Both these temples are located very close to each other and are dated more than 2000 years old. The Shiva temple is known as Vedapurishwarar temple and the Vishnu temple is known as DevadirajaPerumal temple. These temples are located at Therazhundur in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, at a distance of 12 kilometers from Mayiladuthurai on Mayiladuthurai-Kumbhakonam route (via Kuthalam). This was originally a Mada kovil built by King Kochengat cholan built as a brick structure. There are six stone inscriptions relating to the chola period.
Moolavar: Shri Vedapurishwarar, Shri Arthyabakesar
Devi: Shri Sundarambika, Shri Saundarya Nayaki
Sthala Vruksha: Bilwa tree and Sandalwood tree
Puranik Name: Chandra Aranyam
Sacred teertha: Veda Teertha
Kshetra purana:
1. This Shiva temple is the 38th holy temple on the Southern banks of river Kaveri revered by the Nayanmars. As a child, when ThiruDnyanaSambandar (one of the 63 Nayanmars) came to this place, he saw two temples and did not identify the Shiva temple. At that time, Lord Vinayaka pointed out the Shiva temple to him and hence the Vinayaka at this temple is known as Dnyanasambandar Vinayaka. Earlier this place was known as Krishnaranyam.
2. Shiva temple: Once in Kailash, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva were playing a game of dice. Goddess Parvati acted as the witness. Lord Vishnu was victorious at the end of this interesting game. Parvati was in a dilemma as she was unable to give the decision as on one side she had her husband while on the other she had her brother. Finally she gave the verdict in favor of Lord Vishnu which was fair and truthful. In the process, Lord Shiva was antagonized and he became angry and chided her for siding with her brother. He cursed Parvati and sent her to the earth to wander like a cow. Goddess Parvati came to Bhoolok as a cow and was roaming in the Southern part of India. As Lord Vishnu felt responsible for his sister’s fate, he came down to the earth as a cowherd to protect her. Lord Shiva couldn’t bear the separation from his wife and he too came to the earth as a Brahmin and started taking care of the cow (Parvati). At this temple, MahaVishnu as Aamaruviappan (cowherd) and Lord Shiva as Vedapurishwarar and Parvati grace this place. Lord Shiva is known as VedaPurishwarar as he taught Vedas here as a Brahmin. Parvati went to several sacred places as a cow and finally got her beauty back at this place.
3. Vishnu temple: There is also another purana associated with this place. Once Lord Krishna was grazing the cows on the banks of Yamuna. When he had gone to quench his thirst (in river Yamuna), Lord Brahma brought the cows to this place. The gopalas narrated this incident to Lord Krishna. Krishna created all the cows similar to the ones driven away by Brahma. As Krishna did not come to retrieve the cows, Lord Brahma was disappointed. Accepting his mistake, Brahma prayed to Lord Krishna for pardon. As lord Krishna grazed the cows at this place, we find a cow with a calf behind the utsav murti at this temple.
4. Vishnu Temple: King Uparichar Vasu did severe penance and got a boon that when he travels in his chariot, either in the sky or on the earth, there should not be any obstacle in the path and in case any obstruction occurs, that obstruction shall be destroyed on its own. Once when the king and the queen were traveling in the sky, the queen requested him to visit this Vishnu temple. The king not only refused to heed to her request but also cursed that any object which comes in the way of the chariot’s shadow will get destroyed. When the shadow fell on the cattle grazing on the earth, the cows died. The cowherds were distraught while the king laughed and enjoyed the scene. When Lord Vishnu saw this egoistic behavior of the king, he mounted on his Garuda and pressed the shadow of the chariot with his toe. Immediately the chariot along with the king and the queen fell into the sacred tank. They swam and reached the edge of the tank where Sage Agastya was in meditation. The king felt that the curse of the sage was responsible for the mishap. The sage who was able to understand the whole episode advised the king to go to Lord Vishnu and ask for his pardon. When the king approached Lord Vishnu, the lord was in the form of a cowherd standing amidst the cattle. The king requested the cowherd to help him in recovering his chariot. The lord stated that if the king gave thousand pots of butter, he would help the king. The king fetched 999 pots of butter but couldn’t find one more pot. He filled the 1000th pot with water and mixed it with the 999 pots. But the lord first opened the pot filled with water and took out butter from it. In the same manner, he opened all the pots and took out butter. On seeing all the pots filled with butter, the king fell at the lord’s feet and begged for mercy. The lord forgave him for his mistake. He held him to his feet and granted Vishwarupadarshan. Hence at this Vishnu temple, the lord is worshiped with full splendor.
5. Sage Agastya did penance at this place to get rid of the sin he had committed by devouring the demon Vathapi.
6. Vishnu Temple: Sage Markandeya did penance at this place. He worshiped Lord Vishnu for liberation and got it.
7. Vishnu Temple: There is an idol of Kauvery at this temple. This is to highlight the important event that took place at this place. Once Sage Agastya asked Kavery to marry him but she refused. The sage filled her in his Kamandalu (a pot used by the rishis). Later, Lord Ganesha freed her by pushing the Kamandalu to the ground. When river Kavery started flowing the sage cursed her. On reaching this place, she worshiped Lord Vishnu and got rid of her curse.
