MADURAI KSHETHRA – South Tower madurai meenakshi temple

After King Kulasekara Pandyan, Malayadwaja Pandyan succeed to the throne. As he had no children, he and his wife Kanchanamala performed a yagna to get a child. They were pleasantly surprised to see a girl emerge from the holy fire. The child had three breasts. A divine voice consoled them telling that her third breast would disappear when she meets her husband. They named her Thadathagai and she was none other than Devi Parvati incarnate. The child, Thadathagai, was brought up like a prince and she mastered all arts of war.

Thadathagai succeeded the king and conquered the neighbouring countries and reached Kailas itself, the abode of Lord Siva. But on the battle field when her eyes met the gaze of Siva, her third breast disappeared. She realised she had met her Lord. Lord Siva came to Madurai, married Thadathagai and they ruled Madurai for a time. Then, after, making their son Urga Pandyan, an incarnation of Lord Surabaya as the King, they assumed the divine forms, as Sundareswarar and Meenakshi.

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