Panchaveeras

Mylara Lingeshwara temple is situated in Bellary district, Karnataka. Lord Shiva took the form of Mylara to slay the demon brothers, Mallasura and Manikasura who meditated and pleased Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma granted them a boon that no human being could harm them. The demons in their turn began to interfere with sages and the saints appealed to Lord Shiva to protect them from this plight. Shiva took a new form and waged a war against the two brothers, and killed both of them with his bow. During the time of the battle, Lord Shiva or Mylara lost all his powers and had to hastily retreat from the battlefield. During this time, he took refuge along the Tungabhadra River. Lord Shiva’s aide, Veerbhadra, struck the earth with his long tresses and five warriors known as Panchaveeras or Kanchaveeras emerged from the earth and captured both the demons and handed them over to the Lord. Lord Mylara then killed the demons, wore their teeth in the form of a necklace, their intestines as a turban, skulls in the form of bowls, mouths as a damaru and their skin in the form of a coat. The Lord used the nerves of the demons as a wick for a lamp and their fats as the oil for a lamp. People worship this form of Shiva as their family deity.

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