Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple (Thirukkannamangai)
Thirucherai and Thirukkannamangai divya desams are approximately 110 km east of Srirangam and just south and southeast of the temple town of Kumbakonam. Both are located in small villages about 20km apart.
Location
Another 20km south and east of Thirucherai is the small village of Thirukkannamangai.
The Lord is ‘Baktavatsala Perumal’ and the universal mother is ‘Kannamangai Nayaki’. When the ocean of milk was churned by Devas and Asuras supported by Lord Vishnu, many things and divine beings emerged from it.
The last to emerge was Mahalakshmi. She went away to do tapas to win the hand of Lord Vishnu in marriage. Thirukkannamangai was the place where Lord Vishnu came to marry Mahalakshmi.
Consequently, everything here has a Lakshmi association. For instance, the forest is called Lakshmi vanam.
Special features
This is one of the Panchakanna kshetrams associated with Krishna (Kanna) even though Krishna is not the primary deity in the temple. The temple tank is believed to contain a drop that fell from Vamana’s feet when Brahma worshipped him during that avatar.
Sapthamrutha kshetram
Because seven things (Vimana, Mandapam, forest, river, sthalam, the town, and theertham) have come together to form the temple, it is known as ‘Sapthamrutha kshetram’. Chandra was released from his curse after he bathed in the pond and had the darshan of the Lord.
River Kaveri runs both north and south of the village like a garland to the Lord. There is a beehive near the Universal Mother’s shrine. It is believed that Rishis are there in the form of bees to obtain continuous darshan. Special pujas are offered to it.
Mangalasasanam
As in quite a few cases, it is Thirumangai Alwar is the only one who has done mangalasasanam of this temple.
In Peria Thirumoli, Thirumangai Alwar compares the Lord to a boundless ocean and a powerful bull. He is strong-willed as a man, controlled as a woman, the giver of the benefit of tapas to yogis, sweet as a string of pearls, and finally the life of every bhakta.
The Lord is fresh as a newborn leaf, young as a blossomed flower, the resident of all his desires, and sweet as sugarcane juice. Alwar says I searched for you all over and found you in Thirukkannamangai. He goes on in this decade to compare the Lord to everything good. Only a sample of fourteen pasurams is presented here.
Thirucherai and Thirukkannamangai divya desams are approximately 110 km east of Srirangam and just south and southeast of the temple town of Kumbakonam. Both are located in small villages about 20km apart.
Location
This village is located just north of Kudamuruti river just south of Kumbakonam and Natchiyarkoil.
Lord Brahma was concerned during pralaya about saving the Vedas and all other things required to restart creation. He prayed to Lord Vishnu about it. He was told to make a strong earthen pot and store all his needs in it. It was the earth he found at Thirucherai that proved to be strong and good.
Saranathan – Saranayaki – Sara Theertham
Due to his role in saving all this,
the Lord is known as ‘Saranathan’,
the universal mother is ‘Saranayaki’, and
the place is ‘Sarakshetram’ (Panchasara kshetram).
The temple pond is called ‘Sara Theertham’.
When asked which was the best of rivers, Lord Brahma informed Kaveri that since he washed Trivikrama’s feet in the waters, the Ganges is the most superior of all rivers. Kaveri desiring the same status did penance for Lord Vishnu who granted her wishes – to remain in Thirucherai always and that during Tula month (Oct-Nov) she would be deemed the best of rivers.
It is also said that the temple was built by one of the ministers of Naik kings who secretly constructed it using material meant for Rajagopalaswamy temple at Mannargudi. An angered king visited to inspect and found a Rajagopalan shrine which appeased his anger.
Special features
The temple is from the middle chola period and there is a mention of this temple in ancient writings from 6th century of the current era. Since the Lord appeared as a child to Kaveri to test her devotion, she is seen in this temple as a mother with a child in her lap. Here the Lord is seen holding a Padmam (Lotus) in his hand which is a posture associated with Paramapadham.
Mangalasasanam
As in quite a few cases, Thirumangai Alwar is the only one who has done mangalasasanam at this temple. Thirumangai Alwar says that whoever sees the Lord in Thircherai and appreciates that he is just as he is in Paramapadham with his dark cloud-like form with buzzing bees around him will always have his attention also.
He identifies the bhaktas as those who worship the Lord at Thirucherai as the bhaktas of the Lord who drew the life out of Puthana and made her fall dead on the ground; the same Lord who has the flower-eyed and flower resident Mahalakshmi on his chest; the same Lord as the one who in Rama avatar chopped the nose and ears off cruel Soorpanakha.
Only a sample of thirteen pasurams is presented here.
Sri Oppiliappan Temple – Thirunageswaram (Thiruvinnagar)
Thiruvinnagar, more popularly known as Oppiliappan Koil is an unusual temple. On the southern bank of the Kaveri River, it is also very well connected by all forms of road transport. This was constructed during the mid chola period in the 8th century with additions by Nayaks later. The exact date of origin of the temple is not known.
Location
Kumbakonam is about 83 km due east of Srirangam between Kaveri and Nattar rivers. Thiruvinnagar or Oppiliappan temple is seven km further east of Kumbakonam.
