Muneeswarar
Encyclopedia
Muneeswarar or Muneeswaran (Tamil முனீஸ்வரன்) is a Hindu
god. 'Muni' means 'saint' and 'iswara' represents 'Shiva'. He is considered as a form of Shiva,although no scriptural references have been found to validate such claims. He is worshiped as a family deity in most Shaivite families.
) was the youngest daughter of Daksha
, the chief of the gods. When Sati grew up she set her heart on Shiva
, worshipping him in secret. In the Swayamvara
of Sati, Daksha invited all gods and princes except Shiva. Sati cast her wreath into air, calling upon Shiva to receive the garland; and behold him stood in midst of the court with the wreath about his neck. Daksha had no choice but to marry Sati with Shiva.
One day Daksha made arrangements for a great horse sacrifice, and invited all the gods omitting only Shiva. Sati, being greatly humiliated, went to the banquet and Sati released the inward consuming fire and fell dead at Daksha's feet. When Shiva heard this news, he burned with anger, and tore from his head a lock of hair, glowing with energy, and cast upon the earth. Vīrabhadra
sprang from it, his tall body reached the high heavens, he was dark as the clouds, he had a thousand arms, three burning eyes, and fiery hair; he wore a garland of skulls and carried terrible weapons. Vīrabhadra bowed at Shiva's feet and asked his will.
Shiva directed Vīrabhadra: "Lead my army against Daksha and destroy his sacrifice; fear not the Brahmana
s, for thou art a portion of my very self". On this direction of Shiva, Vīrabhadra appeared with Shiva's gana
s in the midst of Daksha's assembly like a storm wind and broke the sacrificial vessels, polluted the offerings, insulted the priests and finally cut off Daksha's head, trampled on Indra
, broke the staff of Yama
, scattered the gods on every side.Local folklore says, that
in order to protect the souls, Shiva created Muneeswara. He possessed seven qualities, and based on them he was called as Shivamuni, Mahamuni, Thavamuni, Naathamuni, Jadamuni, Dharammamuni , Pandi Muni, Eswara Muni, Vazhamuni.
and Malaysia, with many temples dedicated to him. Since his weapon is the trident, Muneeswarar temples will contain a trident placed in the ground, and limes are placed upon the prongs of the trident. In most villages in India the deity is a laid stone. When statues of Muneeswarar are used, they are painted, in contrast to the black granite statues in other South Indian temples. His statue is dressed in a dhoti, unlike the statues of the other Gods.
Muneeswarar is generally worshiped either as a fierce God or a peaceful God. Those who worship his fierce form offer Him animal sacrifices, liquor, and Desi-cigars or Beedi
, which are lit and placed in the statue's mouth. Those who worship his peaceful form offer chukka roti and milk rice.
Muneeswarar is often worshipped alongside Madurai Veeran and Karuppu Sami
. Madurai Veeran and Karuppu Sami are also dressed in dhotis.
Pandi Muneeswarar Temple, located at Madurai in southern India {on the bypass road to Sivaganga/Rameswaram} is the most famous and well known to regular worshippers.
Muneeswara cult, like Karuppa Sami and Madurai Veeran cult, is based on local folklore and most consider them mere Grama Devas or village dieties.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
god. 'Muni' means 'saint' and 'iswara' represents 'Shiva'. He is considered as a form of Shiva,although no scriptural references have been found to validate such claims. He is worshiped as a family deity in most Shaivite families.
Origin
Sati (DakshayaniDakshayani
Dākshāyani or Satī is a Hindu Goddess of marital felicity and longevity. She is worshipped particularly by Hindu women to seek the long life of their husbands...
) was the youngest daughter of Daksha
Daksha
In Hinduism, Daksha, "the skilled one", is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and the Adityas. Daksha is said to be the son of Aditi and Brahma...
, the chief of the gods. When Sati grew up she set her heart on Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, worshipping him in secret. In the Swayamvara
Swayamvara
Swayamvara , in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire ....
of Sati, Daksha invited all gods and princes except Shiva. Sati cast her wreath into air, calling upon Shiva to receive the garland; and behold him stood in midst of the court with the wreath about his neck. Daksha had no choice but to marry Sati with Shiva.
