ChaNDesha

As a young boy, Chandesha found that cows were poorly cared for and started taking care of a small herd. To pass the time, he made a sand Shiva lingam and would pour some milk on it as a simple offering. When Datta, his father, heard about this, he came to the field to scold his son. Chandesha was deep in meditation in front of the sand lingam, and he did not notice his father.

The enraged father kicked the sand lingam, interrupting Chandesha’s meditation. Reflexively, he struck his father’s leg with a staff which turned into an axe and his father’s leg was cut off. At this point, Shiva appeared and blessed Chandesha, declaring that Shiva would now be his father and restored the severed leg.

Shiva was pleased with the devotion of Chandesha and appointed him as the caretaker of Shiva’s wealth. While praying to Chandikeshwara in South Indian temples, devotees clap three times to show Chandikeshwara that their hands are empty and they are not taking away any of the wealth of Shiva. Since, Chandikeshwara i always in deep meditation, this clapping also awakens him to receive the prayers of the devotees.