Location of Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple
About a 2-hour drive due west and a little south of Chennai, it is located just off the Chennai– Bengaluru national highway. The nearest airport is Chennai. A total of 15 Divya Desams are in Kanchipuram. Ashtabhujam temple is located in Ennaikaran, about 2 km from Sri Varadarajaswamy temple and Thiruthannka is the older name of Thoopul.
Click here for the Google Maps location (Divyadesam Sri Ashtabujakara Perumal Temple)
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ASHTABHUJAM – Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple
Sthalapuranam
Legend has it that Lord Brahma tried to perform a ‘yajna’ without his wife Saraswati. She got angry and tried to attack the place of ‘yajna’ so that the ‘yajna’ would remain incomplete. She sent darkness which was nullified by Lord Vishnu in the form of a lamp. Hence it is Deepa Prakasar (Thoopul Temple).
Then She sent an eight armed Kali to destroy the place. The Lord took the form of eight-armed Nrusimha and overcame Her. Hence it is Ashtabhuja Perumal Temple. Then She became a river in flood called Vegavati and wanted to fill the ‘yajnasala’ with terrible flood. The Lord rested in the path of the river (Yatokthakari Temple – Vegasethu) like a dam.
She went underground to avoid coming into contact with Him. Finally, the Lord rose in complete glory in the Punnyakoti Vimana as the ultimate King of Boons (Varadharajan) from the ‘yajna’ flames. The marks of the fire can be seen on the face of the ‘utsava idol’ even today.
In Tirumala and Srirangam, the Moolavar or main resident idol are ‘Swayam Vyakta’ (Self-Manifest). In Kanchipuram the ‘utsavar’ (idol seen outside the temple by all) is ‘Swayam Vyakta.’ Just outside the sanctum are two lizards made of precious metal. Legend is that if one touches them and then has the ‘ darshan’ of the Lord, they will be cured of all ills.
Legend is that Rishi Sringibhera had two sons who were cursed by their teacher Gautama to become lizards. They were released from their curses by Sri Varadaraja and attained ‘moksha.’
The Yoga Nrusimha shrine below Hastigiri Hill facing east is considered by many to be the original shrine in this temple. There are many who will worship at Perundevi Thayar shrine and Nrusimha shrine first before worshipping Sri Varadaraja at the main sanctum.
When Goddess Saraswati wanted to destroy Lord Brahma’s ‘yagasala’ so the ‘yajna’ remains incomplete, She sent hordes of ‘rakshasas’ and eight armed Kali to do the job. Lord Brahma prayed to Vishnu who appeared in eight-armed form and destroyed the ‘rakshasas’ and brought Kali under control and drove her away.
Sri Adhikesava Perumal
The original God of this temple is Sri Adhikesava Perumal and the Lord settled in the same Divya Desam in His eight-armed form. There is another legend which is famous i.e., the act of saving the elephant Gajendra from the crocodile took place here and hence the Lord is also known as Gajendra Varadhan.
Special Features
This is the only temple in the 108 Divya Desams where the Lord appears with eight hands holding a multiplicity of weapons. It is also the only temple where there is ‘mangalasasanam’ done by an ‘alwar’ exclusively for the universal mother.
The Lord is Ashtabhuja Perumal or Adhi Kesava Perumal. The Universal Mother is Alarmelmanga or Padmasini. The Vimana is Chakrakruthi Vimana. The Theertham is Gajendra Pushkarni. The time of the establishment of the temple is unknown.
It is one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram. It is believed to have been built by Pallavas before the 7th Century CE. There is a contribution from the medieval Cholas and the kings of Vijayanagara.
Mangalasasanam
In ‘Moondram Thiruvandhadhi (2380), Pey Alwar sings about this Lord as, he who is victorious with all eight weapons and who has taken up residence in Ashtabhuja temple in Kanchipuram, He further adds that this is the Lord who saved the elephant Gajendra from the crocodile by flawlessly aiming the Sudarshana. The Alwar says that the release from samsara is possible only by surrendering to this Lord.
In Peria Thirumozhi (1118-1127), Thirumangai Alwar says that when he saw the form that held Lord Rudra (Tripurari) and Lord Brahma in awe, the form which all worshipped in all the worlds, Lord Nrusimha who tore the chest of Hiranyakasipa, asked who could this be? The Lord responded ‘It is Me, the Ashtabhuja Perumal’.
“He is surrounded by bees from the Tulasi garlands that are on Him. I don’t have the ability to describe the designs that are drawn on Him with sandalwood paste. His eyes are lotus flowers drawn by experts in painting. I am left wondering and I ask who this is. He says I am the One with eight hands!”
THIRUTHANNKA (THOOPUL) – Villakolli Perumal
Sthalapuranam
Kindly check the Sthalapuranam mentioned above.
When Saraswati sent a wave of darkness (by dimming our perception of the sun and the moon), the Lord held out a light to illuminate. This can also be said to be the Lord holding out the light of jnana to dispel Sarawati sending Ajnana. It is said that Saraswati became cool water and so became the theertham in this Divya Desam.
Click here for the Google Maps location ( Divyadesam 45 Arulmigu Sri Vilakkoli Perumal Temple)
Special Features:
Thann means cool and Ka means parks. Because Brahma did his yajna here amongst such pleasant surroundings the place got this name. The Lord here is Deepaprakasar or Villakolli Perumal. The Universal Mother is Marakathavalli Thayar. The Vimana is Sreekara Vimana and the Theertham is Saraswati Theertham.
It was built probably during Pallava times, it was expanded by medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar kings.
Sri Vedanta Desika was born and lived in a house near the temple. The well built by him is still there. He was an ardent devotee of Sri Deepaprakasar. The utsava idol of Sri Varadarajswamy is brought to the site of Sri Vedanta Desika’s house on three days a year as a mark of respect for the Acharya.
Mangalasasanam
Thirumangai Alwar in Peria Thirumozhi (1949) says that the Lord is so good to see like gold atop Thiruvengadam Hills, one should leave Tirumala Hills and go to Thiruthannka to worship again
