|
It is
to this shrine the four great Saiva Samaya Acharyas Appar, Sambandar,
Sundarar and Manikkavachakar are intimately connected and produced
master pieces eulogizing their respective paths Charya, Kriya, Yoga
and Jnana; it is on this temple towers the entire dance history
through 108 modes of dance are carved with descriptions as given in
the Bharata Natya Sastra; it is this kshetra, that gave liberation
to several hundreds of devotees, like Sage Nanda,
Tirunilakandanayanar, Vyagrapada, Patanjali etc., it is to this
temple Chola kings made liberal endowments, like adorning the roof
with gold plates; it is here according to inscriptions Hiranya
Varma Chakravarthi of Kashmir was cured of his leprosy with a single
bath in temple Pushkarini as back as in 500 A.D.; it is to
this temple Nattukotti Chettiars vied with the royal families to
making endowments, such as covering the ceiling with god etc., it is
this presiding Lord that was ardently worshipped by imperial
monarchs as the family deity; it is here the King dancer
Nataraja propounded the theory and function of dance Nataraja
propounded the theory and function of dance forms representing the
Primeval rhythmic energy. And he dances to keeping up the life
of cosmos, and it is to this temple, donors deemed it a great
privilege to employing master builders, whose craftsmanship left it
a sculptural treasure house and architectural museum. Now let
us enter the temple.
|
