Sage Vyaghrapada is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and is represented as tiger footed in Hinduism. Stories of Vyaghrapada Maharshi are popular in Southern Indian states.
Vyaghrapada expressed his devotion to Shiva by offering untouched flowers collected from Thillai forests. This sage got the boon of having tiger legs to climb the trees easily and collect flowers to worship Shiva.
The unique characteristics of this sage reflect his deep devotion and aesthetic lifestyle. He spread Shaivism in Southern India and is one among the eight disciples of Lord Nandi.
Let’s look at the story, attributes, and other details of Vyaghrapada.
Depiction
Besides the legs of a tiger, Vyaghrapada is usually depicted worshipping a Shiva linga or both Shiva and Parvati.
Most of his depiction in art and literature shows him holding a bell in his left hand and Aarthi or a flower in his right hand, worshipping the Linga.
The depiction of this sage features a pointed beard, a Jatamakuta, and the traits of a tiger beneath his trunk and a human above the trunk.
Story of Vyaghrapada: His Life and How He Got Tiger Legs
Vyaghrapada belongs to Krita Yuga and is the son of Sage Madhyandina, a learned scholar.
He married the sister of the famous Vedic Sage Vasistha and had two sons, Upamanyu and Dhaumya.
Among them, Upamanyu became one of the great yogis. Dhaumya is the priest to the Pandavas and has attained great positions.
Vyaghrapada and his wife adopted a king named Hiranya Varman as their son. They also fostered a girl child named Hemalekha, who was born to King Sushena and the celestial nymph Vidyutprabha.
After completing his learning, on advice from his father, Vyaghrapada came to Chidambaram in search of God and divine enlightenment. That region is then a dense forest of Thillai trees.
He started worshipping Shiva linga, which was present at the Shiva Ganga, the holy lake of Chidambaram.
In the zeal of worshipping, he penetrates into inaccessible areas of the forest to gather flowers in the early hours of the Morning. This is to collect the freshly opened flowers that are even untouched by bees.
However, in the process, thorns and the rough surface of the trees would hurt him. It further worsened due to the poor sight in the early mornings.
One day, in the struggle to collect the flowers, he prayed to Lord Shiva to help him by giving him feet like a tiger so that he could fulfil his worship.
At his request, Lord Shiva bestowed him with the feet of a tiger such that he could not experience the prick of thorns and to easily enable him to pluck the flowers and Bilva leaves.
From that day, this great sage came to be known as Vyaghrapada, and Chidambaram got the name Vyaghrapuri.
Vyaghrapada Rishi’s association with Vicom Town
Vaikom, a Town in Kerala also got its name due to the saint Vyaghrapada. Initially, people referred to it as Vyaghrapada Puram, but they later briefly named it Vaikom.
A demon named Khara entrusted Vyaghrapada to take care of a Shiva Linga that he got from Lord Shiva as a boon for his Penance. So, the sage lived there for several years, performing the rituals and building the temple.
Due to his dedication, Lord Shiva and Parvathi appeared and gave him darshan under a peepal tree present in this temple.
Several other stories of this Maharishi are present in the Chidambara Sthala Purana and Chidambara Mahatmya.
Vyaghrapada and Patanjali
Most temple depictions show Vyaghrapada and Patanjali Maharshi as a duo worshipping Lord Shiva. Sometimes, as a trio along with Jaimini Maharshi.
When Patanjali Maharshi arrived in Chidambaram, he acted as a guide, showing Patanjali the forests and the sacred sites.
Both the sages stayed in Chidambaram and waited for the descent of Shiva and to see the Ananda Tandava.
Jeeva Samadhi of this Rishi
The Kasi Viswanatha Temple in Tirupattur, Tamil Nadu, India, contains the sacred final resting place or the Jeeva Samadhi of this Sage.
After witnessing the Ananda tandava dance of Lord Shiva and attaining the boon that he will be granted moksha from Shiva.
Vyaghrapada resumed his wandering in Chidambaram and went to Tirupattur, and then he continued his spiritual activities and entered the state of Jeeva Samadhi.
