Regarding
the birth of Meenakshi the legend goes that a Pandyan king, Malayadhwaja by name, had no
sons. He had to perform Putrakameshti sacrifice (Yaga) for getting a son. But from the
sacrificial fire out came Goddess Meenakshi with three breasts.
This caused great worry to the king, but he was
consoled when told that at the sight of the future husband of Meenakshi, the third
breast would disappear. As Malayadhwaja had no other issue, Meenakshi succeeded to the
throne. She pursued the usual conquests of kings and overcame mny till at last she came
across Sundareswara, whereupon an irresistible shyness ove r came her and her third
breastdisappeared. Thereafter she married him. The durbar of Sundareswara is depicted in
carvings inside the temple.
Thus it will be seen that Goddess Meenakshi had no physical origin, but she was a
swayarnbhu or self-originated from the sacrificial fire. We can recall in this connection
how Sita appeared from the plough-head while King Janaka was tilling the soil. All such
divine incarnations are mysterious. |
