TIRUVANNAMALAI

When she moaned in wilderness clinging to the melting Linga, Siva then pacified her with the advice of continuing penance in Maharshi Gautama's hermitage at Tiruvannarnalai. She continued it under the guidance of Gautama. In the course of penance, she was constrained to kill a demon. After killing, she made a pond by cutting the rock with her sword to bathe and clean the sword. The Khadga thirtham found on the hill and the Sivalinga installed  on the bank stand in evidence of this episode. Soon she resumed her tapas with redoubled tenacity. 

Pleased with it, Siva appeared before here and declared that she was rid of that sin of indiscrete closing of eyes, and she could again share his body as in the past. Parvathi performed Deva yaga - a pacificators ritual commencing on Utharashada Naksharta ending with Karthikapournami for merging in Siva. On the auspicious day of Karthika Pournami she went round Arunachala in the company of Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Indrani accompanied by a host of rishis chanting slokas before occupying half of Siva's body. Siva once again became Ardhanariswar. That day since then is celebrated as the great Karthikadeepam day every year with great fanfare.

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