The legend of Jaya Sthambha at Sri Kamakshi Temple Kanchipuram

This post is in continuation to the ‘Legend of Sri Kāmākshi Devi at Kānchipuram’

To know the context of this story please read the earlier story first by clicking here.

Well, when Devi came as a little girl of five, a Bālā, holding the huge head of Bhandakāsura, she instructed the Devās and Rishis to bury Bhandakāsura and install a ‘Jaya Sthambha’ (Pillar of victory) over it before installing her Murti in a sanctum.

Accordingly, the Devās and Rishis started digging the place. The pit had to be really huge as Bhandakasura was of a humongous size. They dug and dug and dug and dug going deep into the earth.

Now there was another Asura by name Mallakan who was sitting inside the earth meditating. This Asura got disturbed by the noise. He got very agitated. Though he had been meditating he had no control over his emotions. When disturbed, his anger knew no bounds and out he came. Without even asking or talking to the Devās and Rishis, he started hitting them like swatting mosquitoes. Due to his sheer size, they just could not withstand his whacking  and fell like skittles. He caught them and tried crushing them  and they all ran helter-skelter in fear, praying to Bhagwān Mahāvishnu in their minds.

Mahāvishnu appeared there and took on Mallakan. But there was a problem. Mallakan had a boon like Raktabeeja that each drop of his blood that touched the ground would turn into another Mallakan. So soon enough, there were a number of Mallakans all around, everywhere. They were all giving a tough time to Bhagwān Mahāvishnu.

Now, observing this,  Bhagwān Mahādevā was worried. He pulled out two locks of His matted hair and dashed them to the ground. Out of that, two Bhootās (giants), one male and one female appeared. “Go and help Mahāvishnu!” ordered Mahādevā. In a jiffy they appeared at the place where the fight was going on. The Bhootās swiftly flew up and down in the air slurping each and every drop of blood of Mallakan before it fell to the ground and soon enough all the Mallakans and the original Mallakan lay dead.

But wait… now another problem started! The Bhootās that had drunk the blood of Mallakan had now acquired the tendencies and attitude of Mallakan and started fighting fiercely with Bhagwān Mahāvishnu!!  Mahāvishnu was appalled by this behaviour. He had not expected His helpers to fight against Him. So He decided to sit on top them and crush them. He sat on them. But it was of no use. They wiggled and wriggled and came out and started fighting again!

Mahāvishnu now decided that He would stand on them and crush them and so He stood on them. But again it was of no avail. They wiggled and wriggled and came out and started fighting once again! Mahāvishnu was losing patience. Now He decided that He would lie in His Anantasayana posture on them and crush them beneath Him. And so He lay on them. And now they were done for. Try as they might they could not get out. And they were being crushed by His weight.

Now, the Bhootās realized their folly… It was still not too late however. So they started pleading and praying to Sri Mahāvishnu. They apologized with all their heart. “We have behaved so badly and hurt you Bhagwān!” they said. “We don’t know what is the repentance for this dastardly sin of ours. Please accept our prayer and please relieve us of the sin for fighting against you without reason O Bhagwān!” they cried.

Mahāvishnu, being the benevolent one, released them from under His body. He said to them, “I cannot advise you on how you can repent for your action. You were created by Mahādevā. So propitiate Him and ask him the way out”. 

The Bhootās started praying to Bhagwān Mahādevā. He appeared before them. The Bhootās were in tears for what they had done and sought a solution to remove the sin they would have accrued by attacking Sri Mahāvishnu.

Bhagwān Mahādevā thought for a while. Then He released five streams of water through five of His locks from Ganga who resides in His matted locks. The streams joined to become a big pond. Pointing to the pond, Mahādevā addressed the Bhootās. “Go and have a dip in this pond which will go by the name Panchagangā henceforth. By bathing here one can get rid of any sins accrued. And after bathing here, you both will be seated on the banks of this Panchagangā forever as its guardians. The Abhisheka Tirtha offered to the Devi in the sanctum would be offered to you as food”. The Bhootās, relieved to hear this, immediately did as they were instructed. Their forms can be seen even today seated on the banks of the Panchagangā.

Bhawan Mahādevā then smiled at Sri  Mahāvishnu. “Nārāyanā!” He said, “You rendered timely help in vanquishing Mallakan which has helped the Devās and Rishis  immensely, for now they can complete the task of burying Bhandakasura and erecting the Jayasthambha without delay. I request you to stay here as ‘Bhoota Nigraha Perumāl’ (Vishnu who vanquished the Bhootās)  displaying all your three forms of sitting, standing and lying down as you did, while vanquishing them. Please accept my request and bless all the devotees from here.”

Sri Mahāvishnu acceded to Mahādevā’s request and blesses us all from there on the banks of the Panchagangā in all His three forms and is referred to a ‘Bhoota Nigraha Perumāl’.

The ever-grateful Devās and Rishis conveyed their wholehearted and sincere thanks to Gods Mahādevā and Mahāvishnu and finally buried Bhandakasura and erected a Jayasthambha over the place.

When you visit Kanchipuram next to have darshan of Sri Kāmākshi Devi, please remember this story when you see the Jaya Sthambha, Bhoota Nigraha Perumāl, the Bhootās and the Panchagangā tank.

Jai Mā Kāmākshi!!