One day Daksha made arrangements for a great horse sacrifice, and invited all the gods omitting only Shiva. Sati, being greatly humiliated, went to the banquet and Sati released the inward consuming fire and fell dead at Daksha's feet. When Shiva heard this news, he burned with anger, and tore from his head a lock of hair, glowing with energy, and cast upon the earth. Vīrabhadra
Virabhadra
According to Hindu mythology, Virabhadra or Veerabhadra was a super being created by the wrath of Rudra , when he stepped in to destroy the Yagna of Daksha, after his daughter Dakshayani - consort of Shiva, self-immolated in yagna fire...
sprang from it, his tall body reached the high heavens, he was dark as the clouds, he had a thousand arms, three burning eyes, and fiery hair; he wore a garland of skulls and carried terrible weapons. Vīrabhadra bowed at Shiva's feet and asked his will.
Shiva directed Vīrabhadra: "Lead my army against Daksha and destroy his sacrifice; fear not the Brahmana
Brahmana
The Brāhmaṇas are part of the Hindu śruti literature. They are commentaries on the four Vedas, detailing the proper performance of rituals....
s, for thou art a portion of my very self". On this direction of Shiva, Vīrabhadra appeared with Shiva's gana
Gana
The word ' , in Sanskrit, means "flock, troop, multitude, number, tribe, series, class" . It can also be used to refer to a "body of attendants" and can refer to "a company, any assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims".In Hinduism, the s are attendants of Shiva...
s in the midst of Daksha's assembly like a storm wind and broke the sacrificial vessels, polluted the offerings, insulted the priests and finally cut off Daksha's head, trampled on Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, broke the staff of Yama
Yama
Yama , also known as Yamarāja in India and Nepal, Shinje in Tibet, Yanluowang or simply Yan in China, Yeomla Daewang in South Korea and Enma Dai-Ō in Japan, is the lord of death, in Hinduism and then adopted into Buddhism and then further into Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology. First...
, scattered the gods on every side.Local folklore says, that
in order to protect the souls, Shiva created Muneeswara. He possessed seven qualities, and based on them he was called as Shivamuni, Mahamuni, Thavamuni, Naathamuni, Jadamuni, Dharammamuni , Pandi Muni, Eswara Muni, Vazhamuni.
- As he appeared from Lord Siva's face. He assumed the form of Shivamuni.
- He became Mahamuni who possessed immeasurable divine power.
- Thavamuni removed all obstacles in the path of the Thevars and RishiRishiRishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
s during their YajnaYajnaIn Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
. - Nathamuni offered blessings to the Devagananga and Puthaganga.
- Jadamuni grew trees and possessed RudrakshaRudrakshaRudraksha Rudraksha Rudraksha (also Rudraksh; Sanskrit: ("Rudra's tears") is a large evergreen broad-leaved tree whose seed is traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism. The seed is borne by several species of Elaeocarpus, with E. ganitrus being the principal species used in the making of a...
mala Kaatgar and the book. - Dharmamuni was the protector of the good and the destroyer of evil.
- Vazhamuni is praised and worshipped by the Kapalis who live in the jungle.
- Pandi Muni who praised his, he is talk to them in spiritual manner.
Worship
The cult of Muneeswarar is popular in Tamilnadu, SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia, with many temples dedicated to him. Since his weapon is the trident, Muneeswarar temples will contain a trident placed in the ground, and limes are placed upon the prongs of the trident. In most villages in India the deity is a laid stone. When statues of Muneeswarar are used, they are painted, in contrast to the black granite statues in other South Indian temples. His statue is dressed in a dhoti, unlike the statues of the other Gods.
Muneeswarar is generally worshiped either as a fierce God or a peaceful God. Those who worship his fierce form offer Him animal sacrifices, liquor, and Desi-cigars or Beedi
Beedi
A beedi is a thin, South Asian cigarette filled with tobacco flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.The word comes from beeda, Marwari for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments....
, which are lit and placed in the statue's mouth. Those who worship his peaceful form offer chukka roti and milk rice.
Muneeswarar is often worshipped alongside Madurai Veeran and Karuppu Sami
Karuppu Sami
Karuppu Sami is one of the regional Tamil male deities who is popular among the rural social groups of South India, especially Tamil Nadu and small parts of Kerala...
. Madurai Veeran and Karuppu Sami are also dressed in dhotis.
Pandi Muneeswarar Temple, located at Madurai in southern India {on the bypass road to Sivaganga/Rameswaram} is the most famous and well known to regular worshippers.
Muneeswara cult, like Karuppa Sami and Madurai Veeran cult, is based on local folklore and most consider them mere Grama Devas or village dieties.