8. When Shaiva saint Sambandhar visited this place, he was struck at a crossing. He could not decide the exact way to the temple. At that time Lord Vinayaka guided him to this temple.
9. When Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva were separated, Lord Indra, Devas and Ashta Dikpals came to meet them. Nandi did not allow them to meet Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Hence Ashta Dikpals installed eight Shiva Lingas around this place and worshiped Lord Shiva.
Those who worshiped here: Devas, Vedas, Ashta Dikpals, Lord Indra, Goddess Parvati, Sage Agastya, River Kaveri, Sage Markandeya, Shaiva saint Sambandhar.
Special features:
1. Sanctum sanctorum is semi circular moat.
2. There is a hall where Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva are believed to have played the game of dice. This is represented with a paintings
3. Lord Surya’s rays fall on a shiva linga on the twenty third, twenty fourth and twenty fifth day of the Tamil month Masi between 5.50 pm and 6.18 pm in the evening.
4. This was a Mada kovil once upon a time.
5. This is a birthplace of Tamil poet Shri Kambar
6. This place was a sandalwood forest
7. As mentioned in earlier blogs this place is associated with Thirukkomzhambur, Thiruvadurai, Kuthalam, Ethirkolpadi, Thiruvelvikudi and Thirumananchery
8. The roof above Shiva linga is of rudraksha.
9. When Goddess Parvati came as a cow to do penance, she was accompanied by Goddess Laskshmi and Goddess Saraswati as cows.
10. Goddess Parvati’s shrine is outside as she did not marry Lord Shiva at this place.
11. Sage Agastya and river Kaveri worshiped Lord Shiva and were relieved of their curses. They have separate sanctums.
12. This is a parihar sthala for marriage obstacles.
13. As Lord Shiva taught Vedas and its intricacies to Brahmins at this place he is praised as Vedapurishwarar
About the temple:
This was reconstructed by Cholas as a stone structure which is not a Mada kovil. Later extensions were done by Vijayanagar kings. This is a west facing temple with a five tiered Rajagopuram with two prakarams. Balipeeth, Nandi and Dhwajastambha are after the Rajagopuram. Sanctum Sanctorum consists of sanctum antharala and mahamandap. Sanctum is in the form of a semicircular moat. The shiva linga is a swayambhu linga and on the top of a shiva linga there is a roof of rudraksha. There is a rudraksha tree behind the main shrine. Koshta murtis are - Lord Ganesha, Lord Medha Dakshinamurti, Lord Lingodbhavar, Lord Brahma, and Chaturbhuja Durga. The artha mandap is shaped like the forehead of a bat (vowel in Tamil, Vatavaghul in Marathi). The prakaram shrine of Shri Madeshwarar is on the left and Shri Madeshwari on the right. Stucco images of Dwarapalakas present in the shrine. There are paintings of Ashta Dikpal in the prakaram. In the inner prakaram we come across shrines of Lord Subramanya, Navagraha, kshetra linga, Kadambavaneshwarar Linga, Valanchuzhi Vinayaka (ujavya sondecha Ganapati), idol of Goddess Kaveri, Sage Agastya, Lord Chandikeshwar, Sage Markandeya and Lord Swarnaakarsha Bhairav. In the Navagraha shrine Lord Surya faces the west and all the planets face Surya. Near the Kshetra vruksha we find the kshetra linga along with Lord Ganesha and Nandi idols. Initially only the shrines of Lord Mahadeveshwar and Goddess Mahadeveshwari were present at this place. Other shrines were added later. There is a separate Mahavishnu temple facing this temple. Ashta Dikpals installed eight shiva lingas at this place which are present even now.
Other shrines in this temple:
There are separate shrines for Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. There is also a shrine of Lord Krishna with 4 hands along with his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama with a calf near him. The place got the name Therazhundur as the chariot (of Uparichar Vasu) was stopped at this place.
Prayers:
1. Devotees prayed to Lord Shiva for wedding boons.
2. Estranged couple pray for their union
3. Ladies pray Goddess Parvati for enhancing their beauty
Poojas:
Daily worship four times a day. Pradosha puja and other weekly and fortnightly pujas are performed regularly.
Some important festivals at Shiva temple:
On 23rd, 24th and 25th day of Tamil month Masi, Surya pooja is performed
10 days before Chaitra pournima, flag hoisting is done to indicate the beginning of the 10 day festival which concludes with a chariot festival
Avani (Aug-Sept): Ganesh chaturthi and Avani mulam
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): Annabhishek
Karthigai (Nov-Dec): Thiru karthigai deepam
Masi (Feb-Mar): Shivaratri
Besides this Navaratri utsav is celebrated for 10 days on a grand scale.
Temple timings: 6.30 am to 11.30 am, 4.30 to 8.30
Address: Shri Vedapurishwarar Temple at post Therazhundur, Taluka Kuthalam, TN 609805
Phone: 91-4364237650
Temple priest: Shri Rajamohana Shivam, 9842153947, 9486457103
Shri Devadirajaperumal Temple
Moolavar: Shri Devadirajaperumal, Shri Amaruviappan
Devi: Shri SengamAlavalli
This Vishnu temple is one of the PancharanyaKrishna kshetra
Some important festivals at the Vishnu temple:
Brahmotsav in the month of Vaikashi (May – June)
ThiruOnam and Ekadashi festivals in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December – January)
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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