Pusalar

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Pusalar (also transliterated as Pūcalār, Pusala or Poosalar) is an eighth-century

Pallava
king.

Life

The primary account of Pusalar's life comes from the

Pallava kingdom. He was a poor temple priest.[2]

Pusalar was a Shaiva, a devotee of the god

Kumbhabhishekam ceremony, when the temple is consecrated and the image of God installed in the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum).[2][3]

The Pallava king Kadavarkon had just completed a grand Shiva temple in the capital

Kailash, the abode of Shiva.[2][3]

Inscriptions on the Kailasanathar Temple of Kanchipuram are used to date Pusalar to the eighth century.

Pusalar is regarded as a historical figure. The Pallava king Kadavarkon from the Periya Puranam account is identified as King Rajasimha (also known as

inscriptions at Kailasanathar temple for telling the tale of Pusalar.[4]

The tale of Pusalar (called Pusala Nayanaru in the account) is also recalled in the 13th-century

Chola king who reigned between 1118–1135 CE), instead of the Pallava in the Tamil version. He created a grand temple of gold. Pusala Nayanaru created a similar temple in mind and gained the grace of Shiva.[5]

Remembrance

The images of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.

Pusalar is depicted with a shaven head and with folded hands (see

Aippasi, generally coincides with 13 November.[2] He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.[1]

Hridayaleeswarar Temple, which dedicated to Shiva as Hrudayaleeswarar ("Lord in Devotees’ heart"), was built in Thiruninravur by the Pallavas in honour of Pusalar. Pusalar is worshipped with Shiva in the sanctum sanatorium of the temple. As per temple lore, this temple was created by the Pallava king from Pusalar's tale to fulfill Pusalar's wish to build a grand temple for Shiva. Since Pusalar originally built the temple in his heart, patients of heart diseases as well as cardiologists worship at this temple for cure of heart diseases.[6]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-81-215-0044-9
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7625-427-4
    .
  4. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3
    .
  5. ISBN 978-1-4008-6090-6
    .
  6. ^ "Sri Hrudayaleeswarar temple". Dinamalar. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
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