord Brahma, churned the disk of the Sun to lessen its fierce heat. They mied the dust, which was formed while churning, with the divine nectar of immortality, Amrita, and out of it gave shape to three spiritually to Lord Brahma presented them to Goddess Parvathi, the consort of Lord Shiva.Rajarajeshwara Temple, Temples Kerala, Hindu temples, temples, god, Devaswom, pilgrim
Goddess Parvathi presented these Shivalingams to three kings who were doing intense austerities to invoke the Goddess, one in the Thretha Yugam and the other two Dwapara Yugam. Maandhatha was the king to whom the Goddess presented the Shivalingam in the Thretha Yugam, and Muchukundam and Shathasoman were the devotees who received the other two lingams in Dwapara Yugam. Goddess Parvathi advised each of them to install the idols in such a place where no death of any creature had taken place or any dead body had fallen.
After a long search for such a place, which was very difficult to locate, Maandhatha, the first one to receive the lingam found out a small place for that description, only that much land which could accommodate a small plate. Thalika in Malayalam means a plate. It is said that the region came to been know as Taliparamba, which means the place enough to accommodate a Thalika after this legend. Maandhatha installed his Shivalingam at this place.
Eventually this Jyothirlingam disappeared in the earth, maintaining the place spiritually vibrant for ever. Thretha Yugam was over. Then, in Dwapara Yugam, King Muchukundan after receiving the second Jyothirlingam from Goddess Parvathi as instructed, was also in search for a spot where no death had taken place naturally he also came to the same spot where Maandhatha had installed the first Shivalingam. He installed his Shivalingam at the same spot. This Shivalingam was also eventually dissolved into the earth again reinforcing the spot spiritually. Then came king Shathasoman, the one who received the third Shivalingam. He was also naturally attracted to the same spot and installed his Shivalingam there. While installing, this Lingam also began sinking into the earth. King Shathasoman there upon prayed for Sage Agasthya’s help. The sage appeared and after lighting a ghee lamp prostrated before the Shivalingam twelve times and when he begun the thirteenth prostration, the Lingam got firmly fixed on the earth therefore the number of prostration the Sage Agasthya performed for his purpose came to be know as twelve and a half. Thus with the installation of the third Shivalingam has sacred spot became spiritually vibrant threefold.
Hearing this story from sage Narda, devotion welled up in the heart of sage Parashurama and he decided to renovate the temple for the welfare of mankind.
As desired by the sage, the celestial architect sri vishwakarma himself performed the renovation works. During the final stage of the renovation, sage Agasthya himself appeared on the scene and after making abhishekam (ablusion) on the idol, lighted a ghee lamp. This lamp shine continuously ever since, with the regular supply of ghee. Offering of ghee in gold, silver and copper pitchers with intense devotion is an important offering for the lord.
Temple legends, as said earlier, are highly symbolic representations of the subtle spiritual principles and highlight the nature and intensity of the spiritual presence at a particular place. They instill devotion and convey their deeper message to the spiritual seeker. The above-mentioned legend highlights the fact that at this unique centre of spiritual power discovered and maintained by the great sages of yore, one can receive profound Divine grace both for the material progress and spiritual un-foldment.