இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
segaram which means 'The temple of God
who bears a crescent on his head'.
The continued existence of some of the
temples mentioned above in the succeeding
centuries of the post Christian era as vouch-
safed by the Pali chronicles further add cre-
dence to the account given in Yalpana
vaipavamalai. Referring to King Mahasena
who reigned in the 3rd century A.D.
Mahavamsa (Ch. 37: 40 - 41) says that he
demolished shrines of devas at Gokarna
(Thirukkoneswaram), Erakavilla and in the
village of Brahmin Kalantha. The last two
lay in the districts of Batticaloa and
Amparai. The Mahavamsa Tika (1936)
commentary to Mahavamsa adds that these
were shrines housing lingams. Most proba-
bly the popularity of these Siva shrines,
prompted this bigoted Buddhist King to
destroy them and erect Buddhist temples
of worship in their places. The continued
existence of the Siva temple at Thirukketis
waram is also confirmed by Dhatuvamsa
(1925) which says that when the Tooth Relic
of Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka via
Mahatittha (Mannar harbour) from Kalinga
it was sheltered for a night in a Hindu
temple, most likely at Thirukketisvaram.
VI
It is in the above context only one has to
take cognizance of the reference to various
Yaksa shrines which have existed at
Anuradhapura mentioned in the Pali chroni-
cles. These are no other than Saiva shrines.
They are shrines of 'Maheja', 'Puradeva'
and 'Vyadhadeva'. The shrine of 'Maheja'
although it is referred to for the first time
during the time of Pandukabhaya as
Mahejjaghara (M.V.X: 90) seems to have
continued its existence up to the time of
Devanampiya Tissa (M.V. XVII: 30) till it
got lost in the Buddhist monastery buildings
established around the Thuparama
42
(Paranavitana, S 1929:307). It is probable
that Pali chroniclers confused the epithet
'Mahesa' of Siva which means the 'Great
God' with Yaksa Maheja, as linguistically
sa, ja are interchangeable. Puradeva occurs
for the first time during the reign of
Dutthagamani in the second century B.C
(M.V.XXV: 87) as the guardian deity of
Anuradhapura. Most likely this is a
reference to a Siva temple. For, in the later
period, the temp of Siva as 'Nagarisa'
which again is synonymous with 'Puradeva
has been located within the capital.
3
Pandukabhaya is said to have settled
'Vyadhadeva' in a palmyrah tree in the
western gate of the city (M.V.X: 89).
However, Malalasekara (1928) would treat
this form as 'Vyadhideva'. Nevertheless, it
is probable that God Siva is here meant by
the term 'Vyadhadeva'. For, he is referred
to in Mahabharata as having assumed the
form of a hunter (Kiratha) before Arjuna
who performed severe penance to obtain his
grace (Keith, K.B. 1920: 109). Even if one
takes the reading of this fom as Vyadhideva
as mentioned by Malalasekara, it again
could be a reference to the 'Vaidyanatha'
form of Siva which means the lord who
cures the diseases. Even the Banyan tree
mentioned in the Pali chronicles as an abode
of Vaisravana (Kubera) is likely a reference
to the tree of Siva, as Siva is referred to as
'Al Kelu Katavul'. It is very likely that the
Buddhist chronicler has confused Palmyrah
tree for Banyan tree which is mentioned
as the abode of Vaisravana (Kubera).
However, it is also interesting to note that
Siva has many characteristics in common
with Kubera. It is because of this Patanjali
refers to Siva in a compound sense along
with Vaisravana as Siva Vaisravana
Kubera which is Alaka is believed to be
(Banerjea. J.N. 1966: 74). Even the city of
situated in Mount Kailasa, the abode of
Siva.
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
segaram
which
means
'
The
temple
of
God
who
bears
a
crescent
on
his
head
'
.
The
continued
existence
of
some
of
the
temples
mentioned
above
in
the
succeeding
centuries
of
the
post
Christian
era
as
vouch
safed
by
the
Pali
chronicles
further
add
cre
dence
to
the
account
given
in
Yalpana
vaipavamalai
.
Referring
to
King
Mahasena
who
reigned
in
the
3rd
century
A.D.
Mahavamsa
(
Ch
.
37
:
40
-
41
)
says
that
he
demolished
shrines
of
devas
at
Gokarna
(
Thirukkoneswaram
)
Erakavilla
and
in
the
village
of
Brahmin
Kalantha
.
