God : Sri Adi Kumbheswara

Godess: Sri Mangala Nayaki

The Murtis- names –merits

Sri Adi Kumbheswara - Sri Amudakumbheswara-Sri Amudesa

               The most ancient, supremely original, materialized from the Kumbha and the instrumental cause of the universe, the deity is known as Sri Adi Kumbheswara and as he originated from the sweet nectar, He is also called Sri Amudesar. Sri Parameswara, feigned as a hunter, hit the pot of nectar with an arrow and hence He is called Sri Kirathamurty. After the great deluge, Parameswara entered into the pot of nectar with all his vital forces of energy and became the self-originated linga in order to facilitate Brahma Deva to initiate his work of creation of the universe. As this kshetra happens to be the most ancient and original place where the first living being was created, every man has his great debt of duty to worship the deity in this kshetra. For anything and everything the location of origin is the most pivotal point. For all other places this kshetra is a model or fore runner in that it is the most meritorious of all kshetras as also the most ancient place of origin of human species. According to thePuranas it is the first kahetra to come into being after the deluge.

               Language conveys thought as well as feeling. Words convey ideas but they do not always express moods. In the devotional poetry we find harmonies of speech which excite the emotions and stir the soul. I am afraid that it has not been possible for me to produce in the English translation the richness of melody, the warmth of spirit, the power of enchantment that appeals to the ear, heart and mind. I have tried to be faithful to the originals sometimes even at the elegance.

              "May I meditate constantly on the widely known divinity Amirthagateswara Sri Adi Kumbheswara accompanied by the exceedingly beautiful Sri Mantrapeeteswari Mangalambal who is skilful in extending instantaneous prosperity to the votaries, whose pair of feet is ever joyously prostrated by the sages, the liberated and the celestials and who is the primordial Lord of all as also the creator of the universe."

Conferring all auspiousness to these who worship her with all their hearts, the deity of this kshetra is called sri Mangala Nayaki and as the deity shines lustously at the mantra peeta ,one of the distinguished Sakthi peetas, the deity is famous as Sir Mantra Peeteswari. Moreover as the deity relieves all the diseases of the votaries, She is called the dispeller of diseases and disabilities. one of the big Four of Saivism, tirujana sambandar calls the deity as Valar Mangai in his Thevaram.               

1. " May I salute the Divine Mother who is the aggregate form of the mantra consisting of 51 alphabets, who is the form of Mahayaga in the Sri Vidya Worship, who is beloved to the Lord Amudesa, who possesses sixty four sciences and who ascends the Muladara lotus.

2. May I adore Sri angalambiga the auspicious of forms, the Mother of all the alphabets of the (mantras), the one who confirs all auspiciousness and who ascends the swadhistana lotus.

3. May I worship Durgatartha Pradha Devi who is omniscient, who ever extends the knowledge supreme, who is ever concious of our desires and aspirations and skilful enough to fulfil them and who ascends the Manipuraka lotus.

4. May I tender my extolment respectfully to Ganabhedhini who is Kali dispelling all our threatening malicious on slaghts caused by Bhutaganas who is the incarnation of the nectar of compassion and who ascends the Anahata lotus.

5. May I tender my reverential respects to Rik Vibhendhini who eradicates all diseases, who removes all poverty and impoverishment and who ascends the Visuddhi Lotus.

6. May I greet respectfully Sarvepsita Pradha Devi who fulfils our aspirations by conferring all kinds of prosperity, who extends bliss to us and who ascends the Ajna Lotus.

7. The incarnation of all the mantras! the Mantresi!. The one who occupies the left part of Sri Kumbesa! the one who abides at Kumbakonam ! May you extend to me all auspiciousness".   

        Sri Parameswara extended the left –half of His body to Sri Ambal at Tiruchengode. Likewise in this kshetra, he conferred His 36,000 crores of mantra saktis to Sri Ambal thereby making Her supremely glorious to become Sri mantra Peetesvari. Sri Ambal added Her own 36,000 crores of mantra sakthi to that extended by Her Lord and consequently making it thereby to be 72,000 crores of mantra saktis and shines lustrously and blesses us all as the foremost of the Sakthi Peetas of our land. The body of Sri Ambal from tip of the – toe to head – crest illumines as 51 symbols of sakti. While some of the deities of other Sakti Peetas are symbols of their specific Sakti Peetas, this deity, Sri Ambal in this temple is the agglomeration, assimilation and absorption of all the symbols and essences of the Sakti Peetas pooled together and hence this kshetra is the Premier of all the Sakthi Peetas in its benediction.

     Vinayaka

               Anticipating the arrival of Sri Parameswara and Sri Ambal to this Kshetra, Vinayaka reached this stala and was awaiting the Supreme Deities there and hence he was known as Adi Vinayaka.

     Kandar-Murugan

         Just before starting for Surasamhara, Kanda visited this Kshetra in the manifestation of Arumukha and worshipped the Lord and Sri Ambal for his victory in the warfare. So he was famous as Shanmugha.

         Moreover the Puranas point out that Kanda manifested as Shanmukha with six faces and six hands. Such a rare phenomenon is to be seen on the western side of the inne circumambulatory path at the Kartikeya Shrine. Such a kind a phenomenal apperance of Sri Shanmukha is nowhere to be found.