Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple, Nangur (108 Divya Desams)

Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple Location

As one can see from the map, Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple Divya Desam is located 150 km east of Srirangam which is close to the town of Mayiladuthurai. These are the 9th, 10th and 11th of Divya Desams of the Thirunangur Eleven.

Click here for the Google Maps location

THIRUVAIKUNDAVINNAGARAM

Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple – Sthalapuranam

The Lord appears here just the same way He would appear in SriVaikunta or Paramapadham. He is one of the eleven who came to stop Rudra’s dance. He made the conversion of eleven dancing Rudras into one Siva here. He appears here seated just as he appears to Nitya Suris.

Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple – Special features

Appropriately the Lord is known as Vaikuntanathan and the universal mother is known as Vaikuntavalli. The Vimana is Anantasathyavarthaga Vimana and the theertham is Lakshmi Theertham, Uthanga Pushkarni and Viraja Theertham. It is said the Uparisrivasu and Uthnaga attained ‘moksha’ by praying here. This Lord also participates in the joint Garuda Sevai on Thai Amavasya Day every year.

Sri Vaikuntanathan Temple, Nangur (108 Divya Desams)

Mangalasasanam

Thirumangai Alwar has sung about this Divya Desam in Periya Thirumozhi (1228-1237). Alwar addresses his wayward heart and says the Lord here is the one who killed Hiranya. He is the same one who churned the Ocean of Milk for the benefit of the Devas.

He has the complexion of a dark cloud and resides in the temple at Vaikuntavinnagaram surrounded by parks with jasmine and shenbaga plants showering flowers. He tossed Vatsasura to make all the fruits drop and He ate all the butter and curd kept by the yadava girls.

As if that did not fill him, He ate the worlds during Pralaya. He is seated in Vaikutavinnagaram surrounded by palms, coconuts and betel leaf plants. He was worshipped by the Devas and the ‘rishis’. It is the same Lord who is at this temple. This town has a tall building. It seems that it rubs the lower side of the Moon. The ponds have fish jumping in them.

Trivikrama Perumal Temple, Sirkali (108 Divya Desams)

Trivikrama Perumal Temple Location

As can be seen from the map, Trivikrama Perumal Temple is located in a cluster of about 160km due east of Srirangam along the Bay of Bengal coast not far from Chidambaram.

Click here for the Google Maps location

Sirkali / Seerkazhi

Sthalapuranam

This place is also known as Kazhiseerama Vinnagarm. The area is called ‘Pataleegavanam’ and ‘Uthamakshetram’. Lomasa Maharishi was concerned that Brahma’s long life was making Brahma arrogant. So, he prayed to Vishnu and requested him to help control it.

The Lord blessed the rishi and promised that for every hair Lomasa lost from his body, Brahma would lose one year of his life. Then the Lord asked if the Rishi needed anything else. Lomasa asked that the Lord reside in Seerkazhi eternally in Trivikrama form.

The Lord agreed. It is said that Lomasa informed the link between his hair and Brahma’s life to Brahma later and brought his arrogance under control. The universal mother is ‘Lokanayaki’. The temple pond is Sangu and Chakra theertham and the vimana is Pushkala.

Trivikrama Perumal Temple, Sirkali or Seerkazhi (108 Divya Desams)

 

Special features

Because the Lord is in Trivikrama form when he measured the three worlds, he is called ‘Thaallalan or Thadallan’. Because he was stored in the Tavittu paanai (Pot), he is also referred to as Thavittu Paanai Thadallan. One story is that Siddhashrama where Vishwamitra conducted yaga was guarded by Rama and Lakshmana.

Seerkazhi or Sikali is reputed to be Siddhashrama. Hence the temple is also called ‘Cheerama vinnagaram’. Thirumangai Alwar won over Thirugnanasambhandar in discourse in this town. Sambhandar called Alwar Nalkaviperumal and gifted his hand help a spear.

Mangalasasanam

Thirumangai Alwar in Peria Thirumozhi (1178-1187) instructs us that if we wish to attain the divine feet of the Lord, this temple is the place to go to and worship. He also refers to the story of Romasa Maharishi and instructs us what happened in this temple.

He further refers to those who wish to attain the divine feet of Krishna (who killed the bulls to attain Napinnai) and Nrusimha (who tore Hiranya’s chest open), That Lord is the resident at Seerkazhi. Then he refers to the Lord resident here as the one who scattered the ten heads of Ravana and turned them into mud.

The Lord resident here is also the same one who brought the Parijatha tree for Sathyabhama and instructs us to go and worship him.