I was always wondering and it was baffling in my mind that why a Nandi and a Tortoise sit inside Shiv’s Temple. Most of us always visit temples, perform our rituals, pray and focus only on main deity of the temple, have pradakshina (Circumambulation) and leave the place with so much of devotion and positive energy. But nobody might have not seen or noticed there are many things placed in the temple, which are of symbolic significance to inspire the devotees in their spiritual practice. Among them, Nandi and Tortoise has got special predominance and symbolic significance.
Now let us analyze briefly the history behind placing of NANDI in Shiva’s Temple:-
Once as an angry sage by name Durvasa was walking with “SANTANAKA” (a garland of flowers), Devendra (Indra Dev) was also coming in the opposite direction, riding his elephant (Airavatam) ignored sage Durvasa. Duravsa gave INDRA, the garland he had with him, which was thrown on Airavatam by Indra. The elephant threw that garland on the floor and trampled it. Durvasa lost his temper. He cursed ‘Indra ‘”You became very proud, let Lakshmi forsake you”.
‘Lord Indra’ later realized and felt his folly and he begged the pardon from Sage Durvasa.ThenSage advised ‘Indra ‘to contact VISHNU.
PICTURE DEPICTING SAMUDRA MANTHAN
On account of sage’s curse, Lakshmi left Indra and went away. Lakshmi, the goddess of power, bravery, enthusiasm and radiance left, Devendra’s life became miserable. The demons waiting for such beautiful opportunity invaded heaven. They defeated Indra and gods, occupied heaven. The gods lost their immortality. Years past, with no other way, all gods went to Vishnu and pleaded him the help. Vishnu advised them to churn the sea of milk. He also said that churning the sea is very difficult job, Get the assistance of demons (asuras) by gaining the friendship with them.
Picture Depicting Lord Shiva
Drinking The Kalakuta Poison
Sage Bruhaspathi was successful in managing demons for the job. The churning started on time. MANDARA is the mountain with which churning is being done. After some time, Mountain started sliding into the mountain bed. Then Lord Vishnu helped the team in the form of Tortoise. The MANADARA was placed on the floating Tortoise. The churning started again with vigor. Then a cloud was aroused from ocean bed which choked devas and asuras. The Devas and Asuras began shouting for help. They were not able to find out the reason for the suffocation. Then they realized that the ocean had thrown up the ‘KALAKUTA’, the dreadful poison. Everyone was frightened by its fierceness.
The Devas prayed to Shiva and hoped that he would come to their rescue for the poison was the most effective fiery substance, which no one except Shiva could swallow. Shiva hearing the cries immediately came to the rescue. Then, as requested by the gods, Shiva agreed to drink the poison.
Lord Shiva held this poison in his throat and saved the mankind. The poison was so powerful that it turned lord Shiva’s throat in to blue color. From then he was also known as Neela kanta. Later Amrutha came from sea, which was taken by Devas by cheating asuras.
Coming back to Lord Shiva blue throat. The poison in the throat is always a burning sensation for lord Shiva. Lord Shiva loves to spend time in meditation (Dhyanam). But this burning throat is not allowing him to do his meditation. Then he ordered Nandi to sit in front of him and blow some air on to his throat. The air blown on to his throat relieves him from the burning sensation. From then Onwards, Lord Shiva does his mediation with the help of Nandi.
This is the story behind having Nandi sitting in front of Lord Shiva in all our temples.
Significance of Tortoise in the Shiva temple:
A tortoise in Shiv Temples has a symbolic significance to inspire the devotees in their spiritual practice.A tortoise has the ability to withdraw all its limbs and head completely within its shell. This symbolically inspires a spiritual aspirant to withdraw all his senses from the material world.
Further when a tortoise lays eggs, it has a peculiar way of hatching them. She does not sit on top of them to hatch them but focuses her attention by constantly looking at them. The energy from her eyes hatches the eggs. This inspires a spiritual aspirant to focus his entire attention one pointedly towards Lord Shiva. Also the importance of ‘Darshan’, focusing ones attention on the image or the Lingam of Shiva, is explained by the symbolic use of a tortoise in the temple.
Shekar Moily