Click here for Google Maps location – ( Arulmigu Sri Oppiliappan Temple)
Sthalapuranam
It is said Tulasi once prayed to Lord Narayana to be as close to Him as Mahalakshmi is to Him. The Lord told her that Mahalakshmi would be born under a Tulasi bush. He also promised Tulasi that garlands made of her flowers and leaves would always remain special to Him. When Mahalakshmi was found under the Tulasi bush, she was raised as the daughter of Markandeya Maharishi as Bhumi Devi.
Once she reached the age for marriage, during the month of Panguni on Thiruvonnam star on Ekadashi tithi, Lord Narayana decided to test Markandeya further and came up to him in the disguise of a very old man and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage.
Not realizing what was happening, Markandeya said you are old, my daughter is young and so this is not proper to ask. The old man replied that he was old only in appearance and that he was young at heart. He also sat down and refused to move unless Markandeya agreed to give his daughter in marriage.
Markandeya said she is inexperienced. She may serve you food mistakenly cooked without salt. You will get angry with her as a result. The old man said your daughter’s salt-less food is what is the best food for me. I will not move till you agree.
Panicking, Markandeya prayed to the Lord for guidance on the issue. The Lord appeared before his mind’s eye. When he opened his eyes, the same Lord was in front of him. Markandeya realized that the old man was Lord Narayana. He married off his daughter to the Lord and made the Lord his son-in-law. Thus, the place is called after the Lord who eats only salt-free food ‘Uppiliappan’.
Another interpretation of the name derives from the aneesa or the incomparable nature of the Lord. In Tamil Oppilla means ‘without equal’. The Lord Narayana is considered a father without equal or Oppilla-appan. (Please see Nammalwar’ s mangalasasanam below).
Special Features
As mentioned earlier, all prasad in this temple is salt-free. It is considered a sin to bring salted food into the temple from the outside. This is the only temple where this restriction is honored totally.
The Moolavar (main deity) and Utsavar (processional deity) both carry the same names.
The Lord is Oppiliappan or Srinivasan.
The mother of the universe is Bhumi Devi.
The moolavar (main deity) is seen in a standing posture with Bhumi Devi seated in front on his right along with Markandeya Maharishi seated on His left in the sanctum in Kalyana Thirukkolam. The vimana is Suthananda vimana – one that always gives happiness.
Ahoratra Pushkarani
The temple tank is called ‘Ahoratra Pushkarani‘ as one can bathe in it round the clock, even at night. This place is considered the equivalent of Tirupati.
Akasanagari
Lord Oppiliappan is considered the elder brother of Tirupati Lord Srinivasan. This sthalam is considered the equivalent of Sri Vaikunta and is referred to as Akasanagari. The Lords of various temples went to Alwar Thirunagari to give Archa-rupa darshan to Nammalwar so that he may sing about them.
Five Forms
Lord Oppilliappan gave darshan in five forms –
Ponnappan,
Maniyappan,
Muthappan,
Ennappan, and
Thiruvinnagarappan.
Mangalasasanam
In Thiruvaimozhi, Nammalwar dedicates 11 pasurams (3249 to 3259) on seeing the Lord in Thiruvinnagar. He joyously claims to have seen the Lord at Thiruvinnagar as the Lord came to him and claimed Nammalwar as his very own. In these eleven pasurams he goes on to point out that the Lord showed him five forms –
Ponnappan,
Maniappan,
Muthappan,
Thiruvinnagarappan, and
finally Ennappan or my father!
It is the Lord who gave him salvation in the shade of His divine feet.
As the decade ends he says those who worship the Lord at Thiruvannagar and have read and understood these eleven pasurams by Satagopa will surely reach the status of Nitya-suris in the eternal service to Him.
In Peria Thirumozhi, Thirumangaialwar (1448 to 1477) questions the Lord why He has abandoned him in samsara just to experience archa rupa in various sthalams. He says “To save Indra and devas, you went begging. Then you also churned the ocean so that they will consume nectar and live forever. You solved Rudra’s problem by cleansing him so he could acquire fame. I don’t need any of these.
All I ask is salvation to Paramapadham. You are capable of putting together things that cannot be put together.
With that ability why are you not helping me? You alone have that right as all of creation resides in You.” Like this, Alwar poses arguments on why the Lord should grant him salvation and how such an act by the Lord is justified based on other actions of the Lord. This interchange is carried on in thirty-four pasurams. He ends by compelling the Lord and the Divine Mother (at Thiruvinnagar) that they need to tell him the time at which they will grant him his salvation.
Further in Thirunedunthandagam (2080), Thirumangai alwar calls Thiruvinnagar the place where the Lord resides. He identifies the Lord as the one who churned the ocean of milk, who damned the salty sea, and who won over Nappinnai in Krishna’s avatar.
The asuras (left) and devas (right) churn the Ocean of Milk.
Peyalwar in Moonraam Thiruanthathi (2342) refers to Thiruvinnagar as one of the great locations where the Lord appeared eternally young to make his bhakta his very own. In the very next pasuram he refers to many sthalams and lists Thiruvinnagar amongst them as the place where Thiruvikrama who accepted water from Mahabali’s kamandalu (to make all that was Mahabali’s his very own), stood.
Om Namo Narayanaya
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