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Sunday, February 15, 2009

Three Breasted Queen of Madurai

                                                                                            हिन्दी में यहाँ देखें



Recently I was searching for some specific pictures of an early Pandyan cave in Thiruparankundram, hence had made an appeal for viewers near madurai to help with pictures. One of my friends Smt. Shoba Ramakrishnan sent me her collection but it was from the famed Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. While going through it - i came across this Gem of a sculpture. Initially I was bit hesitant to publish this post, for it concerned usage of certain sensitive ( in these days) descriptions and some explicit sculpture. But was emboldened by the strength of the legend and the need to explain a sculpture as it is. So in order to prepare myself in advance for any backlash, i tried to seek assistance from friends on authentic texts - found the Thiruvilaiyaadal puranam authored by Paranjyothi Munivar
http://www.shaivam.org/tamil/sta_tiruvilaiyadal_02_u.htm
Ok, enough of beating around the bush - today we are going to see the sculpture and the story behind the three breasted Queen of Madurai - a name so synonymous with the city that the very mention of her name or the city - brings up the other.
Since the legend is long and well known - starting off with the sculpture first. How would a sculptor show a three breasted maiden, who should be ravishingly beautiful, full of pride bordering on manliness, majestic as a ruler, yet befit the title of the future consort of shiva - add to this her fame as the fish eyed one. Simple task for our master sculptor.
Now we go to the legend, the Pandyan King Malayadhwaja was a great devotee of Shiva and Shakti. Despite this, the couple were unhappy that they did not have any issues and as a King, he had to have a male heir to continue running the Kingdom. Hence, King Malayadhwaja along with his wife Kanchanamala perform a penance. From the great yaga, a three year old girl comes out of the fire. The child was ‘Ayonija’ (not born out of the womb). However, the King was shocked to see that she had three breasts. He pleads that he has been a devote follower and done the penance according to strict rules, yet he has been blessed not with a boy but with girl and she too with three breasts. Just then a divine voice is heard
“Don’t fear. Whatever has taken place is for good only. You bring up this child like a man. Whatever education and training is given for a man, all such education may be given to this child. Name her Thadathagai ( endowed with irresistible valour) When she sees the man who is to be her husband, the third breast will disappear. ”

Since she had eyes shaped beautifully like fishes (Meena) she was called Meenakshi. She grew to be a very beautiful young woman despite her birth defect. After the Kings’ demise, she ruled the country herself - Her valor was unparalleled and she was unmatched in battle. Kingdom after kingdom fell to her might till she had no one else to conquer by Shiva himself. Destiny drove her on and she marched with her massive army to Kailash to face Shiva.
Shiva meantime, knew of this and came to meet her - clad in his tiger skin, sporting snake ornaments, sacred white ash allover his body, wearing the sacred thread - he smiled knowingly at her. In that instant she realized who she was, the third breast disappeared, the manly valor gave way to feminine shyness, as she realised it was Shiva her beloved, who had given half of himself for her - who was in front of her…
Vijay Kumar from Singapore
Photo Credits: Shobha Ramakrishnan

25 comments:

  1. जैसे अयोनिजा को शिव मिले वैसे भगवान सभी को मिलें!
    आपको पढ़ना बहुत रिच अनुभव है।

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  2. Hi Sh. Sriniwasan, Nice sculpture of the queen of Madurai!

    I would however like to read the mind of the wiser ancients by reading the related 'present day thought' regarding possible evolution of Moon from our planet earth itself (Gangadhar, and Chandrashekhar Shiva to them) as I read it also with the mythology related with Ardhanarishwar Shiva and death of His consort Sati in 'sacred fire' (perhaps describing eruption of a volcano), and Shiva's remarriage with Parvati, 'the daughter of Himalaya' who was yet another form of Sati Herself! Two breasts refer to the two hemispheres and the third to the connection of moon with earth for some time before it got separated from it...and the possible danger to earth breaking (expressed as 'Tandav Nritya' of Shiva)...

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  3. Hi Subramanian!
    Another great post and something interesting to learn about; always learning actually...
    Have a great week!
    Blogtrotter

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  4. sir avery informative and interesting post particularly wonderful photograph of temple thank you very much

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  5. सांस्कृतिक महत्व की जानकारी के लिए आभार।

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  6. Interesting read. Didn't know about it.. Thank you so much!

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  7. another very good one.
    there are hundreds of examples where damsels hav been depicted in the indian temple art but this one clearly stands out. but to derive any scientific conclusion out of it seems rather far fetched. sorry jc sir.

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  8. Hey,
    that was interesting piece of information. I really did not know that. :)

    I love reading history. Recently was reading this book called Bangalore by peter colaco, really nice book about not so ancient history of Bangalore.

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  9. Hi Shri Sanjay, One needs to have in mind that time moves from Satyuga the perfect stage to Kaliyuga the 'dark age' (as per 'wiser' ancient 'Hindus') over 1000 times in one day of Brahma, of over 4 billion years! And that there is need to read 'Hindu' Mythological stories 'between lines'...I have been commenting in Ms Kavitha's blog for over four years now. You may read those if you like and leave your comments on her blog indiatemples.blogspot.com

    Hindus were much advanced in astronomy and related human beings' behaviour, as an instrument, through astrology, palmistry and so on...

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  10. Madurai is my birthplace, so the story of Meenakshi and Sundareswara is something I've grown up listening to. Like all great Indian myths, there are multiple stories connected to the meeting and marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswara. Every year, the holy wedding is celebrated with great pomp. I recommend visiting the city during that time period to get a ringside view of the richness of Indian mythology, and its influence on everyday life.

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  11. Yes, Diviya, 'India' could perhaps be said to be the best museum of God!

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  12. That was news to me. I vaguely recollect having seen the statue many years ago, but only now am I coming across the story behind it..

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  13. thanks for such knowledge.
    all credits to you for collecting .

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  14. सचमुच अद्भुत यह कहानी पहली बार सुनी . मीनाक्षी और शिव की कहानी तो सुनी थी पर उनकी अयोनिजा तथा तीन वक्ष वाली बात तो सर्वस्वी नई है ।

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  15. was wondering where I had read this before..and then I saw VJs name..a great post and it reminds me that I must write abt my madurai trip too

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  16. Hi Subramanian! Thanks for yopur comment at Blogtrotter! There is another fort there... ;)
    Have a great week!

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  17. होली के शुभ अवसर पर,
    उल्लास और उमंग से,
    हो आपका दिन रंगीन ...

    होली मुबारक !
    'शब्द सृजन की ओर' पर पढें- ''भारतीय संस्कृति में होली के विभिन्न रंग''

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  18. सुब्रमण्‍यम जी, इस सांस्‍कृतिक धरोहर से परिचित कराने हेतु आभार।

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  19. I reached this article very late.But better late than never.A very informative piece and I must say whatever you write adds to my knwoledge about our country.

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  20. very informative and intersting.. you are doing great efforts..Salute to you.. thanks

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  21. वेरी इनफारमेटिव।

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  22. Iam from Madurai...good to see ur blog cover a wide spectrum...cheers!

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