uraga and AlavAy

[Swaminathan Madhuresan]

   Is this why the ancient Saiva saint Maanikkavasagar proclaims:
     ten2n2ADuDaiya civan2E pORRi!
     ennATTavarkkum iRaivA  pORRi!

     Salutations to Shiva,
      whose perpetual possession is the Southern country,
      and who is the God for people of all countries!

> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Shiva and the Banyan tree are connected not only in AlavAy (Madurai),
> AlamuRRam (pukAr), but also to places, AlanguDi, AlangADu (cf. Tevaram
> verses). The Dakshinamurti theme, His peaceful aspect and relationship
>  to Banyan tree, Teacher of all Arts is very special to Tamil
> religion, both in myth and sculpture, atleast from the sangam era.
> Continuation of ancient  traditions much before Tamil came to be
> written??
>
> Vedic knows Shiva as Rudra and as an 'outsider'. The peaceful concept
> of ziva, the Universal teacher sitting under the banyan ie.,
> Dakshinamurti was new to Sanskrit. When this aspect was integrated
> there via agamas, Shiva in this mode cam naturally to be named
> Dakshinamurti,  'the Lord from the South'. Usually, South is the
> direction of Death and hence no reason to call the peaceful, supreme
> teacher  as Dakshinamurti. Relevant literature finds it hard to
> explain the meaning of Dakshinamurti and hope my explanation helps.

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