The
last
two
lay
in
the
districts
of
Batticaloa
and
Amparai
.
The
Mahavamsa
Tika
(
1936
)
commentary
to
Mahavamsa
adds
that
these
were
shrines
housing
lingams
.
Most
proba
bly
the
popularity
of
these
Siva
shrines
prompted
this
bigoted
Buddhist
King
to
destroy
them
and
erect
Buddhist
temples
of
worship
in
their
places
.
The
continued
existence
of
the
Siva
temple
at
Thirukketis
waram
is
also
confirmed
by
Dhatuvamsa
(
1925
)
which
says
that
when
the
Tooth
Relic
of
Buddha
was
brought
to
Sri
Lanka
via
Mahatittha
(
Mannar
harbour
)
from
Kalinga
it
was
sheltered
for
a
night
in
a
Hindu
temple
most
likely
at
Thirukketisvaram
.
VI
It
is
in
the
above
context
only
one
has
to
take
cognizance
of
the
reference
to
various
Yaksa
shrines
which
have
existed
at
Anuradhapura
mentioned
in
the
Pali
chroni
cles
.
These
are
no
other
than
Saiva
shrines
.
They
are
shrines
of
'
Maheja
'
'
Puradeva
'
and
'
Vyadhadeva
'
.
The
shrine
of
'
Maheja
'
although
it
is
referred
to
for
the
first
time
during
the
time
of
Pandukabhaya
as
Mahejjaghara
(
M.V.X
:
90
)
seems
to
have
continued
its
existence
up
to
the
time
of
Devanampiya
Tissa
(
M.V.
XVII
:
30
)
till
it
got
lost
in
the
Buddhist
monastery
buildings
established
around
the
Thuparama
42
(
Paranavitana
S
1929
:
307
)
.
It
is
probable
that
Pali
chroniclers
confused
the
epithet
'
Mahesa
'
of
Siva
which
means
the
'
Great
God
'
with
Yaksa
Maheja
as
linguistically
sa
ja
are
interchangeable
.
Puradeva
occurs
for
the
first
time
during
the
reign
of
Dutthagamani
in
the
second
century
B.C
(
M.V.XXV
:
87
)
as
the
guardian
deity
of
Anuradhapura
.
Most
likely
this
is
a
reference
to
a
Siva
temple
.
For
in
the
later
period
the
temp
of
Siva
as
'
Nagarisa
'
which
again
is
synonymous
with
'
Puradeva
has
been
located
within
the
capital
.
3
Pandukabhaya
is
said
to
have
settled
'
Vyadhadeva
'
in
a
palmyrah
tree
in
the
western
gate
of
the
city
(
M.V.X
:
89
)
.
However
Malalasekara
(
1928
)
would
treat
this
form
as
'
Vyadhideva
'
.
Nevertheless
it
is
probable
that
God
Siva
is
here
meant
by
the
term
'
Vyadhadeva
'
.
For
he
is
referred
to
in
Mahabharata
as
having
assumed
the
form
of
a
hunter
(
Kiratha
)
before
Arjuna
who
performed
severe
penance
to
obtain
his
grace
(
Keith
K.B.
1920
:
109
)
.
Even
if
one
takes
the
reading
of
this
fom
as
Vyadhideva
as
mentioned
by
Malalasekara
it
again
could
be
a
reference
to
the
'
Vaidyanatha
'
form
of
Siva
which
means
the
lord
who
cures
the
diseases
.
Even
the
Banyan
tree
mentioned
in
the
Pali
chronicles
as
an
abode
of
Vaisravana
(
Kubera
)
is
likely
a
reference
to
the
tree
of
Siva
as
Siva
is
referred
to
as
'
Al
Kelu
Katavul
'
.
It
is
very
likely
that
the
Buddhist
chronicler
has
confused
Palmyrah
tree
for
Banyan
tree
which
is
mentioned
as
the
abode
of
Vaisravana
(
Kubera
)
.
However
it
is
also
interesting
to
note
that
Siva
has
many
characteristics
in
common
with
Kubera
.
It
is
because
of
this
Patanjali
refers
to
Siva
in
a
compound
sense
along
with
Vaisravana
as
Siva
Vaisravana
Kubera
which
is
Alaka
is
believed
to
be
(
Banerjea
.
J.N.
1966
:
74
)
.
Even
the
city
of
situated
in
Mount
Kailasa
the
abode
of
Siva
.