He is also the loving husband to the Goddess Parvati, the Warrior God’s father, Lord Kartikeya, and the first-worshipped Lord Ganesha. He is described as the Tripurari, the annihilator of the three cities built by the Asuras, and he is also the Bholenath, the simple one who grants whoever prays to him. When the most vicious poison Halahala threatened the entire universe, he, without hesitation, drank it to save the living beings.Similarly, at Vaitheeswaran Kovil, he banishes the disorders from the devotees’ bodies who seek his blessings in the form of Lord Vaitheeswaran, the great healer.

The place where the God Angaraka was cured

The fiery God Angaraka, also known as Kuja, Mangala (Mars), is a special connection to Lord Shiva.The popular legend started when Andhaka, a Rakshasa, did severe penance to please Lord Shiva, intending to attain immortality. However, it is an all too familiar knowledge that immortality can never be granted to the beings who crave it for their selfish desires. Knowing so, the Asuras had creative ways of begetting boons from either Shiva or Brahma. Take, for instance, the Asura, Mahishasura, who asked for a boon wherein no man should be able to defeat him, only to meet his end at the hands of the Goddess Mahishasuramardini. Then there was the Asura, Vritra, who had been blessed that he could not be defeated by any weapon made of ordinary means, only to be slain by Lord Indra through the weapon Vajrayudha – which was made from the bones of the sage Dadichi.Now, Andhaka became another addition to the long list of Asuras who thought they could cheat death with their ‘clever’ boons by praying to Lord Shiva, whom even the God of death bowed.

He asked Lord Shiva that whenever a drop of his blood fell to the ground, his clone should arise from it, to which the Lord agreed, and the boon was bestowed to him. Soon, the haughty Asura unleashed a reign of terror upon the entire universe, being nearly invincible with the help of his army and the clones who arose when his blood fell to the ground. Ultimately, the Devas pleaded to Lord Shiva to end him once and for all; and so, the Lord came face-to-face with the arrogant Asura, only to encounter the same problem again and again.After a long time, even the Lord showed signs of tiredness as drops of his sweat fell to the Earth. From those drops of sweat arose the God Angaraka. Soon Andhakasura found himself pushed to the corner as the God Angaraka prevented the Asura’s blood from reaching to the ground, and thus, he met his end in the fight.

Such is the power and the greatness of the God Angaraka, who resides in Vaitheeswaran Kovil and his temple, is one of the Navagraha temples; for this was the place where he was treated by Lord Shiva himself in the form of the Lord Vaitheeswaran when God Angaraka was afflicted by leprosy.

The place where Lord Kartikeya was cured

Supradaman was a powerful Asura who unleashed a reign of horror in the universe, so when none of the Devas could eliminate him, they turned to their commander, Lord Kartikeya, for help.In the ensuing battle, Supradaman was killed, but not without seriously injuring Lord Kartikeya’s army. Then, Lord Shiva came in the form of Lord Vaitheeswaran and healed the wounds in this sacred place.It is also said that Lord Kartikeya had worshipped Lord Shiva here, and in return for his devotion, he obtained his weapon (Vel trident) in this place.